Say cheers to new experiences with our Best Cocktails Talk of the Town Award-winner, The King’s Arms!
This Downtown Oakville bar and restaurant is well-known for their creative mixes, often providing specialized seasonal drinks perfect for summer, winter, fall and spring.
Warm up with their current selections – Absinthe Mule, Spiced Pumpkin, James Cold Brew Martini, Smoked Cadillac Margarita and Hickory Smoked Old Fashioned.
Venturing a little further north? Check out our Best Cocktails runner-up, The Pipes and Taps!
Indulge in their twists on classic drinks like the Pomegranate Cosmopolitan, Privateer No. 1 and sinful sangrias. Don’t worry, you can still find your favourites with their delectable Manhattans, Moscow Mules and more.
Patio drinking more your style? Come visit this summer and soak in those lakeside views at Bronte Boathouse, Best Cocktails second runner-up!
Cool off with slushies like Froze All Day, Watermelon Mule, and Pink Bikini, or say hello to summer vibes with special cocktails like the Tipsy Mermaid, Smoke on the Water, Beachy Bourbon or Fun in the Sun.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted! The next category will be announced in February.
Plan your next romantic night out during Taste of Oakville 2022 with Visit Oakville’s Best Fine Dining Talk of the Town Award-winner, J.A.C’s Bistro!
This Italian and French fusion restaurant has been a favourite in Kerr Village for decades, serving up delicious delights like their slow roasted tomato soup, veal bolognese and AAA steak frites.
Raise a glass with their impressive selections of wine and cocktails, then indulge in something sweet with desserts like their pecan tart, chocolate tart or salted caramel cheesecake. Check out tasteofoakville.ca for more information about this Feb. 15 – March 10 culinary event.
Dine in one of Oakville’s favourite foodie destinations with Best Fine Dining runner-up, Trattoria Timone!
This Italian restaurant is well-known for serving up favourites like gnocchi poutine ragu, wild mushroom and leek risotto, veal saltimbocca, homemade gelato, sticky toffee pudding, and bourbon pecan butter tart.
Vegan foodies will delight in the delicious offerings from Best Fine Dining second runner-up, Community Resto!
This Kerr Village favourite is known for their flavourful plates and to-die-for weekend brunches. Try something new with options like their mushroom stroganoff, sushi bowl, butter tofu, truffle gnocchi and sweet and spicy lettuce cups.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted! The next category will be announced in March.
Looking for the best slice in Oakville? Look no further than our Best Pizza Talk of the Town Award-winner, The Boot!
You’ll feel like you stepped onto the streets of Naples at this Kerr Village favourite once you bite into their classic wood oven thin crust pizzas. Make your own or order from their extensive list that includes classics like pepperoni, Hawaiian and BBQ Chicken, or innovations like the Kerr Street Special, Thai “Full Moon”, Honey Badger and Bubba Gump.
They also have an impressive selection of traditional pastas, including options like Carbonara, Ragu, Gnocchi and Shrimp Pappardelle.
Takeout or dine-in at their cozy location and raise a glass to incredible food straight from the heart of Italy.
Explore Oakville’s hidden gems by Indulging in classic Italian fare at Best Pizza runner-up, Piazza Bistro!
Keep it simple with a Margherita, Funghi or Calabrese pizza, or mix it up with options like Prosciutto & Arugula, Eggplant Parm and Piazza. This Downtown Oakville hot spot also serves up traditional pastas and entrees like Spaghetti & Meatballs, Veal Limone and Chicken Marsala.
Keep the whole family happy with a slice from Best Pizza second runner-up, Justino’s Wood Oven Pizza!
This family-friendly location specializes in wood oven pizzas like their Americana, Capricciosa and Pescatore. You won’t want to miss their incredible selection of pastas and mains either, with options like Fettuccini Alfredo, Rapini and Sausage Penne, Chicken Parmigiana and Veal Marsala.
Spend your next night out at our Best Mediterranean Talk of the Town Award-winner, Zara’s by the Lake!
This Bronte Village favourite specializes in traditional Mediterranean cuisine with a mix of Middle Eastern flavours. Indulge in shawarma, souvlaki, shashlik and curry, as well as chef specials like grilled sole, pineapple chicken, and ribeye steak.
