This was, without question, the best meal and dining experience I've had in a very long time. It…read morerivals The French Laundry in every way--except the price, which makes it even better. Our party of four began with cocktails, warm olives, and focaccia, followed by the root vegetable salad, scallops, another round of that irresistible focaccia, the cod, and finally the lamb dish. Every course was exceptional--beautifully prepared, perfectly balanced, and absolutely delicious. We couldn't manage dessert this time, but that just gives us the perfect reason to return. I'm not sure when I will be back, but I hope I will have the opportunity to eat here again.

Solid place for dinner. It's a relatively smaller establishment and it's actually hard to tell what…read moreit's like inside b/c from the outside, the blinds kinda block the view. It's a quaint atmosphere with a nice bar. The staff are super attentive and helpful and very friendly. The food is fantastic up and down the menu - appetizers, entree, and dessert. They also have an extensive drink/cocktail menu that was great as well. Will definitely return when I'm back in the area.

Kicking off my new year new badge with a banger! This was an amazing experience. Three course meal…read more Food was not only delicious but the presentation was on point. Atmosphere was cozy and intimate. While we didn't know what the Italian meant our server was very nice and walked us through the whole menu! 100% would do this again!

The Tuscan potatoes are my new addiction! Service was perfect and super friendly. Very cosy vibe…read moreinside, had a fantastic dinner.

This cozy French Canadian restaurant in the heart of ByWard Market in Ottawa Ontario Canada offers…read morecreative dishes. We sat inside without a reservation after 8pm. They also have outdoor seating. We shared the House Bread $8, Trout Filet $56 and Grilled Savoy Cabbage $22. It was all delicious. Our server was very friendly and efficient.

This place is rock solid. Good wine list. Think French tapas. Everybody orders two or three and…read moreshares. Service was impeccable in a very casual ambiance. Check out the photos. All the food was outstanding. Of note Duck Tartare, scallops and the pressed potatoes with egg on a smoke tomato sauce were worth going back the next to eat again. Yes, Duck tartare. Eat here.

We made a reservation here for a special occasion. It has been on my list for quite a while…read more Checked in and the hostess verified the special event. We were seated on the second floor. I was a bit surprised at how business casual the decor was. It's comfortable, with lots of leather type bench seating. A good portion of the customers were business people. Our waiter knew we were there for a special occasion. He also knew the menu very well and was willing to express an opinion when asked, like what paired well, what his favorites were. All of the dishes were beautifully prepared and delicious. Thank you Play staff!

TL;DR/The Short Version: Delicious food at popular…read morerestaurant in the Byward Market. The beef cheek was melt-in-your-mouth. The Long Version: I was at Play Food and Wine Bar for a professional event that was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. We were a group of about 30-40 people and had a section of the restaurant to ourselves. We had a set menu with a choice of mains (beef or vegetarian). We started off with a few hors d'oeuvres served on spoons. Servers were going around with them and I got to try two different types. One was a shrimp on a dollop of wasabi cream and the other was a gnocchi. Both were tasty and prepared us for the delicious meal to come. We all had the mixed salad, which was a spring mix with grapes, candied pecans, and whipped goat cheese, in a cucumber and mint vinaigrette. I loved the different textures and even though the salad came pre-dressed (I always prefer dressing on the side), the dressing wasn't heavy, so I didn't find it too overdressed for my tastes. For my main, I chose the beef cheek (the vegetarian option was gnocchi). The beef cheek was so tender and literally fall-apart. I didn't even need a knife. It was so flavourful too. It came with mushrooms and mashed potatoes. There was an olive and sun-dried tomato sauce on the beef that I found a too potent and overwhelming in flavour, but overall I still enjoyed the main. For dessert we had the chocolate tart. It had salted caramel on it and under the layer of chocolate was a layer of white chocolate fudge. It was very rich and decadent...overly so. I finished it nonetheless, lol. Service was excellent. We had several servers assigned to our group and they were attentive. They kept our water glasses and wine glasses full. Although I enjoyed the Pinot Grigio, I was driving, so had to limit myself to a glass and a half. Play Food and Wine Bar is owned by Stephen Beckta, who is a bit of a local celebrity, lol. His first restaurant is Beckta, which I have been to and while it's more upscale than Play, I actually enjoyed the food at Play more. His other restaurant is Gezellig, which is in my neighborhood (Westboro) and I've been to it a couple of times, and I definitely like Play better. I'm glad I was introduced to Play. The room we were in was lovely. It was long and narrow and had a bar. As with all restaurants in the Byward Market, parking is paid parkade parking or paid street parking only. Review #139 (2025)

