The Burlington Ontario Chocolate Trail

Burlington is a city that has many wonderful things to offer. Restaurants, shows, lakes and shopping – it’s no wonder so many have fallen in love with it. While I knew that Burlington offered a variety of activities, I was shocked to find out that they also offered a Chocolate Trail. For a self-proclaimed chocoholic like myself, I have to admit that upon hearing the news, I almost broke into song and dance.

Reaching across the entire city, this trail has vendors inviting you to taste their sinfully sweet desserts. It’s a tour that can fill an entire day.  Eating chocolate all day long? I felt like I had just won Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.

My friend and sweet tooth sidekick, Ashley joined me on this delicious venture.

Our first stop of the day was Sweetness Bakery located in downtown Burlington. A nut-free bakery, this little slice of heaven specializes in cupcakes, custom cakes and other baked goods. They even have Food Trucks that can be spotted about town on a regular basis. Who needs an ice cream truck when you can chase cupcakes instead?

While at SB, Ashley and I sampled their Brownie Explosion cupcake. This cupcake will Change. Your. Life.  Not only is it a delicious chocolate cupcake with beautifully whipped chocolate icing on top (which has also been infused into the center of the cupcake), but it’s also topped with a chunk of brownie drizzled in chocolate sauce. If that doesn’t make you drool, the sheer size of it will. When being presented with this chocolate delight, Ashley and I both had our eyes widen and stomachs growl.  Because this dessert is large in terms of height, it did take us a minute to figure out how to even take the first bite. After deciding there was no lady-like manner to accomplish this task, we simply cut one in half and dove in. I’d be lying if I said chocolate wasn’t covering our faces.

After parting ways with Sweetness Bakery and seriously craving the world’s tallest glass of milk, we stopped in next at Blair Lancaster Spa for their chocolate pedicure treatment. Having never heard of a chocolate pedicure in my life, I have to say that my interest was peaked.

First off, for those that have never been to Blair Lancaster Spa, let me tell you, you’re in for a treat. This cozy spa is extremely inviting to walk into. After picking out our pedicure nail polish from a mass selection, we were asked to sit down in shiatsu massage chairs while warm neck wraps were prepped for us. In between my chair and Ashley’s, chocolate treats awaited us as well as chocolate chai tea. Yummy. From there, our feet were soaked in a fabulous bubble bath infused with chocolate herbs to help detox our bodies. Once relaxed and exfoliated, our legs and feet were given a luxurious massage.  Let me tell you, after that, I never wanted to leave. Ever. From there, our feet were groomed and our selections of hot red and pink were painted on our toes. The entire process took an hour and a half and was heavenly from start to finish.

Having forgotten to bring appropriate footwear after the pedicure, Ashley and I waddled our way over to Red Canoe Bistro in spa flip-flops to grab a bite to eat and taste the dessert offered as part of the chocolate trail. A cozy and intimate restaurant, Red Canoe Bistro was the perfect place to retreat to on the rainy day we were having. Treated to rich, indulgent main courses (gourmet mac n’ cheese anyone?), the dessert equally matched. We were served chocolate espresso brownie. Rich, moist and topped with a berry – it was the perfect sinfully sweet dessert. I’m pretty sure each bite taken induced an eyes widening, ‘can you believe how good this is?’ look at each other. Everything in Red Canoe is made fresh to order also, making everything we ate taste that much better. The service was also extremely personable and quick – always a bonus in any restaurant. This place is a must visit if you’ve never been.

Next on the agenda was Cupid’s Cupcakes, a boutique that takes pride in using no

preservatives in their baked goods. This charming place offers catering and online ordering. The sample that Ashley and I picked up was their princess cupcake, a chocolate cupcake with a strawberry purée icing and sprinkles. The strawberry purée that had been infused in the icing was phenomenal – unlike anything else I’d tried before. It was fresh, sweet and surprising to the taste buds! It won both of us over instantly. While we only split a mini cupcake (as we were stuffed from lunch), if we had larger appetites, many more cupcakes would have been devoured. This boutique features a different flavors everyday and has a large calendar up on the wall as you walk in so you can schedule which flavours you’d like to sample as they’re made during the week. As much of what they have is made fresh daily, if you purchase cupcakes that are a day old you receive 25% off, or 50% if they are two days old – a sweet deal!

