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 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
AquaTerra wants to be part of the celebration all season long, with everything from afternoon tea and private gatherings to Christmas dinner and New Year’s Eve.
Potential highlights:
- Holiday Afternoon Tea
- three tiers of sweet and savoury selections
- premium Pluck teas
- tea cocktails
- Christmas Day prix fixe
- seasonal multi-course menu
- holiday favourites including prime rib and turkey
- Boxing Day brunch
- New Year’s Eve celebration
- multi-course tasting menu
- drinks and live DJ
- elevated ingredients including lobster, beef tenderloin, Wagyu, truffle and caviar
- holiday private dining
- seasonal prix fixe menus
- Dockview Room overlooking the St. Lawrence River
- Holiday Turkey To Go
- roast Ontario turkey and traditional trimmings
- holiday gift card promotion
Potential angle: From afternoon tea to New Year’s Eve, there’s more than one reason to celebrate at AquaTerra this season.
[LINK: AquaTerra]
Find Your Hallmark Holiday at The Bruce Hotel
The Bruce Hotel leans into the kind of holiday setting that feels straight out of a movie: festive surroundings, seasonal food and an excuse to stay the night.
Their holiday direction centres around the hotel’s locally focused seasonal menu and its Home for the Holidays package for families and groups travelling together.
Potential highlights:
- cozy, festive hotel atmosphere
- new fall/winter menu
- local and seasonal ingredients
- overnight holiday escape
- Home for the Holidays group package:
- 2–3 rooms: 10% discount
- 4–6 rooms: 15% discount
- more than 6 rooms: 20% discount
Potential angle: Gather the family somewhere that feels festive before you even sit down for dinner.
[LINK: The Bruce Hotel]
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.
Potential highlights:
- newly renovated dining room
- crystal chandeliers and Indian art
- long tables for groups
- set menus for group bookings
- vegetarian options
- Tandoori Lamb Chops
- yogurt and spice marinade
- charred in the clay tandoor
- creative cocktails and premium drinks
- Feast On® certified
Hot tip: Make a night of it. Browse St. Lawrence Market before dinner, then continue the evening at the Distillery Winter Village.
[LINK: bindia.ca]
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.
Potential highlights:
- farm-grown Ontario lavender
- farm-to-skin self-care
- face serums
- body oils
- bath salts
- soaps
- pillow sprays
- culinary lavender
- lavender + sunflower honey
- lavender tea
- Herbes de Provence
- chocolate
- lavender lemonade
Sip + Shop at the HF Lavender Lounge + Café
Potential highlights:
- coffee and cappuccino
- tea
- specialty lavender drinks
- locally roasted coffee
- locally made treats
- browse self-care, home and culinary collections while you visit
Potential angle: Come for a warm drink, stay to shop and leave with something locally grown for someone on your list.
[LINK: Hereward Farms]
Slow Down in the County at Waring House
Winter in Prince Edward County is an invitation to slow things down, and Waring House makes it easy to turn a good meal into a full County escape.
Potential highlights:
- winter getaway with overnight accommodations
- dinner at Feast On® certified Amelia’s Garden Dining Room
- seasonal country cuisine
- local ingredients and products from nearby County producers whenever possible
- breakfast the following morning
- Afternoon Tea with Harney & Sons tea, sandwiches, freshly baked scones and homemade sweets
- Waring House Cookery School with hands-on classes led by Executive Chef David Correa
- live music and Trivia Tuesdays at the Barley Room Pub
- Millennium Trail at the doorstep for winter walks
- holiday events throughout December
- gift cards for dining, stays and experiences
Potential angle: Make a winter escape of it — come for a locally inspired dinner, stay the night and give yourself time to enjoy a quieter side of Prince Edward County.
[LINK: Waring House]
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.
Potential highlights:
- historic Main Lodge
- seasonal prix fixe menu
- fresh ingredients
- local and regional producers
- curated wine list
- Ontario selections
- handcrafted cocktails
- snowy trails and winter landscapes
- sauna
- private lakeside cottages
- newly renovated Main Lodge rooms
Potential angle: Spend the day exploring outside, warm up at the lodge and settle in for a long dinner knowing you don’t have to drive anywhere afterward.
[LINK: haliburtonposthouse.ca]
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 let someone else handle the cooking and cleanup.
Potential menu highlights:
- oven-roasted turkey
- garlic mashed potatoes
- roasted root vegetables
- holiday stuffing
- festive garden salad
- dinner rolls
- cranberry sauce and gravy
- apple or pumpkin pie
- optional maple-glazed ham
Pair dinner with wines from nearby:
- Burning Kiln Winery
- Inasphere Wines
Turn Dinner Into a Getaway
Potential highlights:
- overnight stay at Long Point Eco-Adventures
- glamping pods
- cabins
- canvas-style Wilderness Suites
- axe throwing
- more than 90 km of trails through Carolinian forest
Hot tip: This one is particularly well suited to family gatherings, friend groups and holiday team celebrations.
[LINK: Long Point Eco-Adventures / Marshview]
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
Make Wellington’s Imperial Stout the hero of the section.
Potential highlights:
- one of the first widely available stouts made in Ontario
- available year-round
- inspired by traditional British-style stout
- strong malt character
- dark fruit and raisin notes
- dark chocolate and cocoa flavours
Stay Awhile
Potential taproom experience:
- fireplace
- big windows
- nostalgic 90s décor
- curated beer flights
- food pairing recommendations
- seasonal beers
- seasonal food and drink pairings
- take-home beer
Wellington also offers holiday gift bundles featuring beer, merchandise and locally crafted goods.
Potential angle: Take a break from the holiday rush, grab a pint and grilled cheese and settle in by the fireplace.
[LINK: Wellington Brewery]
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.