I've been here twice and will most definitely be back. It was a random restaurant we chose to go to…read moreafter a sad event. We were hungry and wanted somewhere nice to go to. We found them on Google. It's a tiny little place in a strip mall in kanata. We were pleasantly pleased when we called and they had a table. When you walk in, you are greeted with a smile and a welcome both times. It is comfortable and beautifully decorated. It's very classy but you can also come in casually dressed. Their menu is diverse, and everything I've had both times here has been beyond delicious. We usually try a few appetizers to share, dinner, and dessert. Whatever brand of prosecco they have, there is the beat I've tasted in a restaurant. The bartender/waitress/owner is super friendly. Both times, we had such a nice chat with her, and you just get these genuinely nice vibes. I've left happy and relaxed both times and have recommended this restaurant to so many people. The tataki, tartars, and fruit and cheese platter appetizers are really good. You will leave pleasantly satiated.

We really enjoyed the food. The small charcuterie board was a great way to wet our appetites. The…read moremicro greens and caramelized peaches elevated the Burrata plate. The flank steak was a very good dish, the chimichuri had a good kick, but did not overwhelm my palette. The deconstructed key lime pie was unique and a reason for me to go back in the near future. A few reviews on Yelp criticized the strip mall location/gas station in the parking lot. Sorry, I did not notice because I was busy enjoying the great food and chatting with my wife!

We've always wanted to try a small plates/tapas place. My search brought me to The Belmont. The…read moremeal was without fault. The service was excellent. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed. Highly recommended. Mocktails to start, and then we indulged in the Family Style. I've captioned each dish.

Cute little spot I would recommend a reservation. This is my second time and once again I had not…read moremade reservations. (Expect 45-1h wait time.) not bad as there are a lot of cute shops around. Both me and my partner got the Belmont breakfast. Has a bit of everything ($23) I gave my partner the bread and got his salad. He said the bread was really good. I really enjoyed my salad nice and fresh not sure what kind of leaves was used. First time I see that shape. Back to salad it was light and a little bit sweet. Potatoes are the next best thing on my plate. I like them he spice that was used, I added a but more salt on mine. The breakfast sausage did not give me heartburn... not guaranteeing anything but worth mentioning. I believe they were lighter in oil simply. My partner always trades them for bacon. I only got a half sausage, he had the rest. The last thing I want to mention is less positive. I usally like breakfast beans. Got excited when I saw the black beans. However, really disappointed nothing more than warmed out black beans. Not what I would expect from breakfast beans. I expect a maple or sugar flavour. You can pay $5 to add to your breakfast... mine came with them but I would skip. Unless unflavoured black bean is your thing.

Great food -service and ambiance So relaxing -will…read moredefinitely be back again Food was amazing

My favourite Italian restaurant in Ottawa! It has the warmest and most comforting ambiance, the…read morestaff is amazing, and nothing beats their meatballs. I love going back and it is always so delicious.

Mediocre, overpriced service was good…read morebut not worth the money, not exceptional, bland, and really expensive. Should be 60% cheaper not recommended

Great spot for date night or a night out with friends. Grabbed a spot at the bar with a friend on a…read moreSaturday night. The staff were so friendly and nice. We got two cocktails to start. They were both delicious. To eat we got the focaccia, beef carpaccio, and meatballs. The focaccia was amazing- so fresh and soft. The carpaccio is a shawarma inspired dished and included pickles. The meatballs were cooked to perfection and paired well with the focaccia. To end our meal we got the baked Alaska. It was the perfect end to the night. I would go back on my next Ottawa visit.