LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2025

CHEF’S DAY OFF

Playing Favourites After nearly 25 years of building a career in kitchens and creative food ventures around Ontario, chef Charlotte Langley is embracing a new chapter in Prince Edward County. Best known as a co-founder of Scout Canning, Langley recently launched Nice Cans (justnicecans.com), a playful canned food brand that brings her focus back to small-batch production and community connections. Now living on a farm in the County surrounded by some of the province’s best harvests, she divides her time between local culinary pop-ups and developing a new generation of pantry staples made with Canadian ingredients. Here, she shares a few of her favourite places to eat and drink across Ontario.

BY JESSICA HURAS ————— ILLUSTRATION BY JOANNA TURNER

1 Edulis, Toronto From the hospitality to the flavours, everything is perfect. The owners, Tobey [Nemeth] and Michael [Caballo], care so much. You have to plan ahead and book early because it’s small and popular. My first experience there was a Sunday lunch, and it’s the best way to visit: you can just languish in the joy of lunch for hours. edulisrestaurant.com 2 The Manx Pub, Ottawa I lived in Ottawa for many years and used to go here all the time after work. They do these Tex Mex–style tofu tacos that are so satisfying for umami and crunch. They’re filling, rich and loaded with flavour. They also have a great whisky selection, local art shows and fun live music. manxpub.com 3 Hank’s Lonesome, Picton It’s owned by Jesse Fader, who used to own Superpoint and Paris Paris in Toronto. It’s like a honky-tonk bar with all your favourite bar food but done really well, so there’s amazing nachos, jalapeño poppers and small pan pizzas. It’s a great spot to grab a drink and local grub and listen to live music. hankslonesome.ca

4 King Street Pantry, St. Catharines I’ve worked with [co-owner] Greg [Riddell] in the past, and his attention to detail is incredible. He has a Michelin starred background, and his food is so thoughtful. I love that it’s a shop, butchery, and they also do food. The menu changes often and through out the day, but I love their

breakfast sandwich. kingstreetpantry.ca

5 Belong Restaurant Sharbot Lake, Sharbot Lake Chef Brad Long is a mentor and friend of mine. His philosophy has always been about Canadian food joy, and his Sharbot Lake restaurant has a hyper-local focus. They serve comfort classics, but these are refined because of his skills and experience. It feels like a small, casual family restau rant in the middle of nowhere. belongsharbotlake.ca

Autumn is the preservation season for me. I prep hard for winter, preserving fresh produce like tomatoes and squash by freezing them or making sauce.

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———————— AUTUMN 2025