Following our cupcake sampling, we were off to Mrs. B’s Gifthouse – one of my favourites of the day.   When walking through the front door, you’re not only welcomed by the incredibly delightful staff, but are instantly carried away by the warm, gooey scents of chocolate and fresh biscotti baking in the back. Ushered to the back, we were shown the famous biscotti – what the store is known for.  Explaining I hadn’t been a fan of biscotti in past because of it’s hard texture, Mr. B immediately said that I must try theirs. It was sensational. Not only did it taste delicious, but it was soft, chocolate coated and melted in my mouth. Heaven. I’d never tried one like that before! Theirs are always made fresh daily and have a faithful following in the community.  Those that stop in for fresh biscotti everyday also get a cup of coffee on the house.  It’s the perfect pairing! My delight with this boutique didn’t stop there. In addition to the fresh baked goods, candies and gift baskets are also made to order. The candy, I had to sample. Fresh licorice dipped in milk chocolate and sprinkled with caramel. It’s as good as it’s sounds. Marshmallow lollipops and other novel ideas for kids are also scattered throughout the store. The gift baskets too are something to marvel at. Beautifully wrapped and custom filled with goodies from the store, let me tell you, they are the perfect gift. This store is a must-visit.

The last stop on our chocolate trail was Christy’s Gourmet Gifts. Originally mentioned in

our Burlington Gift Guide, this tasty stop is sure to get your taste buds going. While the store offers such sweets at wine and beer brittle (hello!), we sampled the chocolate brittle while in their store. A family run business, they often create gift baskets and treats for corporate clientele. While the wine and beer brittle is out of this world, the chocolate brittle was just as delicious. The homemade recipe melts in your mouth. Literally. When having it, the Lays slogan of, “Bet you can’t just have one” comes to mind.

The Burlington Chocolate Trail was everything I was hoping for and more. Ashley and I had a fabulous time touring some of the delicious spots this trail has to offer and recommend highly that you try it also.  All that is required of this fabulous day is a deep love of chocolate and a life-sized glass of milk.

For more information see www.burlingtonchocolatetrail.ca. The trail features five artisan food producers with a wide variety of chocolate treats; three chocolatiers making amazing creations; two restaurants featuring decadent desserts and two spas where you can relax with a luxurious chocolate treatment.

Guest Blogger

Christie Ressel

Christie is an International Image Consultant, Editor, and expert shopper that helps women find their own signature style. She is the Editor­in-Chief for FashionTranslated.com. She and her company, Personal Power Image http://www.personalpowerimage.com) are regularly featured in the media and press such as CosmoTV, Chatelaine Magaine, Huffington Post, Lucky Magazine, and more. Having delivered hundreds of lectures and interviews across North America on style and fashion, and seen even more closets --  she is the go to fashion and style expert.

Easter Events in Burlington

A sure sign of spring is the arrival of that cute little rabbit known as the Easter bunny.  For those with children you know that the excitement of searching for hidden treats from a furry little friend is second only to awaking Christmas morning.  For those looking to enjoy some family fun there are two great Easter themed events happening over Easter weekend.

Springridge Farm is starting off the year with their annual Easter Festival March 29-31, which includes an Easter Egg Hunt with the Easter Bunny, wagon rides and farm tours, face painting, and take home bunny ears to colour and wear.  Kids will love the puppet show “Peter Rabbit’s Eggcellent Easter Show and the fun farmyard which features the animal barn, giant sandbox, corn trail and straw bale jumping.  Enjoy lunch from the BBQ or pick something up in the café.  While you’re there be sure to check out the new spring home décor, and outdoor pansies for your garden – you won’t leave empty handed! 

Another great family fun event is the Easter egg extravaganza at Mountsberg Conservation Area running March 29-April 1.  Youngsters can join in the Easter egg hunt and children 10 years and up can participate in the Scavenger Hunt.  Other Easter activities include a colouring book station, bubble station, candy jar guess and Easter jeopardy.  Make sure to leave plenty of time to visit the playbarn, visit with the farm animals and check out the Raptor Centre.  Plus, as an added bonus you can visit Maple Town and enjoy all the sugar bush activities as well!

If you haven’t had a chance to get out and enjoy the maple syrup festivals you still have time, both Conservation Halton events at Mountsberg and Crawford Lake continue to April 7^th and Bronte Creek Provincial Park runs weekends through to March 31.

The Royal Botanical Gardens is the place to be for Easter Brunch.  You can stroll through the Gardens and catch some early blooms, then feast on a delicious Easter brunch, followed by a dino egg hunt with the Easter Bunny.  You will also have the opportunity to has just the right thing to get you eager to explore some history. Be sure to visit the Battle of the Titans before it becomes extinct on April 7^th.  This event features a Tyrannosaurus Rex/Triceratops life size diorama and lots of fun & educational activities for kids and adults alike.

