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Mallard Cottage

4.3 (228 reviews)
ModerateCanadian (New)
Closed • Closed
Updated a few days ago

Mallard Cottage Photos

MALLARD COTTAGE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Trendy
Intimate

Recommended Reviews - Mallard Cottage

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Reviews With Photos

Sticking toffee pudding
Mary C.

The Mallard Cottage is charming and is registered as a National Historical Site in Canada. The food is elevated and focus on the province's vast array of wild games, seafood and produces. My friend and I asked our server what he liked and he said the bread and butter. We laughed and ordered that - twice! It was very good bread. The mussel with the crispy shallots were tasty. Used the bread to scoop up the vermouth sauce. The halibut steak with braised leek was soft and moist. For dessert, we had the sticky toffee pudding which I didn't think was the best. The portion was small and not sticky enough for me. Service is top-notch. The best high quality restaurant in St. John's. Advance reservation is a must. Limited parking in the area. We took a taxi to Signal Hill for site seeing then took the Ladies Lookout Trail (30 mins walk) to Quidi Vidi. After dinner, we took a taxi back to our hotel.

Debbie G.

I was searching for a great restaurant in St-John's. Hours later, after visiting SignalHill and hiking to Quidi Vidi we were walking and a charming heritage house caught our eye. We walked in and asked if there was any room and although they were full, we were lucky enough able to sit at the bar. Excellent experience service and food wise. The menu does change daily but we had the halibut crudo, swordfish, mushrooms and Mille feuille. Everything was very tasty and no regrets. My drink was also delicious - Earl grey rose ice tea. So refreshing! Service was also impeccable. We'll deserved 5 star! Would definitely recommend eating here and I would come back if I am in St-John's.

What an outstanding experience. The enthusiasm and love of food was evident with everyone we connected to. They aimed to please, whether it was a unique cocktail request or questions about the various dishes. The halibut was thick and beyond delicious. The parsnip puree...Oh my. I wanted a triple serving. Salmon and pork were enjoyed by my friends and there was a lot of moaning. Finished with the lemon custard tart. I wish I lived in Newfoundland as I would be a regular patron. Don't miss out!!!

Outside view
Aviva P.

Fantastic ambiance, friendly service, great food. Quite pricey as was expected, but wine was reasonably priced. My only quibble is that for the price, the food was not filling enough.

a sign hanging from the ceiling
Ewhan H.

Hands down the best restaurant in St. John's. Best fish n chips I've ever had. Exceptional food, service, and atmosphere. A must for all St. John's visitors.

Dessert menu today
Kath B.

I finally made it to Mallard Cottage! We went for lunch in picturesque Quidi Vidi. We had the soup of the day and sandwich , and also scallops followed by dessert Chef and his team were on their A game and we enjoyed a splendid lunch. Also nice to walk around Quidi Vidi.

Focaccia, carrots, chicken and brisket.
Coral E.

Wonderful experience! After doing some research before heading to St. John's NL for work, I came across a quaint restaurant called Mallard Cottage. The homey vibe and food featured in the Facebook page photos had me sold and it quickly moved to the top of my list to try. On a stroke of luck, the best night after a day of conferencing had me booking a reservation for a Tuesday night that also happened to be on of their special "pit parties". We were greeted and treated with warm attention from start to finish. The staff was completely lovely and our waiter was extraordinary. They offered a wine pairing with the menu, but i decided to go with a cocktail. The lime daiquiri - while different from the frozen concoctions I'm used to in the South - was cold, tart with lime and not too sweet. Delicious! The pit party is a 4 course menu and from the amuse bouche to the salad to the array of meats all with a hint of wood and smoke - it was amazing. The light caramel dessert was the perfect ending. Wherever you're traveling to in NL, I strongly suggest making a visit to Mallard Cottage in Quidi Vidi.

Cucumber with shrimp, crustini fish cream cheese, corn bread churned butter  soo good
Trevor E.

We went to Mallard Cottage Monday night for the pit party. It was raining so we ate inside. Fantastic but the temperature of the restaurant was very cold. There was cold air coming from the ceiling and out of the floor. The food was fantastic but cold due to the ice cold restaurant. I would still highly recommend it but wish it was warmer all the way around.

Conrad R.

Top meals of my lifetime! Everything in season and fresh, excellent presentation, outstanding service!

Beef ( Land and Sea)

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1 year ago

Outstanding food. Service was great. Location is beautiful for an after dinner walk. Highly recommend

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2 years ago

Excellent food and service with a new owner in a historic setting! The restaurant recently re-opened. We are glad that we dined there.

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2 years ago

The food was amazing. Maybe the best cod I've ever eaten. The salad was fresh and very tasty.

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3 years ago

Great old building, good food and beer nearby; they bring coffee to your room in the morning.

