When I asked friends and locals what their favourite winery was in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL), I got a unanimous response on Ravine. Everything here is on point: great wine (and I’m kicking myself for not buying any), phenomenal food, and fun programs. Though most wineries close down around 9 or 10, Ravine is open a bit later and has casual bites so you never feel contrived. The food is refined but the atmosphere is not. The wood-fire oven on their patio churns out toasty pizzas for $18 (a great deal when most meals can be quite pricey here). You can play ping pong in front of the vineyard, chill out with your group on the other side of the patio while listening to live music (bonus points for acoustic versions of the Tragically Hip’s “Bobcaygeon”) or dine inside. They also have a grocery store near their farm. Don’t forget to check out the pigs on-site! Food-wise, menus change seasonally. Friends highly recommend the charcuterie. We were fans of the House Pickled Candy Cane Beet Salad (feta, a sweet salmon and marinated quail’s egg); and the flaky pan seared white fish. Served with a mushroom and goat cheese canneloni, this was a nice punch to the lightness of the fish. We were thoroughly impressed. Throughout the summer, there are fantastic events including oyster nights and even geotracking! This was one of my top three wineries in the area and I need to remind myself to buy some of their wine online. It’s that good.
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Relaxed and Casual
When I asked friends and locals what their favourite winery was in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL), I got a unanimous response on Ravine. Everything here is on point: great wine (and I’m kicking myself for not buying any), phenomenal food, and fun programs. Though most wineries close down around 9 or 10, Ravine is open a bit later and has casual bites so you never feel contrived. The food is refined but the atmosphere is not. The wood-fire oven on their patio churns out toasty pizzas for $18 (a great deal when most meals can be quite pricey here). You can play ping pong in front of the vineyard, chill out with your group on the other side of the patio while listening to live music (bonus points for acoustic versions of the Tragically Hip’s “Bobcaygeon”) or dine inside. They also have a grocery store near their farm. Don’t forget to check out the pigs on-site! Food-wise, menus change seasonally. Friends highly recommend the charcuterie. We were fans of the House Pickled Candy Cane Beet Salad (feta, a sweet salmon and marinated quail’s egg); and the flaky pan seared white fish. Served with a mushroom and goat cheese canneloni, this was a nice punch to the lightness of the fish. We were thoroughly impressed. Throughout the summer, there are fantastic events including oyster nights and even geotracking! This was one of my top three wineries in the area and I need to remind myself to buy some of their wine online. It’s that good.
