Beautiful weather aside, the summer in Halton region brings an abundance of farm-fresh produce. For home cooks, it’s the season to get inspired by beautiful heads of lettuce, berries and field tomatoes dripping in their juices, sweet corn, peppers, garlic scapes, and more.

For professional chefs, it’s no different: the warmer months are a time to source vegetables and fruits more locally, and really punch up the flavour. In the hot weather, guests are craving crisp bowls of greens and herbaceous sauces. 

At Radius on Brant Street, the Charred Corn + Chickpea Salad is a stunner. It comes back every summer, with corn sourced from Snyder’s Sweet Corn — a family-run, Caledonia farm stand. Alongside chickpeas, the corn is paired with snap peas, dates, feta and mint, all dressed in an aleppo lime vinaigrette and topped with pumpkin seeds. The result is a hearty bowl packed with texture and flavour. 

This salad is a labour of love. It was created by talented chef Ashley Hoar from catering company Real Roots Kitchen in collaboration with Radius and their partner Chelsea Ladd of Soulful Co. “It’s a wonderful option for either lunch or dinner,” says Lisa Mercanti-Ladd, partner and CMO at Radius Hospitality. 

Over at Spencer’s, a staple of the Burlington waterfront, executive chef Matteo Paonessa is a huge fan of their Spencer’s Wedge salad. It’s an upscale take on a wedge salad that leaves out the usual tomato and bacon, but sticks to its steakhouse roots with a creamy dressing. Layered with iceberg lettuce, blue cheese, poached apples, shallots (both pickled and crispy), shaved celery, lemon zest and microgreens, it hits all the right notes. “The ranch dressing brings a creamy richness that falls through the layers of lettuce, balancing with the crunch of the crispy shallots and the freshly shaved celery,” says Paonessa. 

Spencer’s sources microgreens for the salad from Earth to Table Farm. “It’s a collection of classic ingredients brought together in one clean, crisp dish,” says Paonessa. The chef recommends a pairing of Drylands sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, or a cold beer.

MAKE YOUR OWN RESTAURANT-CALIBRE SALAD

When it’s hot out, let the home oven hibernate. Here are some tips on how to craft the perfect summer salad. 

Consider Textures

Any great dish, salad or not, has a variety of textures to it. For crunch, try adding your favourite seeds or chopped nuts. Cucumber, fresh pear slices, and fresh lettuce are fabulous crisp ingredients to add to the mix. For softness, experiment with avocado or cherry tomatoes, and for chewiness you could throw in some dried fruit. 

Check all the flavour boxes

Along with a base of  olive oil, avocado oil, or nut oil, aim for these flavour essentials:

Tangy – Use balsamic vinegar for deep, rich tang, apple cider vinegar for a crisp apple-fruitiness, or fresh lemon juice for a zesty freshness. A dash of sumac is another lip-smacking addition for tang.

Sweet – A spoonful of honey, maple syrup, or agave helps tone down the acidity of vinegar or citrus.

The Emulsifier – Adding a dab of Dijon mustard tastes lovely and helps the oil and vinegar to mix together smoothly.

Look Local

Visit your local farmer’s market to get the best salad ingredients. Or read the produce label at the grocery store — typically, it will list the region it’s sourced from. If you’re feeling ambitious and have a green thumb, take to growing your own food! A good place to start is growing a herb or two, which, in the right conditions, can be kept indoors. 

Make it a Main

Bump up the protein to transform a simple salad to an entire meal. A seared salmon fillet, barbecued flank steak and marinated shrimp are all great options. And don’t forget about the carbohydrates to keep you satisfied! Some examples are sourdough croutons, starchy vegetables like roasted sweet potato, or grains like quinoa and beans.

By Lauren Medeiros

As soon as the weather warms up, patios are the place to be. What could possibly feel more summery than clinking glasses with friends at a charming outdoor table? From waterfront views to lively hidden gems, these Burlington and Oakville patios are among our favourite places to sip, savour, and socialize. 

OAKVILLE

The Bronte Boathouse
2340 Ontario Street

A lakeside classic with a modern feel, right on the water

THINK: brunch, out-of-town guests, dreamy sunshine views

BEST FOR: a relaxed but impressive experience

Harpers Landing
481 Cornwall Road

Spacious 3-season patio with a polished look

THINK: busy social scene, always buzzing

BEST FOR: celebrations and reliable energy

Try half-price bottles of wine every Wednesday!

