Don’t let the name fool you — Grey County’s food scene is as vibrant as it comes. Just two hours north of Toronto, this rural pocket is home to apple orchards, farm-fresh produce and menus shaped by the season.
Chefs cook over open hearths, cloudy cider flows freely and some of the city’s most celebrated culinary talent has set up shop here, bringing big-smoke pizazz to small-town kitchens.
Plus, trendy motels and artfully designed lodges make it easy to turn a meal into an overnight stay. From cozy farm restaurants to dining rooms that make the destination worth it alone, Grey County rewards travellers who like to eat and linger a while. Come hungry, stay overnight and turn a meal into a weekend escape.
Where to eat in Grey County
Down Home
Make a reservation at one of the province’s most exciting dining rooms — then settle in like you’ve been invited to a talented friend’s cottage. At Down Home, Joel Gray and Hannah Harradine welcome guests past the open hearth they cook on every service, snow or shine.
Watch delicata squash, Arctic char and pig’s head plated in front of you, all grown or sourced nearby, in a space filled with wood-fired warmth, framed cross-stitches and Grandma’s recipes — cozy, personal and quietly Michelin-level.
Marilynne Restaurant
Chef Brandon Bannon has created a tasty tribute to his grandmother at Marilynne, a nostalgic farm-focused brunch and dinner spot in the heart of Markdale. The former firehall was whipped into a museum of whimsy back in 2022, complete with cookbooks, antique plates and farming equipment.
The whole menu of Canadian comfort food is elite, but the French onion soup — made with veal stock and baked directly on the plate to maintain the integrity of the vintage china — is a knockout.
Grey & Gold Cider
Sip the best of apple country straight from the glass at Grey & Gold Cider, a small-batch, low-intervention cidery in the region.
Local varieties like northern spy and golden russet shine here, and the Heritage Dry cider — bone-dry, crisp and wild-fermented for just the right amount of funk — is a must. Plus, the tasting room, open year-round, is very dog-friendly.
Heart’s Tavern
The owner of Côte de Boeuf and Union in Toronto, Teo Paul, brings his unique brand of eclectic French bistro to Grey County at Heart’s Tavern.
The rotating menu of seasonal hits has a special meaning for the tastemaker whose family farm is in the area. Enjoy moules-frites, rack of lamb and local wine inside this rustic lodge tavern setting.
Where to stay in Grey County
The June Motel
The June Motel’s third property in Beaver Valley is the escape I’ve been craving. Conveniently located just off Grey Road 13, the refurbished eight-room woodland retreat is cozy personified, with gingham curtains, paisley patterns and vintage snowshoes adorning the communal, lodge-style parlour.
In the morning, guests can help themselves to pastries from Markdale’s Susan’s Delicatessen. The barrel sauna, with a window overlooking the meandering Beaver River, is the perfect place to warm up after a day outdoors before settling in for a fireside evening at the lodge. It’s the kind of hotel where staying in feels like the main event.
