If you are staying four hours or longer, you're likely going to want to eat. For weekend meals in some of the places below, we suggest making reservations Friday mornings or earlier.
Ice Cream
Crunchy-Munchies Fresh Fruit & Vegetables
If you are on the north or west side of Niagara Falls ON, lost probably, out towards the Five Corners and Stamford, go to Commisso's, on Portage Road across from the Beer Store, or to the A&P in the long series of small shopping plazas there.
Beware of the local habit of adding water, pear juice and sugar, to apple cider, especially in the markets. Always sample before purchase.
Vineyard Tours & Cafes
Hillebrand's Vineyard Cafe, Highway 55, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON, (800) 582-8312, overlooks the winery, serves superb food.
Italian Ice Cream, 5458 Victoria Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 356-3866. 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Home-made, 12 flavors.
Sorry, but there is no Carvel's in Niagara Falls NY.
Randy & Daphne at Select Bulk Food, 5233 Stanley Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 354-2855. Dried fruits, grains, cereals, nuts. Low-salt sesame sticks. Pretzels with cheese centers. Only place we know of that sells oil of sassafras, banned from root beer for years in the States because it's a stupefacient. Do you remember what real root beer felt like? Add a drop of this oil to your next experience of a Hire's or to real beer. We know people in Quebec who even drink oil of sassafras with their scotch.
The Niagara peninsula is famous for its orchards and vineyards. You can buy in-season from any number of stands, or if you're in a hurry and want a more tropical and as big or bigger selection, shop at Grant's No-Frill, NE corner of Portage Street where it becomes Main at Ferry and where Ferry becomes Lundy's Lane. On Saturday mornings, the farmers' market comes to life. On Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, near-by downtown St. Catharines has an outdoor market next to the old city hall.
Cave Spring Cellars, 3836 Main Street, Jordan ON, (905) 562-7313, has On the Twenty Restaurant and Wine Bar. Ten dollar 'Dean Martin shrimp cocktail,' served in a martini glass, a $6 Yukon Gold potato soup with Ermite cheese, thyme and Cave Spring chardonnay, another $21 sautÈ of Beamsville chicken and forest mushrooms in Mennonite cream sauce with basil, buttermilk biscuit, are all on the # la carte menu.
Sandwiches
Delduca's Cafe 4781 Portage Road, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 357-3638, fax (905) 357-3195. Buses, we suggest faxing in your order. Fax them, though, for a menu first.
Traditional Niagara Falls Diner
Simon's Restaurant, 4116 Bridge Street (near the corner of Bridge & River Road across from Whirlpool Bridge), Niagara Falls ON, (905) 356-5310. Oldest restaurant in Niagara Falls ON. In Pat's family since 1884. Rosa, his wife, who controls the kitchen and the menu, is French-Acadian, same as the people of the poem 'Evangeline' and those who settled in the Mississippi bayou. Regulars, especially ex-pat Brits, simply love Rosa's pies because she uses real lard. This is the only Niagara Falls restaurant that doesn't have to advertise. Complete collection of local newspapers to read with your meal. Lottery tickets available.
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Unsavory things to watch for at certain Niagara Falls' restaurants:
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Though there are those who swear by Pete's Market House, 1701 Pine Avenue, Niagara Falls NY, (716) 282-7225, The Press Box at 323 Niagara Street (just two blocks off the Rainbow Bridge and on the left), Niagara Falls NY, (716) 284-5447, draws even stronger one-star raves. Try The Press Box's internationally-acclaimed B-salad and their 16-oz Porterhouse, the two inclusive for still only $8.95 US. By the way, many people come here because the wait of up to an hour on weekends is so enjoyable, something weird guaranteed to happen . Don't forget to bring along a Canadian $2 bill to hang for charity on the 'wall of tender wishes' and to tip your waitress standard fare even though you have to place your own order with the kitchen. Definitely kooky. Everybody comes away laughing and scratching his or her head.
American American
John's Flaming Hearth, 1965 Military Road, Niagara Falls NY, (716) 297-1414
American American American
Creekview, 5629 Main Street, Williamsville NY, (716) 632-9373
Please Tip Your Waiter 20%
Canadian
John's Family Restaurant, 6535 Thorold Stone Road, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 356-3885. Big helpings, can't beat the prices. Try the $7.25 Cajun catfish - crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, great lemon-pepper batter. Comes with choice of soup or juice, potatoes, choice of vegetable and a roll.
