Food + Drink Summer 2024

Spotlight: Plant.ed Café

Fans of whole foods rejoiced at the opening of the new Plant.ed Café this spring in Orangeville. Adaptogenic lattes, fresh salads, bowls, and house-made hummus are all made fresh. Nosh on savoury toasts made with organic sourdough bread with toppings such as avocado, ricotta cheese and edamame. Or grab a spoon for a hearty bowl of poke, kale Caesar salad or sweet potatoes. Smoothies here are chock-full of fruits, vegetables and superfoods such as spirulina, sea moss and collagen. For a healthy boost, wellness shots are made with ingredients such as turmeric, ginger and mint chlorophyll.

“We aren’t labelling it as vegan or vegetarian, but we won’t have any meat. Most of the menu is plant-based, but we want it to be approachable,” says owner and Caledon native Alex Kiru, who along with her partner, also from Caledon, Blair Forsyth, opened the café in April after moving back from British Columbia, where they lived for five years. “Ultimately what we really want is to create a community space where everyone feels welcome and feels nourished!” Visit their IG @plant.edcafe for updates.

We All Scream

Bite a homemade ice cream sandwich from Mulmur’s Rosemont General Store, where freshly baked cookies are paired with soft or hard scoops of flavours such as English Toffee, Green Apple, Blue Buried Treasure or Raspberry Lemon-Lime Sherbet.

Mark Your Culinary Calendar

Downtown Orangeville’s beloved back-to-back foodie events have returned, under a big white tent on Mill Street. Quench your thirst with locally made craft beverages at In Good Spirits on August 16, then savour sampling plates served by local chefs at Taste of Orangeville on August 17.

We’ll Toast to That!

Fields of Dreams

Dining outdoors with the warm sun on your shoulders, playful pollinators buzzing around, and the open sky above is made even better when someone else is making the food – and there are several tables ready all summer.

Maple Grove Farm and Market in Mulmur revives a traditional rural Strawberry Supper on June 22 with all the fixings, including ham, coleslaw, salad and lots of strawberries, all to raise funds for local churches.

The Summer Festival at Purple Hill Lavender Farm near Creemore on June 22 features food trucks, a makers market, live music and more. The annual Field to Fork Farm Tour and Dinner Experience series takes place on June 22, August 17, September 14 and October 5 at Lennox Farm in Melancthon – expect a hands-on harvesting experience, followed by a four-course meal prepared by a chef in the open air. At Mono’s Avalon Lavender Farm, indulge in Italian sweet and savoury treats with the High Tea Lavender Garden Picnic held on Saturdays from June 22 to August 10. Rock Garden Farms in Caledon hosts its Strawberry Festival and Vendor Market June 23.

Grab a spot at the family-style social seating at Mansfield Outdoor Centre’s Pine River Café on July 13 for live music, paired wines and a four-course table d’hôte dinner. Or visit Hereward Farms’ five-day Sip, Savour + Stroll event from July 24 to 28, where you can enjoy a gourmet charcuterie board amid 6,000 lavender plants and 200,000 sunflowers on their East Garafraxa property.

Later in the season, partake in Luxury Picnics in the Sunflowers on Fridays and weekends from August 2 to 18 at Campbell’s Cross Farm in Caledon.

Have Your Cake

Caledon East’s Emily Clipperton is the baker behind Crumb & Berry’s cake masterpieces. Her wedding and special occasion offerings often feature edible flowers real or handcrafted.

She sources her food-safe pressed florals – pansies, apple blossoms, lilacs, cornflower and rose petals – from local florists such as Snowberry Botanicals in Erin and Cedar & Stone in Alton, or crafts blossoms by hand from buttercream or fondant, making them a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds.

Pint-Sized Pleasures

It’s patio season, which means good brews and good views. Mono Centre Brewing has partnered with Orangeville’s The Craft Pizza Bar & Italian Kitchen for occasional pizza days this summer. In Caledon, GoodLot Farm & Farmstead Brewing Co. features a Caribbean-flecked menu by Phil DeWar, music and community events. Check out the converted church at Caledon Hills Brewing Company, or visit the beer garden at Sonnen Hill Brewing. Toast Badlands Brewing’s 7th anniversary party on August 17. And don’t miss Creemore’s Copper Kettle Festival, centred on Creemore Springs on August 24.

Something to Taco ‘Bout

As summer heats up, appease your cravings for authentic tacos and quesadillas at the cute yellow Mexican Street Tacos food truck, usually at Airport Road and Olde Base Line in Caledon. Or for a fusion update, the recently opened Mexcellent Burritos in Shelburne offers a butter chicken burrito and other mashups.

A New Summer Sip

Pommies’ newest offering, Wine & Soda, contains just three ingredients – Ontario white wine, carbonated water and raspberry juice – with no added sugar. And it’s just 4% alcohol. Cheers!

Spirit Tree News – Back by Popular Demand

After a brief hiatus, the Ciderhouse Bistro at Spirit Tree Estate Cidery in Caledon is back with crowd pleasers such as their signature burger, featuring a tender Limousin beef patty from Caledon’s Robert Nimmo Farms, topped with bacon, roasted tomatoes, pickles, Cows Creamery Appletree Smoked white cheddar, apple mustard and a balsamic reduction, served with a house salad or frites. New for dessert is the OMG Carrot Cake Cookie with a cream cheese filling. Open from Thursdays to Sundays, the Bistro fills up quickly, so reservations are a must.