Recipes & Entertaining

Great Restaurants to Dine-In

Great Restaurants to Dine-In take a look at the best foodie destinations across Canada.

Mercasa Little Italy Eatery and Catering for Grab a Bite Restaurant

195 Henry Street, Brantford, ON
www.mercasa.ca

Great Restaurants to Dine-In. We met with head chef Tom Mercante who is a busy father of two and understands the struggle many families face when trying to choose healthy meals while on the go. Mercasa Little Italy Eatery and Catering is designed around the Italian concept of fast, casual dining, offering families a healthy alternative to the fast-food drive-through. Everything is made from scratch with a focus on fresh, local produce, meats and dairy with high-quality olive oils, prosciutto, and cheeses imported from Italy. Lunch and dinner options are available ready to takeout for those who are in a hurry but still want to enjoy a “real meal”. Mercasa also offers pre-frozen entrées like lasagna that you can cook at home.

Mercasa offers family dinners with options that include pasta, roasted chicken, lasagna, salads, fresh baked breads and more – but the real star of the show is their signature Roman pizzas. Their authentic Roman style pizza dough, which takes 72 hours to prepare, contains no preservatives and hardly any yeast. The pizza crusts are brushed with homemade roasted garlic infused extra virgin olive oil and topped with only the freshest toppings.

Mercasa also offers catering options for weddings and celebrations of nearly any size. Catered meals are cooked the day of the event, ensuring guests enjoy the true, fresh Mercasa taste. On Sundays, the restaurant can also be booked for private parties of 20-60 people, making it a great place to host birthday parties and other family events without breaking the bank.

TheSmoke Collingwood

498 First Street, Collingwood, ON
www.thesmoke.ca

Great Restaurants to Dine-In – TheSmoke isn’t exactly what you might expect from a barbecue restaurant. Grab a Bite Restaurants restaurant owner Cam Dyment has a long time passion for smoked foods and brings this passion into each dish. While you will find your typical smoked fare: ribs, brisket, pulled pork, etc – you will also find a variety of unexpected dishes including smoked burgers, smoked banana ice cream, wild boar bacon and more. TheSmoke occasionally features smoked duck breasts, smoked sausages, smoked beef short ribs and more. Dyment attributes the keys to his popular menu to his passion of experimenting with flavors and a low-and-slow cooking process infused with rubs, braising liquids, injections and the like. For a real treat, visit TheSmoke for lunch on a Friday afternoon and enjoy the Montreal smoked meat. Because it takes 17 days to prepare, it is only available once a week and then it is gone! TheSmoke was featured on the Food Network Show “You Gotta Eat Here,” for a very good reason. John still says TheSmoke has the best Brisket he’s ever had.

Sur-Lie Restaurant

110 Murray Street, Ottawa, ON
www.surlierestaurant.ca

Locally inspired modern French cuisine in the heart of Ottawa’s ByWard Market. The cozy 60 seat restaurant also has an inviting wine bar and private garden patio. The à la carte menu offers classic fare such as “steak frites” as well as creative seafood, pasta and game dishes. For the culinary adventurous we offer a daily 4 course discovery menu. Sur-Lie Restaurant’s casual-fine dining approach is perfect for celebrating special occasions, business dinners or socializing. The restaurant has found a balance between the sophistication of fine dining and the unforced charm of a cozy neighborhood bistro. An extensive selection of Old World and New World wines and handcrafted cocktails complements seasonal menus. Guests can enjoy drinks and appetizers at the bar or share an exceptional meal with friends and loved ones. Our kitchen team take their inspiration from ingredients of the moment to create an ever changing à la carte menu and four course discovery menu. We source our ingredients from local farms that inspire artful and delicious dishes.

12welve

244 Brock Street South, Whitby, ON
www.12welvebistro.ca

Standing outside 244 Brock St. S., you would think you were about to enter a building with a storied history. The building, which houses the Brock Street Brewing Co. brewery along with a bottle shop, banquet hall, private members’ lounge and 12welve Bistro and Tapwerks, was actually built earlier this year and designed with the historical character of the neighborhood in mind. The restaurant continues this theme throughout, giving the space a welcoming, throwback feel with brick and wood finishes combined with antique light fixtures and restored vintage décor.

A partnership with Brock Street Brewing Co, 12welve offers 21 draft taps which includes 13 staple beers and 8 experimental beers brewed on site. Chef Shriny Raj offers a well rounded menu with selections for any occasion, from a pub-style lunch to a formal evening dinner, leveraging the abundant bounty of local and sustainable ingredients, plant-based foods, fresh seafood, pasta and the freshest of local/international meats. Some current favorites include House Smoked Wings, Butter Chicken Nachos and Korean Cauliflower Pakora. The menu also offers delicious options for those who prefer vegetarian or gluten-free dishes.

Philthy Philly’s

13 Locations Across Canada
www.philthyphillys.com

Great Restaurants to Dine-In – Philthy Philly’s brings the great flavor of a Philly Cheesesteak to Canada with the Philthy experience. With 13 locations, you can find a Philthy Philly’s in many locations from Newmarket to Pickering and Whitby to Mississauga.

The Philthy Philly’s menu features the delicious taste of Philadelphia with Philly Cheesesteaks, Philthy Poutinerie, Pulled Pork Sandwiches and fresh salads. Everything is made fresh to order with top of the line ingredients including thin sliced steak, all served up on a freshly toasted bun straight from the Amorosos Bakery in Philadelphia. The Philthy Philly’s poutine is also a favorite, winning the La Poutine Week 2018 award for best poutine in Toronto!

In addition to store front locations, you can also find Philthy Philly’s food trucks at local festivals.

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