Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Central Ontario

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Central Ontario? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Imperial Tandoor

4.9

4.9 (308)

CAN$30 and under

Indian

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Discover The Imperial Tandoor, your destination for authentic Indian cuisine in Peterborough. Step into our inviting space and enjoy the enticing aromas of grilled meats and spices. Our open kitchen showcases the skill of our chefs as they prepare each dish with care. Our diverse menu features flavorful kebabs, freshly baked naan, and a variety of curries to delight every palate. From creamy butter chicken to spicy vindaloo, each dish is made with the finest ingredients and traditional methods. Our friendly staff is here to enhance your dining experience, ensuring you feel welcome and satisfied. With dedicated parking and wheelchair accessibility, The Imperial Tandoor is perfect for a memorable meal with friends and family. Join us for a culinary journey that will awaken your senses and leave you craving more. Experience the joy of Indian cuisine at The Imperial Tandoor today!

Top review

R L

Dined on Jun 11, 2025

Excellent meal, perfect for sharing. Server quite helpful in making selections. Generous portions.

Bar Vita

4.9

4.9 (267)

CAN$30 and under

Italian

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Please note, if Open Table is showing no availability for the date and time you are looking for, please do not hesitate to call us at 705.743.3339.

We have a 15 minute grace period. Please call us if you are running 15 minutes later than your reservation time.

Bar Vita offers italian-inspired cuisine in a stylish setting. We use fresh ingredients to bring our country-flare to classic Italian cuisine.

Patio and indoor seating available. Please indicate your preference and we will be happy to accommodate.

Top review

Renée

Dined 3 days ago

Delicious food, fun and moody atmosphere, our server Maeve was a Rock Star! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One Fine Food

4.7

4.7 (957)

CAN$30 and under

Italian

Peterborough

About the restaurant

One Fine Food restaurant offers a dining experience that is sure to appeal to everyone from shoppers taking a break from perusing the market, to foodies looking for a delicious meal in a casual, unassuming atmosphere. The restaurant features carefully sourced food, authentic Italian flavours and recipes.. With an open kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven adding to the ambience, our interactive style of dining elevates the experience of simply enjoying a great meal to one in which guests leave having had a shared experience with our chefs.

Top review

David

Dined 4 days ago

We had such a great time, server was great, the food was awesome, we had chicken parm & potato gnocchi, will definitely going back for another lovely evening.

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4.7

4.7 (461)

CAN$30 and under

Canadian

Kawartha Lakes

About the restaurant

Well known for great portions and great people - come check us out!

Top review

Joan

Dined 2 days ago

We had an excellent lunch at Riverside Restaurant! The spinach dip was amazing, as was the reuben sandwich, shrimp wrap and Riv salad. Our waitress was very attentive and efficient. The ambiance is quite quaint, and a lovely spot for lunch or dinner.

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Popular dish

Pork Schnitzel

Experience

Summer Soiree - Canadiana Dinner & Show

Capra Toro Peterborough

4.7

4.7 (727)

CAN$30 and under

Italian

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Capra Toro is Peterborough's Italian dining spot. We offer a wide variety of authentic Italian dishes, wood fired pizza, and great music. Capra Toro is your place for good food, good times, and good music.

Top review

Mike

Dined 4 days ago

I cannot recommend this restaurant enough if you’re in the area, AJ and his staff are preparing some fine meals. They have a wide variety on the menu, including woodfired Stone oven pizzas. A must to checkout.

Gusto Grande

4.7

4.7 (172)

CAN$30 and under

Italian

Lindsay

About the restaurant

Welcome to Gusto Grande, experience the soulful vibrancy of our authentic Italian-inspired cuisine. Set in the Kawartha Lakes area, many of our foods are prepared with locally sourced ingredients ensuring we deliver the highest quality product. If you are in the mood to enjoy casual-fine dining and exceptional food in a stylish art deco setting, then Gusto Grande has a place setting just for you!

Top review

Nora

Dined on Jun 16, 2025

We appreciated the excellent service. Callie was a great hostess and Jess was lovely! Attentive, knowledgeable and charming!

Rare Restaurant

4.7

4.7 (47)

CAN$51 and over

French

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Welcome to our vibrant, creative and loving home!

Rare Restaurant + Bar was inspired by Chef Andrew and Mai in Fall 2022. They envisioned a great place to go for unique food, stiff drinks and a memorable experience between friends and family. Quality is at the forefront of Rare's values. As a team, we deliver the best culinary experience to our guests.

Isn't life better with great food and easy conversation? Let Rare take care of that for you.

Top review

Dined 6 days ago

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Rare. My husband and I stopped in after a business meeting for an early dinner and were pleasantly surprised to find really excellent food in such a small city. We're from London, UK, and are used to very excellent restaurants. Rare's food was just as good as anything we've had in high end restaurants in London and their menu featured a lot of really great items that you don't see often in Canada. I would highly recommend the bone marrow and steak tartare in particular. Both were phenomenal. I also have some quite severe allergies that many kitchens have a difficult time handling. The wait staff and chef didn't even blink twice at my requests and were able to accommodate me without any hesitation or difficulty. Well done and thank you for a great evening out.

Chemong Lodge Home of Country Dining

4.6

4.6 (639)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Home cooking

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Built in 1895 and nestled in the heart of the Kawarthas overlooking Chemong Lake, Chemong Lodge strives to take our guests on a culinary journey like no other.

Loved by locals and traveling foodies alike, our chef-driven country gourmet menu highlights seasonal ingredients, handcrafted dishes and is inspired by simple and honest cooking.

From classic recipes to authentic smoked BBQ, freshness and creativity are our favourite ingredients. Add even more to your experience with a selection of our fine wines, handcrafted cocktails, and trust us – you’ll want to save room for dessert.

Top review

Wade

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

The servers were all pleasant but our server was especially excellent. Mica I believe her name was.

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Experience

DR J'S ALL YOU CAN EAT RIB NIGHT

AGAVE BY IMPERIAL

4.6

4.6 (193)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Mexican

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Trendy, authentic restaurant with elevated Mexican plates, many tacos, tequilas and a full service bar. AGAVE is located in the heart of George Street, Peterborough and is a great place to meet up with friends or a perfect destination for celebration. With an electric and multicultural concept, AGAVE makes everyone feel welcome; either because of the fresh and vibrant décor, authentic Mexican food, the full service bar, the atmosphere or the excellent service offered to our guests.

Top review

Mary

Dined 5 days ago

Food was incredibly fresh and flavourful. The tostados were incredible UNTIL the heat kicked in. Way, way too hits. Lips burning, mouth on fire. Would go back but would not order that. Server said kitchen made a mistake with the amount of heat.

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