Where Somewhere Inn’s Maddie Calvert-Tarlo eats in and around Collingwood

Ask Maddie Calvert-Tarlo, the general manager of Somewhere Inn Collingwood, where to go for dinner and she’ll invariably respond with, How long are you staying? “We’re really lucky when it comes to food options in the area,” she says. “There are so many amazing spots.”

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Born into the world of hospitality—her father was a chef and restaurateur, her mother owned bars, and together they ran a bed and breakfast—Calvert-Tarlo grew up with a backstage pass to rural Ontario’s culinary scene.

“My siblings and I know it too well,” she says. “We’re all involved in food and beverage in some way. It’s a challenging career path, but we love it. Growing up in this environment opens you up to so many different things. You gain a deep appreciation for hard work, good food and community.”

There are few service-industry roads Calvert-Tarlo hasn’t travelled, from working in restaurants to pop-up baking projects to pouring coffee in Collingwood, then natural wine in England, before landing back in Collingwood at Somewhere Inn (which has another location in Calabogie), where she’s spent the past year developing the hotel’s food-and-beverage and events programs.

“I’m trying to marry all the best experiences from my favourite bars and restaurants into what we offer guests and visitors here,” she says. “It’s such a special space. If I didn’t already work here, I would still want to hang out with a glass of wine in the garden under the trees—it’s perfect. We’re trying to embody a true sense of both community and exploration. The hotel is a converted Victorian house after all, so we want to make guests feel like friends coming into our home.”

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When Calvert-Tarlo isn’t in the lobby bar divulging restaurant recommendations, planning personalized day trips, or pouring a curated rotation of locally made beer and wine, she’s dining out with friends and family—and keeping a finger on the pulse of the region’s restaurants. Here are three of her top picks for dinner in and around Collingwood.

Down Home Farmhouse Restaurant

135299 9 Line, Markdale, downhomerestaurant.com

“Down Home is such a gorgeous property, and they keep it so well maintained. The drive here from Collingwood definitely sets the tone of slowing down and appreciating what’s around you. The way the sun hits the valley at different peaks, everything glistens. And when you get those moody skies, it looks like it could be part of some Irish fairy tale.

“Everything they do here centres sustainability. The experience is designed around a seasonal tasting menu. Each dish is delicate, created with the intention of savouring every bite. Each ingredient contributes to the overall story. I love to cook at home, but this is the kind of food you can’t make at home. Even if you only do it once, it’s worth the occasion to come out and eat here.

“The culinary world up here is a very tight-knit community. Joel and Hannah got married last year, at the end of the summer, and I made their wedding cake using all of the farm’s edible flowers that were in bloom. Their cat, Pearl, came to hang out on the farm with us as I was gathering all these flowers. It was such a magical experience.”

Go-to dish #1: Scotch egg and a garden salad with mustard seed aïoli, pickled Japanese knotweed, coal-charred radish, mint, arrowhead sorrel, bronze fennel, pansy flowers and fresh peas, finished with a green-garlic-and-mint vinaigrette

“I’ve always been drawn to their lighter vegetable preparations and broths. The flavours are so delicately developed. The whole garden is in this dish. They’ll present the ingredients to you before serving, like a bouquet of edible plants harvested on their property, which is a nice reminder of where each bite comes from.

“The little yellow thing that looks like an olive is actually Japanese knotweed, an invasive plant that was first introduced to Canada as a food source. Chef Joel Gray likes to focus on invasive plants as neglected food sources. It’s exciting to learn about these things from people who are so passionate about what they do. The storytelling that’s built into an experience like this is really inspiring.”

Go-to dish #2: Tortellini stuffed with slow-braised pig’s head, served with wild and cultivated mushrooms, oyster mushroom purée and aged gouda

“Every year they hold special events here—like the maple sap boil in late winter, where they make food inspired by, or that uses, freshly tapped maple syrup. Everyone gathers outside on a cold day, surrounded by fires, music and delicious food. They also offer a foraging experience in the summer.

