Whether it’s the first or the 50th date, your special someone will appreciate a carefully curated menu with flavours to savour. From appetizer to sweet finish, this is a meal that will leave them even more smitten. Plus, find 9 knock-out date night recommendations for dining out in Ontario.
End the meal on a playful, sweet note by turning a traditional French aperitif—cassis liqueur and bubbly—into a grown-up riff on a float.
Bold and delicious, this recipe for two is the perfect way to kick off date night.
This recipe is every bit as impressive and classic as a roast chicken, but speedier.
If a homemade meal isn’t in the cards, these Ontario restaurants have got you covered with superb food and atmospheres that are sure to set the right mood.
Bond over communal cooking at XiangZi Hot Pot, a buffet-style restaurant where the decor is as jaw-dropping as the meal. Decorated with hand-carved hardwood accents and marble tables, the two-storey restaurant looks more like a palace than an eatery. Pick from over 300 ingredients at the immense buffet, then get to work cooking a hot pot feast fit for two.
This inventive restaurant takes its culinary inspiration from the trio of cultural influences—French, First Nations and English—that define the Temiskaming Shores area. Touches like Indigenous artwork and tables made from local birch create a strong sense of place to soak up while savouring fusion dishes like bison meatballs with wild blueberry BBQ sauce.
For lovely lakefront views and fresh, seasonal ingredients, make a date to visit Isabelle Restaurant and Lounge in The Pearle Hotel & Spa. Many dishes on the restaurant’s globe-spanning menu feature ingredients sourced from Pearle Hospitality’s own farm in nearby Flamborough. Dine on the charming three-season terrace or opt for the serene, neutral-toned dining room, where you and your dearest can admire the views from floor-to-ceiling windows.
Miijidaa’s Wednesday Date Night special is a bargain for couples on a budget, covering a choice of shared appetizers and desserts, and two mains for under $60, plus $10 off bottles of wine. The restaurant celebrates the diverse influences shaping Canada’s food culture with approachable, locavore dishes like venison burgers.
There’s no better place to turn a date night into a weekend getaway than the SandBar, a plant-forward restaurant located in the recently opened Beach Motel. The intimate restaurant is a romantic spot to tuck into seasonally driven dishes like elegant tartines and wholesome nourish bowls.
A solution for those evenings when you can’t agree on what to eat, Superfresh packs seven food vendors into an immersive 4,000-square foot space designed to evoke an Asian night market. Options range from co-founder Trevor Lui’s Taiwanese fried chicken to Lanzhou beef noodle soup.
Couples with varied dietary preferences and restrictions will appreciate the creative, plant-based fare dished up at North Star Diner. Owner Melissa Wyness’s menu is small and changes frequently, but you can expect dishes like nachos topped with housemade “cheez” sauce or a vegan sandwich with cashew “Parmesan.”
Date nights feel like mini tropical getaways at Maipai, a whimsical tiki bar specializing in Detroit-style pizza. Polynesian artwork, colourful lighting and bamboo chairs set the relaxing scene for sharing a deep-dish pie crowned with bold toppings like Venetian dry-cured pepperoni and housemade Scotch bonnet honey.
Meals at Yaya’s Kitchen feel more like a dinner party than a restaurant dinner. The ever-changing menu draws culinary influence from Northern Nigeria and the Sahel region in Africa. Visit on a Saturday to try a blind, multi-course tasting menu.