Downtown Restaurants Growing Ingredients Right On-Site

Downtown Restaurants Growing Ingredients Right On-Site

By Todd Lihou  |  August 10, 2017

Michael Baird, left, of ESCA Gourmet Pizza + Bar, and Eric Lang of Zipgrow Canada, in front of the farm wall located on the ESCA patio.

CORNWALL, Ontario – A pair of downtown restaurants have partnered with a local firm to offer fresh products grown right on-site for hungry customers.

That’s right – the food is being grown on-site…in some cases right beside your table.

Truffles Burger Bar and ESCA Gourmet Pizza + Bar have partnered with Zipgrow Canada and installed a farm wall at each location.

The self-contained vertical gardens are currently growing kale and basil, which is used in food-preparation at both restaurants.

So far the response from patrons has been two thumbs up.

“Our kitchen love it, the staff love it and when we pick from it customers ask about it on the patio,” said ESCA’s Michale Baird. “And it’s fresh.

“The first pesto we made with it, the response was incredible. And it was stuff that grew 20 feet away from where it was being prepared.”

Eric Lang of Zipgrow Canada said his company, which specializes in small systems to grow in your home as well as full-scale commercial farms for warehouses, said the items grown in the farm walls can be customized and tailored depending on the time of year and foodstuffs being prepared.

“We can put in some of the vegetables that like it a little cooler. We can go right up until it is frosty,” he said. “We sell all over the world, but we are from Cornwall and we love these kinds of partnerships locally.”

Stop by Truffles and ESCA this summer and fall to enjoy some delicious offerings made with products grown right on-site.