The Dam Pub Meaford: A Must-Visit Scottish Pub & Whisky Destination

One of our favourite things about welcoming guests to Skipping Rock Cottages is introducing them to the people and places that make Meaford feel like much more than a weekend destination.

If you're searching for the best places to eat in Meaford, Ontario, looking for unique things to do in Meaford, or simply wondering where to enjoy a memorable dinner during your cottage getaway, The Dam Pub in Meaford deserves a spot on your list.

Located in the heart of downtown, The Dam Pub is part Scottish gastropub, part whisky destination and part neighbourhood gathering place. It's become one of those Meaford restaurants people don't simply stumble upon. Some actually plan their travels around it.

Behind the restaurant is owner Stephanie Price, whose journey from teenage breakfast server to the woman behind one of Ontario's most impressive whisky collections is every bit as interesting as the pub itself.

After sitting down with Stephanie, we understand exactly why The Dam Pub has become such a special part of Meaford's food and drink scene.

From Slinging Breakfasts to Building a Whisky Destination

Stephanie's hospitality story started long before The Dam Pub.

At just 14 years old, she was slinging breakfasts at Flapjacks. But owning a pub? That wasn't exactly the original plan.

For a while, Stephanie thought she would become a flight attendant. When that didn't stick, her career took her into corporate sales and marketing, including the fast-moving software industry of the late '80s and '90s and eventually a role as sales and marketing director for a junior professional hockey team.

Along the way, she was also raising her daughters as a single mom. On weekends when her kids weren't with her, she would sometimes pick up shifts at a friend's pub for a little extra money.

Somewhere during those shifts, an idea kept creeping in:

I could do this.

For years, she would mention opening a pub to her parents. The idea remained just that, an idea, until a trip to Scotland changed everything.

The Trip to Scotland That Changed Everything

Stephanie's parents had purchased a more than 300-year-old home in Cullen, Scotland, on the North Sea, and invited her over to help with the renovations.

One evening over dinner, her father suddenly asked the question Stephanie had been waiting years to hear:

Did she want to do that pub thing?

This time, he was serious.

There was just one addition to the plan: it would have a whisky twist.

There was only one small problem.

Stephanie didn't know anything about whisky.

Her father's response?

"Oh, you will."

And he was right.

Her father had already developed friendships within the Scottish whisky industry and began introducing Stephanie to people who could immerse her in the world she was about to enter.

She worked in a tiny Scottish pub called The Three Kings as well as a high-end hotel, learning firsthand about Scottish hospitality. She travelled, listened, tasted and absorbed as much knowledge as she could.

Eventually, Stephanie returned home with a business plan.

Then she needed a building.

Finding The Dam Pub and a Little Serendipity

Stephanie and her father independently discovered the same property at 53 Bruce Street in Thornbury, sending the listing to one another almost simultaneously.

There was just one catch: Stephanie had never even been to Thornbury.

Still, something about it worked.

She already had the concept, menu, format and even an early logo. All she needed was the right name.

That came during a conversation with her best friend Lori.

Stephanie had been considering whisky-inspired names, but nothing felt quite right. Then Lori suggested:

"What about The Dam Pub?"

It clicked.

The pub's original beaver branding connected perfectly with the name, and then came another coincidence. After buying the Thornbury property, Stephanie discovered the river directly behind it was called the Beaver River.

As Stephanie puts it, there has been a lot of serendipity in her life.

This was certainly one of those moments.

The Dam Pub opened in 2005, despite more than a few people telling Stephanie the idea would never work.

More than two decades later, it's safe to say she proved them wrong.

From 100 Whiskies to More Than 1,000

The Dam Pub isn't simply a Scottish pub in Meaford with a few bottles of Scotch behind the bar.

Stephanie immersed herself in whisky culture from the beginning.

She travelled throughout Scotland and learned directly from distillers and whisky experts. She attended whisky events and expos and eventually completed intensive whisky training with world-renowned whisky expert Jim McEwan, earning the last available seat in what Stephanie says was his final teaching session.

For her, though, whisky has never been solely about what's inside the glass.

It's about the stories.

Different distilleries, places, traditions, techniques and people all contribute to what makes each expression unique. That's what captured Stephanie's attention and helped transform The Dam Pub into a true whisky destination in Ontario.

What began with around 100 whiskies has grown into a collection of more than 1,000.

Today, that remarkable selection helps make The Dam Pub a must-visit for anyone interested in whisky tasting in Meaford, but you absolutely don't need to be a whisky expert to enjoy the experience.

In fact, that's part of the fun.

The Next Chapter: Bringing The Dam Pub to Meaford

After years of success in Thornbury, COVID brought another major turning point.

Like restaurant owners everywhere, Stephanie suddenly faced enormous uncertainty. At the same time, she had begun thinking about what she wanted the next stage of her life and The Dam Pub to look like.

She wanted something a little smaller. A little more manageable.

And she found it in Meaford, Ontario.

Stephanie sold the Thornbury property, purchased her new building in downtown Meaford and essentially started again.

The building was gutted from top to bottom and rebuilt around Stephanie's vision. One detail in particular helped shape the room: the library-style ladder now sitting prominently behind the bar.

Stephanie had always wanted one in the original Dam Pub but hadn't been able to make it work with the ceilings.

This time, she designed the room around it.

