It’s maple syrup season in Waterloo region and a newly created tasting trail is showcasing the best of the region in all its maple glory.

Until April 15, maple syrup’s versatility is showcased across Waterloo region — from cocktails to sliders to duck to taffy — as part of Explore Waterloo Region’s Taste of Maple Trail.

Leaning into Waterloo region’s positions as one of Ontario’s significant maple syrup production areas and a top maple destination, Ashley Lansink, explained the trail is a perfect opportunity to showcase this area’s maple heritage while tapping into local culinary creativity.

“Our culinary members, they were the folks who really brought it to life with their maple creations,” said Lansink, who is the director of marketing at Explore Waterloo Region.

The self-guided trail features 21 venues with a total of more than 32 drinks, snacks and dishes. Explore Waterloo Region ’s landing page links to the trail’s interactive map of restaurants, shops and drinks manufacturers.

“If folks have a maple sweet tooth, if they’re looking to have a little bit fun with maple cocktails, something more savoury, a full sit-down main dish. It runs the gamut,” she said.

Trail travellers can also cast online votes for their favourite item. The item with the most votes wins the Top Taste Award, which is a wooden statuette of a maple syrup bottle, made from recycled maple by Wood Rescue. 

‘This year has been totally different’

Brendan Shute, a fourth-generation sugarmaker, said the 2026 season has been unlike any other.

“We’ve been happy [previously] with 1.2, 1.25 litre per tap. This year has been totally different,” he said.

“As wonky as the weather has been, we’re up around the 1.6 liters per tap, which is a huge increase for us. And we’re not pushing terribly hard to try and even get there,” Shute said.

Generally, 40 litres of sap are needed to produce one litre of maple syrup, depending on the sap’s sugar concentration.

Working with his brother and father, Shute Sugarbush in Kirkton taps roughly 1,800 trees, between two properties. For them, sugaring season started in late February and finished one month later. 

Maple sap runs best during freeze-thaw cycles, ideally when daytime highs are about 2 C and 7 C and nighttime lows are roughly between –4 C to –6 C. 

“We had a couple of nights [with] a real big deep freeze and then the next day it would warm up and then it wouldn’t freeze again. So, then we get a heavy run for over 24 hours,” Shute said.

“It made for a lot less sleep, just making sure everything’s still running through the night. But yeah, it is what it is.”

A taste of the trail

Below is a sampling of what you can find on the Taste of Maple Trail. 

Café Clementina, Kitchener, featuring Shute Sugarbush’s maple syrup from Kirkton

Visually striking, this salted maple iced latte features espresso made from house-roasted beans, topped with blueberry cold foam.

Their maple, brown butter blondie has a classic brown sugar blondie topped with maple brown butter icing and a sprinkling flaky salt.

“Maple is almost like wine and coffee because different farms, different tastes, different types of cooking bring out different things in the maple syrup … That’s why we went with a very small farm. It’s a really delicious, complex flavour,” said Café Clementina’s chef and co-owner Allyson Padgett.

Four Fathers Brewing Co., Cambridge, featuring Wagler Maple Products’ maple syrup from Wellesley

Substituting Four Fathers’ Shevchenko 9 Dark Lager for espresso and coffee liqueur, the maple espresso martini is a twist on a popular cocktail.

Savoury, smoky and sweet, the maple chicken ‘n waffles brings buttermilk fried chicken, candied maple bacon, maple-dill ranch sauce and double smoked cheddar sandwiched between Belgian waffles.

“Contrasting flavours can work really well, like maple syrup with the dill because maple is such a strong flavour and dill has that backing to kind of like punch through that maple flavour,” explained Four Father’s chef, James Castellan.

The Galt Club, Cambridge, featuring Wagler Maple Products’ maple syrup from Wellesley

The maple-ginger pizza combines classic Asian flavours and Canadian favourites with a pizza topped with bok choy, red peppers, crushed cashews, mozzarella and maple ginger glaze.

“Star anise has that very, very unique flavour, almost has a savouriness of its own. So, I thought that the maple would be a good balance because you’ve got that natural sweetness,” said The Galt Club’s chef Jake Tiggelman.

The Imperial Restaurant, New Hamburg, featuring Roth’s maple syrup from Shakespeare

The maple old fashioned brings maple’s signature smokiness to the classic whisky cocktail.

With a touch of smoky sweetness, the maple martini is a spin on the venerable vodka martini. 

The maple-brined and seared pork tenderloin with leek au gratin and sweet potato purée offers contemporary twists on a traditional favourite.

“I’ve used maple as the sugar part of our brine, but it works as a glaze on savoury meats as well … but you could use it in a pasta or as a finisher on a pizza,” explained The Imperial’s head chef Hilari McBride.