It’s undeniable that motels are having a moment right now – their convenient COVID-safe accessibility (no shared elevators or indoor hallways!) means that escaping the work-from-home life in favour of a countryside motel has never been more appealing. Enter: The June Motel in Sauble Beach, Ontario’s answer to your getaway dreams, and the subject of Netflix’s latest docuseries Motel Makeover.
After the major success of their first June Motel in Prince Edward County (an influencer’s oasis that boasts a Rosé All Day vibe), moteliers April Brown and Sarah Sklash set their sites on Ontario’s Sauble Beach, known for its glorious sunsets and beachy small town feel. Motel Makeover follows the duo as they transform a 40-plus year-old motel and restaurant in Sauble Beach into an easy, breezy, perfectly Instagrammable destination.
The patio of Heydays restaurant at The June Motel Sauble BeachNaturally, we had to see what all the hype was about, so we took a road trip to The June Motel in Sauble Beach to see the motel and eat at the restaurant for ourselves. Read on for our comprehensive thoughts.
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What You Need to Know About Heydays, The June Motel’s Restaurant
Helmed by Chef Fred Laliberte (previously the creative visionary behind popular Toronto spots like Bobbie Sue’s Mac + Cheese, Poutini’s House of Poutine and Hawker Bar), Heydays Sauble Beach is an indoor-outdoor restaurant that serves elevated beach casual cuisine with a strong spotlight on seafood. In true June Motel fashion, the décor of the restaurant matches the aesthetic of the rest of the motel – with a sunbaked colour scheme, relaxed bohemian touches and hipster décor undertones, both the motel and restaurant feel like a Pinterest board come to life.
Must-Order Dishes
New Brunswick Oysters
Our dinner started with New Brunswick Oysters served with lemon, cocktail sauce and freshly grated horseradish. Truthfully, we’ve had some bad oyster experiences in the past, so we were skeptical, but these were the best oysters we’ve ever had – they were delicate, briny, and had that delightful shock of freshness we’re always looking for.
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Charred Broccoli Caesar
Next, we tried the Charred Broccoli Caesar; it had the right level of char and just the right amount of bite to the broccoli. Plus, no good Caesar is complete without shaved parmesan and they were extremely generous with the cheese (just the way we like it!).
Hot Lobster Roll
The signature Hot Lobster Roll tasted as satisfying as it looked; lovely chunks of lobster meat and crunchy leaves of lettuce were loaded into a soft, buttery, toasted bun. The charming vintage feel of the dish felt perfectly suited to the retro ‘70s vibes of the restaurant.
Crispy Skin Local Trout
The Crispy Skin Local Trout was equally as delicious – it sat on a bed of green lentils, capers and fresh herbs with a side of charred lemon. We’re addicted to crispy skin on fish, so we were happy that each bite had that crisp that wasn’t overdone but rather a lovely texture contrast to the inside of the fish.
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The Bevvies
No trip to The June Motel would be complete without a glass of wine, and the wine selection at Heydays is a delightfully curated range of high and low options. They also serve up a great selection of canned drinks and cocktails perfectly suited for the hot weather. We had the Planters Punch to start, Heydays’ version of a rum punch made with fresh fruit – it was lovely and tropical. Then we switched to Map Maker’s Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a creamy, dry, fresh white with flavours of lime, gooseberry and passionfruit. It was a perfect companion to our meal.
Bonus: Brunch!
After a memorable dinner, we couldn’t resist going back to Heydays the next morning to try their weekend brunch menu. The Lobster Benedict (sweet lobster on an English muffin with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce) was the perfect way to cap off a sunny weekend, and the buttermilk pancakes with fresh berries was the sweet treat we needed to balance out the luscious savoury dish. Heydays nails it when it comes to serving up high quality comfort food.
Photos courtesy of Lauren Miller.