Inspired by the Trestle Brewery in Parry Sound, the Daventry Kitchen & Bar in Sudbury has been offering patrons an outdoor winter dining experience for a month and a half now.
Just after Christmas, the restaurant erected three ice globes on the patio of the South End establishment for patrons to enjoy.
In Muskoka, they call them Ice Caves but here in Sudbury, we refer to them as snow globes.
Each globe offers buffalo plaid table cloths, blankets, heaters and soft LEDlighting for an ambient winter white glow.
Carly Hamill, an assistant manager at the Daventry, said even on frigid days the response has been overwhelming.
“In just two days, we saw 117 reservations. We needed help answering phones as everyone was so excited to get into those globes for their next dining experience,” she said.
She added that a second heater has already been added to each snow globe thanks to the installation of a new breaker system.
That extra heat is a welcome addition when the windchill sends temperatures really plummeting in the cold days of a new year.
Up to six customers can fit into one snow globe. Manager Eric Parent adds an additional $20 is collected for each snow globe reservation and that money goes to the restaurant's charity of choice for the month.
“Within one month, we raised almost $1,500 for Our Children Our Future. Now we are committed to helping the Learning Disability Association of Sudbury,” Parent said.
Server Elyse Trahan enjoys working in the snow globes and said they really have been quite the attraction.
“When people find out where I work, right away they ask me about the snow globes,” she said with excitement.
She said it is offering Sudburians a different vibe that they don’t have to go down south to experience and is making use of a sprawling patio that is closed down in the winter anyway.
Her favourite serving time is during the evening illumination.
“It really is a winter wonderland with the snow, the lights, the warmth and the glow,” Trahan said.
While the globes have put The Daventry on the map, it makes serving conditions that much tougher.
Every time an item is forgotten, it’s a 200-foot walk back to the dining room. Serving in them requires a warm coat and the globes have to be cleared off and shovelled to prevent collapse.
Trahan said there is something romantic about the ambiance a globe brings with snow, lights and warmth. Valentine’s Day booked up fast and she said the specialty coffees are a hit inside the globes.
“Irish coffees and hot chocolates are popular in the snow globes. I always come with a can of whipping cream just to make their day,” Trahan said.
Manager Eric Parent said he is hoping to retire the snow globes April 1, weather permitting, and wants to add more next winter.
He added that the patio offers 136 seating spots but the globes max out at 18 seats.
“The globes are nice but the summer patio has a built-in bar now, an awning, draft systems, televisions,” he adds.
For more details on the Daventry Kitchen & Bar, visit its website, TheDaventry.ca.
You can also follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
Anastasia Rioux is a writer in Greater Sudbury. Let’s eat! is made possible by our Community Leaders Program.
