Alright, I’m going to say it. Winter was incredibly long this year, and spring took its sweet time showing up. Now that summer is finally here, I don’t think that I am the only one who is ready to embrace it, getting out of the house to discover where long sunny days take me, and enjoy lazy summer evenings filled with friends and laughter. One of my favourite things about summer is getting to enjoy all the amazing, fresh food that Ontario has to offer when the ground isn’t frozen.
Alright, I want to add one more thing. There are few places where I enjoy having fresh Ontario fare more than I do at RustiK.
Located in Orangeville, on the corner of Broadway and First, RustiK will be celebrating their 12th anniversary this July 1st. Therefore, I think it’s safe to say it is officially an Orangeville staple. When I sat down with owner, Brett, she laughed as she announced that she would’ve been happy if they’d lasted three years when they started. However, there must be something in the water (having met most of the staff, I think it’s actually just coffee) at RustiK because longevity seems to be infused right into its formula. (I promise I’m done with the food puns now). Their head chef, Adam, has been with them since 2017, and many of their other employees have been around for almost a decade as well. Aside from a shared passion for making and serving good food, this is likely because they just have a good time together – and a good thing too, considering they spend a lot of time with each other.
When asked if there was anything she felt should be added to this article about RustiK, Ali, a server of 10 years, made sure to tell me how much she loved it there, stating, “they’re my second family”, to which Brett added, “they are my family”. This, of course, made Ali laugh, reasoning that she probably did spend more time at RustiK than with her family. All this love inevitably comes through in both the food and the service when you visit RustiK.
Twelve years is a long time. I couldn’t resist asking Brett if anything surprised her. Again, she gave me that infectious laugh as she answered, “that we lasted this long”. However, when she got serious again, she looked back on the journey twelve years has taken her on. When she started, she had a vision for the place. Over time, as often happens, it’s been forced to shift and change out of necessity, as with COVID, which kept them on their toes. Surviving COVID and that total uncertainty, is one of the things that did genuinely surprise Brett. However, now that we are on the other side, she feels as if RustiK is returning to what she originally envisioned.
Brett started RustiK with one goal in mind: to create an inviting space that serves good food at a reasonable price. Even the name was chosen to evoke a warm and welcoming environment – somewhere you’d go to enjoy good company and great food.
With seasonal menus and daily features, there is a lot of room for the chefs to play and they always work to have something for everyone on the menu, which Brett typically calls “Canadiana Country fare” with some influences from the cuisine of other countries such as Italy and Germany. Summer, with its plethora of fresh local produce, is one of their favourite times to play, taking advantage of the bold natural flavours to create simple dishes that speak for themselves.
To accompany the food, they have a modest but deep wine list with enough variety to offer something for everyone, from local wines to wines from as far as Australia. If you’re not sure what to choose, their waitstaff is always happy to ask a few questions about your tastes to help you find the right choice.
This is, of course, accompanied by a beer menu filled with local brewers and fun fresh cocktails or mocktails – perfectly designed for everyone to have something fresh and flavourful to sip on during those long summer nights.
With a spacious dining room, as well as their upper rooms which can be booked for small groups, making it perfect for celebrations or used for additional serving on busy nights, RustiK has a seat saved for you.
If, somehow, you’ve missed RustiK over the years and this is the first you’re learning about it (or you’ve seen the sign but never stopped in), we won’t hold it against you. In fact, I’m a little jealous. Now you have the opportunity to visit RustiK and experience it all for the first time – though be warned, once you’ve tried it you will be back for more.
WRITTEN BY: JILLIAN KENT | PHOTOGRAPHY: CORY BRUYEA | RESOURCES: RUSTIK LOCAL BISTRO
