Hotel Wolfe Island: sustainable, local food, elevated music scene

There’s always a golden moment right before something takes off in the best way possible: there’s a buzz in the air of pure positive energy, everyone is holding their breath in anticipation, and it’s all on the cusp of happening. That magic moment is now for Hotel Wolfe Island. 

Hotel Wolfe Island, known for its colourfully inviting spaces, exciting food and incredible musical offerings, comes from historic roots but is revitalizing the menus and music scene on the island with its close communities in mind. 

Formerly The General Wolfe Inn, it’s a historic landmark along the island’s waterfront. Hotel Wolfe Island is now transforming into a beloved haven for the country’s creative community, while also paying tribute to the Island’s rich agricultural history in its fare.

Tom Carpenter and Chris Brown bought the unique property during the pandemic. The challenges that many businesses faced during that time continued long afterwards for Hotel Wolfe Island. Regular foot traffic off the ferry from Kingston was disrupted due to construction work on the dock close to the hotel. The ferry was instead disembarking too far down the road to be walkable to Marysville - so audiences for music and guests to the restaurant had to travel by car and face long wait times.

That all changed this week, as the new ferry from Kingston is running to the village again. Carpenter said that’s welcome news for Hotel Wolfe Island. “The Marysville Terminal is two blocks from The Hotel, which means that people in Kingston can walk onto the ferry and be here in 20 minutes instead of requiring a car and braving hours-long lineups,” Carpenter said. “This, then, obviously is a huge moment for us.”

He said that during the hiatus, they built a music program with a serious international reputation, noting that even Grammy award-winning jazz artist, Bill Frisell, calls the Hotel one of his favourite venues in the world. In fact, co-owner Brown is himself a professional musician and producer, who has helped to solidify the stellar reputation of the Hotel as a must-stop for artists.

Carpenter said that, along with the enhanced music scene, Chef Brad Long’s skill and reputation now promise to make the food offerings as legendary as the music.

Long, General Manager, long-time celebrity chef and local food aficionado, said the vision at Hotel Wolfe Island is to build a culinary program that complements the iconic music and arts programming. Long, who is recognized as one of the top chefs in Canada, came to Hotel Wolfe Island after owning Belong Sharbot Lake and holding executive chef positions at top Toronto restaurants such as My Place and Veritas. He even refurbished the food and beverage offerings at the CN Tower back in the 1990s. 

Aside from accommodations, Long said what continues to draw folks in the door at Hotel Wolfe Island is a combination of unique attributes. “The gorgeous location, bucolic small town on the waterfront, the view, the music, the constant creative vibe and, most importantly, the people,” he said. 

The menu
The kitchen team at Hotel Wolfe Island strives to use in-season, local ingredients to foster a farm-to-table and sustainable atmosphere. The reasons are many, with Long noting the strong agricultural community on Wolfe Island. “Farms, farming, and farmers, along with fisherfolk and foragers, are the start of all true and decent food programs,” he said. 
“The season makes for variety, but it’s these people that we need to support in order to build strong communities and our future together.”

The current menu features everything from pickerel to the St. Lawrence Salad (think greens, grains, nuts, fresh fruit, cheese and browned butter vinaigrette) to Frontenac Folds - grilled Frontenac flatbread with thyme vinaigrette dressed greens, tomato, sweet and sour red onions with your choice of protein. There’s even a nod to a famous Canadian comedian and local resident, who has been on the bill previously at Hotel Wolfe Island - The Tom Green. It showcases drool-worthy buttermilk and garlic marinated fried chicken on a house milk bun. Hungry yet?

Long said the menu rotates depending on what’s available seasonally. His mantra when crafting a menu is to always keep delicious, nutritious and gorgeous to look at top of mind. “After doing this for over 40 years, the building blocks tend to stay the same. The primary ingredients drift with trends but not very far, so it’s the sourcing that keeps it all complicated and interesting.”

In addition to the restaurant at Hotel Wolfe Island, there is also a legendary waterfront patio in the summer season, as well as the Stone’s Throw Cafe, which offers a quick breakfast, lunch or a refreshing pick-me-up. It’s as much a community space as a cafe, with people encouraged to chat with neighbours there or make it a cozy office alternative for the morning.

Alongside the food offerings, Hotel Wolfe Island hosts incredible local, national and international artists covering many different aspects of the arts - music, theatre, DJ nights, dance - the list continues. There is live music almost every night of the week, complemented by weekend markets, open mic nights, breathwork circles and community events.

Want to know more? Have a look at hotelwolfeisland.com or follow along on Facebook @thehotelwolfeisland or on Instagram at @thehotelwolfeisland. Better yet, swing into 1237 County Road 96, Wolfe Island, to experience it in person.