If you want to get your hands on one of the best sandwiches in Ontario, you usually only have to drive about 45 minutes up to Bolton. That is where La Focaccia built its massive cult following, regularly drawing huge crowds and selling out of daily-baked sourdough focaccia by the early afternoon. But if you happen to be heading up to cottage country this summer, your weekend commute just got a whole lot better.
Owners Jonathan and Stefan Cambouris have officially expanded, opening La Focaccia Port Carling right in the heart of Muskoka at 119 Medora Street. Situated right at Steamboat Bay by the flagpole, the new lakeside spot is serving up the exact same authentic, handcrafted Italian sourdough focaccia that made their original location famous.
La Focaccia is not cutting corners for the Muskoka crowd, either. The menu features all of their signature heavy hitters, which usually hover around the $25 to $27 mark. That includes the Emilia, an undisputed fan favourite packed with mortadella, stracciatella, pistachio pesto, crushed pistachios and honey.
There is also the Il Piccante, loaded with hot Calabrese salami, ricotta cream, Calabrian chili spread and hot honey, as well as the Rosato, which pairs hot Calabrese with roasted cherry tomatoes and stracciatella. They have even introduced a location-specific special called the Port Carling, which features Prosciutto di Parma, stracciatella, peach puree, arugula and balsamic glaze. For dessert, they have rolled out house-made tiramisu in both original and Nutella flavours, alongside a $15 Nutella-stuffed schiacciata.
Because fighting for car parking in Port Carling during peak summer is notoriously brutal, the new spot is all about providing the ultimate dockside convenience. Boaters can pre-order their sandwiches online ahead of time, select a specific 15-minute pickup window, and pull right up to the water’s edge to grab their food without ever having to step off the dock.
Just keep in mind that everything is baked fresh daily. The kitchen has already been selling out consistently since opening the doors, meaning you will want to get your online order in early before they run out of dough for the day.