Gateway Niagara Information Centre

This is a rest-​stop area that is pretty similar to an OnRoute (for Canadians) or a Thruway Service Plaza (for New Yorkers.) It’s located on the Southbound side of the QEW in Grimsby.
They’ve got a number of fast food franchises inside, very food court like. There’s everything from a Tim Horton’s to a KFC, with several other options in between, as well as a convenience store and some Niagara Region tourism info. There’s a Canadian Tire Gas nearby, and most importantly when you’ve drunk a large coffee right before leaving Buffalo, large and spacious bathrooms.
Although at the time I was visiting, most of the food was closed, the Tims was open, both drive through and inside. So this is definitely a good place to stop if you need to fill up or make a quick pit stop.

Stopped here for Tim Hortons breakfast on the way to Niagara, and the quality of the food and beverages were below average. Tea was poorly made twice and when asked for double toasted bagels, we were given less than toasted.

My purse stolen at open sitting area :-(

This is the usual stop for my family every time we travel to niagara for my daughters cheer comps. Was disappointed to see Michels closed. Glad to see an Italian place open up though. There was a need for some pizza in there. Always clean. Extremely clean bathrooms. Lots of parking and seating inside.

This is a great place to stop partway between Toronto and Buffalo. Lots of food choices and clean restrooms, and a surprisingly decorative tourist information centre, although the gas is pricey.
I’m taking off a whole star because they got rid of Michel’s Baguette. Now the only coffee there is Tim Horton’s, which tastes like dishwater and doesn’t keep me awake on the road. I hope they get something that more closely resembles coffee soon, or I’ll be finding a new halfway point.

This may be the best fast food rest stop in Ontario. Good variety of fast food including KFC, Wendy’s, DQ, Michel’s Baguette & Taco Bell, very clean, lots of coupons at Info Centre for all Niagara attractions. We stop here every time we’re on the way to Niagara on the Lake or Niagara Falls.

I use this rest stop for my nap time when I drive to buffalo for school at 5:00AM.
I love that it is always busy with people and cars for the drive thrus: Wendy’s and Tim horton’s. there are Italian eatery, Mediterranean, Chinese, burger places, cages, convenience store, and of course, clean washrooms.

Most expensive gas all the time

Nice, spacious, rustic. We stopped here on the way back from Niagara Falls. As Ontario service centers go, I was surprised at how busy and lively this one is, especially after Dalton McGuinty destroyed tourism in Fort Erie. There are several fast food restaurants, and a neat waterfall.

OK. Normally I wouldn’t review a rest stop, and I certainly wouldn’t be inclined to give many rest stops a 4-​star «Yay!» But Gateway Niagara is just that good, people. It’s just. that. good. If a rest stop stands out to me in my mind and becomes a road-​trip destination, it’s time to Unilocal that bad boy.
We drive to and from Muskoka Lakes every summer, an 11-​hour pilgrimage that is oh, so worth it, but oh, so tiring. Gateway Niagara Info Centre is like a welcome beacon for us, we stop off there on our way back to the States each summer — why?
It’s clean. It is *so* freakin’ clean, restrooms included. Thank you, Canada! It’s big, open, spacious, and classy. Yes, I called a rest stop classy.
It has Taco Bell, my favorite road trip indulgence, and it has my favorite Canadian/​border state indulgence, Timmy Ho Ho’s (that’s Tim Horton’s to us Yanks).
It also has an Au Bön Pain-​style bakery café and a convenience store selling maps, mugs, magnets, and all manner of Cadbury delights… why can’t we get Cadbury on the regular down here, I ask?
It has petrol (that’s gasoline to us Yanks. Sike, Canadians don’t call it petrol.).
It’s rare a rest stop is *actually* a welcome relief from the road, but Gateway Niagara sure is that rest stop for me.