LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2025

CHEF’S DAY OFF

Playing Favourites Where Lovage’s chef-owner is dining, sipping and savouring around Ontario this spring.

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

Chef Jamie Crosby ’s journey in the kitchen has always been rooted in the seasons. From apprenticing at farm-to-table trailblazer The Little Inn of Bayfield to learning under legendary chef Michael Stadtländer at Eigensinn Farm, Crosby honed his ability to let the ingredients guide the dish. Since 2022, as the chef-owner of Lovage (lovagestratford.com) in Stratford, Crosby has been bringing this locavore philosophy to life in his own kitchen, turning simple, top-notch ingredients into meals that are as inviting as the restaurant’s unpretentious, neighbourhood vibe. Here’s where he’s finding inspiration (and a delicious bite) across Ontario. 1 Heart’s Tavern, Kimberley

4 Pizzeria Madre, London, Ont. Before Lovage, I did a pizza pop-up, so I went through a real pizza nerd stage. Madre is one of the best in the area. It’s all naturally leavened, and they put a lot of care into it. They do seasonal feature pizzas, like corn in the summer. All of their nonpizza menu items are equally incredible. pizzeriamadre.com

The cooking here really resonates with me. It feels like real European country cooking. The wine list is one of the best you’ll find outside Toronto. You can just go and have something super simple and sea sonal with an amazing wine. I also really love this part of Ontario. heartsgreycounty.ca 2 Black Dog Village Pub & Bistro, Bayfield I spent a lot of time here when I lived in Bayfield and first became interested in food and drink. They set the standard for me for what a little community restaurant should feel like. The food is so comforting, and they have an incredible whisky list. My forever favourite is a meatloaf sandwich and a Guinness. blackdogpubbistro.ca 3 Taverne Bernhardt’s, Toronto Everything is really simple and cooked perfectly. Their produce is awesome, and the menu changes constantly. They keep up with the seasons. You know that if you go there in August, you’ll get a really great tomato dish, or, in the winter, something

5 Flour Mill, St. Mary’s We often go here on Sundays for brunch. It feels less like a restau rant and more like you’re going over to the house of someone who’s a really good host. They have a croque monsieur that’s always on the menu, and it’s great. They also do meals to go, so we’ll go for brunch and then pick up something for dinner. theflourmill.ca

From scrubbing pots to stirring them, Crosby got his start in restaurants working as a dishwasher in his hometown of Bayfield. The gig gave him a front-row seat to the magic of the kitchen and sparked his passion for cooking.

wonderful with squash. bernhardtstoronto.com

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———————— SPRING 2025