Kingsville, Canada’s southernmost town, is full of great restaurants, local breweries, and one quaint main street filled with shops.

If you're looking to explore a town in Ontario that has a small-town feel, but big town amenities and activities, then look no further than Kingsville. Honestly, a list of the top things to do in Kingsville reads like something you might do in an Ontario city that's about five or ten times the size.

Kingsville is also a town that’s rich in Victorian heritage, so there's no shortage of charm in Canada's southernmost municipality with town status.

For one reason or another, Kingsville is still a bit of a well-kept secret in Ontario, so I’d love to walk you through how to best experience this Ontario town when you do get a chance to visit and do some Ontario travel once again.

It's worth noting that Kingsville is very much a place in which the Main Street has it all - great restaurants, a variety of unique accommodation options, breweries galore, and shops full of worthwhile items to bring home.

Where is Kingsville, Ontario?

The title of this article, in which I mention "Canada's southernmost town," should give you some indication of where Kingsville, Ontario is. But, for those who wouldn't be able to place it on a map, Kingsville is part of Essex County, which is in the southwestern portion of the province.

It isn't terribly far from Point Pelee National Park, which is officially Canada's southernmost point. Bri and I actually checked out the brand new observation tower at Point Pelee on the way to Kingsville, and it was spectacular.

View from the observation deck in nearby Point Pelee National Park

It's also not terribly far from the ferry docks to get over to Pelee Island, which, for the record, is an island in Ontario that should not be missed.

In terms of more major cities, just note that it's about 40 minutes southeast of Windsor. If you haven't been to Windsor in a while, both the Walkerville neighbourhood and Ford City neighbourhood are worth exploring when you're able to do so. Here’s a full article on Windsor, in case you’re interested.

Of course, I hope it’s clear when I’m talking about all these great Ontario adventures that they are recommendations for when the time is right. Please ensure you’re following along with up-to-date guidelines for Ontario travel before you embark to ensure that you are indeed travelling responsibly.

What Should You Do in Kingsville?

Below, I’ll roll through the specific Kingsville restaurants, shops, breweries and experiences that you'd be remiss, to miss.

Appreciate Kingsville's Restaurant Scene

The Big Beach Breakfast at Beach House Grill in Kingsville, Ontario

El Diablo

El Diablo is a restaurant in Kingsville that specializes in tacos and small plates. That being said, they're not your prototypical Mexican restaurant. In fact, it's much more of Mexican/Asian fusion restaurant with no shortage of creativity.

Their menu is essentially separated into four sections - small plates, large plates, individual tacos, and desserts. Bri and I shared two small plates, and then ordered two tacos each, and it ended being exactly the right amount.

We ordered the Esquites (warm corn salad), along with the Crispy Sichuan Eggplant to start, and both are well worth ordering if you visit. We intentionally wanted to get one more traditionally Mexican starter, and one more Asian inspired starter just to see how they prepared each respective cuisine.

If you eat meat, I would't pass up the chance to eat the Barbacoa or Al Pastor tacos, but if not, I was incredibly impressed with the Tempura Avocado taco, and the Thai Peanut Tofu taco.

Kingsville Brewery Taphouse

Also known as the Kingsville Brewing Co. Taphouse, this is a nice spot if you're looking to try some local beers, and a spot that emphasizes locally sourcing ingredients, and particularly their meat. They've got an imported, rare smoker that they put good use, and they've done a brilliant job of renovating the spot to maintain the allure of the original building (a 130 year old bank), with a modern feel.

I had the Beef Brisket with a side of mac 'n cheese, smoked beans and potato salad, and it's some of the best brisket I've had in Ontario, period. Bri had the Smoked Turkey & Brie, and I know she was a huge fan of the sweet onion and tart apple spread that they put on the sandwich, as well as the butter croissant that it was served on.

It's a Kingsville restaurant to keep in mind if you're ever in Kingsville, Ontario over a weekend, since its got an upbeat buzz and good music selection. Mark Muzzin, one of the owners, really made us feel at home there and shared an exciting vision with us of a local brewery and brand that has national and international ambitions.

As with El Diablo, this is also on Kingsville's Main Street.

Beach House Grill

If you have a large appetite, then this is the Kingsville restaurant that will make your dreams come true. For a bigger eater like myself, I'm not joking when I say that eating the Big Beach Breakfast was easily one of my favourite things to do in Kingsville, Ontario.

The Big Beach Breakfast, by the way, comes with 3 extra large eggs, 3 pieces of sausage, 3 pieces of bacon, home fries, a pancake the size of your head, toast, jam, and fresh fruit.

That being said, I don't think you'll go wrong with any breakfast there, but that, no doubt, is the big kahuna, and at $12.99, it's a total steal.

Other Restaurants in Kingsville to Consider

As far as other restaurants in Kingsville are concerned, I've also heard very good things about places such as:

Mettawas Station Mediterranean Restaurant
O' Sarracino Trattoria and Wine Bar
The Main Grill and Ale House
Jack's Gastropub

They’re spots that I’ve got pegged to try when we get a chance to return to Kingsville based on research and recommendations from fellow Ontario travel writers.

Shop on Kingsville’s Charming Main Street

Full disclosure, generally speaking, I’m not much of a “shopper.” That is to say that you’d almost never find me heading to a mall for fun. However, there is something I adore about the chance to walk down a town’s main street and pop in and out of locally owned shops. In some towns, its one of the primary ways that I can better understand what makes the town tick, and that was certainly the case when it came to the town of Kingsville.

