Diners across Ontario, rejoice! Cozy wintertime dining is not limited to restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area. Indeed, there are interesting and unique food scenes all across the province, as long as you know where to look.
Today, we’re sharing our guide to cold weather dining in two unique and very different Ontario destinations: Burlington and Sudbury. Burlington is about an hour’s drive west of Toronto along the shores of Lake Ontario. It’s easily accessible by GO Train from both Toronto and nearby Hamilton. Meanwhile, Sudbury is the largest city in Northern Ontario. Drive time from the GTA is about 4 hours, although flights and trains are also available. Sudbury is home to a large Franco-Ontarian population, and its influence can be felt on the art, culture, and food in the city.
Ready to start making some restaurant reservations? Keep scrolling or click below to jump directly to a specific destination:
- West of Toronto: Enjoy the Taste of Burlington This Winter
- North of Toronto: Enjoy Cozy Winter Fun & Dining in Sudbury
West of Toronto: Enjoy the Taste of Burlington This Winter
Taste of Burlington is dedicated to promoting Burlington’s vibrant culinary scene. This annual event, which runs from January 27 to February 9, 2025, features prix fixe menus that have been carefully designed to feature craveable dishes and innovative flavours to make your tastebuds sing.
Taste of Burlington is the perfect way to discover new restaurants and enjoy a curated dining experience with your friends and loved ones. Ready to book your table? Here are a few of our picks for any occasion:
Great Value for the Whole Family
Oven 360
Where: 3121 Appleby Line Unit 4-5, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $20 Dinner $20
Oven 360 serves authentic Neapolitan-style pizzas made the traditional way: dough that is left to rise for a long time, so it’s airy and crispy; cooked fast in a blazing-hot oven; and topped with high-quality ingredients. The prix fixe menu has a personal salad, signature 10″ pizza or panini, with cannoli to finish and a drink to quench your thirst.
Burlington Brewery
Where: 3600 Dundas Street, Unit G101, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $20 Dinner $30
Burlington Brewery is a family-friendly brewery and taproom with a free arcade chockfull of games for the whole family. On the prix fixe menu, enjoy chips and salsas with a trio of tacos (Carnitas, Crispy Chicken, Birria and more), paired with pints for the adults and soda, juice, or Mexican Coke for the kids.
QB Sports Bar & Grill
Where: 4460 Fairview Street, Burlington, ON (View map)
Dinner $24
QB Sports Bar & Grill is a bustling casual eatery in Burlington’s Appleby neighbourhood. Enjoy crowd-pleasing favourites like ribs, loaded baked potatoes, baked beans, and don’t forget dessert!
Uptown Social House
Where: 1900 Walkers Line, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $36 Dinner $40
Uptown Social House is a Burlington destination for live entertainment, cocktails, beer, and delicious food! The prix fixe menu features craveable favourites like crab cakes or Thai chicken bites, surf & turf with fries or teriyaki salmon served with egg-fried rice, with cheesecake or an ice cream sundae for a sweet ending to a fun outing.
Burro
Where: 480 Brant Street Unit #4, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $15 Dinner for 2 $35
Burro is a gluten-free taco & tequila bar.Start with guacamole or bean dip, both with chips; choose two tacos (lunch) or four (dinner for 2); and split a churro for dessert, all paired with great drinks and toe-tapping music in a vibrant environment.
A Delicious Outing with Friends
Mythos Greek Cuisine
Where: 3500 Fairview St, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $40, Dinner $40
The prix fixe menu at Mythos Greek Cuisine is as classic as it comes: zucchini fritter feta cheese mousse, augolemono soup or Greek salad, lamb giouvetsi or pastitsio, with galaktobureko for dessert – a treat similar to baklava, but filled with a custardy filling instead of nuts.
Industria Pizzeria & Bar
Where: 1860 Appleby Line, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $20 Dinner $45
At Industria Pizzeria & Bar, the prix fixe menu is loaded with Italian favourites. For lunch, try a Tramezzino (an Italian sandwich constructed from two slices of soft white bread and filled with delicious things like pastrami or meatballs). For dinner, choose from a few fun twists on Italian classics: Pumpkin Spice Burrata, Lobster Tagliatelle, and Limoncello Tiramisu.
El Inka
Where: 1940 Appleby Line, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $25 Dinner $45
Discover Peruvian cuisine at El Inka with dishes like escabeche de pescado (fish that has been lightly cooked or pickled in an acidic sauce), anticucho (a pre-Columbian era street snack of of marinated heart that has been skewered and grilled), or arroz con mariscos (rice with a variety of shellfish, peppers, tomatoes, reminiscent of Spanish paella).
Martini House
Where: 437 Elizabeth Street, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $35 Dinner $55
The Martini House is a fine dining restaurant in downtown Burlington. The refined prix fixe menu includes beef tartare to start, comforting classics like fish & chips or a bone-in pork chop, with decadent tres leches cake for dessert.
