Restaurants in Lockport

Filling the Corso Italia neighbourhood with nose-hooking aromas, the grill gurus of Las Brasas Restobar command traditional Argentine cooking techniques to prepare an array of meats. Servers convey individual dishes heaping with proteins or regale groups with Parilla plates comprised of multiple cuts accompanied by sides such as sweet bread. To enhance the nuances of each dish, barkeeps hum metal tunes while pouring wines from North and South America, including quaffs from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay.

Vietnam-born chef Lynn Hoang relies on family recipes and her own gustatory intuition as she recreates the memorable dishes of her childhood. At Ha Long Bay Bistro, she combines southern Vietnamese cooking learned from her mother with northern Vietnamese flavours from her grandmother, creating what the Toronto Star has called "a streamlined menu of homey dishes."

The simmering curries exude fragrant aromas of coconut milk, taro, and sweet potato, lending a creamy richness to their fillings of tofu, chicken, or shrimp. Fresh spring rolls invigorate palates and prepare them for tender fillets of lime- and mint-marinated Atlantic salmon or grilled quail.

The modern dining room also bridges the gap between casual and refined. China plates glazed a light jade green contrast with warm, orange walls and gleaming black tabletops. Light floods through the front wall's floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the space more naturally than the usual candelabrums full of bioluminescent jellyfish.

Executive chef Gordon Calman crafts European-inspired dishes from a range of local, seasonal ingredients under the watchful eyes of owners Neil Da Costa and Victor Brum. Their vision of a gourmet European eatery has been actualized in the long, dark-wood tables that house guests munching on duck confit rolls or double-smoked pork tenderloin served with a coffee-fig reduction. Elegant art watches over the long dining room, as bright, modern chandeliers twinkle above, waiting to come to life and sing karaoke after the customers leave.

For two decades, La Cocina de Doña Luz has made its name with platters of traditional Peruvian saltado stir-fries and pan-fried fish. Though the bulk of its menu salutes the culinary heritage of Peru, its chefs are well-versed in Latin American cuisine from all areas. On any given night, the kitchen might send out dishes native to Colombia, Cuba, or Mexico, and of course, Peru. In the dining room, hanging plants and bright paintings of flowers and the South American countryside enchant diners and cause vegetable entrees to reminisce about their youths on the vine.

Pero Restaurant & Lounge's chef Wondiy Beshir gathers traditional East African dishes from Ethiopia and Eritrea, peppering in a few of his own signature recipes to design a menu that reflects modern Africa's ever-evolving epicurean trends. He sprinkles colourful powders and pungent herbs in exact pinches, imbuing dishes with layers of aromatic spices without overwhelming the senses or accidentally creating a low-pressure system.

Chef Beshir's menu—which includes beef, vegetarian dishes, and combination platters, as well as a small glossary explaining their spices and injera—brings the flavours of Africa to life in a dining room covered in photos depicting the origins of African food. A cabana anchors the African theme with carved wooden benches, baskets, and gauzy white curtains. Live jazz ensembles serenade patrons with melodies during select dinner services and special events held in the Sotto Pero lounge.

The Holloway House was first opened in 1808 by blacksmith Peter Holloway, who wanted to give pioneers a resting point on their journey west. The latest in a long line of owners, the Wayne family has helmed the colonial eatery for more than 50 years, reconstructing its original brick fireplace and crafting a menu of old-fashioned American cuisine. From daily offerings, such as the roast duck with peach chutney and the seared scallops in lemon-wine butter, to weekly specials, such as Wednesday’s family-style turkey dinner, the chefs make their business good, simple food, and plenty of it. Times may have changed, but families will always need delicious vittles before a major endeavor, whether it’s saddling up for a new life in the territories or taking a horse to the movies.