From festive feasts and cozy getaways to local gifts and fireside pints
The holidays give us plenty of excuses to gather, eat well and make a little more time for the people around us.
Maybe that means dressing up for afternoon tea, escaping somewhere cozy for the weekend, booking a family-style feast you don’t have to cook yourself or simply claiming a spot by the fireplace with a very good pint.
Across Ontario, Feast On® certified businesses are making it easy to celebrate with local food, drink and experiences this holiday season.
Jump ahead:
- Celebrate the Season at AquaTerra
- Find Your Hallmark Holiday at The Bruce Hotel
- Gather Around the Table at Bindia Indian Bistro
- Sip, Shop and Gift Local at Hereward Farms
- Slow Down in the County at The Waring House
- Escape to the Lake at The Haliburton Post House
- Skip the Holiday Dishes at Marshview Patio & Bar
- Cozy Up at Wellington Brewery
Celebrate the Season at AquaTerra
When it comes to holiday dining in Kingston, AquaTerra has plenty of reasons to celebrate. This Feast On®-certified restaurant at Delta Hotels Kingston Waterfront is marking the season with everything from elegant afternoon tea to festive family dinners and a sparkling New Year’s Eve celebration.
Sip, Savour and Celebrate
Start your holiday celebrations with AquaTerra’s Holiday Afternoon Tea, featuring three tiers of sweet and savoury bites, premium Ontario teas from Pluck and festive tea cocktails. Prefer something a little more traditional? The Christmas Day prix fixe menu serves up seasonal multi-course dining with holiday favourites like prime rib and turkey. Moreover, Boxing Day brunch offers a delicious excuse to keep the festivities going without lifting a finger in the kitchen.
Ring in the New Year in Style
AquaTerra is also pulling out all the stops for New Year’s Eve, with a multi-course tasting menu featuring elevated ingredients like lobster, beef tenderloin, Wagyu, truffle and caviar. Add drinks and a live DJ, and you have a pretty delicious way to welcome the year ahead.
Planning a holiday gathering? Seasonal prix fixe menus make private dining easy, while the Dockview Room offers beautiful views of the harbour. Alternatively, bring the feast home with AquaTerra’s Holiday Turkey To Go, featuring roast Ontario turkey and traditional trimmings. We won’t tell your guests you didn’t whip it up yourself!
Finally, keep an eye out for the restaurant’s holiday gift card promotion. After all, a memorable meal makes a lovely gift for the food lover on your list.
From afternoon tea to New Year’s Eve, AquaTerra offers plenty of ways to make the holidays delicious in Kingston. Book your table!
Find Your Hallmark Holiday at The Bruce Hotel
Some holiday getaways feel extra magical before you even sit down for dinner. At The Bruce Hotel in Stratford, Ontario, a cozy, festive atmosphere pairs with thoughtful hospitality and seasonal dining to make gathering with family and friends feel like an occasion in itself.
The hotel’s new winter menu celebrates local and seasonal ingredients, bringing fresh flavours to the table just in time for holiday gatherings. Think everything from leek and truffle soup and pumpkin tempura to a table side cheese cart for dessert! Your meal is sure to feel festive and special. Whether you’re planning a special dinner or looking for a festive overnight escape, The Bruce makes a lovely home base for slowing down and spending quality time together.
Moreover, its Home for the Holidays package makes group getaways even more appealing. Families and friends travelling together can save 10% when booking two to three rooms, 15% for four to six rooms or 20% when booking more than six rooms.
So, gather the cousins, rally the grandparents and make a weekend of it. With seasonal dining, welcoming surroundings and a little extra incentive to book together, The Bruce Hotel offers a memorable way to celebrate the holidays in Stratford. Book your stay!
Gather Around the Table at Bindia Indian Bistro
Right across from St. Lawrence Market in Old Town Toronto, family-owned Bindia Indian Bistro offers a warm, polished setting for holiday parties, team dinners and family gatherings. Gather around warming scents and savoury bites you’ll still be thinking about long after the holiday season has passed.
