Congratulations to House of Donair for opening their fourth and newest location in the west end of Kingston on Bath Rd! Serving up Lebanese cuisine from tabouli, falafel, kibbeh, pitas and shawarma, as well as dishes with a twist from donair poutine and donair pizza! Bae and I stopped in recently for lunch for his and her meals. My absolute favourite was the intensity of the flavours of the chicken and sauces served on the potato aka you best like garlic. We enjoyed the below meals and will certainly be returning soon!

MIXED PLATE

Mixed plate of chicken shawarma & donair served with salad, rice, hummus, garlic paste, pickled turnips, pickles + pita bread.

CHICKEN SHAWARMA PLATE 

Chicken shawarma plate served with salad, rice, hummus, garlic paste, pickled turnips and pickles.

As we know, Kingston is a city that is renowned for its thriving culinary scene. While many have associated downtown Kingston with the city's most notable culinary offerings, the west end of Kingston is often overlooked when it comes to foodie destinations. However, those who have taken the time to explore Kingston's west end have discovered that it is truly a unique area with several hidden culinary gems and having moved to the area a few years ago, I've discovered quite a few special spots.

So whether you're in the mood for takeout, a special night out, authentic ethnic cuisine, or something in between, there are plenty of options to choose from. Below you'll find my list of favourite local drool-worthy spots:

LUNCH & DINNER SPOTS

Bella Bistro

GO Italian Restaurant

Days on Front

Ottercreek Kitchen

The Pasta Shelf

Mesa Fresca

Red House West

Smoke N Barrel 

Golden Damrei

Shawarma El Mina

Pita Land

House Of Donair

Bustini’s Food Truck

GREEK FOOD

Greektown Grill & Takeout

Minos Take Out West

PIZZA

Mamma Mia Pizzeria

Riverhead Brewing Company

Score Pizza

BRUNCH & CAFÉ

Toast & Jam

Juniper Cafe

Patriam Coffee

Nora's Coffee + Sandwiches

Carmelinda's

FISH & CHIPS

Rose & Crown

BAKERIES & DELI

Bread & Butter Bakery

MAC'S Chocolate & Bakeshop

Baltic Deli

SUSHI

Kino's Sushi

Akira Sushi

Sapporo Sushi

Also, the service is just amazing and the staff are so friendly!

Scroll down to see a few of the dishes we sampled:

SUI MAI (PORK & SHRIMP DUMPLING)

Chinese canton-style open-wrapped dumpling with pork.

CHICKEN PHO

Vietnamese noodle soup with a homemade broth filled with spices like roasted star anise, noodles, grilled bbq chicken thigh and served with lots of mix-and-match toppings. A perfect dish to share.

SESAME MAPLE RIBS

Half rack of fall off the bone ribs marinated overnight, grilled, baked and glazed with the sweetest organic maple syrup. Served with house-made Japanese sweet potato chips with a spicy mayo and Japanese-style salad.

HAR GOW

Steamed translucent dumplings filled with shrimp.

SHANGHAI SOUP DUMPLINGS

JAPANESE SWEET POTATO CHIPS

Open 11am-2pm for lunch and 4pm-7pm for dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday.

For reservations and takeout, call 613-354-9888

Where: 19A Market Square, Napanee, ON

 Did you know it offers so many health benefits from soothing sore muscles⁠⁣, to improving your heart health and boosting your mood⁣?!

 It’s a must-try experience whether you go solo, with a friend or as a group.

WHAT TO BRING?

Swimsuit, flip flops, water bottle and your favourite winter hat or headband.

Book your session online: www.stokedsaunaco.com

Where: 225 King St E, Kingston, ON

The wait is officially over!

📍: Kingston, Ontario

The brand new and most anticipated spot in downtown Kingston has officially opened its doors and I had the pleasure of being invited for a sneak peek of Heist Restaurant + Wine Club with bae and my mum. This foodie adventure was truly unique and a spectacular experience. From pasta, and pizzas to seafood and classic dishes, this restaurant is absolutely stunning - having been a bank before, the CaraCo Homes family ventured into the restaurant space to plan the most perfect culinary destination with the most beautiful space. It’s so warm and inviting.

p.s. online reservations are available, click here!

Scroll down to see a few of the dishes we sampled:

BEEF CARPACCIO

Baby arugula, grana padano, truffle aioli, crouton. Simply melts in your mouth!

ARANCINI 

Crispy saffron, lemon + sweet pea rice balls,  homemade tomato sauce + grated grana padano. The flavours are so complimentary of one another!

PAN SEARED DEEP SEA SCALLOPS

With grilled corn, leek crema + toasted pistachio. Highly recommend!

GRILLED LAMB SAUSAGE

Creamy polenta, charred rapini with a grainy mustard demi.

MEZZA RIGATONI VODKA

Made with pancetta, scallion, chillies in a vodka-tomato-cream sauce. You might have to wear your stretchy pants as portions are quite generous and the dish itself is so nice, especially in the winter.

TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE

Slowly braised ragout of pork, beef + veal with sweet onion, fresh basil, shaved grana padano, d.o.p. tomato sauce. 

CHICKEN PARMESAN

Pan-roasted chicken cutlet with tomato sauce + buffalo mozzarella. Such a perfect dish to share

DESSERT 

As our meal was coming to an end, our bellies were filled with so much goodness that we decided to share a tiramisu. The dessert menu aka the getaway included other wonderful options such as fruit + sorbet, banana toffee pudding, vanilla crème brûlée, flourless chocolate torte and vegan cheesecake. So many drool-worthy sweet treats to try! 🤤

NEXT UP

I’m already thinking of my next visit - I’ll definitely be ordering the lobster and prawn dumplings, pan roasted potato gnocchi, and Australian lamb!

Congratulations to the entire HEIST team! Our dining experience was truly wonderful from the food, service and ambience. Kingston is so lucky to have this great new addition to its culinary scene! 🎉

Where: 168 Wellington St, Kingston, ON

For those of you who are new here, I thought I’d reintroduce myself. Originally from Montréal, Québec, I moved to Kingston to attend Queen's University as a Queen's Engineer back in 2008 and well, I’ve stayed ever since. 

I met my other half who completed me in every way possible. Together for over ten years now - this Kingston native, my partner-in-crime and foodie accomplice has brought out the best in me one day at a time. Our passion for cooking and trying new things led me to creating a foodie bucket list in 2012 of restaurants to try out in Kingston and document my experiences on my blog, which was well before Instagram was super popular. (I may have just aged myself LOL 🫣🤣)

Whether it's exploring the local food scene, going to amazing local events or taking foodie road trips to nearby towns, I'm all about being a tourist in my own city and beyond. This site and my social channels are all about allowing you to discover hidden gems in your own backyard and supporting our truly wonderful restaurants, businesses and passionate individuals behind the scenes, while also sharing who I am as a person, my likes, my life, my adorable pup Dakota and more.