Niagara on the Lake: a foodie's destination
Imagine spending 3 days being delighted by wine and champagne tasting while eating in farm-to-table restaurants. If you are a foodie, then this is the perfect destination for you. Inside the Canadian heartland of the Ontario province, you will find a small Victorian town surrounded by miles and miles of vineyards. Only 2 hours away from the busy Toronto metropolis, a 30-minute drive from the world-renown Niagara Falls, and 10 minutes from the Canada-US border, Niagara-on-the-Lake offers a great foodie getaway. The wine region surrounds the Niagara peninsula and offers unusually warm temperatures allowing the vines to survive the harsh Canadian winters.
This guide will give a list of things to do and eat, plus all the best wineries in Niagara on the Lake (NotL). What better way to spend the perfect long weekend than to enjoy Ontario's best wines?
So gather up oenophiles! Are you ready to embark on one of the country’s greatest winery tours?
Things to do in Niagara-on-the-Lake
This great foodie weekend getaway has pretty Victorian buildings it is in fact, considered one of the prettiest towns in Canada. NotL was the first capital of Upper Canada (what is now Ontario) in the 18th Century. NotL is part of the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Attiwonderonk (Neutral), Haudenosaunee, Mississauga and Seneca Peoples.
Start your visit at the heart of the town, at the Memorial Clock Tower. The Cenotaph was erected in memory of those who were lost in WWI. The tower is right in the main commercial street - Queen Street- with small shops offering local products like jams and gelati. Here, don’t forget to stop at the Niagara Apothecary. The museum showcases the Canadian Confederation-era pharmacy from 1869, they will show you recipes from the 19th century. Then, go to Queen's Royal Park to admire the beautiful waterfront and enjoy a little walk. From here, you can see New York State across the river and if you are lucky to have clear skies, you can see Toronto.
For the theatre aficionados, the town is known for the Shaw Festival Theater, which is the second-largest repertory theatre company in North America. It has everything from the classics to modern comedy. The festival was created to highlight the work of playwright George Bernard Shaw and it runs from April to December. The festival in 2021 is running its 60 seasons and has yearly 10 or more productions performed in three theatres. If you are not going during the festival, you can always catch a play at the beautiful Royal George Theatre.
For the history buffs, the town has places for you to visit! NotL played a key part in the War of 1812 against the United States, this is in part because of the key geographical position the town is situated in. Not very far away from downtown, you will find Fort George National Historic Site where Upper Canada set a military post against the Americans in the 19th century. The other military important site is the Butler’s Barracks National Historic Site, which offers a unique perspective of military life during the wars of the 1800s. Lastly, you will find Fort Mississauga National Historic Site and its star-shaped ground fortification. These 3 historical sites are part of the Park Canada network. To close your historical tour, you can visit the Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum which tells the history of the town. If you go to the neighbouring town of Queenston you can go to Laura Secord Homestead. Laura Secord is a key figure in Canadian history, she warned the British of an American attack. Back in NotL you can also visit Mackenzie Printery, Newspaper Museum, McFarland House and RiverBrink Art Museum. To learn about Black history in Voices of Freedom Memorial.
If you are looking for a hike or bike, then you can go along the Niagara Parkway and Niagara River Recreation Trail for beautiful views of the Niagara River and to the Two Mile Creek Conservation Area. After all, the town is inside of the Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Best wineries in Niagara on the Lake
The Niagara Peninsula has more than 40 wineries spread through the towns of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Beamsville. The entire Niagara wine region along the shores of Lake Ontario is home to over 50 wineries. From mainstream estates to very small family-owned vineyards to organic farms, there are plenty of options to choose from.
A little about the region and why it makes such great wines
Niagara-on-the-Lake is bordered by Lake Ontario and the Niagara River, which controls the climate and makes it moderated. The temperatures are generally warmer than in the rest of the province and this translates into a timely spring and long fall, perfect for winemaking! The top grapes produced are Vidal, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay and Cabernet Franc but there are also other grape varieties. The wines are usually very balanced.