With a newly renovated dining room complete with beautiful pieces of Indian artwork, long tables and crystal chandeliers, your meal will already feel like it has a little extra oomph before you’ve started eating! That being said, the food is the real star of the show. This stop is one of Ontario’s first Feast On® certified restaurants and is home to some truly delicious bites made with locally sourced ingredients.
Pair a beautiful seasonal cocktail from their ever-changing list and pair it up with their Tandoori Lamb Chops made wth a creamy yogurt spice marinade and charred in the clay tandoor. Colourful on the plate and the palate, it’s a can’t-miss! Prefer plant-based? Bindia has a fantastic selection of vegetarian options to choose from as well.
Hot tip: Make a night of it. Browse St. Lawrence Market before dinner, then continue the evening at the Distillery Winter Village afterward.
Sip, Shop and Gift Local at Hereward Farms
If your holiday plans involve finding something locally made for the people on your list, Hereward Farms gives you a reason to turn the shopping trip into an outing.
Lavender grown on their 250-acre East Garafraxa farm makes its way into everything from skincare and bath products to tea, honey, chocolate and other edible treats.
Even though the lavender season has long past, you can still bring its delightful scent and flavour into the holiday season! For the pamper-prone on your list, dazzle them with Hereward Farm’s clean and luxurious farm-to-skin products like their lavendar face serum, body oils, bath salts, soaps and pillow spray.
Have a foodie on the list? Herward’s lavender and sunflower honey is a must try for its bright floral notes. Alternatively (or additionally), pick up some lavender lemonade and chocolate sprinkled with lavender for a tasty addition to any stocking.
When you’re done shopping, tie it all up wth a nice visit to the Hereward Farm Lavender Lounge + Cafe. After all, you deserve a treat too! Stay warm as you sip on a classic cappuccino or a specialty lavender drink and bite into an ooey gooey butter tart made locally. Actually…on that note, can we meet you there?
Slow Down in the County at The Waring House
Winter in Prince Edward County is an invitation to slow things down, and The Waring House makes it easy to turn a good meal into a full County escape. With a completely different vibe from the crowds of summer, the holidays are your excuse to cozy up, eat great meals and spend time with those you love!
Kick off your weekend away with dinner at Feast On®-certified Amelia’s Garden Dining Room right on site at The Waring House. With locally-sourced ingredients, the team here whips up country cuisine worth the stop.
Their apple cheddar soup is made with cider from County Cider Co. and boasts the brightness of a County orchard where the Prinzen Farms chicken breast is smothered in a creamy sauce and will remind you of your mom’s cooking only better (we won’t tell her you said so).
Stay overnight without leaving the property and of course enjoy breakfast on site the next morning! Want to add a little fun to your stay? The onsite Waring House Cookery School boasts hands-on classes led by Executive Chef David Correa. Using the tagline “No homework. Only leftovers.” it’s sure to be an exciting (and delicious) addition to your stay! Want to take the deliciousness a step further? Book an afternoon tea with Harney & Sons tea, sandwiches, freshly-baked scones and plenty of homemade sweets to satisfy any holiday craving.
Finally, there’s plenty of non-food related action to get in on too! From live music and Trivia Tuesdays at the on-site Barley Room Pub to holiday events that pop up each December and the Millennium Trail easily accessible for a brisk winter walk, there are plenty of reasons to extend your cozy stay. Book your stay!
Escape to the Lake at The Haliburton Post House
Winter slows things down in the Haliburton Highlands, and The Haliburton Post House makes a strong case for leaning into it.
Set on Lake Kashagawigamog, the historic lakeside retreat centres the experience around seasonal dining, Ontario wine and plenty of reasons to stay the night.
The perfect pairing for your winter escape to Haliburton Post House? Outdoor adventure and a great meal. It’s a match made in paradise if you ask us. Take advantage of the snowy trails in all their winter glory, top it off with a trip to the sauna and then get ready for an epic dinner based around seasonal ingredients.
Inspired by the elegance of French cuisine and the flavours of the season, The Haliburton Post House’s seasonal prix fixe menu celebrates exceptional food, warm hospitality and memorable moments around the table. Pair your meal with a selection of Ontario wines for the perfect end to a day exploring the Haliburton Highlands.
