I was up in Muskoka and we came here for dinner on a Saturday around 5pm and easily got our choice…read moreof seating but probably best to make a reservation just in case during prime time. I had my initial hesitations thinking it might be some basic pub food. Who knew this restaurant out in Gravenhurst is better than many Toronto restaurants in the city. One of my fav meals in a while. The Oar recently undergone a new concept change to Lamorna. While they still kept the Oar as their name given the familiarity and reputation of the previous restaurant concept, the menu and indoor decor has completely changed with a new chef in the last couple months. The menu is farm to table and it rotates weekly, and I can really taste the difference, which explains the more premium but reasonable price. Note a burger will always be on the menu and we really like their dry age burger, rich and the accompanying (what looks like hand/in-house cut) fries are so delicious, I wouldn't mind ordering more on the side. We also dined at their outdoor patio so our pups could dine with us. They so kindly brought over a water bowl for the dogs too! Towards the end of the meal, chef Ben came out personally to greet us and we can feel the passion and care he puts into his food. We asked about how he came to this restaurant and his inspo for his food and he told us it's from his travels. eg. why the schnitzel is thicker because he enjoys the thick katsu he had from Japan. He told us he recently sold two of his restaurants and decided to head up this restaurant after his travels. The chef actually goes around and sources ingredients directly from the farms and locally. We also appreciated the fresh pasta and thick cut schnitzel. We also absolutely love the eggplant and the croquettes too. Actually everything we had was a highlight and that's rare for me to find all the dishes impressive at a restaurant. Highly recommend order their bread service so you can use the bread to clean up the sauces from the remaining plates, as it's not included by default. I also love the charm of the plates and cutlery. They open a box of different knives you can pick a knife to use all vintage/second-hand and gave the feel that it's from grandma's home. Highly recommend this spot! The attention to detail, quality and personal service makes this spot special.

I can only concur with the comments of a most recent review. What might attract many is the Farm…read moreto Table concept and a talented chef who is committed to his calling. We were more than pleasantly surprised to be offered some sophisticated options for starters and main course that were not menu options. With access to fine dining somewhat limited in Cottage Country we accepted the challenge. The starter was a perfectly cooked fresh Newfoundland scallop served with a delicate rich pesto toasted panko breadcrumb dressing. My main course was a homemade cappelletti pasta with fresh peas sautéed in a delicate sauce.. My companion ate from the menu with the Arctic Char which was slightly on the dry side, likely finished off in the oven, but fine by Gastro Pub standards. The wine selection was uninspiring and low range but relative to the overall dining environment so I went with a pleasant locally brewed beer and my companion an indifferent Ontario Chardonnay. Service was excellent, attentive and friendly. Outside dining was available but likely for more casual diners. Dining inside, for me being the preferred option, but on this occasion did tend to be on the the noisy side but that was down to the patrons. Nothing pretentious here, no doubt credit to the chef and staff . Definitely worth a visit and reservations although likely not 100% essential daytime are recommended for evenings . This place is an oasis in a desert of upscale dining.....worth at least a 25 to 30 km drive! The overall emphasis here is that this place is based and built on team work with the utilization of both local food and staff....it succeeds !

We liked this place so much we returned the following day…read more The first visit I had a quite good iced chocolate chai. (I'm always excited to find chocolate chai.) The berry scone was amazing as well. I wished the tea place we went to the day before in Gravenhurst (Blue Willow Tea Shop) made their scones as good as this. Farmer's Daughter's scones were sweet and didn't need jam. The chocolate chip cookies were fantastic as well. I liked the husband's edamame avocado bean salad. The son got a pasta combo for $18.99. I really liked his mac and cheese; the pasta salad was fine. I wasn't a fan of his peanut butter chocolate chip cookie (too much pb, not enough choc) The daughter really liked her potatoes dauphinois. Her side of roasted cauliflower, mushrooms, and broccoli were fine, but the pierogies were exceptional. This place drains your wallet little by little. I suggested it because I thought it would make sense to have a cheaper lunch but I'm not sure it was. Especially by the time we got dessert. (But it was worth it!) The next day the husband and I had the lentil wrap - he ordered it the first day and was a fan. It was kind of like Amy's brand of samosas but better and fresh. It definitely grows on you. The daughter was not as into her chicken with cornflake breading. The son got the lasagna but thought the previous day's mac n cheese was better.

Lovely little gourmet grocery store and cafe. We picked up a few very tasty homemade rice krispy…read moretreats, a delicious coffee, and some homemade strawberry plum jam. Service was friendly. If they stayed open a little later they could get a lot more service. I walked in 5 minutes before closing and they locked the door behind me. My husband said 6 or 7 people walked up and were turned away in the 10 minutes I was in. Sandwiches looked good, I wish I could spend more time. Lovely baskets and plants as well.

Good food. Service was good. Excellent server. Kitchen backed up so we were impatient as we had a…read moreconcert to go to. They did their best to accommodate us Next time we will not make post dinner arrangements and enjoy our dinner even more

Away from the city centre area, but if you have a car, not an issue. A small place with the homely…read morefeel to it. They do serve meat dishes as well, but are Vegan and Vegetarian friendly. The two ladies are knowledgeable and can tell you what is vegan what is not. Had Coconut and Lentil with Vegetables Soup with Toast and a Spicy Rice and Veggie Wrap with the same soup. Saw a morning glory muffin which was Vegan and gluten free and somehow I heard it calling me. The muffin was delicious. With greens, carrots and coconut was amazing. The best part it had very little sugar. Only if I had it warmed. The soup and wrap came quickly after. The soup had almost entire lentils which we assumed would be under cooked. We were wrong. The lentils cooked to perfection. The coconut milk creamy. A bit under seasoned for the Mrs, but I didn't mind. I did want some spice though. Added some black pepper but didn't do anything. The wrap with lots of salad greens and rice. Carrots and veggies. The rice and tortilla was warm. The service was good as well. The place has a small area for buying some nut milk and other stuff. There is also a shelf full of books for customers sit and enjoy.