Verace Italian Restaurant
312 Lakeshore Road East

Try the verified Neapolitan pizzas. Named among Canada’s best patios multiple years running.

THINK: authentic Italian cuisine, stylish vibes, Aperol spritzes

BEST FOR: date night, girls’ lunch, downtown Oakville atmosphere

Plank Restobar
67 Bronte Road

Try the Appy Hour Menu Mondays-Thursdays 2-5 pm. The Bronte Harbour location gives this one instant summer cred.

THINK: casual lakeside drinks and perfect bits and bites

BEST FOR: Tapas, cocktails, and people-watching

7 Enoteca
216 Lakeshore Road East

“I’m in Europe” feels, right in the heart of Oakville Town Square

THINK: quality Italian dishes and an extensive Italian wine list

BEST FOR: Loungy lunches and memorable dinners

Try the handmade pasta

The Oakville Pump & Patio
1011 Upper Middle Road East

Covered and heated, perfect for any kind of weather

THINK: OG high-energy patio that’s always bustling

BEST FOR: lively nights, sports, casual drinks that get loud (in the best way)

Try their Buddha Bowls

Spencer’s At The Waterfront
1340 Lakeshore Road

Signature patio with Lake Ontario views and glassy modern design.

THINK: Special occasions and decadent dishes by the water

BEST FOR: weekend brunches and milestone dinners

BURLINGTON

The North Coal Kitchen & Bar
399 Elizabeth Street #8

A consistently recommended patio, polished but relaxed

THINK: easy, modern, not trying too hard

BEST FOR: low-key but memorable nights out

Downtown Bistro And Grill
441 Elizabeth Street

Casual fine dining with sunset views

THINK: quality food and relaxed atmosphere

BEST FOR: a quieter dinner that still feels like a night out

Try the Jumbo Shrimp Linguine

Loondocks Restaurant
5111 New Street

Try their guest favourite – Nova Scotia Snow Crab Cakes Rooftop garden- style patio

THINK: Muskoka vibes with dishes often featuring herbs from the restaurant’s own garden

BEST FOR: upscale date nights

Buvette Restaurant & Wine Bar
417 Elizabeth Street

Covered, cool, and cozy in historic Village Square.

THINK: upscale cocktails and a wine-forward menu

BEST FOR: dressed-up casual and a special night out

Jacksons Landing
5000 New Street

Rooftop energy and Happy Hour from 9 pm to close

THINK: lively with a dependable crowd

BEST FOR: groups, birthdays, and fun with friends

Try the Landing Burger

Isabelle
3 Elizabeth Street

Lake views and Mediterranean flavours

THINK: unique menu and breezy atmosphere

BEST FOR: client lunches or celebrations over dinner

Try the roasted cauliflower Linguine

If you only have time for 2–3 patios:

OAKVILLE

VERACE
for the vibe

BRONTE BOATHOUSE
for the view

HARPERS LANDING
for the crowd

BURLINGTON

SPENCER’S
for the best overall experience

LOONDOCKS
for the most unique setting

ISABELLE’S
for the prettiest view and vibe

BY LISA THORNBURY

Canada is home to world-class pastries, pies, wines and meats. With the last years’ rise in patriotism, more and more people are choosing to buy Canadian and celebrate what our land has to offer. Several neighbourhood businesses offer a taste of our nation. Here are some of our favourites:

At Denninger’s, a specialty grocery store with locations in Burlington and Hamilton, the bacon is as Canadian as it gets. It’s produced in a north end Hamilton facility with pork belly sourced from a small Ontario business. The pork belly is brined in a special recipe and smoked in house. Add some to your next brunch lineup.

Over at Black Forest Pastry Shop in downtown Oakville, the butter tarts are to die for. They fill buttery pastry with a luxuriously rich filling, available with pecans, skor, raisin or plain. The traditional family recipe hasn’t changed for 35 years. 

If you’re a cheese lover, look no further than Micky McGuire’s Cheese in Dundas. The shop offers more than 400 varieties of cheese including Canadian favourites such as Oka, La Sauvagine and, perhaps best of all, cheese curds. Curds, with their pleasant rubbery texture, are a hallmark of our country’s cuisine, perfect for topping poutine or snacking alongside fresh fruits and nuts. 

