Diners' Choice: Best Overall restaurants in Central Ontario

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best overall restaurants 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!

Haliburton Post House

5.0

5 (77)

CAN$51 and over

International

Minden

About the restaurant

Fresh, Elevated Culinary Experiences.

Deliciously satisfying chef crafted cuisine at the Post House goes beyond the basics.
Celebrate fine dining and the freshest seasonal ingredients, food & beverages!

Our kitchen is headed by Executive Chef Dan Sanders. Each menu is carefully crafted and uniquely curated each season to bring optimal enjoyment to your experience with us!

Make a reservation for upcoming dining opportunities at The Post House! Enjoy gourmet cuisine at our lodge on selected dates. Our prix fixe menus are updated seasonally.

Top review

Greg

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Always a great experience. The food is incredible. Justine makes us feel so special. Thanks so much!

The Imperial Tandoor

4.8

4.8 (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

4.7

4.7 (268)

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

frank

Dined 3 days ago

Shelby was a great server and she looked after our dinner needs. Thank you.

One Fine Food

4.7

4.7 (966)

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

TammyVIP

Dined on Jun 27, 2025

Food was really good and fresh. The waitress was friendly and helpful.

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4.7

4.7 (48)

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

WarrenVIP

Dined 3 days ago

An absolutely fabulous dinner. We started with Black Russian cocktails. Following we shared a wonderful rare salad. The main course was steak with frites on a bed of carrots and broccolini The steak was much better than any steak we have had at Hy’s in Toronto We can’t wait to return

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Experience

Prime Rib Dinner at Rare Restaurant

Heather Lodge

4.7

4.7 (322)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary European

Peterborough

About the restaurant

Reserve an evening of fine dining with meals finished by a superb culinary team in an adult-only restaurant. Whether it is a romantic dinner or a friend's gathering, we offer an experience you will remember. It matched with an Ontario Local Bar Menu of featured Wineries, Local Brewery and Spirits, and even an option for BYOW for an extra charge. Our staff team wants to spoil you with a great meal, served with attention to detail in a relaxing and special ambiance. Please be sure to tell us if you are celebrating a special occasion so we can decorate your table. Choose from an option of early seating from 5:00-5:30pm for a 3-course meal (1.5 hr timeline) for $68.00 per person or 6:00-7:30pm for a 4-course meal for $74.00 per person (includes tea/coffee). The menu is created daily & created to order with our culinary team: featuring a soup of the day, 3 salads, 3 appetizers, 5 main courses, and 3 dessert options. Please notify us in advance of any dietary concerns.

Top review

Debra

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

We enjoyed a delicious 4 course meal. Food presentation was artfully done and the service was excellent! Wonderful evening!

The Keg Steakhouse + Bar - Peterborough

4.7

4.7 (2511)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Steakhouse

Peterborough

About the restaurant

The Keg Steakhouse & Bar serves the finest cuts of succulent steak, aged for tenderness and grilled to perfection. Prime rib is a Keg specialty, slow roasted, hand carved and perfectly seasoned with special Keg spices. The restaurant also serves delicious seafood, memorable appetizers, crisp salads and decadent desserts. A casual ambiance and friendly, very knowledgeable staff are proud and reliable trademarks of The Keg Steakhouse & Bar. You'll find a truly comfortable and satisfying dining atmosphere accompanied by a fun and up-scale bar setting where guests can enjoy an excellent wine list, signature Keg martinis, and fresh squeezed juice cocktails.

Top review

Nathan

Dined 4 days ago

Steak and food was absolutely perfect. Great job, thanks.

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Capra Toro Peterborough

4.6

4.6 (728)

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

Cheryl

Dined 2 days ago

Reilly was amazing, next booking we will ask for her to be our server. Was very friendly, pleasant and actually thanked us.

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

Gusto Grande

4.6

4.6 (176)

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

Amanda

Dined 7 days ago

We had a reservation for 10 people on Saturday June 28th @ 5pm. From the moment we came in until we left the service was amazing. Super friendly & kind.The food was absolutely delicious, best Steak I’ve had in a long time. Thank you for making our evening a great experience.

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