Paradiso
Where: 2041 Pine Street, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $30 Dinner $45
Paradiso Restaurant offers hand-crafted food in a warm and relaxing atmosphere. For their prix fixe menu, Paradiso is serving comforting winter favourites like butternut squash & pumpkin soup, basil brined chicken supreme, mushroom ravioli, and lots more.
District Kitchen and Bar
Where: 335 Plains Road E, Burlington, ON (View map)
Dinner $35
District Kitchen + Bar is a neighbourhood eatery featuring American and pub fare, craft beer, and premium cocktails in the heart of Aldershot Village. Their menu classics and innovative chef creations are all hand crafted and made in house. During Taste of Burlington, warm up with french onion soup, chicken schnitzel, crème brulee and more.
Pepe and Lela’s Eatery
Where: 1893 Appleby Line, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $30 Dinner $45
Pepe and Lela’s is a café and restaurant serving homey traditional Mexican dishes with genuine elements and a unique modern twist. Think coctel de camarones (Mexican shrimp cocktail) followed by grilled chorizo or mouthwatering short rib barbacoa. Bring a few friends so you can try (and share) everything on the prix fixe menu!
Perfect for Date Night
Prime Steak and Raw Bar
Where: 390 Brant Street, Burlington, ON (View map)
Dinner $75
Prime Steak and Raw Bar is a Burlington favourite – they even received a 2024 OpenTable Diners’ Choice Awards! After enjoying lobster bisque or a classic Caesar starter, choose a decadent main dish: 10oz New York striploin, Tomahawk pork chop, or salmon Oscar (with lump crab meat, asparagus, and Béarnaise sauce).
Spencer’s at the Waterfront
Where: 1340 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $35 Dinner $45
Located on Burlington’s waterfront, guests can enjoy a cozy winter evening when the tranquillity pool has been transformed into a skating rink (open daily until 10pm). The menu at Spencer’s features market-fresh fish, exceptional seafood and mouth-watering proteins. The prix fixe offerings include salmon tataki, braised beef cheek, grilled octopus, and more.
Sunset Bistro on the Waterfront
Where: 399 Elizabeth St, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $35 Dinner $55
Sunset Bistro is a new addition to the Burlington restaurant scene.The menu is influenced heavily by Canadian, European, as well as Mediterranean traditions, all coming together to create a unique taste and style that is uniquely theirs. During Taste of Burlington, you can try their Cajun catfish, coconut shrimp, smoked duck, bread pudding, and more.
Cherry House Restaurant
Where: 3106 South Service Road, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $69 Dinner $79
Head to Cherry House Restaurant during Taste of Burlington to splash out on a classic steakhouse meal without breaking the bank: think crab cakes or oysters Rockefeller to start, mains that include 12 oz USDA Prime striploin or fish of the day, with cheesecake or a double chocolate brownie to finish off a perfect meal!
Isabelle Restaurant & Lounge
Where: 3 Elizabeth Street, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $45 Dinner $55
Located within The Pearle Hotel & Spa, Isabelle Restaurant offers a dining experience that combines Mediterranean flavours with the best of Ontario’s local ingredients in a vibrant, yet relaxed atmosphere. Here, the prix fixe menu features crispy artichokes, pan-seared seabass, and mushroom mafalde (a ribbon-shaped pasta with ridges that catch every bit of sauce).
Loondocks
Where: 5111 New St. Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $33 Dinner $59
Loondocks is a modern casual fine-dining eatery just off Appleby Line in Burlington. Owned and operated by husband and wife team Chef Kevin and Maitre D Brittany, Loondocks is proud to be rated one of the best restaurants in the region. Their prix fixe menu has lots to choose from, including the Loondocks angus burger or turkey avocado on ciabatta for lunch, along with poached pear or beet and warm goat cheese salad with Yukon Arctic char filet or chorizo gnocchi for dinner. Don’t skip the daily cheesecake or crême brulée for dessert!
Rayhoon Persian Eatery
Where: 420 Pearl Street Village Square, Burlington, ON (View map)
Dinner $48
Follow any of the winding cobblestone pathways of Burlington’s Village Square and you will find your way to Rayhoon Persian Eatery! Rayhoon derives its name from the Persian word for Basil, an important herb in Persian Cuisine. Taste of Burlington is a great opportunity to try dishes like Chicken Tachin (crispy saffron rice) and Bakhtiari Kabob. Good news for pistachio lovers: there are three pistachio-forward dishes on the menu, including pistachio, beet and arugula salad, pistachio-crusted salmon, and a pistachio cardamom brownie for dessert.
