Prolific Toronto chef opening new restaurant in a small Ontario town
The chef behind a swath of popular Toronto restaurants is setting his sights on a small Ontario town for his next act.
For more than a decade, the name Grant van Gameren has been synonymous with the Toronto restaurant industry.
One of the driving forces behind celebrated Toronto restaurants Bar Raval, Martine's Wine Bar, El Rey Mezcal Bar and Harry's Charbroiled, to say van Gameren has a Midas touch when it comes to Toronto restaurants would scarcely be an overstatement.
Now, though, van Gameren is setting his sights beyond city limits. His next venture, an Italian-inspired steakhouse called Rosetta, will take root in Picton, Prince Edward County.
According to an Instagram post shared by van Gameren in late December 2025, the restaurant will skew towards "delicious approachable food, an exciting cocktail program, good music, good lighting, cool design, hospitality first service, perhaps some lunches in the summer but definitely some good energy all year long."
It's an approach that van Gameren is well-acquainted with — just look at Bar Raval's stunning interior design or Martine's approachable farm-to-table menu for evidence — but one that indesputably works.
Picton, despite being a town that sees a particular boom in the summer months, is already home to an impressive culinary scene year-round, so Rosetta is bound to be in good company once it opens.
And van Gameren isn't embarking on this mission alone.
To bring Rosetta to life, van Gameren is partnering with frequent collaborator Luke Haines (Martine's Wine Bar, Bar Raval) and Toronto expat-turned-P.E.C. local Jesse Fader (Hank's Lonesome).
It's an impressive team poised to deliver equally satisfying results in an area that thrives in the months just ahead of us. In short, it's a recipe for success if I've ever seen one.
Rosetta will be located at 279 Picton Main St. The exact opening date is still up in the air, but according to van Gameren's most recent Instagram post, the restaurant should be opening its doors by early April.
Fareen Karim at Martine's Wine Bar
