The Niagara region of southern Ontario is home to a lively and diverse community of students, professionals, tradespeople and retirees, many of whom have one big thing in common: A love of food. Fortunately, Niagara delivers on flavour and choice! Anything you can think of is probably tantalizingly nearby—and registered with Skip the Dishes or DoorDash, for that matter. Eat in, take-out, and delivery hours start early in hotel breakfast rooms and go late into the evening for pizza parlours, burger joints and convenience food. You’ll never be hungry again!
Ask your smart device, “Is there Indian food near me?” Go ahead! You’ll be flooded with enough choices to last a month of suppers—especially in Niagara Falls. From fine dining establishments to seasoned delivery restaurants, the curries you’ll taste in the Niagara region are some of the best Canada has to offer. From purely vegetarian/vegan fare catered to members of the Jain, Buddhist and Swami-Narayan faiths to mixed veggie and meat cuisine of the northern Indian provinces, this lucky region really has it all.
Niagara dining options are full-bodied, like the ice wine you’ll find throughout the countryside! When it’s time to celebrate a special occasion or just take yourself out for a truly first-class meal and dining experience, you’ll never have to worry about a lack of options. In fact, several of the world-class wineries located here in southern Ontario have their own full service fine dining restaurants on site. Tour the vineyard before dinner and have the sommelier select the perfect pairing or hit up the town in style for high-end cuisine at one of Niagara’s seafood restaurants, farm-to-table establishments, steakhouses or eateries that feature regional, seasonal dishes.
As lovely as the ubiquitous Beyond Burger is, one does get a bit tired of having the same lone vegan option on every menu. Fortunately, vegan Niagara is out in force! Choose from a range of international cuisines at restaurants that feature entire vegan/vegetarian menu sections or visit one of the highly rated fully vegan or vegetarian eateries in the area. Gone are the days when restaurants served half-hearted meatless versions of their existing menu options, simply removing slices of cheese or offering side dishes uncaringly drenched in butter. Hardworking chefs with a passion for food now dot the region, cooking up some of the most delicious dishes any vegan or carnivore has ever tasted.
Niagara living means choosing from a plethora of international cuisine delights. Tour the noodle rolls, soup dumplings, bao buns, barbequed meats, stir-fried veggies, ramen, sushi, dim sum, satay and more from all across Asia. Search for “Pho near me” while driving through St. Catharines and be very pleasantly surprised by all the available dining spots.
Ghanian, Ethiopian and Nigerian delights also await the enthusiastic culinary traveller, who can look forward to grilled meats, roasted plaintains, lentil wat, spicy nkwobi, banga soup, okro stew and more. To try your hand at some of these popular dishes, visit one of the African food markets to pick up the spices and imported ingredients to really make it pop.
Of course, all the best in North American and European are also found throughout Niagara Falls, Welland, Pelham, St. Catharines and other towns in the region. Try handmade Italian pasta and pizza, French delicacies, German potato dumplings, fresh seafood, local ingredients and strong pints whenever the mood takes you.
Niagara has been home to peach orchards for hundreds of years, and the region still has a great reputation for its fruit. Residents can find peaches, berries, nectarines, apples and other delicious foods at several regular farmers’ markets, as well as vegetables, handmade pierogies, pies, kombucha and marmalades. Even after the fall season, when homegrown produce disappears, Niagarans and visitors to the area may partake in the annual Icewine Festival, featuring wine and food from local vinyards.
Another wintertime foodie delight comes during the maple sugar season! Visit a rural maple syrup producer for hot, fresh maple taffy cured right in the snow, and visit local restaurants for winter menus featuring this international delight in dishes like maple baked salmon and squash with maple vinaigrette.
There are a lot of reasons why so many people love to live here in southern Ontario—and why so many people visit! The climate is beautiful, there is endless lakefront entertainment, stunning affordable real estate, and of course, all this wonderful food. Whether you’re a fast-food junkie, a travelling culinary connoisseur, or you love a bit of everything, you will never be disappointed here in the Niagara region.
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