Almost every culture has some version of a meat pie, and ours is the tourtiere. Flavoured with baking spices like cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, this Quebecois classic is uniquely fragrant and festive. For a top-notch tourtiere with savoury ground pork, celery, onion and garlic, visit Burlington’s That Pie Place. The business uses local meats and wholesome Canadian produce wherever possible, without artificial additives or shortcuts. 

We can’t feature Canadian food without mention of the quintessential Nanaimo bar, a layered sweet treat with a chocolatey coconut graham base, custard-like vanilla icing and a chocolate shell on top. Kelly’s Bake Shoppe on Lakeshore Road in Oakville has a great one that just happens to be vegan. Fun fact: the first recipe called a “Nanaimo Bar” — named after the B.C. city — appeared in an early 1950s cookbook by Edith Adams! 

As for drinks, there is no shortage of Canadian options. A great place to start is at Maverick Distillery based in Oakville. Its stellar lineup of liquors includes the Ginslinger Ontario craft gin, made with cold-pressed wild juniper, its double-aged Barnburner Ontario whiskey with notes of vanilla and caramel, and the peppery Lunatico tequila. Or try their pre-mixed bottled cocktails, like the Espresso Martini, Cranberry Vodka and Whisky Sour.

When it comes to cooking Canadian at home, look to local farmers, makers and producers for ingredients. Many farms offer CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes full of fresh produce that you can get delivered or pick up throughout the seasons. In the summer, expect vibrant berries and leafy greens, and in the winter, you can get your hands on root vegetables and delicious preserves.

Canadian fare is oftentimes limited to our short growing period, but this has given way to a world of resourcefulness. If you’re after local flavours year-round, why not make soups, sauces and jams out of produce when it’s at peak season and freeze them to eat when the colder weather comes? With farmer’s market season upon us, it’s time to fill our baskets with fresh goods and rejoice — after all, you can’t get more Canadian than our own nature’s bounty, grown and harvested on Canadian soil. 

By Lauren Medeiros

Local Links

Denninger’s
777 Guelph Line, Burlington
denningers.com

Black Forest Pastry Shop
184 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville
black-forest-pastry-shop.square.site

Micky McGuire’s Cheese
2 King Street West Unit #1, Dundas
instagram.com/mickey_mcguires_cheese

That Pie Place
4155 Fairview Street, Burlington
thatpieplace.com

Kelly’s Bake Shoppe
259 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville
kellysxo.com

Maverick Distillery
2140 Winston Park Drive Unit 18, Oakville
maverickdirect.ca

Picture this: you’re in the grocery store, scanning the marinade aisle. It’s a blur of different shaped bottles, colourful labels and unfamiliar brands. Where do you even begin? Do you choose the cheapest? The one with your favourite design? Pick one at random? It’s easy to get overwhelmed when there are dozens of options in front of you. Lucky for us, there are some tips to help narrow down the choice. 

“First of all, look for something that doesn’t have a lot of sugar,” says Damian Goriup, owner of Florence Meats in Oakville. “As soon as you marinate a meat in added sugars and put it on the grill, it will burn.”  If you want to find something truly great, take the time to read the ingredient list. “It’s always the most simplistic rubs, seasonings and marinades that bring out the flavour of meat,” says Goriup. 

Tara Lester, owner of Burlington’s Olive Oil Dispensary, also recommends prioritizing purity. In particular, when it comes to extra-virgin olive oils, you want to look for something that’s “early harvest”. Early harvest is a premium, very nutritious oil made from olives picked while they’re still unripe. “These oils have the most pure olive flavour, which is exactly what you want.”

For a simple but effective flavour boost, Lester says to make a three-to-one mixture of olive oil to balsamic vinegar. You can use this mixture as a salad dressing, grilled vegetable marinade or for dipping. And, at The Olive Oil Dispensary, there is a tempting variety of flavoured vinegars: herb, lemon and fruit-infused, to name a few.

If you’re a corn on the cob lover, try coating it with a lime-infused extra-virgin olive oil before it hits the grill, and, when it’s steaming to perfection, give it a sprinkle of flavoured sea salt. “It’s crisp, fresh and amazing,” says Lester. “You’ll never use butter again.” For grilled chicken wings, pair a chipotle-infused oil with a dark maple balsamic and you have an easy-to-make, healthy recipe bursting with flavour. 

