There's no better way to enjoy the summer's heat than on a patio in the heart of wine country. Found along the main roadway into Niagara on the Lake, BarrelHead is a new outdoor wood fired pizza restaurant located at Pillitteri Estates Winery.
Situated among vineyard and cherry trees, with delicious smells of the woodfire pizza oven, BarrelHead is an experienced unlike any other. A pinch of relaxed countryside picnic mixed with friendly backyard barbecue; the vision Business Development Manager, Michael Zappitelli, was aiming for.
Pizza flip! Each pizza is made fresh in BarrelHead's wood oven.
The idea for the patio stemmed from three generations of innovation, which the Pillitteri family has grown quite accustomed to. The business originally started off as “Gary’s Fruit Market” in the 1970s, and as wineries grew in popularity around Niagara, the family decided to experiment with their first - small - batch of Vidal Ice Wine.
That experiment turned to gold, winning a wine competition and helping to turn Gary’s Fruit Market into what we now know as Pillitteri Estate Winery. Having previous experience in the hospitality industry, Michael realized that guests would come in thirsty for a drink and knew that building a menu with the right food to pair it with would compliment the wine and make for an even better experience. Fast forward to the summer of 2020 and BarrellHead is now a staple of their business and the perfect place for guests to enjoy
Staple menu items include the classic Margherita pizza, cooked to perfection by the fire with the crispy bottom and gooey fior di latte. Each pizza is made with freshness in mind, including house made sauce and garden basil. The Calabrese pizza, a classic Italian woodfire-open pizza, balances saltiness from the soppressata and mozzarella, and sweetness from delicious roasted red peppers. Wine pair of choice is Pillitteri Estates Cabernet Franc, as the bold fruit flavours and hints of black pepper compliment with this hearty pizza.
Icewine shines in the Blueberry Mojito.
Classic items are listed alongside unique items, including must-try mojitos. Icewine is often thought of as a dessert wine, however Michael wanted to show the versatility of Ice Wine with his cocktail menu. Barrelhead uses their award-winning Vidal Ice Wine to sweeten their popular blueberry mojito, adding a hint of complex flavour to each sip.
This isn’t your typical “tastings-first” kind of winery. The winery is open daily all year long for wine tours and tastings while BarrelHead pizza patio is open Thursday to Sunday through summer and early fall. As a proud Niagara-based business, you’ll be pleased to know that you’re eating home-grown food and can even listen to local talent with live music everyday.
Not to mention, Niagara residents save 15%. For more information, visit their website.
Ontario