Pepperwood Bistro
Where: 1455 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON (View map)
Lunch $25 Dinner $45
Pepperwood Bistro is a full-service restaurant nestled in the heart of downtown Burlington and boasting spectacular lakeside views. Grab your favourite dining companion and choose from prix fixe menu items like potato gnocchi, breaded chicken parmesan, pan-seared branzino, with a baked Northern Spy apple in flaky pastry for dessert.
Radius
Where: 455 Brant Street, Burlington, ON (View map)
Dinner $65
Radius celebrates all of the greatness in food, wine, spirits, and art in their local community! The prix fixe dinner menu is full of decadent dishes highlighting winter ingredients: winter citrus salad, seared scallops, or goat cheese spring rolls followed by honey and sumac glazed salmon, slow braised lamb shank, or romesco roasted chicken supreme and salted caramel cheesecake or chocolate heaven for dessert.
North of Toronto: Enjoy Cozy Winter Fun & Dining in Sudbury
If you’re a fan of cold, snowy landscapes and delicious food, Northern Ontario is the place for you! More specifically, Sudbury is the next must-visit destination to add to your list. Take in the crisp clean air and wide-open spaces as you discover a winter wonderland across the city on foot, skates, snowshoes, skis, fat bike, or snowmobile.
When it’s time to warm up, head to one of Sudbury’s local restaurants, cafés and lively pubs to discover a world of tasty flavours, delicious drinks, and unique pairings that will have you planning another visit before this trip is even over.
Peko Peko
Where: 73 Elm St, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
Peko Peko is a Chinese restaurant located in the heart of downtown Sudbury. Their menu features delicious, picture-perfect meals that are tasty and filling. Don’t forget the bubble tea to complete your meal!
Tucos Tacos
Where: 582 Kathleen St, Sudbury, ON (View map)
If winter’s got you craving classic tacos or loaded nachos, Tucos Tacos has you covered – and it’s all vegan, too! Dairy-free cheese and plant-based proteins come together to create craveable, delicious Mexican dishes, like bean and cheese crunchwraps, tortas with pulled jackfruit, or even a Phish taco with battered and fried avocado.
Di Gusto
Where: 1620 Regent St, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
Di Gusto’s menu features wood-fired pizzas, house-made signature pastas and specialty chicken, veal and seafood dishes. Warm up with spicy dishes like penne salsiccia or pizza diavola (although there’s lots on the menu for non-spice lovers!). Don’t forget to add an order of charity bread to your meal – the proceeds are donated to local charities.
Knowhere Public House
Where: 130 Elm St, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
Since 2021, Knowhere Public House has been a community hub supporting local farmers, brewers, bakers, and makers. Their landmark location in the art deco showroom of the old Gardiner Motor’s flagship building in Downtown Sudbury features a seasonal menu with a hint of Finnish flair, reflecting the familiar while highlighting local and fresh ingredients and value. Check their website for this month’s feature menu and start planning your meal.
Rosy’s Corner
Where: 104 Durham St, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
Rosy’s Corner is a casual restaurant that captures the flavours of Mexico! Prior to launching their restaurant, Chef Rosy Rio and her husband Ambrocio spent years selling Mexican food at the Sudbury Farmers’ Market, where they met the community and established themselves as purveyors of delicious and authentic Mexican cuisine. Don’t miss the sopes, small tortillas topped with refried beans, with shredded lettuce, salsa, tomatoes, and a number of meat options.
The Kouzzina
Where: 1463 Lasalle Blvd, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
The Kouzzina has been a long-standing staple in the community as a family-run establishment. This Greek and Italian restaurant offers delicious food and drinks. Cocktail lovers will enjoy a well-curated selection of cocktails spanning every flavour profile, while diners who are looking for non-alcoholic options can choose from one of five cocktails made with Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirits.
La Fromagerie
Where: 80 Elgin St, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
La Fromagerie is a trendy boutique restaurant in downtown Sudbury. Owner Valerie Fremlin expertly curates the selection of charcuterie, cheeses, and beverages on the menu. This is the perfect spot for an overdue catch-up with a friend over a glass of wine and a few delicious bites.
M.I.C. Eatery & Whisky Pub
Where: 200 Falconbridge Rd, Greater Sudbury, ON (View map)
The name M.I.C. stands for “Made In Canada,” and that tells you a lot about this restaurant’s ethos: the menu is a celebration of Canada, with locally-sourced produce and steak, Ontario beer, wines from the Niagara region of Ontario to the Okanagan Valley of British Colombia. Even the décor and atmosphere are inspired by the Great White North! For a true taste of Canada, try the brown butter pickerel or the pea soup with chunks of pork, carrots and celery.
Respect Is Burning Kitchen and Bar
Where: 82 Durham St, Sudbury, ON (View map)
Respect is Burning Kitchen and Bar is a family-owned restaurant serving an array of classic Italian standards such as pasta & grilled meats inspired by the traditional cuisine of their nonnas. The menu is designed to be shared, so bring a few friends (and your appetite) – you’ll want to try a bit of everything!
