Perfect Weekends: Woodstock | Ontario Culinary
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Perfect Weekends: Woodstock

Located in Southwestern Ontario along the Quebec City-Windsor corridor you’ll find Woodstock, Ontario. With a population of 37, 754 it is one of the largest cities in Southwestern Ontario.

Despite its population, Woodstock retains that historic small city feel, probably due to the fact that it is one of the few Ontario cities to still have all of its original administration buildings. What I really love about Woodstock though is the role it plays in Oxford County. In a county that has such a strong agricultural community, we love how Woodstock acts as a hub for all that amazing agricultural activity.

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There’s few places you can find gouda as good as that of Mountainoak Cheese! We love the nettle variety.

I think Woodstock is a really lovely reflection of the beautiful farmlands that surround it, and I’ll show you why with my perfect weekend there:

1. My favourite way to start a weekend is by satisfying my sweet tooth so fly on over to  Oxford Honey and Supplies. This is a family run affair that does everything bee related from selling products like lip balm and various honeys to running tours. During the summer months you can enter their observatory to get a closer look at the inner workings of a living hive. 

2. There’s a reason Woodstock is called the Dairy Capital of Canada; and we’ll give you a hint: it’s got a lot to do with cheese. The town is a great homebase for those looking to explore the Oxford County Cheese Trail. There’s plenty of curds for your herds on offer here, including delicious squeaky options from the oldest continually running cheddar factory in Ontario – Bright’s Cheese & Butter (est. 1874!), just 20 minutes outside of Woodstock. Other popular stops along the tour include Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese, where you can take a crash course in cheesemaking and Mountainoak Cheese, where they’ve got robots (!) caring for their herds.

3. While in town, make sure to make a stop at Upper Thames Brewing for a paddle flight. They’ve got live music going more often then not, and their seasonal rotation do not disappoint. On our recent visit, we loved the Ontario raspberry radler!

4. For those looking for a place to rest their heads, Elmhurst’s Inn & Spa is a wonderful option. Nestled on 32 picturesque acres, this famous Inn has really adorable guestrooms, an Aveda concept spa, and adjoining walking trails to walk off all that cheese!

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Meet chef Eric Boyar is SixThirtyNine. Him and his team create beautiful dishes using Oxford County’s freshest ingredients.

 5. When you’re looking for some dinner look no further than SixThirtyNine. This Feast On certified restaurant has made a serious commitment to local fare. They have a VQA focused wine list as well as local craft beers for you to try while you’re munching down on the best of the season from Oxford County. In the summer you can grab a seat on their patio, or call ahead and book the chef’s table which seats four. While you’re there, be sure to try Chef Eric Boyar’s pulled pork croquettes, one of the few dishes he keeps on the ever changing menu. They’re delicious!

6. Before heading home get one last breath of that fresh air by visiting the Pittock Conversation Area. You can hike along the Thames or if it’s warm, sit down for a picnic lunch. We suggest renting a canoe or kayak and paddling around the Pittock Reservoir. If you’re there in the fall you can relax on the water while surrounded by the changing leaves. 



 If you’re looking for more information on what to do in Woodstock check out Oxford County Tourism