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.

Photograph courtesy Chez Piggy

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.

Courtesy Firefly Books, Ltd.

Pan Chancho Bakery and Restaurant, right, with City Hall. Alan McLeod photograph..

Tibratá Gillies, Pan Chancho chef.

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.

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.

A few examples of the Athlone Inn’s specialties:

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

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.

The Gananoque Inn offers waterfront dining in a landmark hotel near the Gananoque Playhouse and boat tour docks.

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 sidewalk cafés. As a university as well as resort town, its gathering places are lively, its sidewalk tables affording the urban pastime of people-watching.

Gordon L. Wolford photograph

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.

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

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.

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
or
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
or
Roasted Breast of Flintshire Pheasant, perigourdine sauce

Dessert Choice of:

Sabayon on Fresh Berries
or
Chocolate and Raspberry Gâteau

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.

Hart House, Wellesley Island, photograph courtesy Hart House.

Four popular restaurants have emerged on Wellesley Island, accessible 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.

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 and 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).

The remarkable setting, as centerpiece of an entire community listed on the National Register of Historic Places, enriches the dining experience.