The region has been designated by the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) as a distinct area, with nearby sub-appellations including Niagara River, Niagara Lakeshore, Four Mile Creek, and St. David’s Bench. This quality alliance aims to maintain the integrity of the area’s wines by ensuring claims of origin are accurate. This means that for a wine to have the VQA cannot contain grapes or be bottled in another region.
The region is also widely known for Ice Wine. Because Canadians do need to get by with the winters. So what are Ice wines? This is a sweet wine, usually served with dessert, that is made from frozen grapes. These bottles are generally more expensive because they are difficult to make. The grapes must be picked at exactly -8 Celsius, and they need to be handpicked or shaken from the vines. The grapes are then pressed when they are still cold. Ice wine is done throughout Canada but NotL provides 80% of Canada’s ice wine.
Did you know that Ontario has another wine region that is also close to Toronto? Click here for more info on Prince Edward County.
Travel tips to plan your visit better:
All the tastings range from $8 to $12.
The tour of the wineries can be done by bike or by car; if you want to do them solo. There are also tour companies that will drive you around. The downside of doing the wineries with a tour is that you cannot choose your stops, the good side is that you don't have to worry about driving a little tipsy or anything else.
If you are doing the tour by yourself, plan your visits geographically. If you have some wineries that you would like to visit check their location, they might be too far apart to do them back to back or they might be in two different towns. After all, you don’t want to be in the car all day.
If you are two or more, it might be a good idea to split the tastings if you are planning to do several wineries, this way you can avoid drinking too much ;)
Please don’t drink and drive.
Most of the wineries are open daily and they all have similar schedules, however, I would suggest checking the times beforehand as well.
Each winery has something special that distinguishes them from the others. Some will do cheese, chocolate or food pairing, some will have an ice rink, some will have concerts, yoga classes, you name it. You should research the type of tastings and activities they have prior to your visit so you can choose wisely. There is literally something for everyone.
When to visit? You can visit the region year-round, however, I would suggest going in late summer to avoid the heat and the crowds and really enjoy the outside. There are also winter activities in the region if you are a polar bear. There are also many festivals throughout the year so I would suggest checking the list before so you can attend one.
Some of the restaurants have extraordinary restaurants so don’t go wine tasting there, go for the full gastronomical experience.
Best wineries in Niagara on the Lake
Here are the ones that we liked the most and why (not in order of preference):
Southbrook
This award-winning winery is the first Canadian 100% organic and bio-dynamic certified winery. They have sheep and chickens to encourage biodiversity and to fertilize the vineyard. The bright & airy tasting room has a beautiful view of the vines and has several local products that will perfectly pair with your wine. Southbrook offers a wide range of reds, whites, rosés, orange and ice wine.
Frogpond Farm
Another organic winery, this one is much smaller, and you can self-tour the property. This is one of the best white wines that we tasted during the weekend. The farm has 10 acres of vines, friendly farm animals and a pretty pond. In terms of wine, they have a selection of Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Merlot Gamay Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Vidal and Chambourcin.
Megalomaniac Wines
I know that the name and the label might turn you away, I know I was; I've seen the wine bottle at the store but I would not dare to buy it because of the branding. Their branding is taken to the next level inside the tasting room with the staff shirts, and arrows pointing at you in the mirrors. However, we were happily surprised by the quality of the wine! The quality is a step up compared to the other wineries. We were lucky enough to have a take a tour through the property. They do offer several events throughout the year so be sure to check out their website so you don't miss out.
Trius Winery and Restaurant
This is the place to head to if you are a champagne lover! They have the largest underground sparkling wine cellar in the country. To highlight all of their sparkling wines, they have put together a sparkling experience tasting, sadly, we missed the tour hours for the full experience.
This property belongs to the Peller family (the owners of Peller Estates winery), it is known since 1991 when it won over the critics of international wine when the Trius Red became the first Canadian wine vintage to be recognized as the Best Red Wine in the World. Since then, the quality of their wines hasn’t lowered.
