KaiserHaus Wine Bar & Bistro
38 Lakeport Road, St. Catharines
kaiserhaus.ca
Kaiserhaus is the honourary namesake bistro of the late co-founder of Inniskillin Wines, Karl Kaiser. Opened by his son and daughter-in-law, the quaint bistro bar sits in idyllic Port Dalhousie and serves some unique takes on some favourite Austro-German comfort foods.
There’s a rumour going around that this place has the most under-rated patio in the region and that the schnitzel is so big it needs its own time zone. Our recommendation: have a butter-dipped pretzel to start, followed by the schnitzel, and then strudel for dessert. Their bar menu also has a huge focus on local (another reason to love them!)
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Vineland Estates Winery
3620 Moyer Rd, Vineland
vineland.com
One of the best stops along the Ontario Wine Route, the restaurant at Vineland Estates is certified by the Culinary Tourism Alliance as a Feast On restaurant, meaning they’re committed to sourcing and celebrating Ontario-grown food and drink.
Our recommendation: grab a window seat in the renovated 1845 farmhouse and take in views of rolling vineyards, Niagara Benchlands forests, and Lake Ontario in the distance. The menu curated by Executive Chef George Ward is sure to entice culinary adventurousness in us all.
Shameless plug, Vineland Estates is the host of an upcoming Feast On the Farm event – get your tickets here!
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Dispatch
366 St. Paul Street, Suite 101, St. Catharines
dispatchrestaurant.com
Dispatch is the anchor tenant inside the completely transformed Lincoln Theatre, once a 700+ seat cinema. Australian-born Chef Adam Hynam-Smith offers a menu with no boundaries for inspiration sweeping from Europe and the Mediterranean to the Middle East and Asia. With such a celebration of global flavours and an ever-changing menu, repeat guests feel like it’s somewhere new each time they visit.
Our recommendation: sit literally anywhere – the airy dining room has open views of the kitchen AND a retail space (!!) so you can SEE the chefs create with their signature products (their Jet Fuel Hot Sauce, for instance) and then buy some before you go.
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