Mick & Angelo's, 7600 Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 357-6543. Pasta, buffalo wings, steak, stir-fry, tex-mex. Locals like this place. Before coming here to eat buffalo wings (1-lb: $5.95, 2-lb: $8.95, 5-lb: $19.95), buy at the Tops in Niagara Falls NY, Frank & Teresa's 'Dom Bellissimo's replicated,' Original Anchor Bar Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce, $2.89 per bottle, the hot sauce that accompanied Dom's original buffalo wings' recipe. We also like Frank's Original Red Hot cayenne pepper sauce, call (800) 831-1256 with questions, comments; Chiavetta's Hot Wing Sauce, (716) 539-1700; and Rochester NY's famous Sal's Birdland Restaurants' Sassy Sauce and Hot Sauce, (716) 266-1350.
Handy hint:
- keep a spare bottle of hot sauce in the glove compartment or in your purse to take with you to all nice restaurants where meaty wings are served.
Canadian Canadian
Oban Inn, 160 Front Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON, (905) 468-2165
Canadian Canadian Canadian
Kat's Fourth Avenue, 100 Fourth Avenue, St. Catharines ON, (905) 687-8888
French-Canadian
Blue Star Restaurant, 676 King, Welland ON, (905) 732-2359 for poutine, sugar pie, hearty soups, baked beans, frites, spectacular macaroni & cheese, Dijon mustard. Tourtiere in season. French-Canadian mama, daughter, plus two other cooks in the kitchen. Welland is French-Canada's Niagara Falls ON beachhead.
Michelle, who runs the Chip Wagon parked in front of Zellers, 6777 Morrison Avenue (next to the IGA), Niagara Falls ON, makes a mean poutine, according to customers.
Italian
Tricky. We won't recommend a one-star Italian eatery for the time being. All of the many Italians we talked to disagreed about their favorite choice. Everybody had a relative working in one. Everybody had an enemy working in one. Though their reviews were not impartial, most agreed that prices were about 15-30% more than they felt they ought to pay for what they got. "If I wanna eat atta one-star Italian, I eata home,"was the consensus.
Italian Italian
Como, 220 Pine Avenue, Niagara Falls NY, (716) 285-9341
Casino Food
Restaurant critic Janice Okum awards the fancy and new Farfalle three-and-one-half stars, half-way between good and excellent, on the second level of Casino Niagara, 5705 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, toll-free (888) 946-3255. Entrees started from "$23 Canadian and include potato and vegetable." (Buffalo News, Dec.27, 1996)
Chinese
Peninsula Bakery, aka Sui Sun Bakery, 4566 Erie Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 374-8176. Does not advertise. Where the Niagara peninsula overseas Chinese, from as far away as Hamilton ON, drive in their new Benz and BMW to eat.
Chinese Buffet
Mandarin, 1235 Fairview Street, Burlington ON, (905) 632-6000. Only 30 minutes down the QEW and well worth the trip. At Burlington, take the Fairview exit, then a right for one block to Longo's Plaza on the left.
Japanese Sushi Bar
Kuni's, 752 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo NY, (716) 881-6819. Sushi pieces from $1.25, combo plates from $8. Five-piece sashimi from $3.50 to $6. Tempura from $6. Salads from $4. Feisty daily miso, $1.75.
Suisha Gardens, 5701 Lewis Avenue, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 354-1500, fax (905) 354-1972. Teppanyaki dinners from $12.95. Teppan specials from $18.95. Combination dinners from $15.95. Sushi and sashimi combinations.
East Indian
Touch of India Restaurant, 126 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines ON, (905) 988-1155. Unlike in India, the menu describes in English what you get. Don't leave without someone in the party ordering the chana, rice pilaf, paratha, the raitha, chicken tandoori, shrimp patha, lamb madras or dal.
Thai
Sahla Thai Restaurant, 288 St. Paul Street, Catharines ON, (905) 703-0984. Recommend Tome Yum Kroong soup, Sahla Thai combo, Crazy Chicken, sweet rice for dessert, Thai ice coffee or tea.
