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Probably the most famous restaurant of the region is Chez Piggy. The name alone might have assured its great success. Now a regional institution, Chez Piggy seems integral to the renaissance of Kingston as an urbane historic destination. In fact, the restaurant has been credited with being a major contributor to that phenomenon. Being established by a celebrity helped. Zal Yanovsky, in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and John Sebastian formed the musical group, the "Lovin' Spoonful" around 1965. It became one of the most popular American musical groups of that era.
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Zalman Yanovsky (1944 - 2002) |
Zal Yanovsky at Chez Piggy
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Zal and his wife, Rose Richardson, in 1978 converted a stone livery stable in the interior of a block into their charming patio restaurant. In time, their bakery became nearby Pan Chancho, another popular patio restaurant. Zal and Rose were pioneers in redeveloping downtown Kingston and were major contributors to its upscale tone. |
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Photograph courtesy Chez Piggy
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If regional awards were given for "raising the bar" of quality and character, Zal and Rose should be recognized posthumously. Rose, who survived Zal, died in 2005. The institution they created is a memorial, as is the 1998 cookbook which has become of modern classic. |
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Courtesy Firefly Books, Ltd.
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The bakery for Chez Piggy has become a popular restaurant in its own right, Pan Chancho |
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Pan Chanco Bakery and Restaurant, right, with City Hall. Alan McLeod photograph..
Tibratá Gillies, Pan Chanco chef.
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The Pan Chancho patio is one of many Kingston outdoor dining options, so characteristic of our urbane summers here. |
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Photograph coutresy Pan Chancho.
Pan Chancho private dining room, courtesy Pan Chancho.
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Gananoque has become a culinary center of the region, perhaps in part because the theatres and casino have attracted an appreciative clientele. Several other small guest houses offer fine dining. Starting with an 1859 house in Gananoque, Jacques O'Shea has created a fine boutique inn, Trinity House. |
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Photographs courtesy Trinity House, Gananoque
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Drawing courtesy Atholone Inn, Gananoque
Nearby, Jason McMillan and Miranda Doner offer attractive rooms as well as fine dining at the Athlone Inn. Jason, a Red Seal Executive Chef, began training at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta. Miranda likewise derived experience at several restaurants, including the Oak Bay Marina Restaurant and Resort located in Victoria, British Columbia. Jason and Miranda are making extensive improvements to the inn, which they acquired in 2004. |
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A few examples of the Athlone Inn’s specialities:
Caramelized Garlic and Potato Soup garnished with mixed herbs, frizzled leeks and basil oil,
Grilled Beef Tenderloin topped with woodland mushrooms and a rich red wine demi glace,
Hazelnut Encrusted Rack of Lamb.
Jason and Miranda serve vege-tarian delights on request,
They are known for their inn-made breads and desserts-- especially the crème brulées! |
Athlone Inn, Gananoque
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Photographs courtesy of the Victoria Rose, Gananoque
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In addition to these boutique inns, Gananoque offers two larger historic inns, both with restaurants. Older buildings also accomodated several smaller bed-and-breakfast accomodations in the village vicinity. |
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Old postcard view of the Golden Apple, Gananoque
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A restaurant of historic interest, not merely for its important building but for its tenure as a regional institution, is Gananoque's Golden Apple. The garden patio continues to be a favored destination for summer lunches, the Curried Chicken Salad a house tradition.
Although the village Gananoque is becoming a gourmet's destination, the larger city of Kingston offers a broader range of quality restaurants. Especially characteristic are its many bistros with sidwalk cafés. As a university as well as resort town, its gathering places are lively, its sidewalk tables affording the urban pastime of people-watching. |
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Gordon L. Wolford photograph |
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German food is encountered again at the Boat House. One of the most delightful destinations for boaters, the Rockport complex offers both scenic deck and cool patio dining, as well as lodging.
Beers, mostly their own, star at the Kingston Brewing Company (known locally as the "Brew Pub." Comments of many visitors and regulars attest to the quality of the the beer, food, and ambiance.
Kingston Brewery Co. photograph Alan McLeod |
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Many pubs and micro breweries enliven the patio and sidewalk dining scene. Trendy but inexpensive cafés cater to the city's student population. Several large hotels have dining rooms of differing character, and some restaurants are grand in scale and menu.
Photograph courtesy le Chien Noir Bistro Kingston.
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Restoring a historic Kingston woolen mill, Colin Altimas and Bruce Laird have created the waterside River Mill restaurant. Their emphasis is French and Canadian cuisine, complimented by an extensive wine cellar. |
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Courtesy River Mill Restaurant, Kingston
A River Mill menu:
Soup of the evening
Appetizer Choice of:
Herbed Carpaccio of Bison, extra virgin olive oil and reggiano
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Grilled Gulf Shrimp, cilantro & lime vinaigrete on glass noodle salad
Entree Choice of:
Grilled Venison Chop, fruit compôte of sun dried cherries,
cranberries & black berries
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Roasted Breast of Flintshire Pheasant, perigourdine sauce
Dessert Choice of:
Sabayon on Fresh Berries
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Chocolate and Raspberry Gâteau
Courtesy River Mill Restaurant, Kingston
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Many restaurants on the river have scenic outlooks. One of the most grandly situated is Fairview Manor. |
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Photograph Ian Coristine / 1000 Islands Photo Art
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John and Jeannette Dedek transformed an estate on the mainland west of Clayton into a spectacular restaurant. The stone house, built during the Depression in 1937, is well designed of quality materials. The main dining room, one of the finest interiors of the region, unique in its oval shape with lofty ceiling and many openings onto a high terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence, appears in the Clayton section. |
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Courtesy Restaurant Dedek, Fairview Manor
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Owner-chef John Dedek, Sr. is one of a line of chefs, with his father and his son both being identified with major restaurants. Fairview Manor offers elegant private dining facilities in addition to its grand main dining room and terrace. |
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Four popular restaurants have emerged on Wellesley Island, accesible by car via the Thousand Islands International Bridge. Hart House, a bed-and-breakfast inn that seats only about thirty for dinner, now offers exceptional dining--expensive but worth the price, as attested by reviews. Hart House is upscale--gentlemen require jackets, even if coming off their boat. |
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Nearby, the fine facilities of the historic Thousand Islands Club now serve Joey's, a branch of a Syrause restaurant featuring Italian fare. Less formal, Joey's rather pricey food gets mixed reviews. The terrace dining are convenient boat docking are attractions. Also nearby, Hacker's serves golfers at the Thousand Islands Country Club and others on Wellesley Island. Vying with Hart House as a top river restaurant is the Wellesley Hotel, Thousand Island Park, at the other end of Wellesley Island. Some reviewers rate the food here as the best on Wellesley Island (which is to say, the best on the US side of the river). |
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Wellesley Hotel. Richard Margolis photograph. |
Tables are set on the veranda of the historic Wellesley Hotel, overlooking the green and river, lit by candles in the evening. The indoor dining is equally engaging, as hotel interiors retain authentic period character.
Owners and hosts, Gerry and Diane Brinkman, well known restauranteurs of Rochester, have provided a commendable model of how to use a historic building to advantage, while offering fine dining and lodging to discriminating guests, many of whom are regular patrons.
The remarkable setting, as centerpiece of an entire community listed on the National Register of Historic Places, enriches the dining experience.
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Photograph Tom Weldon / 1000reflections.com
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British tradition on the north shore accounts for continued popularity of afternoon tea, here served at Dark Island. |
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