Ottawa Restaurants
 

We'll be spending a weekend in Ottawa in June and haven't been there in years. Looking for suggestions on any hip, stylish, restaurants? Good food, atmosphere & service. We're used to beautiful restaurants in Toronto & Montreal and are sure there are some hidden gems in Ottawa. Also, thinking of staying at ARC The Hotel - anyone stayed there before? Thanks for any information.

Here are 3 restaurants in Ottawa for a start:

Beckta
Juniper
Signatures

Signatures is run by the Cordon Bleu organization and is co-located with their cooking school in an elegant Sandy Hill mansion. It may not be hip, but you'll get excellent food, atmosphere and service. Juniper and Beckta are just as good, but somewhat "hipper". I haven't eaten there, but the restaurant in ARC has a good reputation.

Across the river in Gatineau and environs, Henri Burger is back to its old form, and certainly worth the money. Baccarat at the Casino is first class (with prices to match). One of my favourites is Les Fougères in Chelsea, but you'll nedd a car to get there.

Hip and stylish, is not my beat. But for what it's worth, here's my list of Ottawa restaurants for my out of town friends

Daley's (Westin Hotel) for Sunday Brunch - get a table with a canal view.
Merlot (Marriott Hotel) for supper- It's a revolving restaurant. Been around for ever, but great views and I hear the food is currently excellent.
Lunch at the National Art Gallery cafeteria.
Courtyard in the Market for lunch.
Henri Burger for supper.

This list isn't adventuresome, but it works for our out of town friends.


The Arc is a really neet hotel. Friends stayed there, and mentioned that the bigger rooms were excellent.

I've stayed at Arc a few times. Very hip, like the Le Germain hotels. Great food and atmosphere in the bar.

I found my room a bit on the small side but it was very well appointed and the bathroom was very luxurious.

I would definitely stay there again. I can't recall where else I ate so it couldn't have been that memorable!

Here are Ottawa's top restuarants from Anne DesBrisay, the Citizen's restaurant critic (who pulls no punches).

4 Stars

Beckta
Domus Café
Juniper
Le Baccara
Les Fougères
Signatures

3 1/2 stars

Arc Lounge
Black Cat Café
Henry Burger
Le Tartuffe
Le Verlan (now known as Michel Reymond)
Restaurant Héritage (in Cumberland)
Trattoria Spiga
Zingaro
Urban Pear


I have eaten at all of the 4 star and several of the 3 1/2 and agree with the ratings (although Zingaro does seem to have gone downhill recently).

Guarantor's suggestions are not bad, but by no means the best places to eat in Ottawa. They do all have nice views or surroundings if that is a factor.

If you're at the National Gallery, then lunch in the rotunda is quite good. Of the hotel dining rooms, I think that Wilfrid's in the Chateau Laurier is the best of the lot after ARC.

In the Byward Market, Domus, Spiga and the Black Cat are the best. Social is still very trendy. Sweetgrass (aboriginal cuisine) is good and perhaps something you won't find in Toronto or Montreal. The Courtyard Café is quite attractive, but I've never been that impressed with the food.

In a weekend, you'll only get to sample a few of these, but I hope it gives you an idea of what's available.

Restaurants with a good atmosphere,

I personally enjoy Heart & Crown (located on the market) it's a perect spot to people watch.

On the Hull/Gatineau side:

One with rave reviews is L'echelle Jacob, located on Lucerne Blvd. (Aylmer)

Oncle Tom in Hull was good at one time, it's been a while for myself.