The best bars and cafés Niagara Peninsula

If you want to have a drink away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist industry and meet some locals, this is the place to come! All wood and brick, with a vintage touch here and there, this little place is pretty cool and quiet when it opens before getting crowded later in the evening during live shows. We tasted craft beers and house cocktails, all to the sound of an excellent local band that made us stay up late... A huge favorite for this new address off the beaten track!

Wondering where the locals can go in such a touristic place? Here is your answer. This microbrewery, located in an old church, offers a friendly, rather young and relaxed atmosphere. The kitchen is installed on the altar, the church benches have been requisitioned, the barrels are wedged under the large stained glass windows. But not everything is only in the decor: Silversmith also wins awards for its superb selection of homemade beers.

Clearly our new favorite place in town to enjoy a good craft beer, Counterpart Brewing is a refreshing new addition. Open since 2019, this microbrewery, set back from the hustle and bustle of Niagara Falls, concocts tasty nectars with a clear penchant for IPAs. You can accompany it all with a gourmet dish with generous portions such as a fried chicken sandwich, grilled fish tacos or one of the daily specials. Bonus: there's a store on site where you can take home hop souvenirs.

A nice little café on Queen Street that works in a social economy perspective, notably by offering tasty fair trade coffees and small gourmet dishes made with healthy and seasonal products. To accompany your latte or espresso, you can choose a pastry, a salad or a good sandwich like the Original Breakfast with fried egg, bacon, lettuce and cheese. There are also a few options for vegetarians and gluten intolerant people. Bonus: the place displays the works of local artists on its walls.

This microbrewery specializes in hoppy, sour and spontaneously fermented beers, not to mention barrel-aged nectars made with Niagara wines. To discover them, a tasting room is set up on site and offers the house wines as well as small and large dishes to satisfy any appetite. A beer garden and a hop field complete the picture. To top it all off, a boutique area allows you to buy your favorite beers as well as items bearing the Bench logo.

Located in the heart of historic Niagara-on-the-Lake, The Exchange microbrewery is housed in a beautiful period house. They brew divine nectars including a Berliner Weisse, a New England style IPA and a Porter that reveals all its flavors when served in cask. The microbrewery also has dozens of oak barrels that were used in a Jordan vineyard to age its Belgian-inspired beers. Bonus: a boutique and a program of activities (comedy shows, quiz nights, etc.).