Catucci John - You Gotta Eat Here Too! : 100 More of Canada’s Favourite Hometown Restaurants and Hidden Gems

HAPPENS EVERY TIME.

No matter where I go in this great country of ours, people stop me on the street and ask me the same thing: John, whats your favourite restaurant?

Having eaten at hundreds of amazing joints, its not as easy a question to answer as you might think. Sure, I could rattle off my all-time Top 5 or Top 10 without breaking too much of a sweat, but picking The One isnt quite so easy. I mean, where do I even start?

Of course, the food is hugely important, but you might be surprised to know that its not just about the food for me. Its never just about the food. In fact, Ive eaten in restaurants that served up some of the most amazing dishes Ive ever put in my mouth, but they wouldnt even scratch the surface of my list. Why? No heart.

You see, heart is the secret ingredient that separates the great restaurants from all the rest. Yes, I love a good meal. But great restaurants not only serve up great food, they do it while making an emotional connection with their customers, too. And the restaurants I love the most are the ones where I feel that connection.

For me, sitting down to a meal isnt just about feeding my body (OK, so Ill jam a burger in my piehole just as soon as the next guy), but feeding my soul, too. The best places do that with seemingly little effort. You know the joints Im talking about, the ones where you feel as though youve dropped into a friends house unexpectedly and they ask you to stay for dinner. The meal feels like a continuation of your own traditions; the staff is like family.

For a guy whos on the road more than at home, that means a lot. I appreciate the warmth, the comfort, and the love I feel from these strangers when I cant be with my own family. These are the places that make me forget Im working. The food is great, the conversation flows, the love is all around, and the hugs dont stop when the cameras do.

The beauty of the restaurants we feature in You Gotta Eat Here Too! is that theyre not chains. These arent multinational corporations whose goal is to create the same experience no matter where in the world you might be. These are one-of-a-kind treasures, mom-and-pop shops (or mom-and-mom shops or pop-and-pop shops) that strive to do things differently from everyone else.

After all, it takes commitment to be a part of the You Gotta Eat Here! family. We take our cameras, lights, and sound equipment and barge into peoples very livelihoods. They have to close their doors for a couple of days, send their eager (and sometimes disappointed!) customers away, and try to teach an Italian guy the secrets of their success. Each restaurant is grateful for the opportunity, some make it easy, and many reach that magic place where food, fun, and family all come together in perfect harmony.

Interestingly, that magic seems to happen when the owner is heavily involved in the business. Walk into some restaurants, and you can tell theres very little connection between the people who sign the cheques and the people who receive them. These joints are a dime a dozen and dont leave you with much more than a full stomach. But the places I love are the ones where the owners passion is palpable. He or she is proud to introduce you to every single employee on the staff, whether theyre cleaning the floor or cooking your meal. These are the owners that eagerly watch you take that first bite and offer you more when you finish the last.

And while my tastes definitely push me toward the Italian side of the culinary spectrum, in the end it doesnt really matter what kind of food Im being served. From Mexican to Polish, poutine to pizza, if theres love on the menu, Im diggin it.

So whats my all-time, number-one, hands-down favourite restaurant? Im not saying. At least not now, that is. In the meantime, youre going to have to do your own research. And when you visit a joint that dishes out the love as freely as it dishes out the food, drop us a line at tips@yougottaeathere.ca.

Canadas a big country, right? After a day of mushing our dog team across the frozen tundra or paddling a canoeful of beaver pelts down the St. Lawrence, we Canucks can work up an appetite every bit as big as our home and native land. Dont feel bad about it, friends. Dig in! With meals like this peppered across this great country of ours, you wont have to go far to satisfy your craving for XXL.

Bernie & The Boys Bistro,

Drumheller, AB

One and a half pounds of bun. One and a half pounds of beef. A mountain of fixings. Any questions?

Fiesta Mexicana

Restaurantey cantina,

Kamloops, BC

Tons of fillings on a burrito so big it must be custom-made.

Big TS BBQ &

Smokehouse, calgary, AB

Six different kinds of smoked meat paired with six sides king-sized!

Burger Barn,

Ohsweken, ON

Only a foundation of bannock can stand up to the mountain of meaty chili, cheese, and veggies that comes next!

Pie, Barrie, ON

A three-pizza stack topped with a pound of poutine. Defibrillator optional.

The Early Bird, London, ON

Four pancakes are just the beginning