Ruffino’s Pasta Bar and Grill
Ruffino’s Pasta Bar and Grill serves Italian cuisine in a welcoming, family-friendly restaurant nestled on Mary Street in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The cuisine is packed with flavour and resonates with the slow movement of Italy.
Inside the restaurant, with the rich aroma of peach wood burning in the traditional brick oven and the glowing warmth of the fire, guests know they’re invited into a culinary experience rooted in the deliciousness of authentic Italian cuisine. The wine and beverage service amplifies the experience with beautiful selections that pair perfectly for every occasion.
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Accessibility Features
Wheelchair accessible
Support persons welcome
Service animals welcome
Information available in alternative format
Easy access electrical outlets
Accessible washroom
Accessible drop-off location
Accessible seating
Accessible restaurant
Accessible parking
Accessible entrances/exits
More about Ruffino’s Pasta Bar and Grill
Ruffino’s Pasta Bar and Grill is a neighbourhood restaurant, welcoming families and friends together with comfortable seating, a relaxed atmosphere and delicious aromas of made-from-scratch cooking.
Everything served in the restaurant is sustainable, which means you’re eating fresh, tasty meals that won’t harm the environment. Meat is ethically sourced and butchered in-house, then cooked over the open fire for a richness of flavour that’s unmatched. Staff from the restaurant tend Ruffino’s own garden and use the fresh vegetables daily, while preserving more for the long winter months when fresh produce can’t be had.
Even the sourdough bread is hand-crafted in-house and baked in the wood-fired oven for that unforgettable flavour. Pasta is made daily, along with the fresh-made pizzas to order with sourdough crust.
The menu, crafted daily to welcome visitors into the story of the community through food and drink, offers many selections suitable for adults, teenagers, and children’s taste buds.
Owner and executive chef Ryan Crawford has been involved in the kitchen his entire lifetime. He studied at Stratford Chefs School and was later an instructor there for four years. Throughout his life, he has travelled extensively, staging at the l’Orangerie, Lucques and Patina in Los Angeles, Jardinière in San Francisco, and at the French Laundry and Terra Grill in Napa Valley. He has worked with Jamie Kennedy and Michael Stadtländer, as well as holding the position of Executive Chef of the Stone Road Grille in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Crawford and his good friend, Paul Harber of Ravine Vineyard Winery, began farming together and brought the Happy Pig Farm to Niagara, which eventually led to opening Backhouse Restaurant. During COVID, Backhouse was closed, but the experience sparked Crawford to return to his true love in the kitchen: Italian cuisine. Partnering with Brett, Crawford and his team now bring to you the wonderful tastes, aromas, and atmosphere of a fine dining experience right here in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Ruffino’s wine and spirits menu includes some of the finest Ontario selections available, including a range of locally inspired cocktails, Roses, Pinot Grigios, Lambruscos, Langhe Rosso and Barbera d’Asti. For those not drinking alcohol, a selection of tasty frappes (with or without alcohol available), Sicilian Granitas (with or without alcohol available), various sodas, espresso, coffee and tea.
If your family loves Ruffino’s, you can give the gift of delectable Italian cuisine through a gift card from the restaurant.
Last updated: August 18, 2023