Lincoln restaurant places 4th on Top-100 Best list in Canada

A marquee list of Canada’s best restaurants has returned after a pandemic-induced hiatus, ushering with it what some hope is a revival for fine dining in this country.

The list of Canada’s 100 best restaurants is heavily weighted towards the urban centres of Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary, one pretty much jumps off the list in as rural a setting as there can be.

Sitting at number four – for the entire country – is The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette (Estate Winery) in Jordan Station (Lincoln), smack-dab in the middle of wine country.

This is the seventh edition of the list, which is chosen by 100 industry insiders and published by food writer Jacob Richler. He said the list is populated by more new restaurants this year, so he’s also published a separate list of Canada’s 20 Best New Restaurants.

The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette only trails two Vancouver and one Toronto establishments and has been on this list, as well as the Best New, in the past.

The restaurant is described online like this: “Located in Jordan Station, the heart of the Niagara region, Restaurant Pearl Morissette is on a constant journey to source the best ingredients from our own gardens, surrounding forests, lakes, and prairies, as well as the Maritime coasts.”

“These ingredients are transformed into the day’s menu, with respect and care. Our wine list reflects the values of Pearl Morissette, focusing on wines of purity made by producers of integrity.”

In a 2019 issue of Food Service and Hospitality magazine, they reviewed the restaurant and noted, “Though it tries to fly under the radar, Pearl Morissette Estate Winery — and now its restaurant — are recognized as beacons of excellence in the Niagara Peninsula. Located on the outskirts of the village of Jordan, Ont., a one-hour drive from Toronto, the 25-acre property is home to an estate vineyard, wine-production facilities and a 30-seat restaurant.”

It continued, “The restaurant is located on the upper level of a newly built building housing a wine library, cellar and production facilities. With an all-black façade, designed with a traditional barn silhouette, the building hosts a mysterious entrance way that leads guests upstairs to a warm and welcoming dining room.”

“Built with a weathered industrial feel, the open view to the kitchen was designed with both the guest and employee in mind. A great view of the property makes this the quintessential destination restaurant.”

The restaurant is located at 3953 Jordan Rd, Jordan Station (Lincoln). Its dinner hours are Thursday to Sunday, 5:30-9pm. Its lunch hours are Friday to Sunday, 12-1:30pm. Phone: 905-562-7709.

– Files from Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press