“This level of dining is so creative—it’s exploration and science. You have to be willing to put in the effort to find or cultivate that weird mushroom. It’s cleaner, healthier, and like everything they do here, it’s a labour of love. Food tourism feels like it’s rapidly growing in Canada right now. The arrival of Michelin has definitely pushed more people to try destination restaurants like Down Home.”

Lore

100 Pine St., Collingwood, lorecollingwood.ca

“I recently came to Lore for the first time with my husband, my sister and her husband. It’s a unique spot that brings the calibre of the Pine—the team’s first restaurant, in Creemore, which has a Michelin star—into a more approachable setting with à la carte options that make it feel more playful. It’s a thoughtful, curated experience in a beautifully designed space.

“Their menu is pasted into an old cookbook. There’s something to be said about old cookbooks—it almost feels like part textbook, part blog, and every book is different. You can appreciate how much thought has gone into an experience like this through the menu design.

“If you’re ordering à la carte, I’d recommend getting a couple of dishes from each section: With Your Hands, Midpoint, Vegetable and the Main Show. I love it when you’re challenged and pleasantly surprised by a dining experience. This is a place that warrants you trying something you might not ordinarily gravitate toward. There are no bad choices here.”

Go-to dish #1: Foie gras “Beaver Tails”

“This is a spin-off of a staple dish from the Pine’s tasting menu. It’s like a little Beaver Tail–esque round topped with foie gras and a cranberry marmalade that gives it this tangy flavour. It’s light, airy and rich all at once. Chef Jeremy Austin is so creative in the kitchen. I worked at the Pine for a summer doing food prep, so I know how much effort goes into the creation of dishes like this.”

Go-to dish #2: Frog legs

“You never see frog legs on a menu. Among all of the other really delicate dishes, these are almost like a dirty little chicken wing. They coat them with this sticky sweet sauce, and you eat them with your hands.

“My dad had a French restaurant when we were kids, and my sister would go and catch frogs from the pond at our house, bring them to the restaurant in a jar and ask the cooks to make her lunch. Every so often, we’ll buy some frog legs for her as a joke. So when we come to Lore with her, we obviously have to have the frog legs.”

Go-to drink: Lore martini

“I think it’s the best martini I’ve ever had. I don’t know if it’s just the magic in the air—perhaps owing to the fact that they prepare and pour it tableside—but it is so delicious. They soak the vermouth with oyster shells, so it has this saline quality. It’s so cold and so clean.”

Hearts Tavern

235334 Grey County Rd. 13, Kimberley, heartsgreycounty.ca

“Hearts is a cute little spot with rough and rugged curb appeal. It’s the perfect blend of rustic and refined. I first came here when they opened during the pandemic and could only serve burgers to go. My husband and I would go for burgers after work, sit outside where the parking lot meets the garden, and we’d be loving life in that little moment. Everything was shut down or restricted at the time, and it just felt so good to go out for this amazing burger. It was something so simple, but it removed us from the rest of the world. We’d go for a swim in the river nearby when there was nobody around. It felt like our special little space. I love how restaurants can be that for people.”

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Go-to dish #1: Halibut crudo with rhubarb, cucumber, sorrel and capers

“Hearts’ dishes aren’t fussy—they’re well-prepared and made with quality ingredients. They put a strong emphasis on sourcing locally and grow many of their own greens, herbs and vegetables. They honour the integrity of each ingredient rather than burying it under layers of flavour. You can really appreciate the texture of the fish in this crudo, and the fresh flavours in the sauce pair perfectly with a crisp glass of wine.”

Go-to dish #2: Asparagus and burrata with olive oil and garden herbs

“The locally grown asparagus speaks for itself—when it’s in season, you have to have it—and it’s paired with a cult-classic cheese: burrata. Their restraint and respect for ingredients is what keeps me coming back.

“I love going somewhere for just a drink and a snack. Hearts is an elevated everyday restaurant that allows for those moments. You can come for a really good burger and a great beer after a bike ride or enjoy some oysters and a martini, all in one space. You could come here with family or you could come alone, and you’ll have a great meal every time.”