Fat Rabbit goes whole hog. Quite literally, as chef-owner Zach Smith is keenly dedicated to zero-waste, all-Ontario, whole-animal butchery. That approach, padded out with hyper-seasonal produce and relaxed hospitality, has made this space one of Niagara’s most compelling restaurants for both locals and destination diners. Charcuterie — ’nduja, mortadella, smoked beef pancetta, culatello, Negroni salami — is handled by the in-house butchery program. The cooking is confident, unfussy and quietly inventive. Lamb ribs arrive lacquered in a Vietnamese green chili-lime glaze, their sweet heat offset by French-style peas. Pork schnitzel (a fan favourite) could be topped with a Caesar salad or layered with Mexican salsa verde, hakurei turnips and beurre blanc — the menu ebbs and flows with the seasons. Steaks of many cuts are impressive. Dessert leans nostalgic: sticky toffee pudding made with smoky sherry-soaked dates, crisped in the oven and infused with warm toffee sauce. Cocktails are smart and creative, wine balances approachable bottles with low-intervention discoveries.

Some of the most craveable, technique-driven food in Canada. A fun, lively room.” Justin Champagne-Lagarde