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Here are 5 Hamilton-area foodie spots that are perfect for picnic season

Summer has finally arrived in Hamilton, and that means picnic season is officially in full swing.

With so many sunny spots in town for a picnic and countless exceptional food spots in Hamilton and the surrounding area, it’s no wonder that local parks have been packed with people setting up a blanket in the grass with their friends and luxuriating over lunch.

If you want to fill that picnic basket up with some of the region’s best, there’s thankfully no shortage of food and drink purveyors in the Hamilton area that’ll help you start picnic season with a bang.

Our pals at The Localist Collective curated a number of these small-batch foodie delights and sent them our way to try out, so without further ado, here are five great picks for your next picnic or patio hang in Hamilton!

Dear Grain Bakery

Hamilton is a city that loves its sourdough. Bread-makers like De La Terre, The General Bread & Pastry, and Dear Grain Bakery have become regular staples for picnics are well as in home kitchens and restaurants.

Dear Grain’s incredible, slow-fermented Classic Country Loaf is a notable heavy-hitter, with a chewy crust on the outside, a deliriously pillowy interior, and a depth of flavour that has all of the characteristics of masterfully crafted sourdough bread.

But Dear Grain doesn’t stop at bread; they’re also making some decadent pastries that shouldn’t be ignored, including some otherworldly Hazelnut Espresso Sourdough Brownies that thoughtfully implement quality extra virgin olive oil instead of butter for a silky texture and rich flavour. These make the perfect finale for a picnic lunch.

Dawson’s Hot Sauce

Hot sauce is so incredibly versatile, and true lovers of spice are known to toss a dash or two on pretty much anything.

Dawson’s Hot Sauce – which recently opened its own shop on Barton Street after years of being a familiar Hamilton brand – is certainly one of the city’s best-loved small-batch hot sauce makers, with a variety of flavours that can kick your picnic up a notch.

Their Original Hot Sauce has remained a fiery fan favourite since the beginning; it was even featured on the wildly popular YouTube series Hot Ones. The habanero pepper base packs a punch, but there’s a sweetness and complexity here too that take this beyond your average hot sauce. Toss it on some crackers, chicken wings, sandwiches, you name it.

Nickel Brook Brewing Co.

Burlington’s Nickel Brook Brewing has been a local favourite for years, widely known for the sheer diversity of their craft beer: these folks make everything from light & sessionable sours to earthy & hop-forward IPAs, and even some world-class barrel-aged beers.

Their stacked, ever-changing lineup of mainstay and one-off beers has got plenty of picnic-ready options, with new brews like the punchy and bright Tongue Tied Double Dry-Hopped IPA, or their No Bad Daze lager with its refreshingly light body and notes of orchard fruit and bread crust leading the charge.

Those looking for something fruitier will be delighted by the Jam Stand series of Berliner Weisses, which are loaded with summery fruits like raspberries or blackberries in a tart, effervescent patio sipper.

Pro tip: even locals who don’t drink have something to partake in from Nickel Brook, with their hand-crafted, all-natural range of non-alcoholic sodas like root beer and ginger ale.

Upper Canada Cheese Company

If you have a picnic without a cheese board, did you even have a picnic? Luckily, Hamilton’s got plenty of curated selection to choose from at the city’s numerous great cheese shops; and a short drive out into Jordan Station lies an artisanal cheese maker which has become known for its small-batch dairy delights.

Upper Canada Cheese Company hand-crafts its cheeses onsite at its Niagara region creamery and one of its flagships, the award-winning Niagara Gold, has been produced for over 15 years.

A washed rind, semi-soft cheese is crafted in a traditional Trappist style using local Guernsey milk, Niagara Gold is mild without sacrificing some rich flavour that only intensifies with age. But you don’t have to wait to nibble on this cheese; even while young, it sports a pleasant earthiness and some nutty notes balanced with a smooth, creamy texture.

13th Street Winery

One of Hamilton’s perks is its proximity to the Beamsville and Niagara wine regions, with dozens of large and small vineyards crafting renowned fermented fare; and a particularly popular one is St. Catharines’ own 13th Street Winery, likely best known for its Burger Blend range of wines.

For red wine lovers looking for a light-bodied, fruit-forward blend, the 2018 Burger Blend – consisting of 72 per cent Gamay Noir, 23 per cent Pinot Noir, and a 5 per cent splash of Merlot – should fit the bill for the summer weather. Lively and accessible without sacrificing complexity or quality, the Burger Blend is a prime pick for a patio hang, picnic lunch, or backyard barbecue.

Heads up: visitors at 13th Street shouldn’t miss the winery’s bakery and shop, which features some of the best butter tarts in the region as well as house-made sauces, pickles, and condiments including the sweet-and-savoury Bacon Jam, which tastes like a dream on burgers or grilled cheese.

What are your favourite picnic staples from Hamilton spots? Let us know in the comments!

Lead image courtesy of @deargrainbakery

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