Co-created by renowned mixologist Frankie Solarik, Toronto’s BarChef produces all of its infusions, syrups and bitters in-house to craft the ultimate cocktails with the freshest ingredients. Those winning flavours are also available bottled in ready-made craft cocktails, like BarChef Project’s Toasted Old Fashioned.

Barchef Project Pairs It Forward to Nugateau Patisserie.

Canada’s first all-eclair patisserie, Nugateau on Queen West uses authentic French baking techniques and high-quality products with no artificial flavourings. From eclairs to macarons, its stunning assortment of decadent sweets is handcrafted in a rainbow of delicious flavours.  

Nugateau Patisserie Pairs It Forward to Chocollata Gourmet Inc.

Chocollata in the Upper Beaches introduced gourmet brigadeiros (Brazilian fudge balls) to Toronto in 2018. Featuring a range of flavours, from pistachio to dulce de leche to ruby passion fruit, custom boxes of these sweet treats are available in-store and online.

Chocollata Pairs It Forward to Lighthouse 971.

A casual eatery in the Upper Beaches, Lighthouse 971 serves up homestyle comfort foods, from beer-battered fish and chips to jambalaya and other signature dishes, including Maple Balsamic Glazed Salmon and Vegan Coconut Curry Udon.

At this old-school farm-based distillery in Bloomfield, Kinsip’s distiller Maria Hristova ferments, distills and ages all of Kinsip’s spirits on-site, using local raw ingredients, including the farm’s own wheat, corn, barley and rye, and local lavender and hops, to create  offerings like their Maple Whisky.

Kinsip Pairs It Forward to Centre & Main Chocolate Co.

Located at the corner of Centre and Main streets in Warkworth, this award-winning artisanal chocolatier handcrafts its upscale creations in small batches, blending the finest ethically sourced chocolate from around the world with locally produced ingredients in unique flavours, like Maple Glazed Cocoa.

Centre & Main Pairs It Forward to Four All Ice Cream.

Honey Ginger, Peach Pie, Salted Caramel Swirl: these are just a few of the enticing flavours at Kitchener’s Four All, which makes its ice cream using all-natural, locally sourced ingredients, like milk from a nearby farm. Its magical creations include vegan, dairy-free and foodie flavours with interesting culinary combinations, like whisky, caramel and spiced pecans.

Four All Pairs It Forward to AO Pasta.

Located in downtown Stratford, AO Pasta is a casual, family-friendly Italian pasta bar run by a team that earned its chops at some of Toronto’s best restaurants. The menu features simple Italian dishes, made-to-order sauces and cheerful wines.

"Ontario rye gets a boost of spice with sumac, while the fresh sage adds an herbal element to the pleasingly bitter Ontario IPA used to lengthen this fall drink."

Alex Pearce,
Toronto

"This playful Mule-meets-punch showcases Ontario plums and grapes complemented by the allspice notes in the rye."

Christina Veira,
Toronto

“Canadian whisky and Ontario red wine make an excellent match in this fall-inspired riff on sangria.”

Maleeha Ghani,
Kingston

"Fresh pear juice and a touch of local wildflower honey are the stars of this fall whisky cocktail."

Meghan Krys,
Thunder Bay

A family-owned business with three generations of expertise, 13th Street Winery crafts wines that reflect the unique terroir of Niagara on its 60-acre vineyard in St. Catharines. It also shines a spotlight on Canadian talent, with its permanent exhibit of outdoor sculptures and collection of contemporary and historical art, available for viewing and purchase.

13th Street Winery Pairs It Forward to Con Gusto.

Con Gusto is Italian for “in good taste.” And for this family-owned bakery in St. Catharines, that means using the highest quality ingredients, from the best butter to the finest flour, in its artisanal breads and pastries. They make everything from scratch using centuries-old methods that take more time but pay off in authentic flavours.

Con Gusto Pairs It Forward to In the Smoke.

Owner and chef Nathan Young works with local farmers and purveyors to create his “refined yet rustic cuisine” at this St. Catharines cookery. From ribs and brisket to pulled pork and burgers, his smoky dishes are available for pickup or delivery.

In the Smoke Pairs It Forward to OddBar.

The latest offering from the owners of OddBird, a popular French fusion bistro in St. Catharines with a hip-hop soundtrack, OddBar is a fresh take on Italian food with an early-2000s soundtrack of mainstream punk and rock (think Sum 41, Weezer). The menu here is focused on classic pizza, served by the pie or slice, and craft beer from around the country.

This 150-acre state-of-the-art winery (and former cannery) in Wellington is a pioneer in winemaking in the region. Surrounded by Lake Ontario, the rocky soil, limestone base and dry conditions create the ideal environment for crafting elegant and approachable Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, sparkling wines and innovative varietals.

Rosehall Pairs It Forward to Agrarian Market.

Located in a red brick house in Picton, this fresh food market and specialty shop is doing its part to support products made in Prince Edward County. It features freshly baked goods, local cheese and charcuterie, coffee beans, preserves and more, including a picnic-basket-packing service for visitors.

Agrarian Market Pairs It Forward to Millefleurs.

Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario, this family-owned farm in Wellington raises honeybees and grows organic lavender to handcraft a range of natural products, including raw honey, lavender-infused tea, dipping oil and sea salts. They also use their herbs and honey in small-batch aromatherapy and personal care products, from essential oils to body butters.

Millefleurs Pairs It Forward to Flame + Smith.

Bloomfield’s Flame + Smith is a sustainably minded restaurant that specializes in wood-fire cooking with local ingredients. Many of the menu items are cooked over an open flame, on a 60-inch Argentine grill, in a wood-burning oven or on a rotisserie, which imparts incredibly woody flavours.

