Where the sommelier of the Postmark Hotel eats and drinks in Newmarket

Riley Krieger-Mercer, general manager and sommelier at the Postmark Hotel, wants you to consider Newmarket as a staycation destination—after all, it’s just a quick 40-minute drive north of the city.

Related: Inside Newmarket’s Postmark Hotel, a new boutique hotel in an old post office

“We have people from downtown Toronto and Richmond Hill just coming for the weekend to take advantage of our Stay and Dine package,” he says. The deal includes accommodation and a $200 credit to the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Overlea, or to the Lobby, its all-day café and bar. Guests who don’t plan on sleeping over can still take advantage of daily specials like steak night for two (Tuesday), $10 martinis (Thursday) and half-priced bottles of wine (Sunday).

The 55-room property keeps Krieger-Mercer on his toes. “Because it’s housed in a heritage building—it started life as a post office—I find myself being a jack of all trades, doing everything from greeting guests to fixing our clock tower,” he says.

Related: Where culinary power couple Katherine and Randy Feltis eat in Barrie

When he isn’t recommending wine or winding that giant timepiece, Krieger-Mercer likes to explore Newmarket—the seasoned hospitality vet is something of an expert on the area. Here, three of his go-to spots nearby.

Holland Marsh Winery

18270 Keele St., hmwineries.ca

“Not many people expect to find a great winery in Newmarket. I love it, and I really appreciate how it’s family owned and operated. The owner, Roland, runs it with his sons Norie, the head winemaker, and Narek, who handles sales and marketing. They’re Armenian, and their roots run deep with heritage, old-world winemaking practices. That means they don’t skip steps and everything is done in house. They have 22 acres of land, and about 11 of those are dedicated to growing their award-winning varietals: pinot grigio, Baco noir and cabernet sauvignon. The rest of the grapes they use are supplemented and sourced from Watson Family Vineyards.

“I come here to escape the hustle and bustle of the workday. It’s open year-round, but in the summer, it’s perfect for relaxing on the patio and enjoying their wood-fired pizza. And I love their wine so much. We serve it by the bottle and glass at the hotel’s bar and restaurant. We’re planning on doing a collaboration with them to create our own Postmark Hotel premium wine, hopefully by this fall.

Go-to dish: cheese and charcuterie with a flight of wine pairings

“You need to order the cheese and charcuterie in advance of your visit. They source everything as locally as possible. The meats are from a place in Whitby called the Great Canadian Meat Company; the jellies are from Newmarket; the chocolate is from a spot called Giddy Yo in Orangeville; and the honey is from Vosgi in King City. They source the cheese from a local cheesemonger, and it’s on rotation—whatever is fresh and available. Today they have manchego, Canadian cheddar and Dubliner.”

Wine pairing #1: 2021 La Lumière sparkling riesling with manchego

“This is such good wine, and its energy matches that of the cheese. Wine and food should never combat each other; each should enhance the other. The cheese is briny, with barnyard notes, and the wine has a light honey note as well as a bit of acid to cut through everything for a refreshing finish. There’s a misconception that all riesling is sweet, but this one isn’t. It’s beautiful and clean. You get more fruit and stone than anything. The tiny bubbles are indicative of its good quality.”

Wine pairing #2: 2020 Reserve riesling with smoked pork sausage

“The smokiness reminds me of my time in Germany and the pork hocks I used to order from a local restaurant. The meat and salt are perfectly balanced with the minerality, petrol and pineapple qualities in this wine.”

Wine pairing #3: 2018 Reserve merlot with dark raspberry chocolate

“People don’t drink enough merlot and I think that’s a shame because it’s really great and on the spicier side. It’s a fleshy wine that mirrors the qualities in this berry chocolate. When enjoyed together, it draws out the cocoa notes even more.”

Hop Bop Noodle Shop

210 Main St. S., hbhgoodeats.com/hopbop

“This is right on Main Street. I’ve got to hand it to the town of Newmarket for supporting the BIA here. Ten years ago, this wasn’t the safest place to walk around, but it’s been brought back to life. As much as I love our hotel’s restaurants, I always encourage our guests to support local businesses while they’re in town and to dine at spots like this. This place reminds me of my time at the Momofuku location in Toronto, where I was director of operations for five years. I miss my time there, but this place definitely satisfies my cravings—I love ramen. And Ivy, the person who runs the show here, is so welcoming.”

Go-to dish #1: Gochujang bao (steamed bun with fried chicken, cucumbers, kewpie mayo, scallions and sesame seeds)

“This reminds me of the way we made a similar dish at Momofuku. It’s so good. This is crunchy, sweet and acidic, with a spicy kick. Just perfect.”

Go-to dish #2: Can You TanTan (ramen noodles in broth with ground chicken, pickled daikon, bok choy, scallions and chilies)

“It’s delicious, as always. They source the noodles from a local supplier called Ozawa. This is a Tokyo-style noodle, so it’s thinner, firm and springy, which means it holds up well in the broth. Speaking of the broth, it’s chicken-based. The chicken is so comforting, then you get a whirlwind of shiitake, chili, sesame and carrots on the tongue. I could eat this every day.”

Made in Mexico

179 Main St. S., madeinmexicorestaurant.com

“This spot is owned by Fernando Bravo, who is from Zihuatanejo, Mexico. He met his wife, Janet, and moved to Canada to be with her. He uses many of his family recipes for the menu, and the restaurant was featured on You Gotta Eat Here. I love it because it’s family friendly and has a welcoming mariachi vibe. What first drew me here was the smell of fresh tortillas being made every day—and it helps that it’s right across the street from the hotel.”

Go-to dish #1: Birria tacos with cheese

“This is so good—listen to that crunch. And look at this cheese skirt! There’s a smokiness to the shell, and everything is seasoned perfectly. I like to first enjoy this on its own, without any accompaniments, then go back in and add avocado and pickled onions. The beef is just so tender, and the broth has a nice chipotle kick. This is a full-on meal you can enjoy on your own or with someone else, because the portions here are so generous.”

Go-to dessert: Churros

“I love a good choux pastry, especially when it’s as fresh as this. Even though they’re deep-fried, they’re never greasy—just ultra crunchy and coated with the perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar. As a purist, I enjoy a couple of bites before dipping them into the caramel sauce they come with. These are dangerously addictive.”