Come and visit the splendor of the Niagara Region in Ontario! Niagara Falls, a World Wonder, is located here and it is spectacular! Photos will never do it justice. You must experience the roaring thunder of this powerful force and feel the spray of water on your face. But there is so much more to see!
This is also Canada’s premier wine region and it is evolving to great new heights. The traditional wine region is closer to Niagara-on-the-Lake, but many new wineries have opened a few miles further west, in the Twenty Valley area (Jordan, Beamsville, Vineland and Grimsby). In fact, there are over 50 wineries in the Twenty Valley area! And they are producing world class hand-crafted wines! I enjoy good wine, but didn’t really like the Ontario wine I tried in the past, so this was a pleasant surprise. In fact, I was blown away by the Twenty Valley wine I have tried. This is our little Sonoma and I’m very excited about the progress it has made and where it is heading. More on this further down.
First, let’s start with Niagara Falls located on the Niagara River (the river drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario) bordering with New York State, USA. There are three parts to the falls, the Horseshoe Falls (the Canadian Falls), the American Falls, and a small third section located between the two, known as Bridal Veil Falls.
The green color of the water flowing over the Falls is a byproduct of dissolved salts and finely ground rock generated by the erosive force of the Niagara River itself. Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America. You can really feel the force when you stand near it! Yet 50 to 75 percent of the water flowing along the Niagara River is diverted from going over the Falls to power the generating stations that provide electricity to the region. This majestic waterfall is only flowing at 25-50 percent! Can you imagine what it must be like at full force? Water rafting anyone?
On the Canadian side of the Falls, a walkway stretches from above the Falls all the way along the edge of the gorge, providing spectacular views. You can also walk behind the Falls; although I have not tried it, I heard it is worth waiting in line for. At night, the Falls are lit up in different colors. Niagara Falls receives about 35 million visitors per year!
This World Wonder is also Ontario’s mini Vegas with bright lights, a strip with fun houses, museums and of course, casinos. Unfortunately, it does not have much fine dining, but Niagara-on-the-Lake, only 15-20 minutes away has plenty. One option at the Falls might be Massimo’s Italian Fallsview Restaurant; I have not tried it, but it looks promising.
Some fun things to try:
- Journey Behind the Falls
- Go to the top of Skylon Tower
- A boat or helicopter tour
- Walk across the Rainbow Bridge to the US or just to see the river
- Drive along what Niagara Parkway
- Visit the Butterfly Conservatory
- View the Floral Clock
- Experience the Fireworks over the Falls – most summer weekends and holidays – check the schedule at Clifton Hills.
Where to Stay?
We stayed at the Hilton Niagara Falls at 6361 Fallsview Road and had a room with a nice view of the Falls and a huge Jacuzzi tub, but next time would prefer to stay at the Marriott at 6740 Fallsview, or best of all, Fallsview Casino Resort directly in front of the Horseshoe Falls. As you can see in the photo further above, it has the most direct view of the Falls and is much closer to the bottom of the escarpment (hence easier to walk back up). Note: to book the Fallsview Casino Resort you have to call; it cannot be done online. They give priority to the regular casino patrons. When you go to the site, it will show rooms, but they are not for the resort, they are for the Fallsview Hilton (where we stayed).
Of course, there are many luxurious small hotels and B&Bs throughout the Niagara region, especially in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Niagara-on-the-Lake
The drive from Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake is full of beautiful vistas. Stop along the way and see the Niagara River from various points. Some of the most popular features along the parkway are the Floral Clock, Whirlpool Rapids Bridge to the USA, the Butterfly Conservatory and various wineries. There are fruit stands along the way, but you have to ask where they source the produce. It’s not all fresh from the farms in the area.
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a quaint little town made for walking, with its unique artisan shops, planters bursting with flowers, great cafes and restaurants, and of course the famous Royal George Theatre which is part of the Shaw Festival.
Where to Eat?
This is a great place for foodies! However, one thing to note is that there are a few tourist restaurants on the main street that are mediocre and overpriced. Not all are farm fresh quality. Always ask. And if the source of the food is not listed on the menu or website, then you can assume they buy factory farmed products.
I noticed that a lot of restaurants (everywhere) try to make it sound like they serve quality food, but they don’t. Statements such as “we use fresh ingredients and make everything from scratch” or “we buy only local Ontario products” are misleading. There are factory farms in Ontario so saying it’s local means nothing. Make it from scratch? I sure hope so! As opposed to what? From powder? Pre-packaged? Farm fresh means cage free, typically organic, and definitely no animal products from horrific factory farms. Quality restaurants, and especially fine dining venues, only serve free range organic products.
