Wife and I will be vacationing there in June, staying at the Fallsview Marriott Canada side, for a few days. She is planning EVERYTHING, since this is a real bucket list destination for her. She is also planning the dinners, but I just wanted to check with you all and see what recs you have. We like causal, nothing really fancy, no need of Michelin, just really good food, and wine! We will have a car, but I really don’t want to travel too far just to eat. Good atmosphere, views, quite, Raveneau…a plus! Also things to do beside stare at the falls.
Stay in Niagara on the Lake if you can. It is a pretty drive along the river to the falls. If you have to stay in the tourist trap, you can get the room Marilyn Monroe stayed in at the Crowne Plaza Hotel for the same price as any other room.
As for restaurants, Pearl Morissette is worth the drive, but fills fast as soon as reservations are available. Langdon House is not as good, but you eat in a gorgeous garden.
More casual and closer to the falls, Counterpart Brewery was good. The other option is Tide and Vine Oyster House. There is a lilac garden that is free but would imagine it would be too late for that. I personally enjoyed hiking at Niagara Glen more than the falls itself but it’s a moderate hike of a few miles to get to the river.
Few other threads on wineries in the region but favorites are Cloudsley and Bachelder. Opened a great gamay from Bachelder last night. Megalomaniac is great for lunch.
Cloudsley is very good Chard with a hint of reduction. Leaning Post, Pearl Morissette, Tawse, Queylus, 13th Street, and the Cab Franc from Pillitteri. This is a great ready to drink pizza wine that surprised me:
As a Buffalo native, I would love to hear your recommendations. Loads of recommendations in Buffalo seems pretty hard I do like Las Peurtas and I am curious about Southern Junction after their James Beard nomination, although I am not a big meat eater.
You should be happy with pretty much anything from Bachelder. Thomas’ wines are very good and while he does make some “village” wines that are quite good, the single-plots are where it’s at. Chardonnay, Pinot, and Gamay.
I’m partial to his Wismer-Foxcroft plots (Chard), but he also has some vines planted in the 1980s that go into his Willms and Bai-Xu bottlings.
We stop at Niagara Falls on our way to or from Toronto from Detroit. This place is next to the Canadian Falls. They have a very nice restaurant with great falls views. You park across the street and they waive the $25 parking fee if you eat there. We always do lunch.
There is also a maple syrup boutique there that offers tasting spoons of the various syrups.
I do like Las Peurtas and I am curious about Southern Junction after their James Beard nomination, although I am not a big meat eater.