What is this beautiful piece of historical architecture doing in TDot? It belongs on the outskirts of some wine country estate, or close to some mountainous landscape. But nope, here it is. In super flat, very urbanized Toronto (Etobicoke actually), surrounded by highways rather than mountains.
I came here for a wedding in the summer and one thing really stuck out to me: I felt like I was in a Harry Potter book. No, this isn't a joke about how "magical" the whole thing felt because of the power of love etc. etc. No actually, the inside reminds me of Hogwarts. It's got the dark wooden beams and the antique chandeliers. Throw in a few moving staircases and annoying ghosts and you've got yourself a full-out teenage wizard fantasy.
If we're talking about "magical" in the traditional sense, it couldn't be felt more strongly than in the Old Mill wedding garden. It's a lovely little space surrounded by greenery and a raised area for the bride and groom to get married. It was absolutely gorgeous, even if it was a little awkward to get to. There are a lot of stone steps that wind around the building, but it sure was a scenic trip down. The bride had people at several checkpoints along the stone stair path telling us which way to go, like a marathon in dresses where people are telling you you're almost at the finish line!
Now, my family came in with very low expectations for food, probably because we're biased against Western food at large events. More often than not, the chicken is dry and the veggies are bland. Old Mill blew through those expectations. The beef selection was an impressive 10oz piece that was tender and flavourful. The salmon was moist and covered in a tasty sauce. The only disappointment was the vegetarian option, which was some lasagna type creation that my mom didn't finish.
I can only imagine this place is good for more than just weddings. They've got hotel rooms, spa services, and general brunch/dinner things going on. I can't speak to those, but if you're planning to a host a wedding, this is a solid consideration! Also great if you want to escape the harsh reality that you never received a letter telling you you're a wizard when you were 11. :'(
(18/100) - 2017