After months of renovations, The Dam Pub Meaford opened its doors.

They haven't looked back since.

Today, the restaurant has become another reason for visitors to spend time exploring downtown, supporting local businesses in Meaford and discovering just how much this small Georgian Bay community has to offer.

Never Tried Whisky? Start Here.

Walking into a whisky bar in Meaford with more than 1,000 options can be slightly intimidating if you don't know your single malt from your blended Scotch.

Stephanie's advice is simple: ask.

The Dam Pub offers pre-built whisky flights that allow guests to sample different options, and the team is happy to help newcomers find a place to start.

Stephanie and longtime team member Tim, who's been with her for about a decade, are particularly passionate about helping people discover whisky rather than making them feel like they should already understand it.

One bottle Stephanie often recommends to newcomers is Glendronach 12.

If whisky simply isn't your thing, don't worry.

As Stephanie very confidently told us, their cocktails are "really damn good," too.

For guests looking for unique things to do in Meaford at night, sitting down for dinner followed by a whisky flight is a pretty great way to experience the town.

What Should Skipping Rock Guests Order?

If you're wondering where to eat while staying in Meaford, this was an important question for us.

Naturally, we asked Stephanie what a first-time visitor absolutely shouldn't miss.

If you're feeling adventurous, embrace the Scottish experience with traditional haggis, neeps and tatties.

Stephanie also recommends the lamb shank and curried mussels, with the curry made fresh to order.

For a little taste of several pub favourites, try the Publican's Plate, featuring items including deep-fried haggis, a house-made sausage roll and Scotch egg.

And speaking of sausages, they're made from scratch in-house.

For dessert, keep things Scottish with classics such as sticky toffee pudding or bread pudding.

For anyone searching for Scottish food in Meaford, The Dam Pub gives you the opportunity to try traditional flavours without leaving Georgian Bay.

There is plenty to explore on the menu, which means this may require more than one visit during your Skipping Rock stay.

We won't complain if that's the case.

Why People Travel to The Dam Pub

The Dam Pub isn't only loved by locals.

Over the years, whisky lovers have travelled from around the world to experience it, including guests from as far away as Sri Lanka who planned their holiday around visiting the pub.

So what turned a local restaurant into destination dining?

Stephanie's answer was immediate:

Consistency.

Consistency in the food.Consistency in the atmosphere.Consistency in the people welcoming you through the door.

"We are destination dining," Stephanie told us.

After more than two decades, The Dam Pub has developed the kind of reputation that can't simply be manufactured through a clever concept. It's built one plate, one dram and one guest at a time.

It's also what makes The Dam Pub stand out among restaurants in Meaford, Ontario. This isn't simply somewhere to stop for dinner. It's an experience that has become part of the story of visiting Meaford itself.

More Than a Pub: Music, Whisky Nights and Community

There's another reason we think The Dam Pub deserves a spot on your Meaford weekend getaway itinerary: there's often something happening beyond dinner.

Locally Blended takes place on the third Thursday of each month as a collaboration between The Dam Pub, Rrampt magazine and Lite 99.3. The evening highlights singer-songwriters and emerging talent in an intimate, listening-room-style atmosphere.

Stephanie also hosts Flight Night on the last Wednesday of participating months. Guests are guided through three different whiskies while Stephanie shares the stories behind them, paired with chocolate pâté.

For visitors interested in whisky events in Meaford, it's worth checking what's happening at the pub before your stay.

Whisky pairing dinners occasionally join the calendar as well, bringing ambassadors and carefully selected whiskies together with multi-course menus specifically created around each pairing.

And then there are the regulars.

Stephanie has a name for them:

The Whisky Warriors.

It's a small detail that says a lot about what The Dam Pub has become in Meaford. It's not simply a place to eat and drink, but a community built around good food, storytelling and the people sitting across the table.

Add The Dam Pub to Your Meaford Weekend Getaway

When we encourage guests to explore Meaford, Ontario, this is exactly the kind of place we're talking about.

Yes, you can come for the enormous whisky collection.

You can come for the lamb shank, Scotch egg, sticky toffee pudding or a beautifully poured flight.

But we'd also encourage you to look around while you're there.

Look at that library ladder and remember an entire room was designed around it.

Think about the trip to Scotland that sparked the idea, the friend who came up with the name, the people who said it wouldn't work, the move from Thornbury and the decision to start all over again in Meaford.

That's what makes local businesses in Meaford special.

Behind the menu is a story.

And The Dam Pub has a particularly good one.

So, during your next stay at Skipping Rock Cottages, make an evening of it. Head into downtown Meaford, grab a table at The Dam Pub, order something Scottish and, if you're curious, ask the team to introduce you to a whisky you've never tried before.

You may just leave as the newest Whisky Warrior.

Planning Your Next Skipping Rock Stay?

Whether you're planning a fall escape, a winter ski weekend, a summer trip to Georgian Bay or simply looking for a quiet Meaford cottage getaway, leave some room in your itinerary to explore.

Visit the restaurants. Wander downtown. Shop local. Discover the wineries, cideries, breweries and farms nearby. Meet the people who make this community what it is.

And when you're looking for one of the most memorable restaurants near Skipping Rock Cottages, put The Dam Pub on your list.

Come for dinner. Stay for a dram. Leave with a story.

That's a pretty good night in Meaford.