Vegetarians can also delight in a variety of options including fried cauliflower, veggie stir-fry, stuffed grape leaves and veggie falafel.
Whether you’re planning a date night or family outing, Zara’s by the Lake is the perfect place to reconnect over amazing food.
You’ll find traditional items like baba ghanouj, foolmedamess and shish kabob, alongside a fun mix of favourites such as rack of lamb, fish and chips and vegetarian cabbage rolls. They even have a detailed kids menu, so you can bring the whole family out.
Step onto the streets of Greece at Best Mediterranean second runner-up, Colossus Greek Taverna!
This Downtown Oakville hot spot, that has modelled its look after Greek streetscapes, offers an extensive Greek wine list and in-house sangria that pair perfectly with their innovative menu. Get your fill with selections like grilled halloumi, kotomacaronada, faliraki, Greek paella, spanakopita, souvlaki and more.
Settle in for some seafood with our Best Sushi Talk of the Town Award-winner, Mye 2 Japanese Restaurant!
Well-known as one of Oakville’s finest sushi restaurants, Mye2 is the second of Oakville’s historic Mye establishments. This family of restaurants has been local since 1987 when Chef Motoaki Aoki was invited to open Oakville’s first Japanese restaurant upon invitation from then-Mayor Harry Barrett.
This location is currently open for distanced indoor dining, curbside pickup and delivery. You won’t want to miss out on this mouthwatering selection of Japanese cuisine, as well as a few special off-menu items.
Treat yourself to a night of fine dining with this local hidden gem.
Looking for some good quality sushi you can bring home with you? Try our Best Sushi runner-up, Choi’s Sushi!
This Kerr Village newcomer has all your favourites for affordable prices while offering combos, party platters and specialized menu items. Settle in for date night or buy for the whole family with this local takeout spot.
Indulge in the best all-you-can-eat experience at Best Sushi second runner-up, Yame Sushi!
This Kerr Village favourite offers all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner menus at an affordable price so you don’t have to miss out on any of your favourite dishes. Dine in at a distance or order out for some at-home fine dining and get your sushi fix with the help of this local hot spot.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted! We will be announcing our next category on September 1, 2021 over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Stay refreshed this August with our Best Milkshake Talk of the Town Award-winner, La Dolce Vita!
This Kerr Village gelato stop carries all your milkshake favourites, and incorporates some of their signature flavours like blood orange and mango, pumpkin spice, sea salt and caramel, and chocolate hazelnut.
These milkshakes can also be vegan-friendly, made with their vegan gelato, oat milk and coconut whipped cream.
Make the most of these last days of summer and pick up a pint, cone, sundae or milkshake on your way to the lake.
Travel back in time with Best Milkshake runner-up, Fifties Diner!
This retro diner specializes in classic milkshakes, offering up flavours like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and banana. Make a meal of it and order from their extensive menu that includes breakfast, smoked meats, homemade pizzas and more.
Looking for a little variety? Indulge in a myriad of cool drinks at Best Milkshake second runner-up, Tommy + Chocolato!
This Downtown Oakville location offers chocolate, vanilla and strawberry milkshakes, as well as slushies, sundaes and soft serve ice cream. Grab a little dessert while you’re there with their sweet pizzas, waffles or fondue servings.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted! We will be announcing our next category on August 23, 2021 over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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“Batter” make your way onto Oakville’s shores for a bite from our Best Fish & Chips Talk of the Town Award-winner, Bronte Fish N’ Chips!
This family-run restaurant has been a staple in the area for over 50 years, offering anyone who walks through their doors a hot meal and a home away from home.
Choose from a selection that includes haddock, halibut and cod, and indulge in home-cooked goodness with their homemade macaroni salad and coleslaw, hand battered onion rings and homemade cherry cheesecake.
Eat like a local with fresh fried fish from this beloved Bronte Village establishment.
You won’t need to “shell” out for the high-quality seafood found at Best Fish N’ Chips runner-up, The Mermaid and the Oyster!