There are also some less conventional uses for balsamic that might surprise you. “I see people adding flavoured balsamics — like strawberry kiwi or cranberry pear — to cocktails and mocktails,” says Lester. “It’s a bonus that these vinegars are good for digestion!”

Oftentimes, when it comes to making tastier food, all it takes is a few pantry staples. “Try a lamb rub made with just salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary,” says Goriup. “It’s a classic pairing that highlights the lamb’s taste.” 

You can also get some wonderful mustards, infused with honey, spices and herbs. Adding a flavoured mustard to a dressing, dip or even a homemade burger mixture has the power to transform something from bland to beautiful. 

The bottom line: to turn food into an experience, make sure to highlight the ingredients you’re using, rather than overpower them. Avoid unnecessary additives and, if you’re getting tired while reading an ingredient list or don’t recognize half of the names, it’s probably best to avoid that product. 

If you want to learn more, turn to one of the local professionals in our Local Links — they certainly know a thing or two about flavour!

Local Links:

Florence Meats
2136 Speers Road, Oakville
florencemeats.com

The Olive Oil Dispensary
175 Plains Road East, Burlington
tood.ca

J&G Quality Meats
175 Plains Road East, Burlington
instagram.com/jngmeats

Dietrichs Butcher & Marketplace
1260 Speers Road, Oakville
dietrichs.ca

The Platter Company Gourmet
175 Plains Road East, Burlington
theplattercompany.ca

Cluck & Squeal
17 Howard Blvd., Waterdown
cluckandsqueal.com

The Urban Vine
22 King Street West, Dundas
urbanvineinc.com 

Denninger’s
777 Guelph Line, Burlington
denningers.com

Indian Grocers
64 Hamilton Street North, Waterdown
indiangrocerystore.ca

By Lauren Medeiros

We all know that it’s important to celebrate our mothers every day, not just on Mother’s Day.  But on May 10th, taking mom out for a culinary experience that she’ll savour (mostly because she doesn’t have to create it!) is a special treat. Many restaurants in our area offer exquisite brunches and teas that are perfect for the occasion.

Royal Botanical Gardens
680 Plains Road West, Burlington
rbg.ca

An abundant brunch and a day spent enjoying nature’s beauty are on the menu when you treat Mom to the RBG’s annual Mother’s Day brunch (May 9 and 10). The seasonal menu features salads, charcuterie, fresh crepes, carved meats, potatoes, and mains such as Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, bacon, sausages, and delicious desserts and pastries. Vegan and gluten free options are available.

Saving Thyme
450 Appleby Line, Burlington
savingthyme.ca

The bistro will be buzzing on Mother’s Day. Dine-in is first come, first served, with fabulous breakfast sandwiches, quiche, Eggs Benedict, salads, bowls, and sandwich options like smoked salmon or vegetarian. Delicious mains like burgers, Fenwood Farm chicken breast, and chicken vol-au-vent round off the menu. 

Co-owner Alex Kinsman recommends afternoon tea boxes as a take-home option for mom. “The boxes include a selection of mini sandwiches, mini quiche, canapes, scones with crème fraiche, mini pastries and desserts, and two Sloane silk tea bags. They’ll be priced at around $45 per box with pick up on May 9th and 10th,” Kinsman says. Tea boxes can be ordered online.

Spencer’s at the Waterfront
1340 Lakeshore Road, Burlington
spencers.ca

If your mom loves serene views of Lake Ontario while enjoying brunch, Spencer’s at the Waterfront will bring a smile to her face! No one leaves the restaurant hungry as the Mother’s Day buffet is all you can enjoy and features delicious seafood and meat dishes, a carvery table, a raw bar (oysters and shrimp cocktail), and breakfast delights such as sausage, bacon, waffles, omelettes and Eggs Benedict. And let’s not forget the desserts! “We have an amazing pastry chef, and desserts include pies, cookies, squares and tiramisu,” says Hannah Kivlin, a manager at Spencer’s. 

They had me at “all you can drink mimosas.”

Tea at the White House
35 Main Street North, Unit 1, Waterdown
teaatthewhitehouse.com

This popular Waterdown tea room and shop offers afternoon tea service with their famous English sweet scones with cream and house made jam, sandwiches and homemade desserts. At press time their Mother’s Day Tea is 80% sold out (to partake next year, mark your calendar for early March). This year, you can treat mom to their take-out Cream Tea in a Box featuring scones, Devon clotted cream, vanilla berry jam, Walker’s shortbread and Earl Grey or Sticky Toffee Pudding tea bags.