Surprisingly good…read more Not many places are open Sunday evening in the area and this is clearly the best available. That being said it's not really settling as it's solid on its own. Calamari had an Indian twist with tandoori whole wheat flour & soya roasted sesame seed sauce was surprisingly good. It's rings only which is a shame since tentacles are better. Also shows that these are previously frozen. Butter Chicken with steamed rice & wilted spinach, served with pickled vegetables & garlic naan was excellent and authentic. The chefs are Indian and we were told this was their personal recipe from home. Risotto Button & shiitake mushrooms with fresh parmesan is apparently a dish that has been on since they started and it was definitely good. Slow Roasted Lamb Shank with red pepper jelly, mustard seed, roasted vegetables & red-skin smashed potatoes was surprisingly a touch sweet and one of the best lamb shanks I've had. Overall great meal. Ambiance is casual.

This was a neat piece as the kitchen was open and you can see all 3 guys by the stove making…read moredelicious food for us. I also went here for my birthday dinner and quality was good and staff was also kind.

Beautiful restaurant and amazing food. Every dish we had was so delicious. Great serviceread more

Our go to when we come to town! Food is amazing and the local beer on tap can't be beat on a hot…read moresummer day

The food was amazing, we loved our server she was nice. The…read moreambiance was also pretty amazing, we stayed on the patio. The vibes of the place were 10/10 The moment we walked in we felt a little awkward because pretty much everyone stopped for a second to look at us ( we were the only colored people there ) but we smiled and slowly walked our way to a corner booth and let it settle. Everyone was ok afterwards. Was awkward though

Some of the best authentic Italian food since we've been to Italy. The staff was absolutely lovely…read more 10/10 recommend.

Busy Canada Day! An opportunity to see long time cottage neighbours and bring along the kids. Good…read morevariety on the menu - ceasar and Greek salad, bruschetta & olive tapenade, calamari for the table to share. Like the portion sizing Mains ordered: chicken wrap, chicken parm panini, lasagna, spaghetti & meatballs plus pizza (cheese/pepperoni). Quality of food has home cooked quality and service was prompt and cheerful. They have a wonderful view on back deck if it's a nice sunny day and ya looking for a patio. It's our friend favourite resto - glad we made another long weekend memory here

Love the food. The best lemon tart I have ever had. Their soups are incredible. All the food is…read moregreat!

I had the Cauliflower Blue Cheese soup and it was delicious. Carrot cake was nice and moist, plus…read morereally delicious. Was not disappointed, I will be back.

Enjoyed two visits to this local landmark restaurant during our stay in Rosseau. It can be…read moredifficult to get a reservation during the busy summer months so you may want to plan ahead. The ambiance is lovely and welcoming with a beautiful patio that features heaters for the cooler evenings. There is also live entertainment on some nights. The summer cocktail selection is impressive and we all enjoyed them to kick off the experience. The menu is quite limited which is not a bad thing for a restaurant focused on quality but I still found it to be a bit too limited. The wine selection is also quite limited. If you love your wines, like I do, I would bring my own and gladly pay the corkage fee. We had a little bit of everything from meats to pasta and fish. We shared for the table so that we each had the opportunity to try everything. There was nothing to complain about but it didn't "wow" us. In speaking with some longtime locals, I think the popularity of this place has meant that they no longer need to go above and beyond to satisfy the local crowd and cottagers who don't mind spending a lot on a nice night out. It was just that - a nice night out.

Service was great, separated shared entrees. Food was pretty good except the fish was whole and…read morebones did not peel off very easily. Fun ambiance

Again, was not disappointed! Stopped by for lunch with a friend. Ordered the same chicken club on…read moreGF bread since it was so good last time. This time I also tried a salad on the side that was like a vinaigrette slaw made from mainly cauliflower - it was delicious and flavourful. My friend got the pulled pork sandwich with potato salad and said it was excellent! We were able to eat outside which was so nice. We both agreed, we'll be back next time we're in the neighbour.

Cottage Cravings only recently came to Bala after a fire at their original Gravenhurst location…read more last year left them looking for a new space. But I'm so glad they landed in our tiny, sleepy town: CC is about as close as it gets to a one-stop shop here. There aren't a lot of places where you can grab a coffee and sandwich, pick up cheese and charcuterie to take home, or grab wall art or dish towels for the cottage. I appreciate that the products here are so thoughtfully selected as well. Cottage decor can teeter on kitschy, but the selection at CC -- technicolor enameled outdoor dining sets, lake-themed hooked rugs, craftsman birdhouses -- is tasteful as well as fun. Popsicle makers and painted martini glasses give ideas. Food from local vendors means you don't have to wait for next week's farmers market to pick up those jams or condiments. And a bounty of healthful dining options from veggie paninis to fresh soups make a quick, delicious lunch. CC definitely makes a great addition to our little hamlet.