Here are some recommendations on where to eat:
My top choice is Treadwell Cuisine. This restaurant has good reason for being at the top of the list. Treadwell has great quality farm fresh food (nothing factory farmed here) finely prepared bursting with nuance and delicate flavors. I was very impressed with the autumn salad of ripe juicy peaches, arugula, goat’s cheese and flavorful heirloom tomatoes. Everything was so good!
Backhouse is on my list of restaurants to try. Farm-to-table dishes made over an open grill are the draw at this foodie eatery.
Hob Nob is a 5-star restaurant with excellent reviews. It does look good; both food and ambiance. The Dining Room is located in an old parlor that features its original crystal chandeliers, fireplaces, windows, doors and floors. They also have a side verandah that overlooks the gardens.
The Winery Restaurant at Peller Estates is another top restaurant on the foodie “must try list”, but it is just outside of town. And this winery has a unique Ice Wine tasting room, 10 Below that is cloaked in ice.
For afternoon tea there is no better place than the Prince of Wales Drawing Room at the Prince of Wales hotel.
Other fine dining options:
Where to Stay?
All the hotels in the Vintage Hotel group are fantastic with beautiful old world charm (notably Prince of Wales, Pillar & Post, and Queens Landing)
The Oban Inn is right on the waterfront at the end of the Niagara river where it meets Lake Ontario.
The Charles Hotel is an 1832 landmark hotel in a quiet area but close to everything.
Harbour House is a reasonably priced red brick mansion on the waterfront.
The Grand Victorian is a beautiful period mansion located on the banks of the river outside of town. Delicious home cooked meals and brunch style breakfast.
Riverbend Inn is Georgian mansion, set on 12 acres of vineyards and charming gardens outside of town.
Jordan and Beamsville – Twenty Valley Region
My favorite place to visit in the Niagara area is the Twenty Valley Region located between St. Catherine and Grimsby. Here you will find the towns of Jordan, Vineland, Beamsville and Grimsby. This area is evolving to great new heights producing hand-crafted world class wines and great Michelin quality restaurants. With over fifty wineries, it is the largest wine producing region in Canada and the best place to go for a day of wine tasting.
There is an old Mennonite Heritage site right off main street in Jordan that is worth checking out. Plus you can walk down to the river on the ravine steps just behind the site.
Where to Eat?
Voted Canada’s best restaurant in 2018 by Air Canada’s Enroute Magazine, and getting praise from the New York Times for the wines, Pearl Morissette in Jordan Ontario, is getting well deserved recognition and rave reviews by virtually everyone that has been to the restaurant. This is as good as it gets.
Pearl Morissette was born when classically trained wine maker François Morissette met Mel Pearl, a Toronto developer who was ready and willing to finance a project. François, having worked on the Grand Cru terroirs in France, has an approach of minimal-intervention, purity, and low sulphur in wine making. And the wine is as good as I’ve tried in Napa and Sonoma, although a Cab Franc is more like a French red than a California Cabernet. The 2012 Chardonnay and 2012 Cabernet Franc Madeline are excellent. They are no longer for sale online, but you can purchase them at the restaurant with your dinner until the stock runs out. The Chardonnay was rich and complex and one of the best I have ever tasted. The Madeline is rich and full bodied and has a nice plum finish. I look forward to trying more!
The food is every bit as outstanding as the wine. Chef Daniel Hadida and co-chef Eric Robertson take pride in serving French-inspired fresh, high quality ingredients from small-scale organic farms in the surrounding region. The Chefs are both Ontario natives and have cooked in some of Europe’s best kitchens (notably Septime in Paris and Wulf in Belgium) before finding their way home.
The staff is extremely knowledgeable about food and wine, and quite passionate about working at Pearl Morissette. They treat the patrons very well and that makes it such a pleasure to dine there; along with the food and wine of course! The restaurant has a no tip policy. They decided to take that out of the equation and provide their staff with good compensation that such professionals deserve.
I’ve eaten at a lot of fine restaurants, but this takes it to a whole new level. No words can adequately describe how good the food is here. It’s a tasting menu with the freshest ingredients so well prepared that each bite bursts with an abundance of flavor. For example, we’ve all tried fresh dill before, but this simple ingredient tasted like no other dill I have ever tried! And the beet in the photo above was unbelievable! I had no idea how much flavor it can have. It was like trying fine dining for the first time.
Looking back at my photos, my mouth is watering…that sourdough bread with fresh whipped butter was so tasty, that raw scallop with dill was unlike anything I have tried, and oh the fig ice cream! Everything was SO good! If you are a foodie, Pearl Morissette is an absolute must-try. I’m so proud of what Ontario has achieved!
There are a few other great places to eat in the region. Inn on the Twenty, in the beautiful village of Jordan, has an excellent restaurant and high end accommodations. We ate at this restaurant a few times and can confirm that the food is excellent. This was one the first restaurants in the area to combine regional food with local wines.
