Protected by the Niagara Greenbelt and blessed with one of the mildest climates in Canada, Niagara's farm fields continue to flourish, tended as they are by committed men and women who love the land.

From orchards, vineyards and wineries to roadside stands, farmers’ markets and pick-your-own fruit and vegetable farms, agri-tourism opportunities abound throughout the region. No matter what time of year you visit, the door is open for you to experience our agricultural scene up close—to see, and better yet, taste it!

The Niagara Culinary Trail celebrates our abundance of farm-to-table delights by providing a directory of delicious destinations that feature local produce. Create your own treasure hunt as you explore the countryside for that which pleases you, from luscious strawberries and raspberries to succulent cherries and peaches to seductively sweet tomatoes and corn.

Fruits and vegetables picked at the height of tender perfection are just the beginning. Also discover free-range eggs, organic meats and a sensational array of specialty products that celebrate Niagara’s bounty: apple butter, grape juice, homemade fruit pies and preserves and wood oven artisan breads, to name a few.

If you love food, you’ll love Niagara and if you love wine, you’ll love us even more. Nestled between the shores of Lake Ontario and the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, the region possesses a unique microclimate that lends itself to the care and tending of premium vinifera grapes.

Canada’s largest wine region—which hugs Lake Ontario from the Niagara Escarpment in the west to Niagara-on-the-Lake in the east—boasts award-winning wines, mature vineyards and spectacular estate wineries as well as quaint cottage wineries. Marrying the love of food and wine, our world-class winery restaurants are quintessentially Niagara. What could be more romantic than enjoying fine cuisine while sipping on premium estate wines within view of the rolling vineyards from which they came?

The Niagara Wine Route—part of the Ontario Wine Route—will guide you in your quest to explore Niagara wine country and taste it to the fullest. Enjoy tastings, tours and special events throughout the year.

Other sneak peeks

•    Cooking schools ~ A way to stimulate your senses, make new friends and hone your cooking skills in a fun, friendly environment. Niagara’s cooking schools are unsurpassed, building as they do on the region’s abundance of fresh, locally grown produce and superb, locally produced wine.

•    Organic and eco-conscious wineries ~ Indication of the growing commitment among local wine producers to be wise stewards of the land. To locate wineries with a heightened awareness of the delicate balance between nature and development, visit Wineries of Ontario. Click on Niagara Escarpment and Niagara-on-the-Lake for a list of wineries in each of these appellations. Then click on the links for winery profiles that will help you determine if organic or eco-conscious practices are in use.

Special events sampling

Niagara’s signature celebration of wine and food is the Niagara Wine Festival. The extravaganza includes the Niagara New Vintage Festival in June, the Niagara Wine Festival in September and the Niagara Icewine Festival in January. The first event previews the year’s vintage; the second celebrates the harvest; the third showcases one of Canada’s most cherished products, Ontario Icewine. Also for oenophiles: Cuvee, an annual wine gala set for February in Niagara Falls.

Other special events not to be missed:

•    February/March ~ Sugarbush Adventure at White Meadows Farms, Pelham
•    June ~ Flavours of Niagara International Food, Wine and Jazz Festival, Port Colborne
•    June ~ Strawberry Festival, Beamsville
•    June ~ Poultry Festival, Smithville
•    July ~ St. Mark’s Cherry Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake
•    August ~ Peach Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake
•    September ~ Niagara Regional Exhibition, Welland
•    September/October ~ Pumpkin Festival, Howell Family Pumpkin Farm, Fonthill
•    October ~ Niagara Food Festival, Welland

Websites to assist you further

•    Niagara Culinary Trail at www.niagaraculinarytrail.com for a harvest calendar (under Page 03 titled Eat Local) plus a directory of farms and other destinations that feature local produce
•    Ontario Tender Fruit Producers at www.ontariotenderfruit.com for information on Ontario peaches, pears, plums, grapes and cherries
•    Wineries of Ontario at be www.winecountryontario.ca for the Official Wines of Ontario Event Calendar, Wine Route Map and details concerning the Niagara Wine Route
•    Grape Growers of Ontario at www.grapegrowersofontario.com for grape and wine industry facts and events