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Saying you're going to support local is one thing. But when hunger strikes, it's easy for our farm-to-table morals to fly out of the window. Luckily, there's a very easy way to suss out the restaurants, chefs and producers who are walking the walk when it comes to local sourcing in Ontario.
Feast On® is North America’s largest and longest-running local food certification. Culinary Tourism Alliance — an organization that promotes the growth of the local food tourism industry — audits restaurants' spending for the year to find out how much of that went towards Ontario-grown and raised ingredients.
To be certified, restaurants must use at least 25 per cent local ingredients — though many tend to use much more. In 2019, the average local spend for a Feast On® restaurant was 54 per cent on local food and 64 per cent on local drink. The result is food that tastes better because it's fresh and homegrown, with the added bonus of contributing to local economies and supporting local farmers and producers.
A bottle of West Avenue Cider is poured in front of a pizza on the cider house's patio in the heart of Ontario's Golden Horseshoe
To make it easy to get a true taste of the province, Feast On® has listed all of the certified businesses in Ontario. From wine and spirit producers like Peller Estate Winery in Niagara and Willibald Farm Distillery & Brewery in Ayr to some of Toronto's best restaurants like DaiLo and Richmond Station, the list is stacked. Plus, there are rural Ontario gems and experience providers like Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life and Camp Kitchen, and other makers, farmers and experience operators who source their goods and ingredients with purpose.
Chefs prep a meal at Sixthirtynine, a fine-dining restaurant in the heart of Oxford County
Delicious food isn't the only benefit of eating local: Using Feast On® to navigate your next dinner reservation or day trip has several benefits that go beyond flavour. Supporting local reduces our carbon footprint. When you support local farmers and businesses, money stays right in the community.
Olivia Simpson and Ricky Casipe, the pair behind Ricky + Olivia in Leslieville, are Feast On® certified
Feast On® is also a wonderful way to engage with chefs who are doing cool things and discover up-and-coming culinary talents in Ontario. Making the trip to local breweries, farms and restaurants is a fun way to learn what the industry's movers and shakers are up to. Whether you're checking out Cowbell Kitchen’s state-of-the-art eco-facility or heading to Down Home Restaurant for a forest-to-table feast in Grey County, you're guaranteed a unique trip and a delicious, local meal.
To keep eating locally year-long and for inspiration for your next great meal, head to ontarioculinary.com
