Dine
Burlington’s food and dining experience are among the best in Ontario and our local residents love to dine out as much as visitors.
The chefs of our many cafés and trendy chic eateries will conjure up whatever your taste buds are craving, from nouveau cuisine and fine dining to more traditional family-style home-cooked meals.
Burlington is home to over 300 restaurants including a number of award-winning locations with recognized chefs. The Carriage House has won the prestigious “Luxurious Fine-Dining” 4-diamond award from CAA every year since 2009.
The Royal Botanical Gardens and Spencer’s at the Waterfront restaurants are Feast On™ “Certified Taste of Ontario”. Feast On certified restaurants believe local foods matter and source Ontario-grown food and drink.
If you crave local cuisine, visit Spencer’s at the Waterfront as the Chef regularly features fresh Ontario ingredients. Many restaurants offer special menus, fixed-price dining, wine maker’s dinners and other culinary events throughout the year. Sign up for the Taste of Burlington newsletter to learn about these special features.
For some tantalizing international flavours, try one of our Thai, Japanese, Indian, Greek, Italian, Persian or Mediterranean restaurants. Explore here to find a complete listing of dining establishments by cuisine type. You can also find a listing of patios, and restaurants with private dining rooms and locations to accommodate your group. We welcome you to make Burlington your culinary destination and discover all that we have to offer.
Classes, Tours, Chef Demos & More!
If you like to combine learning with dining a number of local restaurants and businesses encourage you to find your inner chef!
Whether it be cooking over a hearth, in a modern kitchen or watching a chef prepare your food, there are lots of options for all age groups.
There are also virtual cooking classes that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home.
- The Block Co. offers special events in its downtown location.
- Goodness Me on Fairview St. offers a number of courses and workshops.
- ECS Coffee offers in-store and virtual demos.
- Museums of Burlington coordinates cooking demonstrations and classes over the hearth in the historic Ireland House.
- Nuvo Taste is offering virtual cooking classes that you can join in on from the comfort of your own kitchen. Please note that pre-registration is required.
NOTE: Most of these culinary experiences require advance registration and do often sell out, so it is best to book early.
Events for Foodies!
Burlington also offers a number of events that focus on the theme of food! A Taste of Burlington is a prix fixe dining program offered in winter & fall featuring some of Burlington’s best restaurants. Enjoy a prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner at great value and experience some of the fabulous restaurants that Burlington has to offer! Additionally, Rib & Lobster Fest is held in May at Central Recreation Centre and is a popular event for locals and visitors alike. In August, you can wine and dine by the lake while enjoying samplings from a variety of local restaurants, as well as Ontario wineries and craft breweries at Lakeside a la Carte.
For even more, on labour day weekend make sure to head to the Waterfront in Downtown Burlington for Canada’s Largest Ribfest. This event features ribbers from across North America who are vying for the title of Best Ribs. In the fall, EAT Burlington (Explore Authentic Tastes) allows diners to tour several downtown restaurants, trying delicious food samples with expertly chosen beverage pairings. Throughout the year, Burlington Food Tours gives you the opportunity to tour restaurants in the downtown area and sample some delicious menu items. Through this program, you can even meet the chefs behind the dishes!
Pair that with a Beverage
Burlington is home to Nickel Brook Brewery where you can enjoy samplings in the tap room to help you decide which freshly made beer to buy on-site. Pepperwood Bistro also features its own line of craft beers including Pepperwood Cream Ale, Pale Ale and Monkey Brown Ale. Additionally, for several years, Burlington Beerfest has featured numerous craft breweries even including food pairings.
Combine your passion for fresh beer with your taste for adventure and check out the True Brew Path in the Heart of Ontario. You’ll see how craft beer is becoming a big part of our red-hot, culinary scene and be amazed at loads of fun things to do as you move along the Path to taste the coolest artisan beers of independent breweries.
The Royal Botanical Gardens offers several culinary events annually in a beautiful botanic setting. For those that prefer grapes, visit Andrews Scenic Acres Winery in season. Those who visit this 10th Sideroad Winery north of Burlington will be treated to a sampling of wonderful award-winning wines, ranging from dry fruit and grape wines to ice and dessert wines. The winery also has a retail store on site so you can take some of your favourites home to enjoy later!
“Agri”tainment
For those that want a hands-on experience, many of our local farms and parks offer agricultural-based events at their locations.
- Springridge Farm holds festivals throughout the year in addition to farm-yard fun.
- Andrews Scenic Acres offers a beautiful picnic area, a large creative playground, a farm animal corral and free hayrides as well as other seasonal family fun activities throughout the year.
- Chudleigh’s was established in 1957, and since then, they’ve been all about promoting farming to the mainstream. Over the years, the farm has evolved beyond “pick your own fruit” to include a fantastic children’s play area, a retail store, a licensed outdoor café and many exciting events.
In March indulge your taste for maple syrup by visiting one of the many festivals celebrating the “sugar-off” season.
- Crawford Lake celebrates Sweet Water Season with a demonstration of traditional First Nations techniques of tapping and preparing maple syrup.
- Mountsberg Conservation Area becomes Maple Town, a great way to see maple sugaring firsthand. There are also plenty of other activities that are sure to be fun for the whole family. For example, a stop at the Pancake House is a must!
- Bronte Creek Provincial Park Maple Syrup Festival specializes in heritage interpretation up to 1900. Tour guides dress in turn-of-the-century clothing with attractions including a pancake house, candy shanty, guided tours of Maple Lane, gift shoppe, wagon rides, farm animals farmhouse tours and demonstrations.