Save on haddock and halibut during their Wednesday fish n’ chips specials, revel in half priced oysters every Thursday and indulge in their tasty fish tacos special every Tuesday. Order out, take a seat on their patio or cater your next event with fresh daily seafood from this Kerr Village restaurant!
Treat your taste buds to the classics at Best Fish N’ Chips second runner-up, English Bay Fish N’ Chips!
Pair fresh fried haddock, halibut, cod and Atlantic sole with chips, coleslaw, mushy peas or a baked potato. You definitely don’t want to sleep on their seafood stew, featuring fresh halibut, salmon, shrimp and clams.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted! We will be announcing our next category on July 5, 2021 over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Stay up-to-date with the latest in Oakville by subscribing to the Visit of Oakville monthly newsletter! Click here to sign up for insider info, first looks and monthly information about the best attractions, events and businesses in Oakville.
There is no doubt that the hospitality industry has been hit hard during this pandemic and our restaurants and their staff have had to make many changes in the way they do business. This often means more work for the frontline staff, with extra cleaning and protocols in place, to help ensure customer and staff safety.
Taste of Burlington has received comments from several diners on the great service and protocols in place by our restaurants and how they felt safe while dining out or picking up their food. So they felt it was important that the servers, frontline staff and restaurants heard that feedback and were recognized for their efforts during these challenging times.
That’s why Taste of Burlington is launching the Wicked Awesome Server Recognition Program, in partnership with their friends at Nickel Brook Brewing Co and with sponsorship from PV&V Insurance.
They are asking the public and restaurant staff to nominate a server they feel is deserving of recognition for going above and beyond to ensure customer safety while dining. Each week Taste of Burlington will choose a winner from these nominations and they will be presented with a prize pack. Nominations can be sent toinfo@tourismburlington.comand should include the name of the server, the restaurant where they work and a brief explanation as to why they are deserving.
Taste of Burlington will post a list of servers who have been recognized on the Taste of Burlington website. Each server will receive a Wicked Awesome prize pack from Nickel Brook Brewing Co, a gift card for Mapleview Centre thanks to PV&V Insurance and a $25 gift card to the Downtown Burlington business of their choice thanks to that Burlington Downtown Business Association.
Kelly Harris, Marketing Specialist at Tourism Burlington and Coordinator of the Taste of Burlington program shares her excitement about this new initiative: “We are pleased to launch this new reward program and thankful for the partnership with Nickel Brook and PV&V Insurance. It’s been an extremely hard time for the hospitality industry and we are hopeful that this brings some positivity and smiles to an industry that needs it right now”.
What is it that makes wood-fired pizza so delicious? When a pizza has been ‘wood-fired’, it means the pizza was cooked in a wood-fired oven. Wood is burned to heat the oven which reaches extremely high temperatures, often upwards of 800 degrees Fahrenheit. A current provided by the smoke leads to a steady air stream that ensures even cooking and a unique smoky flavour. This means that it will take only a few minutes to cook a pizza, ensuring a crispy base and bubbly cheesy top.
It’s fairly easy to identify a wood-fired pizza because of its visual imperfections: large bubbles on the crust or in the centre – this is because of the fast cooking and high heat.
The crust also has the appearance of being slightly charred on the outside but inside it is chewy. In a cooler oven, the crust will lose its chewiness and become dense and dry. The fast cooking method also allows the toppings to retain their freshness without drying out.
Son of a Peachin Burlington is a specialty wood-fired pizza place that uses only the best ingredients: whole milk and virgin mozzarella, fresh basil, and 30-month aged Parmigiana Reggiano. The dough is made in-house (96-hour cold-fermented) with locally milled flour, kosher salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
The restaurant offers a patio and take-out, and there is a wine list offering local and international wines. Executive chef Diana Macri offers many pizza variations, the spicy salami and wild honey being a favourite.
Piazza Bistroon the Town Square in Oakville is run by a family team of Rob and Kirsten with their daughter Sam. It is a chic spot for Italian fare offering take-out as well as a patio. They also offer half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays along with classic pizzas, such as the Funghi: Fiore di Latte, roasted mushrooms, shaved Parmigiana Reggiano, and truffle oil. (see the recipe for this pizza by clicking here)
7 Enoteca, also on the Town Square, pairs a modern aesthetic style with a traditional enoteca. They import exclusive Italian wines for their list, and the wines are only available through the restaurant. The Pizza Salsicce is memorable with toppings of house-made wild boar sausage with roasted red peppers, shaved red onion, Manchego and goats’ cheese.
