Are you hungry? I certainly hope you are when you find yourself in Prince Edward County. If you have chosen The County as your Summer weekend escape from Toronto or Ottawa please bring your appetite because there are some amazing places I want you to visit for lunch and dinner. Where to eat in Prince Edward County? They are all good. I wasn’t even able to visit all of the places I had on my wish list in the three days that I was there. Which means I have another reason to go back to The County. Wine, beer, cider, antique stores, parks, and tasty restaurants make Prince Edward County a perfect place to visit for a weekend or the entire Summer.
The Bean Counter 172 Main Street, Picton – Every morning my day would start here at The Bean Counter. I would order an Americano, perhaps a pasty, and set up with my laptop to begin writing the days story. On my first visit, I also had a freshly made Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich that hit the spot. This is where you will find me every morning while I am in The County.
The Vic Cafe 222 Main St W, Picton – A short walk down Main Street from The Bean Counter is another great little coffee shop called The Vic Cafe. Located on the main level of the old Regent Theatre The Vic Cafe offers up great coffee, pastries, and fresh squeezed juices and smoothies. This was my afternoon coffee spot.
The Pink Lunch Pail Bakery 184 Main St W, Picton – I have a sweet tooth and discovered The Pink Lunch Pail Bakery at the County Terroir event. I loved their stuff so much I had to come back for a visit during my stay. Everything I tried was amazing but what caught my fancy was the donuts. Made fresh every morning they have Wine Jelly Glazed cake donuts and Cinnamon Sugar Twist donuts. If you are observing a Gluten Free diet or are a Celiac, rejoice! They have some great options for you including this Chocolate Chunk Cookie. Mmmm so good!
East & Main Bistro 270 Wellington Main St, Wellington – The town of Wellington on the Western side of The County has one of the best restaurants called East & Main Bistro. No need to dress up as you are on vacation, but if you are looking for a place to celebrate a special occasion or just want to enjoy some fine dining then here is the place. I put myself completely in the hands of my server and he did not disappoint. I started off with a Charcuterie Platter and a glass of Rosehall Run Pinot Noir. He had me at Charcuterie.
The main course is handmade Pappardelle Pasta with Pulled Braised Lamb Shank, Roasted Red Peppers, Baby Spinach, and Capers and Olives. Divine. To end the meal I had to go with a warm Apple Crumble topped with perfect Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. A magical evening that could have only been better if I’d had a dinner date to join me.
The Hubb Eatery & Lounge 433 Bloomfield Main St, Bloomfield – In the quaint little town of Bloomfield you will find one of the best dining experiences I had in The County. It wasn’t just the food that I enjoyed, it was also the conversation with Chef/Owner Elliot and Sommelier/Owner Laura. Again, I put myself in their capable hands and was treated to a veritable feast of local flavours and ingredients.
Part of Angeline’s Inn it is a partnership that pairs funky modern accommodations with a great restaurant. Let’s begin with my dinner. It started with Scallop Ceviche (see the first photo) and Beef Tartare. Both were delicious. The Beef Tartare ranks up there with some of the best I’ve ever had. I could make that an entire meal.
The next two dishes were the Beet & Blue Salad and the Apple Smoked Lamb Leg. Both are perfect plates for sharing and I wish I was sharing it as great food is always better when shared. As much as possible Chef Elliot uses local supplies which include Vicki’s Veggies which I discovered while getting lost driving around. In fact many of the farms I drove by supply The Hubb.
To finish off this great meal I had to have their famous handmade Dilly Bar. Frozen Ice Cream on a stick dipped in chocolate. Hallelujah!!!!!
Agrarian Bistro 275 Bloomfield Main St, Bloomfield – Staying in Bloomfield another fun place to grab a bite is the Agrarian Bistro & Speakeasy. I wasn’t there on a night the Speakeasy was open so I had to settle for dining in the restaurant. A nice list of local wines plus a fun and inventive menu that includes a Crispy Shrimp Salad and Pork Schnitzel. Both of which I had and thoroughly enjoyed. I had only planned on eating half of the schnitzel as I was already a bit full, but it was so good I cleaned my plate.
The Miller House 264 County Road 7 Lake On The Mountain – How about lunch at a house that was built in 1796? That is The Miller House, part of the Lake on the Mountain Resort. It boasts one of the best views in the entire County in my opinion.
The menu is fairly straight forward. Charcuterie and cheese boards along with a selection of Toasts. They also have a nice drinks list including some local County Wines and of course Waupoos Cider. I Sampled the Ricotta Toast and a Fifth Town Favourites cheese plate. Amazingly fresh and flavourful you can easily spend an entire afternoon sitting here enjoying the view, eating and drinking the day away.
The Barley Room 13590 Loyalist Pkwy, Picton – Part of the Waring House, if you are craving a pub environment this is the place to hang out. I dived into the Mushroom and Bacon Poutine and then finished off my meal with the Barley Burger topped with Blue Cheese.
Schroedter’s 1492 ON-62, Bloomfield – I’ve saved a local institution for last. Schroedter’s is the kind of place that if you didn’t know about you would just drive past it. In fact, that is exactly what I did the first time I saw it. After hearing about it from the locals though I went back.
It is a cafe, bakery, and local market where you can pick up any supplies you need need to stock up your kitchen or picnic basket for the day. A large percentage of the items on the shelves are locally produced and made in-house at Schroedter’s.
What they are famous for are their mini cake donuts. By famous I mean they are called the best donuts in The County. Of course, I had to try one for myself. Actually, I tried six and I can confirm they are worthy of the title.
If you’ve been to Prince Edward County before you know I have missed some of the local favourites off this list. I know I have, but in my own defense, I was only here for three days. There are lots more places to discover on my next adventure here and I look at it as a reason to come back.
One place I did visit but forgot to list is Norman Hardie Winery. Aside from great wine they also make the best pizza in The County. Well worth a visit in my opinion.
