Outside of the plentiful fast-food and chain restaurants located throughout Sault Ste. Marie, this Northern Ontario city offers visitors a tempting selection of internationally inspired dining choices to satisfy the most discerning palate.

You’ll discover a world of different flavours, cooking styles, herbs and spices, as well as deep rooted traditions from countries around the globe (and no doubt a few secret family recipes that no chef will ever part with) awaiting you right here in the Sault. If you’re seeking a true taste of Italy, you’ve definitely come to right place. Some of the finest delicacies this side of Sicily can be enjoyed at numerous restaurants.

In fact, Sault Ste. Marie has earned the nickname, ‘Little Italy’, by many satisfied restaurant-goers. Some Italian favourites, each it’s own savoury and delicious gastronomic experience, include asparagus and chicken risotto, creamy fettucine alfredo, penne portabello, chicken piccatta in white wine sauce, and veal parmigiana topped with melted cheese.

It’s a fair bet that the pastas, the mainstay of any truly authentic Italian restaurant, are handmade and served with homemade sauce using traditional family recipes passed on from generation to generation. With unlimited choices for Italian cuisine, here are a few to consider: Giovanni’s on Great Northern Road, Cesira’s on Spring Street and Solo Trattoria on Queen Street East. If you’re yearning for Mediterranean-style dishes, try this mouth-watering appetizer of Portuguese-style clams with spiced tomatoes in a rich white wine sauce.

Or, for an even richer experience, get the baked calamari entrée stuffed with crab, shrimp, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Both are available at Fresco’s European Grill located near the International Bridge. Seafood from Canada’s rugged Atlantic Coast isn’t (theoretically) considered international. However, when you can enjoy mouth-watering seafood like fire grilled Atlantic salmon topped with maple blueberry glaze from the Gliss Restaurant on Great Northern Road, are you really concerned about theory?

Satisfaction just has to prevail when local establishments like the View Restaurant and Bar offer such an impressive menu of fresh Atlantic seafood including Digby Bay Atlantic scallops and PEI mussels to Atlantic lobster tail. And while the limelight is still on Canadian-inspired cuisine, it’s definitely worth mentioning that the View, which overlooks the St. Mary’s River in the Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel and Conference Centre, also offers North Pacific Halibut in addition to fresh buffalo mozzarella.

For those seeking Asian-infused cuisine such as Chinese, Cantonese, Indonesian or Japanese, Sault Ste. Marie’s selection of dining options won’t disappoint. If an all-you-can-eat Chinese eating frenzy excites you, try the boundless buffet at Golden Dragon Restaurant on Great Northern Road. Cantonese-style chow mein with pork and spicy beef with oyster sauce are just two of the dozens of a-lacart dishes available at the Hong Kong Restaurant in the city’s East End. And don’t forget the fried rice – an authentic Chinese chow down just wouldn’t be complete with it.

Regular customers’ ‘top pick’ is the restaurant’s signature Hong Kong fried rice dish with chicken, BBQ pork, bacon and shrimp. Does an Indonesian-dining experience with the option of a little spicy, spicy-hot or ‘more hot’ on the menu sound tempting? Then check out the Bali Restaurant located in the downtown core, which offers an Indonesian taste dinner that let’s you create a custom meal from an extensive menu.

Order this popular dish, Opor Chicken, as part of your meal, or as a separate entrée and start feeling the Balinese love for food. Served steaming hot in a bowl, this dish combines moist, generous pieces of white chicken with chunky potatoes and fresh broccoli flowerettes in a mild coconut sauce, and served with a side of rice.

Sushi in the Sault? Japanese restaurant Shogun Sushi is a relative newcomer to the local food scene on Great Northern Road. The menu features familiar Japanese fare such as sushi, sashimi, udon noodles and Bento boxes. A customer favourite is Bento Box 2, and comes with a palatable sampling of shrimp and vegetable tempura, tofu, sushi, sashimi, California roll and fruits with your choice of chicken, beef or salmon.

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Middle Eastern,

How about a Shawarma for lunch? This traditional Middle Eastern treat consists of marinated meat roasted on a vertical spit, wrapped in a pita and served with tasty homemade hummus. You’ll find other favourites like souvlaki, falafels and, of course, Greek salads, at the Shawarma Shack on Second Line West.

Mexican,

Nothing says Mexico like a burrito. And that’s exactly what you’ll find at Frank’s Food Co. on Queen Street East. Frank’s famous burrito is loaded with refried beans, Mexi rice, cheddar cheese and your choice of either chicken, beef or veggies.