Church Restaurant and Belfry

Church Restaurant and Belfry Review

Constructed in 1873 as a congregational church, the building has most of the original architecture in place, but today white tablecloths gleam in the afternoon light that pours through the stained-glass windows. Some say the Church, the formal ground-floor dining room, is pretentious; others call it divine, but it's undeniable that the artfully plated modern French meals—spice-crusted loin of elk with pickled Niagara cherries and hazelnuts—are complex production numbers. The menu usually includes lamb and always includes at least one fish entrée. The bistro-style and slightly less expensive Belfry ($$$), upstairs, has more down-to-earth but still-stylish food, such as ice wine-glazed quail with double-smoked bacon, boudin noir (blood sausage), and baby vegetables.