Malivoire Wine company
Malivoire Won “Winery of the Year" at the 2021 National Wine Awards and it is not the only award that this winery has won over its 20 years of existence. During our wine-tasting tour, we particularly loved their Gamay. The owner, Martin Malivoire, was a director of motion picture special effects for more than 30 years before deciding on a career change. Maybe I will do the same one year, quit 3D production and do wines, sounds like a great plan!
Fielding Estate
By far the most beautiful vineyard, perched on a hill, the tasting room gives you a beautiful view of the lush green wines. Enjoy your tasting while sitting on the balcony while enjoying the view. Did you know that on a clear day, you can see the skyline of Toronto on the other side of the lake? You need to try their sparkling rosé! These bubbles are definitely one of a kind. They apply sustainable farming practices and were designated one of Canada’s top 10 wineries twice by Grape Grower.
Small Talk vineyards
This winery is almost made for Instagram with all its flashy colours and layout. They also have cider tasting under their label Shiny Apple Cider. What could be better than having tastings of wine and cider while enjoying lunch from the food truck? In wines, they have Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Riesling-Gewurztraminer, Riesling-Sauv Blanc and Pinot Gris. If you want to take a break from wine, they have 9 varieties of apples to make different types of ciders.
As I said before, there are more than 40 wineries to visit and obviously, we could not visit them all in only 3 days. To make your life easier, I have added below some very popular and award-winning wineries that you might want to add, after all, you choose the wineries based on your personal preferences.
Peller Estates
While we did not visit this winery, we have tasted these wines multiple times. This Niagara on the Lake winery is one of my mom’s favourite sparkling wines. The winery has received numerous awards, including a 2018 Decanter Wine World Award, a 2014 WineAlign Canadian Winery of the Year Award, and a 2017 and 2018 Ontario Winery of the Year award. In winter, you can go visit the 10Below Icewine Lounge, which is an igloo-like venue constructed from 13,607 kilos of ice!
Konzelmann Estate Winery
Konzelmann Estate Winery sits on Lake Ontario for beautiful views. This winery is acclaimed for its ice wines. The founder came from Germany and imported its savoir-faire from its home country.
Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery & Distillery
If you are an Ice Hockey connoisseur, you will most likely recognize this name. After all, he is not called “the Great One” for nothing. The former hockey player opened the estate in 2017 and produces wines and whiskey. If you decide to come in the winter, then you can skate on the backyard ice rink.
Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery
The Triggs winery shines for the technologically advanced winemaking facilities in Canada. They also brag about being Canada’s most awarded winery, because who wouldn’t? If you are a music fan, then you should add this winery to the top of your list, it has an amphitheatre, hosting concerts by some of the best local and national musical talent.
Château des Charmes
This vineyard was founded in the 1970s by a French winemaking family (they are now in their fifth generation), the Bosc. This is one of the first wineries in the region to open a commercial vineyard to visitors. The winery keeps its French roots that can be viewed in the architecture. The sparkling wine and their Gamay are very good, we have bought it back home multiple times.
Reif Estate Winery
One of the region’s founding wineries, it opened its first plants in 1977. The Vidal Icewine is also one of the best in the Niagara region, having won over 100 Gold Awards. They also have a sensory garden to unleash your senses.
Inniskillin Wines
This is the OG winery of Canada. They were the first winery in the country to receive a winery license after prohibition and pioneered the VQA system. The winery is one of the most popular in the region.
Palatine Hills Estate Winery
This is a family-run winery that started as a vineyard growing grapes for eating, it then evolved into a winery. The estate won in 2017 Silver in the Intervin Wine Awards. The winery sits in one of the important locations of the 1812 war. If you didn’t have enough about the military history in the numerous National Historic sites, then you are in luck! The estate has numerous old relics and other testament to the area’s history.
Pillitteri Estates Winery
This winery has humble beginnings as it started as a small fruit market founded by immigrants to Canada. Today it is the official wine for the Canadian team in the Olympics and has multiple awards under its belt.
Colaneri Estate Winery
The wines at Colaneri are made in the appassimento style which means “Wither”. The appassimento style involves the drying of grapes in a drying chamber to dehydrate prior to fermentation. This style reduces the water concentration on the grapes and produces a fuller-bodied and full-flavoured wine. If you have tasted Italian wines, the wines at Colaneri will have a strong resemblance.
