The top restaurants in Oakville set themselves above the pricey and mediocre offerings that tend to abound, especially along the Lake Shore drag. Whether you're looking for a quick lunch or a lavish dinner affair, there are high quality options spread around town.

Here are my picks for the top restaurants in Oakville.

The Plank Restobar
The Plank is a rustic-chic oasis in the middle of downtown Oakville overlooking the harbour. The interior pays homage to cosy Canadiana consisting of panelling sourced from reclaimed wood. The menu is a tapas-inspired take on standard pub fare that changes seasonally. Make sure to try the cauliflower fritters and the selection of sliders.

JAC's Bistro
This place serves Italian- and French-inspired fare in an elegant, white brick dining room perfect for a quiet night for two or for a larger celebration. Though the food is executed to perfection, don't expect anything overly creative - standard mains include steak frites and penne arrabiata. Make sure to try the grilled calamari starter tossed in creamy pesto-white wine sauce.

Cucci Ristorante
Cucci is likely Oakville's best kept secret when it comes to fine dining. Located on a quiet side street off the main road, here you will find contemporary Italian food served in a stunning ambiance with impeccable service. The menu is short, consisting of a handful or starters, primi and secondi. Try the lobster linguini, I implore you!

Bru Restaurant
Come to Bru for the craft beer - six taps and more than 30 bottles, many from Ontario - and stay for the food. The menu is short and to the point, made up of quirky takes on traditional pub fare like Hoisin Grilled Calamari and Jerk Chicken Skewers.

Stoney's Bread Company
Named after Norm Stoneburgh who played for the Toronto Argonauts, this casual restaurant has been a local favourite since 2004, so much so that it was featured on Food Network's You Gotta Eat Here. The food is unpretentious but delicious, consisting of Italian-inspired pasta and pizza dishes as well as a wide array of sandwiches.

La Parisienne
This traditional crĂŞperie was opened 25 years ago by a French couple from Paris and is still serving their wildly popular offerings today. Here you will find a good selection of both sweet and savory options as well as several bistro style sandwiches, salads and soups to choose from. The rich Normande is a favourite, though you really can't go wrong with anything.

Adonis Mediterranean Restaurant
Located in a nondescript strip mall, this humble restaurant serves east Mediterranean favourites from Greece all the way to Lebanon. The varied mazes and mixed meat grill platter are perfect for sharing, though they also have plenty of individual sized portions. Whatever you pick, expect to leave this place stuffed and content as the portion sizes are on the generous side.

Mye Japanese
Oakville's first Japanese restaurant was opened back in the '80s at the request of the then mayor and is still run by a Japanese chef - a rarity around these parts. Aside from traditional appetizers and entrĂŠes, expect to find the standard selection of maki rolls as well as several in-house specials, most of which are available gluten free should you request it.

Mo's Family Restaurant
Mo's is an American-style dinner serving up sinful, artery-clogging favourites like monster burgers, baby beef liver and veal parmigiana alongside their all day breakfast menu. For those feeling particularly adventures - or wanting to shave a few years off - Mo's offers up a scary burger challenge or an ultimate breakfast challenge, though be warned, it ain't pretty.

Julia's Ristorante
Julia's is a bit of an oddity: the restaurant mainly serves Latin American-inspired fare with a couple of Italian dishes mixed in for good measure. Though the offerings are a dizzying mish-mash of dishes - there's paella right next to pollo assado and jerk chicken - they're well executed and do not skimp out on portion size. Wash it all down with a refreshing glass of homemade sangria.

Did I miss anything? Add your favourite restaurants in Oakville to the comments. Photo via Plank Restobar on Facebook.