#FOOD: MICHELIN-RECOMMENDED “DOWN HOME” IN MARKDALE

Since opening in August 2022, Down Home has earned Michelin Guide recommendations in both 2024 and 2025 and was named No. 39 on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list for 2026. Created by Joel Gray and Hannah Harradine after relocating to Grey County in 2019, the restaurant has built a reputation for deeply personal cooking and hospitality.

Gray and Harradine met working in traditional restaurants where quality local ingredients were being used, but they felt the stories were getting lost from the kitchen to the guests. At Down Home, that connection is brought directly to the table.

“We wanted to open a place in the heart of Grey County, in the farmland, 10 minutes from our favourite producers. The stories behind the ingredients are just as important to us as the ingredients themselves,” says Gray.

Down Home operates directly from the century farmhouse and property where they live and grow food, with little separation between the restaurant and daily life around it.

“The restaurant is our everything. Because it’s in our home, there’s really no separation between work and life and we designed it this way. It goes far beyond a restaurant. It’s a heartfelt glimpse into our lives, and I think that sincerity is why people continue to find us.”

— Hannah Harradine

THE MENU

The menu changes constantly throughout the year, driven by Grey County’s four distinct seasons and what is available nearby.

The garden is the main showpiece at Down Home during the summer months, influencing much of the menu from week to week. Guests are invited to walk through the gardens before dinner, where the team grows dozens of herbs, fruit trees, and varieties of vegetables used throughout the meal.

While the summer months center around the gardens, winter menus shift toward preserves and open-fire cooking.

The kitchen frequently incorporates ingredients not often seen in restaurant kitchens, including peach leaf, black currant wood, and carrot tops, sourced directly from the property’s permaculture gardens.

Signature dishes include:

The Garden Dish

An ever-changing plate built around what is being harvested that week, from early spring dishes to overwintered carrots.

Springhills Whole Grilled Fish

Fresh fish picked up weekly, then brined, dry aged, stuffed, and grilled over open fire.

Good Family Farms Pork

Whole-animal preparations using cuts like pig’s head and pork trotter.

The beverage programme focuses on Canadian producers, including small-scale wineries, cider makers, and seasonally driven cocktails.

Down Home also hosts seasonal community gatherings throughout the year, including an annual Maple Sap Boil open to locals.

THE SPACE

The dining room retains much of the home’s original character, with each room carrying a slightly different atmosphere. Artwork throughout the space reflects Joel Gray’s East Coast roots in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, alongside natural wood textures, antique furnishings, and handmade objects sourced from regional artisans. The name Down Home is also a nod to Gray’s East Coast upbringing and the kind of hospitality both he and Harradine wanted the restaurant to embody.

The restaurant collaborates with ceramicists and glassmakers across Ontario on custom plateware and glassware used throughout the dining experience. A dining room refresh in
collaboration with designer Ashley Montgomery is currently in development.

Down Home seats 16 guests and operates Thursday through Saturday, 6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m., by reservation only. Tasting menus range from $175–$200 per guest.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The restaurant can accommodate select dietary needs including no red meat, pescatarian, nut allergies, shellfish/seafood restrictions, and pregnancy-related modifications. Vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free menus are not available.
Nearby accommodations include The June Motel Beaver Valley, Rocklyn Inn, The Post Office, Airbnb Kimberley, Back Forty Glamping, and Penny’s Motel.

Down Home is located at 135299 9 Line, Markdale, Ontario. downhomerestaurant.com

ABOUT DOWN HOME
Down Home is a 16-seat restaurant in Grey Highlands, Ontario, led by Joel Gray and Hannah Harradine. The restaurant offers a 10-course seasonal tasting menu driven by nearby farms, open-fire cooking, and the region’s four distinct seasons. Down Home received Michelin Guide recommendations in 2024 and 2025 and was named No. 39 on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list for 2026.