The dining room has a panoramic view of the garden and Twenty Valley. It is located on the main street of this cute little village with artisan shops and cafes. This area is going to boom as a tourist destination.
Some of the other fine restaurants to try in the area:
- The Kitchen House at Peninsula Ridge – the house is charming and the food is excellent!
- The restaurant at Vineland Estates
- The Good Earth Food and Wine Co.
- 270 Bench Kitchen
- Root 8 Vegan Restaurant
Where to Stay?
Inn on the Twenty is one of the best places to stay. It is in Jordan Village near good restaurants and wineries.
Jordan House is the Inn on the Twenty budget version near the main hotel.
The Orchard Croft B&B located among the vineyards, is getting great reviews and is usually booked solid.
Bonnybank B&B is also well recommended.
Our favorite is The House by the Side of the Road. It is a cute B&B right beside two wineries. The host, Christine, is a fun lady that can tell you all about the region.
The Wineries
The Twenty Valley Wine region is bordered by the Niagara Escarpment on the South and Lake Ontario to the North, with mineral rich soil in between. The Lake Effect creates moderate temperatures extending the growing season and warming up winter. This unique combination of earth and climate are what make the Twenty Valley region a special place to grow fruit and make craft wine “luring artisans dedicated to creating their own vision of perfection in a glass”. Twenty Valley is the largest wine producing region in Canada with over 50 vineyards featuring many of the provinces best, boutique wineries. Most are family run, award-winning estates, set in the majestic natural beauty of the Niagara Escarpment.
A good time to visit the wineries is in June during the Graze the Bench event. It has become one of the most popular events in wine country. A cluster of boutique wineries in partnership with some of Niagara’s best chefs, provide food and wine paring along with live bands for your entertainment.
Some of the wineries we visited:
Pearl Morissette of course! However, you need an appointment to visit the tasting room.
Megalomaniac Winery is a beautiful estate that reminds me of some of the Sonoma wineries. The tasting room is elegant, serving equally elegant wines. We both especially liked the Chardonnays; they are on par with California wines. And we tried a Cab Franc that was impressive.
Organized Crime is a boutique limited production winery with some very unique wines. They are passionate about the hand crafted wines they produce. I especially liked the 2012 Download which is a red blend.
Hidden Bench is a beautiful “artisanal, terroir-focused winery dedicated to crafting premium wines from their own certified organic estate vineyards”. And they have great Chardonnays! Probably the best (after Pearl Morissette). They have a nice patio to relax in.
Malivoire is one of the older wineries established in 1996 by a former Special Effects Director in film, Martin Malivoire. He pioneered an eco-centric approach to wine making in the region. The winery, right across the street from our B&B, was the one we frequented the most. I loved the Chardonnay here too! And they have a very nice white sparkly. We tried a Cab Franc which was also very good.
Thirty Bench makes a small lot Cab Franc 2015 that has won awards (Platinum and Gold) and is getting rave reviews. We bought a bottle to take home and subsequently polished it off with some nice cheese from the Niagara region. It was heaven. In a blind taste test, I doubt anyone would guess this is an Ontario wine. Such richness and complexity that you would not expect from our colder climate. This winery is right on “the bench” tucked beneath the Escarpment which offers a longer season that allow grapes more time to ripen and cooler nights that help intensify flavors.
Peninsula Ridge The grounds are extremely beautiful, with vineyards, a pond, lavender and other beautiful flowers, plus an excellent restaurant. This is a must see. I had the Beal Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2015 which was very good (along with a Caesar salad with large prawns) and my husband had a great Beamsville Bench IPA (and a juicy burger). The restaurant is highly recommended by foodies.
We were both very impressed with all the wines we tried. Our focus was Chardonnay and Cab Franc, so there is much more to try and many more vineyards to visit. They have shuttle buses that go to the various tasting rooms so you don’t have to drink and drive. With over fifty vineyards in the Twenty Valley region there is so much more to explore. We will be back! Actually, I’d like to move to this area!
Another place to stop by is the Beamsville Bench Brewery. You can get a tasting of various beers, plus info on how they are made and what the nuances are. One of our favorite IPAs is made here: Balls Falls IPA. And they have a great patio and seasonal kitchen using local ingredients.
Side Trip
While you are near Jordan check out the old marooned ship. It has been there for eons!
St. Catharines
St. Catharines is the largest city in the Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario. I don’t want to leave this city out because it is an important part of the region, however, I must confess I have never been there. I have driven past it many times, but never stopped in. It is a University town with a nice historic downtown, a Performing Arts Centre and good restaurants. Port Dalhousie, on the shores of Lake Ontario, is a popular community in St. Catherines that is home to Yacht clubs, a heritage district and various social events through out the year. I’m looking forward to visiting.
A lot of people from Toronto are buying property here and in the region. It is up-and-coming and I think it will be the new “place to be”. I will write a separate blog on the city after I explore it.
