LCBO Food & Drink Summer 2020

NIAGARA BOUND

Graze through wine country Expect big punchy flavours from these small hidden gems in the region.

Diner House 29 Nestled in an unassuming gas station, Diner House 29 provides fresh takes on classic diner food with in- spiration from the Middle East and Southeast Asia. dinerhouse29.com, St. Catharines

Country Fresh Donuts These are some of the best cake-style doughnuts you’ll have.

Taco Embassy Stop by for tacos or enchiladas at this co- lourfully decorated mom-and-pop shop. thetacoembassy.com, St. Catharines

Pharmacii A lively izakaya known for Japanese-­

Niagara Oast House

style soft pillowy milk-bread sand- wiches. 22 King St., St. Catharines

Don’t skip on the assorted crullers. 5076 Victoria Ave., Niagara Falls

Craft brewery highlights

Less than a decade old, these three craft breweries are raising the barn. Using local seasonal ingredients, they produce a vari- ety of internationally influenced beer styles. These breweries also offer great rotating food menus throughout the year. Counterpart Brewing Expect a rotating selection of small-batch craft beers at this new brewery in Niagara. Go for whatever is seasonal from fruity sours to IPAs. And go hungry: the house fried chicken waffles and fish tacos are Bench Brewing The Beamsville Bench’s sole brew- ery is worth a stop to try limited craft beers that rotate throughout the season. Many of the beers are made with local Niagara ingredients, and there is a variety of styles to suit all palates. benchbrewing.com, Beamsville niagara Oast House Designed in the spirit of a farm- house brewery, Oast House is most famous for its small-batch ales. During the summer months, bottles of watermelon gose and the fruity Belgium-style saisons are highly coveted and disappear quickly. At the back of the brewery, enjoy a fantastic barbecue lunch on the standouts on the bar menu. counterpartbrewing.com, Niagara Falls

WITH AWAVE OF NEWCRAFT BREWERIES BREAKING, NIAGARA ISN’T JUST FORWINE LOVERS ANYMORE.

New brews on the block If it’s your first time trying beer from Niagara, these two are not only crowd favourites but are excellent for any occasion.

Niagara Oast House brewers the Barn raiser CountryAle LCBO 460618, 473 mL, $3.40 Oast House’s signature brew since the doors to the old barn opened, this is a hazy gold American Pale Ale that is vibrantly hoppy and sings of citrus fruit. There’s a slight caramel sweetness that follows throughout. It pairs wonderfully with barbecued meat and seafood.

Silversmith The Black Lager LCBO 14178, 473 mL, $3.65

A staple lager from a family-run brewery in Niagara- on-the-Lake. Silversmith brewery was built out of a former church that dates back to the late 1800s. Since the doors opened in 2011 they’ve produced batches of black lager made in the Schwarzbier style—a light-bodied beer that is layered with notes of malt, chestnut and dark chocolate.

patio with vineyard views. oasthousebrewers.com, Niagara-on-the-Lake

NIAGARA OAST HOUSE IMAGE BY VANDERKAAY.CA

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SUMMER 2020 FOOD & DRINK