The Eighteen at Glen Abby Golf Course
1333 Dorval Drive, Oakville
glenabbey.clublink.ca

Who can say no to a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit, surrounded by options like crème brulee, cakes, flans, and French pastries? Mom will want to save room for dessert after enjoying a waffle and omelette station, bakery station, plus bacon, sausage, Eggs Benedict and dishes like Niagara peach chicken and pan-seared lemon butter trout.

Seafood lovers can indulge in smoked salmon, trout, crab legs and fresh oysters, and meat lovers will be equally satisfied with the carvery station. Tickets for Saturday will be available once Sunday is sold out. And did we mention the serene views of the 18^th green from the dining room?

Kerr Street Café
298 Kerr Street, Oakville
kerrstreetcafe.com

The Kerr Street Café is an Oakville legend due to their amazing brunch offerings served daily until 3 pm. Mom will have her choice of dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, such as the Kerr St. Breakfast, avo toast, pancakes, huevos rancheros, and Turkish eggs. An almond lemon tart, carrot cake and a mimosa will make the experience even sweeter for her.

By Cyndi Ingle

Growing up, I was obsessed with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What I wouldn’t have given for a golden ticket to tour that place. I used to press my face against the window of the chocolate shop near my house, mesmerized as the chocolatier poured a glossy stream of melted chocolate onto a marble slab. 

At that moment I knew I’d grow up to be a chocolatier.

So… that didn’t happen. But I still lust after really good chocolate. In fact, I may keep a stash hidden in the back of my pantry behind the canned beans. As much as I love my children, Mama needs her own chocolate supply for emergencies.

Ancient civilizations in Central and South America revered Cacao. It was so valuable that cacao beans were used as currency. If crypto doesn’t work out, I say we switch to the chocolate coin. 

If you’re going to indulge in chocolate — and you most certainly should — make it the good stuff. Not a waxy bar that has been sitting beside the grocery checkout for who knows how long. We’re talking about real chocolate, the kind that melts on your tongue and makes your eyes roll back in your head. Fortunately, there are plenty of chocolate wizards across Halton crafting the good stuff.

Obey your cravings

In Burlington, The Organic House focuses on organic and ethically sourced chocolate. It’s also vegan, gluten and dairy free. 

Another sweet source is Christy’s Gourmet Gifts, where Christy and Bernie Mueller create beautifully packaged chocolate and sweets that are almost too pretty to eat. Almost. I mean, of course I’m still going to eat them.

“Creating decadent gifts is our passion, says Bernie. “Deciding which chocolates complement each other best and then wrapping them up as a beautiful gift makes us proud every time. No matter how many chocolates and sweets we sell, it’s still a thrill to see the happy anticipation on our customers’ faces.” 

Chocolate lovers also flock to Genesis Chocolate Company for their ingenious flavours (Beer! Banana bread! Cardamom honey!) and to Walker’s Chocolates (Truffles! Dipped cherries, jubes, and Oreos!). Both are known for handcrafted confections that feel like edible art. Dundas Chocolate Shop is another beloved shop offering small-batch creations. Warning… you may walk in for one treat and leave with several (Mon Cherry D’Amour! Ginger turmeric! Maple toasted pumpkin seed!).

Did you know?

• Chocolate contains over 600 flavour compounds. That’s more than red wine has (dark chocolate and red wine pair beautifully, by the way).

• White chocolate technically is not chocolate at all because it contains cocoa butter but no cocoa solids. Purists have strong feelings about this.

• The largest chocolate bar ever made weighed more than 12,000 pounds. I’m wondering if I could fit that into the back of my pantry.

DIY… Y not?

Want to try making chocolate yourself? With the right guidance, it’s deliciously doable.

Deanna Forder, owner and chocolate maker at The Organic House says, “Chocolate workshops and tastings are a sweet way to share chocolate with people. With Mother’s Day upon us, flowers are a lovely gesture, but spending an afternoon laughing, tasting, and creating chocolate with your mom is the kind of memory that lasts longer than a bouquet.”

