All around town, chefs are focusing their considerable talents on preparing comfort food. Many restaurants are striving to become neighbourhood destinations as knowledgeable diners gravitate to casual eateries and skilled home cooking, modestly presented. The trend is toward gathering in groups, sharing both plates and tables. We want to kick back, enjoy unpretentious dishes made with fresh local ingredients, and wash it all down with a seasonal craft beer or a new wine discovery from Prince Edward County.
The 2015 edition of Eating & Drinking reflects this sensibility, with Ottawa Magazine restaurant critic Anne DesBrisay paying special homage to neighbourhood destinations and tucked-away eateries as part of this season’s guide to 32 must-eat restaurants. As the desire for a more intimate dining experience takes off, so does the appetite for a more personal connection to the growers and makers of all that we eat and drink.
Small-batch foods, artisanal cordials, and craft beers are tempting because they taste great but also because we feel a connection to the farmers, brewers, bakers, and butchers who are preparing them just for us. Welcome to the table.
By Sarah Brown
Eat
Ottawa’s most exciting new food businesses and best restaurants
New and Noteworthy
Fifteen of the tastiest new additions to the culinary landscape. By Shawna Wagman
Small-batch finds
The yummiest, the most sophisticated, the trendiest small-batch things you need to try right now. Our opinionated checklist for the discerning locavore. By Cindy Deachman, Anne DesBrisay, and Shawna Wagman
Restaurants
Some offer a boisterous evening at the bar; others are comfortable old-timers, innovating gracefully to keep up with the times. Ottawa Magazine restaurant critic Anne DesBrisay selects 32 restaurants for this year’s must-visit list. By Anne DesBrisay
Festive Gourmet
An overview of the next 12 months of finger-licking celebrations. By Matt Harrison
Adventurous Gourmet
Restaurateurs are devising all manner of inventive special events to satiate our hunger for novelty. By Amy Allen
Shop
A curated guide to satisfying your gourmet grocery and takeout needs. By Cindy Deachman
My Favourite Things
Featuring…
Rich Wilson of The Pomeroy House
Briana Kim of Café My House
Cyril Nebout and Leslie Yang of Cylie Artisans Chocolatiers
Sara Pishva of Top Shelf Preserves
Kimiko Uriu of Kimicha Tea
Drink
Wines and craft beers to suit every event on your social calendar.
David Lawrason details his 47 favourite bottles.
The Ultimate Beer Run. By Jordan Duff
Refreshing Craft Beers. By Jordan Duff
Back Page
Dinner With the Family: Erling’s Variety