Hidden Bench
This is one of my favourite wines in the region but I have never visited the winery. They have a Beamsville Bench sub-appellation. This premium artisanal winery offers different Tasting Experiences with 4 and 6 different wines. Their tastings are on the higher end price but I’m sure it is worth it. All of their vineyard are organic certified.
Where to eat in Niagara-on-the-Lake?
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a true foodie destination. There are numerous delicious restaurants for you to indulge in, the little town has more than 20 restaurants. Here are some recommendations for every meal of the day.
Brunch / Breakfast
Pro tip: have a filling breakfast before heading to your wine tours, it will help you not to get drunk!
Willow Cakes and Pastries has very yummy pastries, great for breakfast. This local bakery does all of the products on the same day. They have everything from cakes, croissants to savoury treats.
The restaurant Tiara restaurant of the Hotel Queen's Landing has a great brunch! I tried the eggs benedictine with snow crab, it was delicious! Be sure to enjoy the view of the marina while eating.
Lunch
There are two great breweries in the region Oast & Silversmith. Besides having a wide variety of beer, they offer a good food menu. Trust me, changing the savour of your drink will help you appreciate wine better.
The Pie Plate is a great lunch stop, they serve thin-crust pizza, tacos & pies, of course. They grow their own ingredients, which makes it even better!
You skipped lunch and fancy a filling snack? The Drawing Room of Prince of Wales hotel offers an afternoon tea in the very English tradition. I thought that it was a little pricey but I had never done an afternoon tea so I did it like the experience more for its novelty. The whole setting makes you feel you are in the English monarchy with the colourful collection of antiques, teapots, candelabras and portraits of British nobility. The hot scones are served with local ice wine jelly and preserves as well as a tray of finger sandwiches and pastries.
Dinner
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery has been open for more than 150 years, as old as Canada! The main building is one of Canada’s Top 50 most architecturally significant ancestral homes for its Georgian Loyalist-style. The tradition of making quality products has propagated through the wine, their farm and their cuisine. The restaurant has wooden pillars and a roof, it will give a feeling that you are dining on a farm. The menu only serves ingredients from their garden. Their plates go with the seasons, so it changes regularly. They offer a wine pairing menu that allows you to taste all of their best bottles.
Noble Restaurant is there for you to splurge yourself in this fine-dining restaurant. We tried the Thanksgiving special menu and it was amazing. The portions are very big, so prepare your belly!
Where to stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake?
The town, luckily, does not have huge hotel chains, which helps keep its Victorian charm. Most travellers stay in B&B, sometimes you have a feeling that each house is a B&B (fun fact, there are more than 200 B&B). You can also stay in some estates that have rooms available for you.
There is one hotel chain, the Vintage Hotels, that owns around 6 hotels in the town and they are all beautiful. They are in historic buildings and have a very English colonial feel. We stayed in Prince of Wales which is in the heart of downtown, right by Queen street. The hotel is decorated with portraits of the English monarchy (some of them are quite creepy). The Hotel was originally established in 1864 and it change its name in honour of the 1901 visit by the Duke and Duchess of York, who have later crowned King George V and Queen Mary.
The hotel has a saltwater pool which is great to relax after all that drinking! Since it is a chain of hotels, they are all interconnected so you can go from one restaurant to another hotel for example. This is what we did in the recommendations above. We usually don't stay in hotels, however, we found a great package deal for the long weekend!
How many days should you stay? I would recommend staying between 2 and 3 days. A day trip from Niagara falls or from Toronto will be too short for you to enjoy all the activities.
Getting to Niagara-on-the-Lake?
You can get to Niagara on the lake by car, bus or train with Via Rail. However, if you don’t plan to do a guided tour of various wineries, I would suggest renting a car. This will give you great flexibility to do your trip as you wish. The train and bus will only get you downtown and not to the wineries.
The most difficult choice that you will have to make during your stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake will be trying to decide which bottles of wines you will bring home.
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