If you’re visiting at the end of November, time your getaway around The Haliburton Post House’s Annual Christmas Market, happening November 27–29 from 12–7 p.m. each day. The three-day market brings local artisans, holiday shopping and plenty of festive flavours to the lakeside property.
Browse handcrafted gifts while snacking on a special Christmas Market menu featuring Ontario Swiss fondue and other seasonal dishes, then stock up on house-made treats like freshly baked sourdough, festive cookies and traditional stollen. You can also browse The Post House Wine Shop for a bottle to bring to your holiday table or pick up a gift card for someone who’d rather unwrap an experience.
After dinner, there’s no need to head home! Book a room in the on-site accommodations. With private lakeside cottages, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a romantic winter escape with your sweetheart. Share a glass of wine or warm coffee as the snow falls outside. Alternatively, the newly renovated rooms in the Main Lodge boast historic charm and a cozy atmosphere that’s pretty hard to beat. Book your stay!
Skip the Holiday Dishes at Marshview Patio & Bar
Some holiday dinners come with hours of cooking and a mountain of dishes. This one comes with a view of the Turkey Point Marsh. At Feast On®-certified Marshview Patio & Bar at Long Point Eco-Adventures, groups of 10 or more can book a family-style holiday dinner and leave the cooking and cleanup to someone else.
Expect all the festive favourites, including oven-roasted turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, holiday stuffing and dinner rolls, alongside cranberry sauce, gravy and a festive garden salad. Finish with apple or pumpkin pie, or add maple-glazed ham for an extra helping of holiday indulgence.
Moreover, nearby Burning Kiln Winery and Inasphere Wines offer local wine pairings to make the feast feel even more special. It’s perfect for those looking to celebrate with family or perhaps an office holiday party with a little more pazzaz than the same old pot luck.
Turn Dinner Into a Getaway
Why rush home after dinner when you can turn the celebration into a getaway? Long Point Eco-Adventures offers overnight stays in glamping pods, cabins and canvas-style Wilderness Suites, making it easy to gather the family for more than just a meal.
Between axe throwing and more than 90 kilometres of trails winding through Carolinian forest, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained before or after the big feast. It’s a delicious way to celebrate the holidays, enjoy the outdoors and give yourself the gift of not washing a single roasting pan.
Hot tip: This one is particularly well suited to family gatherings, friend groups and holiday team celebrations.
Cozy Up at Wellington Brewery
Holiday outings don’t always need reservations and white tablecloths.
At Wellington Brewery in Guelph, the colder months bring a cozy taproom, winter beers and perhaps the easiest seasonal pairing of all: a dark beer, grilled cheese and a spot by the fireplace.
Meet the Imperial Stout
Wellington’s Imperial Stout really is a seasonal superstar by all intents and purposes. One of the first wdely-available stouts made in Ontario, this bad boy is inspired by traditional British-style stouts with a strong malt character.
Pay attention and you’ll catch notes of dark fruit and raisin (grab a few to bring home and pair with that holiday fruit cake), along with dark chocolate and cocoa flavours. Those black cherry and plum notes pair especially well with Wellington’s classic grilled cheese, made with Millbank’s Naturally Aged Cheddar and Polestar Sourdough.
Now that you’ve got a stout in hand, it’s time to kick back and stay for a while! Wellington Brewery’s taproom boasts mega cozy vibes during the festive season. With nostalgic 90s decor, big windows to look out on any early snowfalls and a fireplace to help you stay warm, it’s a no brainer. Plus, their knowledgable staff can hook you up with food pairing recommendations and curated beer flights to make the most of your visit!
Before you go, don’t forget to stock up for home! Keep on the lookout for their seasonal line up of beers, holiday gift packs, locally crafted goods for the beer lover on your list and of course, Wellington Brewery Merch. Happy Holidays!
Make Your Holidays Taste Local
There’s more than one way to celebrate the holidays in Ontario.
Gather everyone around a table. Escape somewhere cozy for the weekend. Shop for something grown and made close to home. Meet a friend over a pint. Or let someone else cook the holiday dinner for once.
However you celebrate, look for the Feast On® certification along the way and make supporting Ontario food and drink part of the tradition.