German German
Haus Talblick, 11236 Route 39, Gowanda NY, (716) 532-2628. Every kind of schnitzel known to man. Enormous menu.
German-Style Deli - To Go
My Country Delicatessen, 4351 Queen Street, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 356-0722. Slovenian owner, Serbian cooks, Croatians among the staff. No Bosnians. Across from City Hall where there are picnic benches. If you're eating here out front, look across the street on Queen at the big white building of the Olsen-Sottile Insurance Company. What you're looking at is the world's largest sparrow house, a family of sparrows living in each of the 2,300 decorative holes in the sign. An estimated and incredible 4,600 sparrows, not counting brood. Each year after the 15,000-or-so chick budgies fly, SE Asians at night on step-ladders gather the rich contents of the apertures for expensive bird's-nest soup for people in Toronto.
(In the spirit of a) Health Food Restaurant (sort of, but so much more)
Beantrees, 203 St. Paul Street, Catharines ON, (905) 682-3357. Delicious Mex food, pizza, sandwiches (turkey, apple & alfalfa sprouts on wholewheat or sourdough, the #1 seller), coffees, teas, ciders, beers, large smoking area. We love this place and alternately hate it.
Mideast Mideast
Mecca, 206 Allen Street, Buffalo NY, (716) 882-1822. Superior lamb, shish kebab, falafel, hummus and flat Arabic bread. For $45 you get a whole leg of lamb, enough to feed at least eight people. For breakfast, try #3, 'Ful Maddammas,' translation: 'Fava bean porridge,' $3.50, because aren't we all a little tired of muesli?
Spanish
Barcelona, 30 Wellington Street, St. Catharines, ON, (905) 682-0090. Genuine Spanish food, subtle seasoning. delicious. Quaint, comfortable restaurant. Try the Zarzuela 'Placido Domingo,' casserole that jumps in your face, with sea bass, shrimp, mussels, and clams.
Authentic Mexican
Taco Tequila Taqueria, 14 Lakeport Road, Port Dalhousie ON, (905) 937-8914. Hector, the owner, imports his ingredients directly from Mexico City and Guadalajara. He doesn't like to waste sour cream, so don't feel rooked. Just ask for more sour cream if so inclined. Subtle, Key West romantic, in a way.
Tex-Mex
La Casa Cardenas, 921 Main Street, Niagara Falls NY, (716) 282-0231. Goppy & yummy. More what the non-gourmet wants from a Mexican dining experience.
Best Buffalo Wings in the World
Duffs, 3651 Sheridan Drive (at the intersection of Millersport and Sheridan), Amherst NY, (716) 834-6234. Heaps of the hottest chicken north of Lousiana, served with a mountain of fries, celery, carrots, blue cheese dressing and a drink for one low price. One of the most popular restaurants in the area. Expect a line on weekends.
Mongolian Barbecue
Golden Duck, 1840 Maple Road, Amherst NY, (716) 639-8888. Help yourself to spicy meat and vegetables that the chef cooks in front of you.
Vegetarian
Rutabaga's Vegetarian Cuisine, 177 Hodge Avenue, Buffalo NY, (716) 882-2909. Scrumptious legumes and large plates, for those tired of the old meat drag.
'Breakfast' Pizza
Just Pizza, 976 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo NY, (716) 883-5650. Open 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Every kind of pizza you can imagine: 'Popeye' spinach pizza; breakfast pizza, with ham, eggs, cheddar cheese. Mmm, mmmm....dead!
Other Pizza
Find a good pizza place in Niagara Falls ON & surprise us. We'd like to know. According to Chris, head honcho at Dazzleland on Clifton Hill, Domino's Pizza, next to the arcade, open seasonally, is the only Domino's in the chain to serve pizza by the piece. We didn't know that.
A Good Saturday Lunch
Zuzon American Grille, 5110 Main St., Williamsville, NY, (716) 634-6123. Where women like to dine and feel good about themselves.
Mid-Night Snacks/Late Dinners
Dakota Grill, 3223 Maple Road, Amherst NY, (716) 834-6600. Food in the wee hours along with a popular cigar bar, 'Ciao.'
Fast Food
McDonald's Restaurant with Play Park, 6348 Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls ON, (905) 356-8591. Leaving the children to play in the play park while you go sight-seeing is not recommended.