For those looking for a culinary delight consider the self-guided Burlington Chocolate Trail,

Casteleyn Chocolates

a decadent day of all things chocolate in Burlington.  Check out the video of our day on the trail.  Be sure to visit the chocolatiers including Walker's Chocolates, Casteleyn Belgian Chocolatiers, and Purdy's Chocolates on the trail to pick up all your Easter goodies!  *please check individual hours of operation over the holiday weekend.

Sunday March 31st the following restaurants will be offering an Easter Brunch:

Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and Conference Centre is featuring a wonderful combination of culinary specialties to appeal to everyone's appetites from 11am-1pm.  Call 905-639-4443 for reservations.

The Easter Champagne Sunday Brunch at Spencer’s on the Waterfront features an Easter egg hunt, live entertainment, bar service and a seafood extravaganza including lobster.  $47 per adult, $21 per child (4-12yrs), call 905.633.7494 for reservations.

Stone House Restaurant will feature a delectable Steak & Seafood Buffet from 11:30am-8:00pm. To reserve your table by calling 905-632-1316.

The Water St. Cooker  is having its annual Sunday Brunch (right through dinner), and reservations are filling up very fast.  Emma’s Backporch will be featuring breakfast until 2pm (reservations only).  Call 905.634.2084 to reserve.

Join Tyandaga Golf Course for Easter Brunch. Seating times are 10:30a.m., 12p.m. or 1:30p.m. $29.99/Adult, $9.95/Child (5-12).  Call to make your reservation at 905.336.0006 ext 4, or 905.708.2913.

For those looking to stay active over Easter, consider signing up to participate in the Good Friday 5km, 10km and Kids’ Bunny Hop races.  The races begin on March 29^th at 8:50am at Aldershot High School and you can find race details and registration information on their website.

Other great outdoor activities include visiting Conservation Halton Parks, Bronte Creek Provincial Park, or Royal Botanical Gardens all of which have excellent walking/hiking trails.  You can also head to the Burlington Waterfront to walk/bike along the scenic trail or visit one of our many parks to enjoy a day out.

Our visitor centre will be closed on Friday March 29th and Sunday March 31th and open regular hours on Saturday March 30th and Monday April 1st. Our administrative offices will be closed Friday-Monday over Easter.  You can also visit our website 24 hours a day or reach us on Twitter and Facebook.

Happy Easter!

2012 Easter Events in Burlington

A sure sign of spring is the arrival of that cute little rabbit known as the Easter bunny.  For those with children you know that the excitement of searching for hidden treats from a furry little friend is second only to awaking Christmas morning.  For those looking to enjoy some family fun there are two great Easter themed events happening over Easter weekend.

Hunting for eggs @Springridge

Head to Springridge Farm April 6th to 8th for their Easter festival which includes an Easter egg hunt with the Easter bunny!  Other festival activities include “Peter Rabbit's Eggcellent Easter Puppet Show”, pedal tractors, wagon rides & farm tour, pony rides, BBQ and face painting.  Plus your kids can enjoy the fun farmyard which includes an animal barn, giant sandbox, corn trail, straw bale jumping and everyone will get a workout climbing to the escarpment lookout.  Be sure to visit the market, gift shop and bakery – you won’t leave empty handed!  The “jam-team” at Springridge has also been working hard over the winter and have created a very special limited edition, Diamond Jubilee Jam in honour of the Queen, don’t miss out - last year’s Royal Wedding Marmalade was a sell out!

Another great family fun event is the Easter egg extravaganza at Mountsberg Conservation Area running April 6th to 9th.  Youngsters can join in the Easter egg hunt and children 10 years and up can participate in the Scavenger Hunt.  Other Easter activities include a colouring book station, bubble station, candy jar guess and Easter jeopardy.  Make sure to leave plenty of time to visit the playbarn, visit with the farm animals and check out the Raptor Centre. 

If you haven’t had a chance to get out and enjoy the maple syrup festivals you still have time, both Mountsberg and Crawford Lake continue to April 9th.

Kids of all ages will be excited to visit Chocolate: The Exhibition at the Royal Botanical Gardens running to April 15th. Visitors to the Exhibition will have the opportunity to explore interactive displays, visit the cacao marketplace, participate in the chocolate chase scavenger hunt and a variety of programs running throughout the day.  For those wanting to get more hands on consider registering for the Incredible, Edible Easter Basket program with Chocolatier David Levy from Chocolate Tales on Monday, April 2nd. 

