Perthstone Kitchen opens in downtown St. Marys
- Mar 25
- 3 min read
By Stewart Grant
St. Marys’ dining scene continues to evolve with the opening of Perthstone Kitchen last week by proprietors Jason Thorne and Jessica Kelly.
At 159 Queen St. E, the restaurant is located downtown in the historic limestone McIntyre building most recently occupied by Tuttco. The couple is thrilled to open their own restaurant after years of gaining experience within the industry.
Originally from Brantford, Thorne moved to London as a teenager and got his start in the restaurant industry at an early age.
“I started working in fast food and then moved into restaurants, eventually working at The Keg for several years in a variety of roles,” he said. “I later worked in other fine establishments throughout London.”
Thorne eventually stepped away from kitchens to work as a contractor and carpenter before returning to the culinary world in his 40s. Now, at 50, he says opening a restaurant in St. Marys feels like the right place at the right time.
Kelly also has a strong background in hospitality. Born in Ottawa and raised in London, she began working in restaurants at 13 years old through her family’s businesses. She went on to work at Palasad in London for about 10 years along with working in other pubs and restaurants.
The couple, who moved to St. Marys last year, has fallen in love with the community and has treasured the many friendships made.
“In a city, you see a lot of faces but don’t necessarily have relationships with them,” said Thorne. “But in a small town, you get to engage with people on a more personal level. When you recognize them on the street or in their stores, or at our restaurant, it feels more personal. We feel very welcome in St. Marys.”
That sense of connection is key to Perthstone Kitchen’s philosophy of “local supporting local.” The menu is built around a true farm-to-table approach, with a focus on producers from across Perth County.
Local connections include Snapping Turtle Coffee Roasters, Perth Pork, The Butcher Barn, Stonetown Artisan Cheese and area producers such as Ann Slater, Edye Farms and Sheldon’s Berries.
“When we get the taps back on, we’ll have Broken Rail Brewing as our main beer provider along with other microbreweries throughout the county as well,” said Thorne as he and Kelly work towards getting a liquor license approved for the restaurant.
“A lot of restaurants claim to be farm-to-table local, but here in Perth County, we can really do that properly,” said Thorne.
Perthstone’s menu reflects both comfort and creativity. Drawing on his experience in fine dining, Thorne highlights classic offerings such as prime rib with Yorkshire pudding and garlic mashed potatoes, which is featured every Sunday.
At the same time, Thorne emphasizes house-made ingredients and from-scratch cooking wherever possible.
“We make our own sauces, desserts and breads,” he said. “Our focaccia is made in-house, our burgers are fresh and we do our own cheesecakes and crème brûlée. You can taste the difference when things are made fresh.”
Aside from certain staples like Friday’s fish-and-chips feature, Thorne says he prefers to avoid frozen and heavily processed foods in favour of fresh preparation.
Seafood is sourced through Steelhead Food Co. based out of St. Thomas, bringing in pickerel from the Great Lakes, scallops from the Bay of Fundy and salmon from the Atlantic Ocean. Oysters are also expected to be added during the summer months.
Alongside hearty options like steaks and burgers, the restaurant offers lighter options, including poke bowls, shawarma bowls and a range of gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian dishes.
At present, Perthstone’s hours of operation are 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday brunch, and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday dinner service with a prime rib feature. Monday hours, starting Easter Monday on April 6, will mirror Sunday’s schedule with the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. brunch followed by the 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. dinner service.
The restaurant can also be contacted via email at info@perthstone.ca or through their Facebook page.
To make a reservation or to place an order for takeout, call 226-301-4036.
Editor’s note: The author of this article is part owner of Perthstone Kitchen.