Sometimes the best chocolate experience is simply trying something extraordinary that not only tastes great but feels right, too.  “Our clients love discovering unusual flavours like focaccia, lavender, cinnamon or chili,” Deanna explains. “We’re known for our bean-to-bar flavour infusions that are creative and out-of-the-box ideas. And our ingredients are sourced ethically and are traceable because paying the cacao farmers more than a living wage is very important to us.”

Chocolate is a rich mix of history, culture, science, and pure imagination. A chocolate river and singing Oompa Loompas might not be realistic, but the magic of great chocolate absolutely is.

Make it the good stuff. We’re talking about real chocolate, the kind that melts on your tongue and makes your eyes roll back in your head.

Local  Links:

The Organic House
1016 Sutton Drive Unit C10, Burlington
theorganichouse.ca 

Christy’s Gourmet
3530 Mainway Drive, Burlington
christysgourmetgifts.com

Genesis Chocolate Company
97 King Street West, Dundas
genesischocolatecompany.com 

Dundas Chocolate Shop
50 King Street West, Dundas
dundaschocolate.ca 

Madam BonBon
165 Locke St South, Hamilton
http://madambonbon.ca/

Walker’s Chocolates
3350 Fairview Street, Burlington

1011 Upper Middle Road., Oakville
walkerschocolates.ca

Chocolate And Love
96 Dunn Street, Oakville
chocolateandlove.com

A Chocolate Lab
511 Pinegrove Road, Oakville
achocolatelab.com

By Lisa Thornbury

Irish cuisine is comfort food at its finest. Think rich stews, sensational (and unbelievably simple) breads and loaded shepherd’s pie topped with creamy mashed potatoes. The best part? Irish food proves that a plate doesn’t need fancy ingredients to satisfy. Most of the time, humble components are what make a meal truly remarkable.

Take Welsh rarebit as an example, a dish of hot cheese sauce, often including ale, mustard or Worcestershire sauce, served on toasted bread. The dish reached Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries through British pub culture, and the Irish made it their own with mature Irish cheddar and stout instead of ale. Over time, it has become a savoury late-supper staple that’s quick, warming and absolutely delicious.

This Saint Patrick’s Day, why not feast like the Irish? Start with a full Irish breakfast at home, with potato scones or soda bread, black (blood) pudding, white pudding, thick cut bacon and sausages – all available at your local British Grocer – as well as eggs, baked beans, fried tomatoes or mushrooms, and strong Irish tea.

At Black Swan Kitchen Hub, with two locations in Burlington and one in Oakville, St. Paddy’s is the biggest night of the year. They even have a countdown and Irish dancers to mark the occasion! Their limited-time menu features classics like corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash and their famous stew, which changes a little bit every year but always starts with a hearty base of root vegetables, broth and Guinness. It’s the kind of food you want to devour on a cold night.

St. Paddy’s wouldn’t be complete without great drinks. For authentic and Irish-style brews, head to Beertown in Burlington or Oakville for two specials on tap all March long: O’Hara’s Dry Stout and Storm Stayed Brewing Co.’s Patina Red Ale. Smooth, filling and packed with flavour, both are built for slow sipping over long conversations and pair perfectly with hearty Irish dishes. If you’re after something non-alcoholic but still with Irish spirit, try out a hot coffee with whipped cream. Many restaurants and pubs will now offer alcohol-free lagers with the same great taste as their alcoholic counterpart. 

For dessert, take a cab back home and whip up a quick apple tart or bread pudding, both quintessentially Irish sweet treats. There are countless recipes online to suit whatever flavour profile you’re craving, and since they all use simple pantry staples, you really can’t go wrong. Soda bread, which is yeast-free and also on the sweeter side of things, is an easy combination of just flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. Throw in some currants or other dried fruit for a brighter taste. Who knew bread baking could be this easy? 

Cheers and celebrate safely!

