Jimmy Awards: Top Travel Food/Drinks From 2021 in Canada, California and Switzerland

Okay. I didn’t get out as much as I normally would. Not even close. But I did manage several trips this year, including visits to Switzerland, California and several cool spots in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. Here’s a look at my annual Jimmy Awards for best travel experiences of the year. Today is focused on food and drinks; later I’ll write about hotels, experiences and attractions. Cheers, and here’s to a better 2022!

Best U.S. Winery: Darcie Kent Vineyards in Livermore, California. Superb reds and great, friendly people.

Best U.S. Salad: The Farmer’s Super Food Salad at Danville Harvest in Danville, California. Exquisite salad. Not to mention the wonderful patio.

Best Canadian Winery: Adamo Estate Winery, just outside Orangeville. A beautiful patio and terrific wines.

Best Cocktail Discovery: I’d never had a paper plane cocktail until I tried one at the lovely Hockley Valley Resort near Orangeville, Ontario. It’s a delicious mix with Bourbon, amaro nonino, aperol and lemon Juice. Yum.

Best Dairy Visit: Sheldon Creek Dairy in Dufferin County, Ontario. Wonderful milk products, including A2 milk and fabulous yogurt. Super nice people, too.

Best Restaurant with a View: Table Rock House at Niagara Falls, Ontario. Terrific food, and sensational views of the falls.

Best French Dip Sandwich: The Brass Door in San Ramon, California. Big, thick cuts of prime rib.

Most amazing food experience: The Society of American Travel Writers’ Canadian Chapter had a meeting at the new Pearle Hotel and Spa in Burlington, Ontario in November. Chef Ben Heaton put on a truly ridiculous show, passing out samples of more than a dozen items on the menu, including branzino with mint salsa verde, pasta cacio e pepe pasta with goat butter and pecorino cheese, and local lamb shoulder with concord grapes, grape leaves, yogurt and za’atar spice.

Fave Coffee Shop: Rosetta’s in Livermore, California. Great coffee, tons of ambience, and cheap used books for sale.

Best Taco Salad: Monica’s in Livermore, California. It’s called the Big @$$ Salad, and that’s all you need to know, except that it’s very tasty.

Best Steaks for Sale: Heatherlea Farm Shoppe in Caledon, Ontario. Wonderful steaks and other food products. Awesome people, too.

Sushi at Miku in Vancouver. JIM BYERS PHOTOBest Sushi: Miko in Vancouver

Best Cider Experience: Heartwood Farm and Cidery, near Guelph, Ontario. Great cider, and super-passionate farmers and cider makers.

Best Breakfast Buffet: The Kempinski Palace in Engelberg, Switzerland. Groaning with cheeses, yogurt, pastries, smoked meats, fresh fruit, sparkling wine, and more. Did we mention sparkling wine?

Best Restaurant Server: Our waitress at Capra’s Kitchen in Mississauga. Friendly, super knowledgeable and not at all pushy. They bring in fresh, imported burrata cheese that’s as white as a cloud and served with oil, roasted peppers and tomatoes.

Best Casual Swiss Dinner: Located high in the hills above Engelberg, Switzerland, Fluhmatt restaurant is a great place to try traditional Swiss dishes, including alpen macaroni, which has tubular pasta shells, cream, cheese (of course), potatoes and caramelized onions. Applesauce is served as a side, and some folks like to mix the applesauce into the pasta, which sounds bizarre but is actually quite tasty. Highly Instagram-worthy cows outside the restaurant, too.

Best Reuben Sandwich: Heatherlea Farm Shoppe in Caledon, Ontario. Juicy and flavourful, with house-made, aged pastrami.

Best Garden Dining Spot and Best Mushroom Soup: Mrs. Mitchell’s Restaurant in Mulmur, Ontario. Simply superb.

Best Spanish-inspired cuisine: Marvellous food and cocktails at Movida, a lively spot at the Madrid Hotel in hip Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Most Surprising Golf Course Clubhouse Meal: The Bang Bang shrimp at Murdoch’s, a lovely restaurant at Ford’s Colony Country Club in Williamsburg, Virginia. Great town to explore, too.

Tamarind Modern Indian Bistro, Mississauga, Ontario. JIM BYERS PHOTO

Best Indian Restaurant; Tamarind Modern Indian Bistro in Mississauga. Stylish and splendid.

Best Craft Beer: Bright Eye in Kamloops, B.C. Great array of tasty brews.

Most Surprising Dessert: This serving of Cotton Candy on the waterfront patio at H Tasting Lounge at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver. Terrific craft cocktails, too. 

Best Fish: The roasted branzino at Hotel X Toronto’s Prime Grill. Stunning rooms and lovely art in a very stylish hotel.

Fave Breakfast Joint:  Ma Fischer’s Diner in Milwaukee. Huge portions, great service and open 24 hours.

Best French 75: The Club Lounge at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel at Toronto Pearson Airport.

Best Canada Salad: The Greenest Goddess Salad with local greens, sweet sugar snap peas, radish and avocado  at 1 Kitchen, inside the new 1 Hotel Toronto. Tasty, too!