George Stephen House

George Stephen House Review

Scottish-born Sir George Stephen (1829-1921) was in his way as grandiose as Donald Trump is today. He founded the Canadian Pacific Railway, and in 1882 he spent C$600,000—an almost unimaginable sum at the time—to build a suitable home for himself and his family. He imported artisans from all over the world to panel its ceilings with Cuban mahogany, Indian lemon tree, and English oak and to cover its walls in marble, onyx, and gold. It's now a private club, but you can get a glimpse of all this grandeur on Saturday evening when the dining room, now open year-round, welcomes the public for dinner (à la carte or C$70 for a seven-course tasting menu) and on Sunday for brunch and music (C$49, including a guided tour). Warning: The dress code for dinner is semiformal, which means a jacket for men, something dressy for women, and jeans (of any color) for no one.