While travelling and tending bar around the English countryside in the 1970s, Charles MacLean developed a passion for beer. Back in Hanover, Ont., he became one of the province’s pioneering independent craft brewers and created his signature Pale Ale, inspired by England’s best ales, with a creamy texture and a malty finish.

MacLean's Pairs It Forward to Roy'L Acres Farm.

Organically and sustainably growing produce that is GMO- and pesticide-free is the goal at this 100-acre family-run farm in Grey Highlands. The result: vegetables that taste the way nature intended, with vibrant colours and full flavours. Chefs from local restaurants must agree; they can customize a garden on the farm to suit their menus and have the farmers grow and tend to their organic produce.

Roy’l Acres Farm Pairs It Forward to Monforte Dairy.

A must-try for cheese lovers, Monforte is a premier artisanal cheese company in Stratford known for making delectable products from local goat, sheep and cow milk produced by grass-fed animals. The dairy produces butter, yogurt, curds and a wide selection of cheeses that are sold to local restaurants and markets, and available through the Door-to-Door Dairy Hotline.

Monforte Dairy Pairs It Forward to The Pine.

Trained in Europe and Asia, Jeremy Austin is bringing flavours from around the globe to his new restaurant in the heritage district of Collingwood. The 16-course tasting menu features Asian-inspired foods crafted with local ingredients, like Hong Kong French Toast made with bread that's baked by a local pastry chef, then deep fried in a wok and drizzled with condensed milk.

"For a cheese-and-charcuterie pairing for our Chardonnay, we’d head to the Upper Canada Cheese Company in Jordan, where you’ll find amazing artisanal cheese and meats. We also like the local fruit stands along Jordan Road."

“We want to tell everyone about Biagio’s Italian Kitchen in Ottawa. They have a great staff and offer plenty of amazing options for pairing with the Civil Grit Chardonnay.”

“The Les Villages Niagara Gamay Noir goes great with sausage-stuffed jalapeño peppers with lime crema, made with sausage from Niagara Sausage and jalapeños from Johnson Farms in Welland. This pairing was recommended by Michael Olson, and the recipe can be found in his cookbook Living High Off the Hog.”

“We recommend pairing the Sparkling Personality with an arugula salad with shaved parmesan and Pingue Prosciutto from Niagara Food Specialties.”

“In Picton, Blumen Garden Bistro chef (and owner) Andreas Feller’s signature house-pulled braised rabbit over house-made gnocchi with leeks, oyster mushrooms and lardons, all topped with Reggiano, pairs exceptionally well with the 2017 Pinot.”

“We work very closely with Mario Pingue and Niagara Food Specialties. They produce amazing prosciutto, sausages and meats. Mario himself recommends salt-and-pepper sausage on the BBQ for our Cab Franc.”

“When you’re putting together your meal to go with the Lola Cabernet Franc Rosé, get your meats from the Butcher of Kingsville and your fresh farm produce from Lee & Maria’s.”

“A perfect pairing for our Icewine is a blue cheese from Thornloe Cheese. They’ve been making cheese for over 70 years. The Devil’s Rock blue is bold enough to stand up to the intensity of the wine.”

“For the Lepp David’s Vineyard Riesling, our sommeliers recommend seacuterie; specifically, organic PEI mussels sourced from the sustainable seafood craft cannery Scout.”

“The Vermouth pairs with our dessert course of summer berries, mint and lemon curd at our Redstone restaurant. We use strawberries from Tigchelaar Berry Farms, raspberries are from Ohme Farms (both in Vineland), and the mint is from our kitchen garden. For our lemon curd, we use Emerald Grasslands butter sourced through 100km Foods.”

“We suggest pairing the Soldier’s Grant with the braised lamb osso buco with porcini mushroom risotto from Just Cooking. The restaurant is right around the corner from the winery, and owner Tim Cherry has been a huge supporter of ours.”

“For the Baco Noir, grill a steak seasoned with Barberian’s Steak Seasoning (from the Toronto restaurant) and rest it on a salad with one or two slices of Pingue Prosciutto from Niagara Food Specialties and cubed Nanny Noire goat’s milk cheese from the Upper Canada Cheese Company in Jordan.”

"Our chef Ross Midgley likes VG Meats in Beamsville and uses their charcuterie here at Creekside. You’ll be able to find something wonderful there to pair with our Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir."

“Our Riesling is a really easy one – it pairs smashingly with Brigid’s Brie from Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese in Woodstock, and Top Shelf Preserves rhubarb-raisin chutney from Ottawa.”

“We want to give a shout out to Fifth Town cheese shop located here in Cressy, Prince Edward County. We use their cheese for our cheese board pairings and charcuterie platters, great options for the Cuvée Janine."

“Afrim Pristine at Cheese Boutique in Toronto loves our meads and honey. For the Mead Royale, we often recommend a nice blue cheese or a fresh unripe goat cheese (good local options can be found at Monforte Dairy in Stratford).”

The Hamilton grassroots brewery created the More charitable initiative to financially assist charities that are in need and working to bring more equality to and improve the well-being of people in our communities.

During the COVID-19 crisis, this Beamsville spirits maker distilled, bottled and distributed more than 60,000 bottles of sanitizer free of charge to first responders all across Ontario.

To help combat COVID-19, Collingwood’s Georgian Bay Spirits Co. connected with over 70 organizations in need across Ontario, including hard-to-reach communities, and donated 25,000 bottles of hand sanitizer.

The Niagara winery introduced Much Obliged, a wine created to honour our province’s brave health-care workers. A portion of the proceeds from every bottle sold goes to Food Banks Canada.