Gourmet Travel Special: country escapes for food-loving urbanites

By Matthew Hague, Rachel Heinrichs and Emily Landau | Photograph by David Whittaker

For years, Toronto’s trendiest restaurants have traded on country hallmarks like farm-fresh ingredients, barnboard trimming and plenty of plaid. Some foodies were so seduced that they traded downtown’s hustle for a more pastoral way of life—and why not, when there are plenty of bucolic havens within a few hours’ drive of city limits. The great news for food-loving urbanites is that a country escape can now include wine tastings at a modern bar, dinner at a sexy trattoria and lodging that feels more like a carefully curated second home. We’ve rounded up the best things to eat, drink and do in Prince Edward County, Niagara and Creemore to help you ­maximize your hedonistic pursuits.