And, of course, let us not forget that small businesses need our support now more than ever.

The Local Maker

The Local Maker, as the name of the Kingsville shop suggests, is all about supporting local. They showcase products made by creators in the Windsor Essex region, and I was struck by how creative and eclectic their offerings were. I personally bought a little “customized tree” by an artist named Laura Newbound.

She runs a brand called “Twisted to Life.” I bought a tree which features the gem peridot as its “leaves,” and I bought it because, as the tag says, peridot is “a feel better stone that is good for the ego, mental health and healing.

Now, who doesn’t need a bit more of that in their life these days?

NOMAD

Known as “Nomad for Home” as well, the store is a carefully curated collection of beautiful home items collected from around the world. Bri and I actually had a fruitful chat with the owner, Melinda, and shared some of our travelling tales from the past. One thing that Melinda stressed is that, in her attempt to bring some of the best parts of her travels right to Kingsville, she’s heavily focused on ethically sourcing her products.

She spoke to us about working with Turkish suppliers for her towels and blankets, as well as suppliers in Mexico for a number of her products. It’s well worth popping into NOMAD if you’re looking to spruce up your home a bit, and I can also say that her pricing is quite reasonable considering the quality of what she has for sale.

Kings Bake Shop

This is the sort of bake shop where the interior stays permanently hip and Instagram friendly, but the menu is ever changing. I’d actually recommend that you follow them on Instagram to see what they’re up to each day - it’s impressive.

I’d recommend going in there and trying as many different cupcakes and macaroons as you can. They’re well known for their unique and outlandish flavourings when it comes their baked goods. I can guarantee you’ll find something here any day of the week that you won’t find elsewhere.

Their Vegan Cookie Dough is also off the charts delicious. I ate pretty much an entire tub of it, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

There’s no doubt that there are other shops and stores in Kingsville that are worth popping into, but these are the three that caught my eye while I was there this time around. As with the restaurants, I’ll have to head back to Kingsville and explore more of their stores and add to this list, but at the very least, I can say with certainty that shopping on Main Street is one of the top things to do in Kingsville, Ontario.

Check Out Kingsville’s Breweries!

Enjoying a flight at the Kingsville Brewery Taphouse in downtown Kingsville, Ontario

The town of Kingsville somehow has amassed a handful of breweries on their relatively small main street. I’ve seen Ontario towns that have a brewery, but to have several isn’t all that common. You can literally brewery hop in Kingsville - an activity I am, admittedly, rather fond of.

Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Kingsville is try out Kingsville’s breweries. That’s a fun proposition, no?

Banded Goose Brewing Company

They’ve been a mainstay on Kingsville’s Main Street since 2013. They’ve actually expanded quite a bit since then, and now have a sizeable Taproom, Coffee Lounge, and some rooms upstairs. Bri and I particularly liked the heated outdoor back patio.

In terms of beer, I think it’s worth trying their specialty beers which you probably wouldn’t find in abundance elsewhere. Their Boys to the Yard, for example, a cleverly named milkshake IPA, was quite delicious. Similarly, their Brown Pop Cream Soda is well worth trying, especially for beer drinkers who don’t mind a touch of sweetness on their pallet when they’re enjoying a beer.

Grove Brew House

You can’t miss this guy on Main Street. It’s attached to the beautiful, bright blue boutique hotel of the same name (The Grove). The tagline on their site sums them up pretty well, right down to being proud of their Kingsville heritage.

“Where the horizon awakens with a morning glow and the shorelines exhale out slow, there are stories sunken in Lake Erie below. In Essex County, one thing’s for certain: there are stories to be told. And at the Grove Brew House, we take the time to listen”

In terms of their beer, I appreciated the easy drinking nature of the Westcott Cream Ale. It has a low IBU (international bitterness units, for those who don’t know), so it’s perfect for folks who don’t necessarily love the bitter nature common in many IPAs and pilsners.

Kingsville Brewing Co.

I listed eating a meal at the Kingsville Brewery Taphouse as one of the top things to do in Kingsville up above, so you know I tried a few of their beers at the same time!

Their Light Eh! is perfect for a summer day in the early afternoon, and had impressive flavour considering it was a “light beer.” If I’m not mistaken, they actually just won a silver for that beer at the Canadian Brewing Awards. They also make a very solid Hefeweizen. It’s a very clean and flavourful beer, and probably one of the better hefeweizens I’ve had in Ontario.

That’s a Wrap on the Best Things to do in Kingsville

My hope is that, in reading this, you’ll realize that, when you’re able to do so, you’ll recognize that Canada’s southernmost town is worth checking out. As I alluded to above, and you probably recognize now - there is a lot going on in Kingsville. I’d venture to say that, regardless of your interests, you’ll find something that suits you well here.

You’ve got easy access to nature with Lake Erie and Point Pelee National Park nearby, plenty of restaurants worth visiting, three breweries on Main Street, and a handful of unique shops that even folks like me, who don’t love shopping, can appreciate.

I can already tell that Bri and I will make it a priority to return when we’re able, and I’m looking forward to coming back to support the plethora of deserving small businesses who have helped put this town on the map.

The more we explored Kingsville, the more we loved it, so I’d encourage folks to make a star on the very southern portion of their respective maps, and know that Kingsville awaits when the time is right!

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I want to humbly thank Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island for hosting us as media. All opinions are completely my own. If you’ve visited Kingsville, and have any comments or additional recommendations for the best things to do in Kingsville, then write them below!

The Top Things to do in Kingsville, Ontario - Canada's Southernmost Town