Gustav Chophouse & Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Chophouse Built on Craft and Classics

Gustav Chophouse & Bar sits inside the Georgian Bay Hotel in Collingwood, Ontario, and runs from morning through evening — breakfast and brunch from 8am, lunch from noon, and dinner through to 10pm. The menu covers a lot of ground with genuine conviction: perfectly cooked steaks, fresh seafood dishes, and a brunch program that draws locals and hotel guests alike. That range earned Gustav a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2022, a recognition that speaks directly to the seriousness of the wine list backing every meal.

Executive Chef Jesse Bell

The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Jesse Bell, whose résumé reads like a tour of Canada's most demanding dining rooms. After completing his Culinary Arts Program at George Brown College in Toronto in 2006, Jesse joined the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, where lavish events and weddings sharpened his instincts for scale and precision. He then spent a decade at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto — cooking for the G20 summit, Queen Elizabeth II, and serving as personal chef to the Aga Khan during his stay at the hotel. A senior sous chef role at a resort in Innisfil followed, where he built menus across multiple outlets before bringing that depth of experience to Gustavs.

What's on the Plate

The steakhouse side of the menu anchors the dining room, while the seafood dishes — from jumbo tiger shrimp cocktail to a Pacific Benedict with smoked salmon and fresh dill — keep things from feeling one-note. Starters lean into comfort and craft: yorkie bites stuffed with herb mushroom and shaved prime rib, cornmeal-dusted calamari with habanero aioli, and an award-winning French onion soup topped with garlic croutons and crispy fried onions. Brunch brings eggs Benedict variations, huevos rancheros, chicken and waffles, and a solid roster of specialty coffees and Caesars.

Beyond the Table

Gustav runs a monthly Wine & Spirits Club, spotlighting a different country or wine region each time and pairing handpicked bottles with dishes created specifically for the evening — a natural extension of the Wine Spectator-recognized cellar. Weekly specials keep the rhythm going: $2 oysters on Thursdays and Fridays, half-price wine pours every Wednesday, and Social Fridays in the lounge with drinks and food specials from 3 to 6pm. Catering and private events round out the offering for groups of any size.

For a town known for skiing and Georgian Bay summers, Gustav delivers the kind of steakhouse and seafood kitchen that earns repeat visits well beyond the tourist calendar.