Casteleyn Easter Goodies

For those looking for a culinary delight consider the self-guided Burlington Chocolate Trail, a decadent day of all things chocolate in Burlington.  Check out the video of our day on the trail.  Be sure to visit the chocolatiers including Walker's Chocolates, Casteleyn Belgian Chocolatiers, Longo Brothers Fruit Market (Walkers/Hwy 5), Purdy's Chocolates and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory on the trail to pick up all your Easter goodies!

If you are planning to dine out, many local restaurants feature Easter specials.  Good Friday (April 6) Jake’s Grill & Oyster House will be featuring a fish fry available for dine-in or take out.  April 7th and 8th at the RBG Centre the famous Easter Brunch returns, this time with added chocolate features. Take a stroll through the Gardens and catch some early blooms, then join us in the Café for a delicious spread.  Seatings at 10am and 1pm. Reservations are required.

Sunday April 8th the following restaurants will be offering an Easter Brunch:

Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and Conference Centre is featuring a wonderful combination of culinary specialties to appeal to everyone's appetites from 11am-1pm.  They will also have a colouring contest and treats for the kids. Call 905-639-4443 for reservations.

The Easter Champagne Sunday Brunch at Spencer’s on the Waterfront features an Easter egg hunt, live entertainment, bar service and a seafood extravaganza including lobster.  $47 per adult, $21 per child (4-12yrs), call 905.633.7494 for reservations.

LaCosta Nuova will feature an Easter Italian Brunch with seatings at 11am and 1pm. Adults $28.95, Kids under 10yrs. $11.95, Kids under 5yrs eat free.  Call 905.634.7421 for reservations.

Stone House Restaurant will feature a delectable Surf & Turf Steak & Seafood Buffet from 11:30am-8:00pm. Only $35per person, reserve your table now at 905-632-1316.

The Water St. Cooker  is having its annual Sunday Brunch (right through dinner), and reservations are filling up very fast!  Emma’s Backporch will be featuring breakfast until 2pm.  Call 905.634.2084 to reserve.

Pepperwood Bistro will be featuring an Easter Brunch with seatings at 11am & 1pm.  $25.95/person.  Reservations can be made at 905.333.6999.


Join Tyandaga Golf Course for Easter Brunch. Seating times are 10:30a.m., 12p.m. or 1:30p.m. $27.99/Adult, $9.95/Child (5-12) under 5 are Free. Call Tony to make your reservation 905-336-0006, ext. 15  

Don’t forget your four-legged friends, have your pet's picture taken with the Easter Bunny on Sunday, April 1st between 11:00 am – 4:00 pm at the Burlington Humane Society’s Bunny Snap.

For those looking to stay active over Easter, consider signing up to participate in the Good Friday 5km, 10km and Kids’ Bunny Hop races by Burlington Runners.  The races begin at 8:50am at Aldershot High School and you can find race details and registration information on their website.

Other great outdoor activities include visiting Conservation Halton Parks, Bronte Creek Provincial Park, Royal Botanical Gardens all of which have excellent walking/hiking trails.  You can also head to the Burlington Waterfront to walk/bike along the scenic trail or visit one of our many parks to enjoy a day out.

Our visitor centre will be closed on Friday April 6th and Sunday April 8th and open regular hours on Saturday April 7th and Monday April 9th. Our administrative offices will be closed Friday-Monday over Easter.  You can also visit our website 24 hours a day or reach us on Twitter and Facebook.

Happy Easter!

Discovering the Burlington Chocolate Trail

This year a brand new event was launched in Burlington to highlight some of the best artisans our city has to offer.  I’m not sure everyone fully understands the skill & passion that goes into the culinary arts, but after spending a day touring many stops on the Burlington Chocolate Trail, I’m convinced that these skilled professionals are long overdue for creative recognition!

Now we all know chocolate is best enjoyed with a good friend, so I grabbed my girl Krista (no arm-twisting required!) and we headed out bright and early to get in as much chocolate as the day would allow!

Photo Credit: BankoMedia

Our day began at Cupid’s Cupcakes (Walkers Line & Dundas) where we were treated to some history about the origins of red velvet cake (fascinating), and sampled some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had.  Flavours like Commitmint (chocolate minty goodness) and Raspberry Beret did not disappoint!  Clearly eating breakfast was a giant mistake on my part.

