Ontario Food & Wine: Where to Eat & Drink
Ontario eats and drinks well. Tour Niagara and Prince Edward County wine country, graze farm tables and craft breweries, and dive into some of the world’s most diverse city dining in Toronto and Ottawa. Here’s your guide to the province’s food and drink scene.
Explore Food FestivalsOntario’s Food & Drink Scene
Ontario’s food story runs from vineyard to farm gate to big-city dining room. The province is home to Canada’s largest wine region in Niagara, the cool-climate cellars and farm tables of Prince Edward County, a booming craft-beer and cider scene, and world-cuisine cities where you can eat your way around the globe in a single neighbourhood.
Summer and fall are the best times to taste it all — patios open, farm stands overflow, and the fall harvest brings wineries and food festivals to life.
What to Eat & Drink
🍷 Wine country
Niagara is Canada’s largest wine region, famous for its icewine and cool-climate Rieslings and reds. Prince Edward County pairs boutique wineries with farm-to-table dining, and pockets around Lake Erie’s North Shore round out the map.
🍺 Craft beer & cider
Ontario’s craft scene has exploded, with hundreds of breweries from Toronto and Ottawa to small-town taprooms. Apple country also produces excellent craft cider, especially around the County and the Georgian Bay area.
🍅 Farm-to-table
The province’s rich farmland means outstanding local produce, cheese, and meat. Look for farm tables, farmers’ markets, and roadside stands across Niagara, the County, and the countryside around every major city.
🌍 World-cuisine cities
Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities on earth, and it eats like it — from dim sum and Little India to Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and beyond. Ottawa, Hamilton, and Waterloo Region bring their own diverse scenes.
🍁 Local classics
Don’t miss the Ontario staples: fresh maple syrup, butter tarts (a provincial obsession, with butter-tart trails to prove it), peameal bacon sandwiches, and BeaverTails pastries.
🎪 Food festivals
The calendar is packed — Niagara’s wine festivals, ribfests, garlic and food-truck festivals, and harvest celebrations across the province. Building a trip around one is a delicious way to eat local.
Where to Go
| For… | Go to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wine & icewine | Hamilton & Niagara | Canada’s largest wine region and icewine capital |
| Farm-to-table & boutique wine | Kawarthas & Eastern Ontario | Prince Edward County’s wineries and farm tables |
| World cuisine | Greater Toronto Area | One of the most diverse food cities on earth |
| Craft beer | Waterloo Region & Guelph, Ottawa | Dense clusters of breweries and taprooms |
| Cider & orchards | Georgian Bay & Cottage Country | Apple country and craft cideries |
Plan Your Visit
Time it with the harvest: Wine country is at its best in late summer and fall, when the vines are heavy and wineries host harvest events. Icewine, uniquely, is picked in the deep cold of winter — some regions hold icewine festivals in January.
Have a designated driver: Wine-region touring means tastings across multiple stops. Line up a designated driver, book a wine tour, or use a shuttle service — and know Ontario’s strict drinking-and-driving laws.
Book ahead: Popular restaurants and winery dinners in Niagara and the County fill up on summer and fall weekends. Reserve in advance, especially around festivals and long weekends.
Food & Drink FAQ
Where is Ontario’s wine country?
Ontario’s largest and most famous wine region is Niagara, known for icewine and cool-climate varieties. Prince Edward County (“the County”) is a smaller boutique region east of Toronto, and there are additional wineries along Lake Erie’s North Shore. Niagara and the County are the two you’ll hear about most.
What food is Ontario known for?
Ontario is known for butter tarts, peameal (back) bacon, fresh maple syrup, BeaverTails pastries, and its icewine. Its cities — especially Toronto — are also famous for exceptionally diverse international cuisine.
When is the best time to visit Ontario wine country?
Late summer and fall are ideal, when the vineyards are lush and wineries host harvest events. Winter has its own draw: icewine is harvested in the deep cold, and some regions hold icewine festivals in January.
What is Niagara icewine?
Icewine is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes left on the vine and harvested while naturally frozen, typically in December or January. Niagara’s reliably cold winters make it one of the world’s leading icewine producers.
Is Toronto a good food city?
Yes — Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and its dining reflects that, with outstanding food from virtually every global cuisine. Neighbourhoods like Kensington Market, Chinatown, Little India, and the Danforth are food destinations in themselves.