Local Links

Barra Fion
1505 Guelph Line, Burlington
barrafion.ca

Beertown Public House
2050 Appleby Line, Burlington
271 Cornwall Road, Oakville
beertown.ca

Blk Swan Kitchen Pub
380 Brant Street, Burlington
4040 Palladium Way, Burlington
3420 Rebecca Street, Oakville
blkswan.ca

British Grocer
213 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville
1240 Burloak Drive, Burlington
britishgrocer.ca

Squires Pub
3537 Fairview Street, Burlington
squires.pub

The Judge and Jury
1222 Walker’s Line, Burlington
thejudgeandjury.ca

Gator Ted’s 
1505 Guelph Line, Burlington
gatorteds.ca

By Lauren Medeiros

It’s almost time to cheer on our country’s team in the Winter Olympics. This February, countries will compete in Milan, Italy, a global capital for fashion, design and food. If you’ve been to Italy, you know just how good the pizza and pasta are, but they wouldn’t be the same without fresh, aromatic and slightly tangy marinara sauce.

On paper, marinara is perhaps one of the simplest sauces to make, but its complexity lies in restraint, technique and ingredients. We asked four local chefs what makes their marinara sauce top-tier, for a little friendly competition as we gear up for the Olympics.

Son of a Peach’s Chef Bart Nadherny 

The farm-to-table sauce

Neighborhood pizzeria Son of a Peach prides itself on its pure and rustic tomato sauce. Made with Stanislaus canned tomatoes — an Italian family company based in California — these tomatoes are packaged within four to six hours of being picked, making them peak-season and vibrant in colour and flavour. Chef Bart adds fresh basil and garlic, a sprinkle of chili flakes and a bit of extra-virgin olive oil before the sauce cooks on top of their pizza dough. A taste of Son of a Peach’s tomato sauce and you’re transported to a sunny farm where tomato vines thrive and produce fresh, floral fruit.

2049 Pine Street #62, Burlington
heypeachy.com

Di Mario’s Trattoria’s Culinary Director Claudio Aprile 

The perfectly timed sauce

For Claudio Aprile, making marinara sauce is a meticulous dance. The key is knowing the exact moment to add finely-diced onion to olive oil and knowing how long to keep crushed garlic in the mix before removing it, to impart flavour without overpowering the palate. It’s not about showing off technique or trying to outdo yourself.

The best tomato sauce is minimalist. At Di Mario’s, San Marzano tomatoes are the main act in the sauce, which is the backbone of the menu, used for their veal parmesan and a variety of pastas. Claudio credits Chef Gianpiero Todina for his simplistic — but oh so intelligent — approach to Italian cooking.

1455 Lakeshore Road, Burlington
dimarios.co

Sotto Sotto’s Chef Nabeel Sadaq

The labour of love sauce

Chef Nabeel at upscale Italian restaurant Sotto Sotto boils and peels roma tomatoes to make their well-loved marinara sauce. Once soft, the tomatoes are blended and cooked down with shallot, green onion, garlic, salt and pepper for at least half an hour — but the longer, the better. The result is a balanced bite that is sour (in a good way), punchy and silky-smooth. It’s so good that customers frequently walk to the kitchen to compliment the staff. Chef Nabeel recently had a customer tell him it was the “best tomato sauce” she had ever tasted. Sotto Sotto’s marinara pizza is a refined dish that pairs the sauce with just anchovies and parsley. 

139 Trafalgar Road, Oakville
sottosotto.ca/oakville/

Michelle’s Duelling Grandmas

My late grandmother, Grace Morra, made a killer sauce by browning tomato paste, deglazing it with water, and adding canned plum tomatoes, onion, herbs, and a pinch of sugar. It cooked for hours and had a deep red colour and a rich, smoky tang. 

Meanwhile, Grace’s mother-in-law (my great-grandmother Lena) made an entirely different sauce using only tomato paste, water, and seasonings. My dad would never have dared tell his mother that sometimes, for a change, he secretly loved his Grandma Lena’s sauce. Sacrilege! 

Verace’s Chef Tomo Kovacek

The authentic sauce  

Why change a good thing? At Verace, Chef Tomo swears he’ll never switch up his marinara sauce. His authentic approach to Italian cuisine has earned the restaurant VPN (Verace Pizza Napoletana) status, an Italian designation that strictly manages artisanal pizza making. Chef Tomo uses high-quality Italian olive oil and cooks San Marzano tomatoes with basil and garlic before finishing the sauce with parsley and seasonings. He graduated from culinary school in former Yugoslavia near Italy and has long been passionate about Italian cuisine. This passion is evident in his marinara sauce, whether it’s used for Verace’s bolognese, gnocchi or as a dipping sauce for calamari. 

312 Lakeshore Road East Unit 3-5, Oakville
veracepizza.ca

by Lauren Medeiros