Whether you’re planning an autumn trip to Niagara to celebrate an anniversary or because the two of you haven’t had a free moment to spare since Memorial Day weekend, Niagara Falls is a perfect place to enjoy time with your partner and even rekindle romance. Whether it’s the awe-inspiring sights, the second-to-none wine country, or the world-class accommodations, couples have been falling in love all over again in Niagara for more than 100 years.
One key to any romantic undertaking is the sharing of a romantic meal, and in this category, too, Niagara shines. Here are four restaurants that feature some of the finest cuisine in the region and boast atmospheres of such intimacy and comfort that the reawakening of romance will feel effortless.
1. The Rainbow Room
Besides offering one of the best views of the waterfalls, The Rainbow Room by Massimo Capra also offers guests a culinary experience of a lifetime. The focus is on international fare, but the ingredients are almost always local, meaning everything has been picked and prepped at peak ripeness. In addition to an exciting menu and local bounty, the kitchen is one of the most talented and inventive in all of Canada. Presentation is an art form, and the VQA wine list is the most extensive in the city. Throughout it all, you can draw near to the one you love in a dining room of exquisite and welcoming detail.
2. Windows
A concept restaurant by Jamie Kennedy, Windows also boasts an impressive view of the Falls. Showcasing French cooking at its finest, this farm-to-table restaurant is wholly committed to sustainable dining, but eco-concerns won’t enter your mind once during the meal. Award-winning food is served in a warm, contemporary dining room, where low lights, amazing food, perfectly paired wines, and excellent service combine to create an atmosphere perfectly suited to the aims of romance.
3. Casa Mia Ristorante
A staple of the Niagara Falls fine dining scene, Casa Mia is a family restaurant that has been serving up excellent Italian food in a rustic, upscale and hospitable environment for over 25 years. The Mollica family, under the guidance of chef and matriarch, Luciana Mollica, has made Casa Mia a destination spot for foodies, lovers of spaghetti, families and couples. For Italian food that tastes as home-cooked as it does refined, take your beloved to Casa Mia for a long evening of food and wine — two of the great Italian traditions through which love is most routinely expressed.
4. Trius Winery Restaurant
At the fine dining restaurant at Trius Winery at Hillebrand, an airy atmosphere coupled with the excellent farm-to-table food is just what two tired people need to unwind and relax. Under chef Frank Dodd, this small dining establishment has managed to consistently offer top-notch meals where the ingredients—almost all of which are sourced locally—are allowed to truly shine. Whether you settle in for a meal of Ontario lamb or decadent Atlantic scallops, you can trust that the food, service, and Trius wine won’t miss a step, allowing you and your love to concentrate your attention on the remarkable experience and one another.
Reawaken romance with a trip to Niagara and a meal or two at one — or all — of these excellent area restaurants.