Kerr Street in Oakville has its fair share of great pizza places. Fantasticowas established in 2007 and has been producing delicious food ever since. They have a wide array of pizza options – more than 18 – with comfort food offerings like the Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza: cheddar, mozzarella, ground beef, bacon strips, and onion. Or the Bellissimo, with olive oil, goats’ cheese, Brie, figs, caramelized onions, fresh arugula, Prosciutto, and balsamic glaze.
The Boot Social Pizzeria, still on Kerr, has a wide selection as well. You can make your own pizza with the base pizza being only $15, before adding the toppings. They also have the option to turn any pizza into a calzone (folded over), stromboli (rolled), or panzerotti (smaller folded over pizza).
The Boot also offers pizza dipping sauces and the hot aïoli is very popular. A smart offering in these times where we spend more time at home is the Make at Home Pizza Package, which offers you the dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella, and flour, plus your toppings and instructions for stretching and baking the pie.
Lastly, on Kerr is Justino’s Wood Oven Pizza and Barwhich offers Roma style pizza, as well as white pizza (no tomato sauce), and calzone. The Pescatore with shrimp, peppers, mozzarella, and olive is superb in its simplicity.
Industria Pizzeria and Baron Appleby Line in Burlington also offers both rossa and bianca pizza. Their signature Pizza Bianca Industria is laden with beef, yellow cheddar, iceberg lettuce, pickles, onion, sesame seeds, and Industria sauce.
Nonna’s Oven on Rebecca in Oakville offers both pizza and panzerotti styles. Their classic Quattro Stagione with ham, artichoke, fresh mushroom, and sliced black olive is outstanding, or ask for the Calabrese with hot soppressata, roasted sweet peppers, sliced black olives, and hot chili oil.
Scaddabush Italian Kitchen and Bar on Winston Park Drive in Oakville specializes in hand-stretched pizza with gourmet offerings such as the Pear and Squash: Pecorino Alfredo sauce, roasted squash, pear, kale, caramelized onion, mozzarella, toasted hazelnuts, and sage.
And for something a little different, Mickey’s Pizza in Clarkson makes Chicago style deep dish pies. One of the signature pies is the Philly Cheese Steak with slow-roasted steak, homemade meatballs, caramelized onion, a cheese blend, and barbecue sauce.
With the weather turning cooler, comfort food is calling, so head to your favourite pizza store and enjoy the many flavours available.
Note: Each business listed below has made changes and are taking precautions to ensure customer and employee safety during this time. Please contact the businesses directly to confirm up-to-date products, offers, hours and safety procedures.
Help us “toast” to the Best Sandwich Talk of the Town Award-winner, Sandwich Society!
Taste a little Tuscany at this Kerr Village establishment that specializes in traditional Italian sandwiches on freshly-baked focaccia bread.
Indulge in fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil with the Francesca, try some fig spread, brie, apple and arugula with the Figaro, or choose porchetta, ‘nduja spread, spicy eggplant, zucchini and arugula with the Firenze.
Sandwich Society has you covered for every occasion, offering everything from takeaway charcuterie to catering.
We’re moving onto Philadelphia with the Best Sandwich runner-up, Boardwalk Cheesesteaks!
Stick with the original cheesesteak or enhance your experience with toppings like mac n cheese, perogies and chilli. “Crust” us, you won’t want to miss out on these incredible sandwiches and their famous double-fried fries.
Slow your “roll” and make your next stop Best Sandwich second runner-up, Just Braise.
This restaurant specializes in perfectly braised meats, serving up unique flavours like Beef + Kimchi, Pho Beef Bahn Mi and the classic BBQ Pulled Pork. Looking for more? Order your sandwich with hearty sides like Texas Chili, Miso Minestrone and Karaage.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted! We will be announcing our next category on August 21, 2020 over Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