Photo Credit: BankoMedia

Next we were treated to the extensive chocolate counter at the impressively renovated Longo’s next door, where their in-house chocolatier showed us how she makes some of their most decadent creations.  Chocolate-dipped strawberries, marshmallow & white chocolate bark, fresh caramel & pecan ‘turtles’, and Peruvian chocolate truffles left us barely able to walk.  I was compelled to grab a carton of milk to help wash it all down!   Even their artisanal bread shop has delicious chocolate bread!  Did I mention yet that breakfast was a giant mistake?

Our third stop was Mrs. B’s Gifthouse on Fairview Street, in business for more than 20 years now.   The charming owner, Angelo, offered us their always-free coffee, and we watched the lovely Paola make biscotti with orange zest and apricot from scratch.  I never realized how they got made into those perfectly sized long, slender shapes until now!  Aside from the gift baskets they specialize in up front, the back of the store is where the tasty magic happens, as Angelo’s team drizzled chocolate on biscotti, licorice, and their signature chocolate bark.  By now it was lunchtime, and we all agreed there would clearly be no need.  If it’s at all possible to overdose on chocolate, we were precariously close to doing so!

Photo Credit: BankoMedia

Fortunately our next stop gave our sweetened stomachs a welcome reprieve, as we headed to the Blair Lancaster Spa downtown.  I’ve known about Blair’s spa for many years, but today was my first time experiencing it in person.  I have to tell you, the chocolate pedicure we enjoyed was the best pedicure of our lives.  Who knew a chocolate footbath was detoxifying?  The peach infused paraffin treatment didn’t hurt either!  The atmosphere was relaxing, the staff was skilled and knowledgeable, and we left feeling refreshed and invigorated.  My feet haven’t been this soft since I was a baby, I’m certain of that.   I will be heading back for an organic spray tan before my April vacation, and saving up for some microdermabrasion treatments too! 

If you’re downtown, you have to make time to stop by Casteleyn Belgian Chocolatiers on Brant Street.  A family-run business (by a Belgian family who has a genuinely Belgian-trained chocolate maker in their midst), they only use the finest natural ingredients like Belgian chocolate (I suppose that’s a bit obvious), real cream, and fine European liqueurs. Be sure to enjoy a free sample while you’re on the Chocolate Trail!  Their hot chocolate is a stand-out, made with shaved Belgian chocolate, steamed milk, and no syrups.  Delicious! 

Photo Credit: BankoMedia

Our last stop was one of my favourite restaurants in town, The Martini House.  If you’ve never tried their Asian Nachos, you’re really missing out!  Their Chocolate Trail offerings were outstanding, as Krista enjoyed a not-too-sweet martini (just perfect) as I downed a giant icy drink aptly named Death By Chocolate.  I didn’t die, but it sure was heavenly!  Our layered dessert was the perfect ending to a wonderfully sweet & relaxing day!

The Chocolate Trail has many other stops to enjoy, with local vendors offering special creations & generous discounts as well.  The cupcakes we bought to bring home for our envious families were 25% off, any spa treatments booked at Blair Lancaster involving chocolate are 15% off, Longos has free samples to enjoy, and Mrs. B’s will give you 15% off if you say “I love Burlington”.  You can also grab a gluten-free mile high brownie from Kind Food on John Street, and get samples at chocolatiers like Purdy’s in Mapleview Mall and The Garden Café at the Royal Botanical Gardens (where an excellent exhibition on the history of chocolate starts on January 28^th).   Just be sure to mention you’re on the Chocolate Trail and you’ll be well taken care of!

All in all you’ll find five chocolatiers, five restaurants, six artisan food producers and two spas to visit on the trail (grab the full details here).  If you can ever fit them all in one day, I’d be very impressed!  I suggest taking your time though, and savouring each one.

If you know any chocoholics, this is a great way to spend time with them.  A girls day out, a special Mother’s Day treat, or a fabulous date (especially around Valentine’s Day!) are all completely justifiable reasons to treat yourself to such wild decadence! 

Just take my advice first: don’t eat a big breakfast that day J

Victoria Hughes, Guest Blogger

Victoria Hughes is a local entrepreneur, social media specialist and website & blog author. Born in Burlington and living in the GTA her whole life, her professional career has taken her through the diverse worlds of leadership consulting, fashion retail management, fine dining, communications technology and online travel. After launching her own business in 2008, she began authoring the daily Girl It Up! fashion and discount blog, tweets on topics of the day @vbhughes and recently spearheaded a site full of guidelines and resources to keep youth safe & smart as they explore the ever-changing world of social media: safesocialmedia.ca . Her greatest loves are travel, shoes, laughter and family.