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3 years ago

Very delicious foods prepared with care and excellent presentation - highly recommend

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2 years ago

Great food. Attentive service. Highly recommend the Cottage. Really enjoyed the food and local beers

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Mallard Cottage Reviews in Other Languages

Portage

Portage

4.5(19 reviews)
2.6 km

Located near the upper end of Water St just before it turns into offices, Portage's PoMo space is…read morein contrast to much of St John's historical downtown, but it's a refreshing vibe that still feels inviting and relaxed. The menu is on the larger side for a place of Portage's caliber and reputation, with several snack-sized starters and veggie-based dishes, and a leaner variety of proteins and desserts on offer. You know you're likely in for an excellent meal when it's hard to choose what to get, but after some deliberation, my wife and I landed on a handful - smoked olives, the cleverly-named Tongue and Cheek, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower souvlaki, and fingerling potatoes. Note that you can conveniently get half-sized portions of most dishes, although we, somewhat greedily, did not. Unsurprisingly, the smoked olives arrived right out of the gate. The plump green olives came as advertised and while you wouldn't know it from looking at them, tasted more like smoke than olive - and I was all for it! I'm slowly converting to olives, although it's generally only at nicer restaurants and not the olives that come out of obscenely large buckets/cans that get slopped on mediocre pizzas and salads. The cauliflower souvlaki started off our string of excellent veggie dishes. I wasn't sure what the portioning or presentation would be like for these, but they were all a generous size for two people to share, and while they were plated with consideration, it wasn't so much "haute cuisine" as it was "piles of delicious food with complementary garnishes". I was a bit surprised that the cauliflower was served at room temperature, but the charred cruciferous veg still packed a lot of flavour into each tender-crisp bite. Paired up with pickled dates, yogurt, and fresh dill and mint, the dish hit a lot of notes - savoury, lightly sweet, and tart and bright vegetal freshness. On deck were the fingering potatoes. Loaded up with sauteed onions, scrunchion-esque bits of pork belly, and a blessedly-conservative amount of Dijon, this was a dish that harkens to a lot of continental European dishes. The execution of the relatively simple ingredients is where it stood out though, with firm-but-tender potatoes that had hints of sweetness and umami from their toppings, and the crisp bits of pork belly brought some textural contrast to this comfort food classic. The dishes were coming hard and fast at this point with the broccoli, Brussels sprouts and (cod) Tongue and Cheek showing up in quick succession. Brussels sprouts have become a family sight on contemporary restaurant menus in the past 15-ish years, and the crispy, charred veg got the Boomer parent treatment, although melted Cheez Whiz was replaced by a much more natural Mornay sauce. I'm not jaded enough yet by their ubiquity to bemoan the delicious execution of these sprouts, and the cheesy goodness of the Mornay mellowed out the sharper edges of this infamous vegetable. A surprise hit was the broccoli - with velvety smooth and lightly salty ricotta, fresh micro greens and a not-insubstantial punch of heat from chili crisp, our third cruciferous vegetable of the night took top honours of the three, IMO. The Tongue and Cheek is an amusingly tongue-in-cheek play on words, using two cuts of cod that have become local delicacies. Each was fried in a light and airy batter that was only slightly heavier than a proper tempura, with a perfectly generous amount of salt. The tongues were a bit more toothsome, but still tender, while the cheeks almost melted in your mouth. They're one of the more pricey starters, but absolutely worth it. After this sizeable feast, dessert was not on the table, figuratively or literally. Service was spot-on and friendly, without the almost clinical coldness that can come with the precision that some fine dining places have. Portage is understandably representing St John's on Canada's Top 100 list with its deliberate, but unpretentious menu that will leave you wanting more and loosening your belt at the same time.

Had a wonderful meal at Portage. Shout out to our server…read moreCaroline who really looked after us well. Highly recommend this spot for offering specialities of the area. Please note that I also highly recommend reservations as it's not a huge dining space and because the food is so good, they do get busy. We started with the seafood sampler platter. So wonderful. And then we shared the Halibut, rice and spinach/fiddleheads with shrimp hollandaise (which were a fantastic complement to each other). Only one thing we did not like (it was not the fault of the restaurant, but our table for 2 was flanked by a table for 8. We don't mind that generally but 2 of the party were children who initially were running around and flinging themselves on the banquette seating for the first half of the meal. I started to wonder if I was going to end up with one of them in our laps. Fortunately they settled down at some point). Despite all this I would go back in a heartbeat.

Photos
Portage - Dining room

Dining room

Portage - Broccoli with ricotta and chili crisp

Broccoli with ricotta and chili crisp

Portage

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Bernard Stanley Gastropub - PB&J burger with kettle chips $22

Bernard Stanley Gastropub

4.0(75 reviews)
2.6 km
•$$

We thoroughly enjoyed this quaint Gastropub on an unassuming corner of Duckworth street. We…read morehappened to arrive right when they opened at 11am, and we were able to select from their brunch or lunch menu. Hubby and I both ordered from their lunch menu. I had my eye on the PB&J burger that I had seen on Yelp, as peanut butter is my favorite thing ever! This burger did not disappoint. While the combo sounds strange, the flavors were well-balanced with the brie cheese, caramelized onions and bacon. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium and the hamburger bun was soft. I chose the kettle chips for my side, and they tasted house made. Very delicious! The only thing I didn't like about this burger was the price tag = $22. Hubby had the seafood chowder for $17 and it was enough for a full meal. He said the chowder was very flavorful and full of seafood. He was in heaven! We both ordered a Quidi Vidi 1892 amber ale on draft. They only had 7 beers on tap and I wished that they had a medium or dark beer, but this area doesn't seem to be big on that. They do have Guinness in a can, if that's your thing. Service was friendly and the food came out relatively fast. The booths were comfy and the pub reminded me of a cozy neighborhood bar. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

Every visit back home, I always make a stop at BSG. Everything I've ever ordered here has been…read moresolid and flavorful. The staff is warm and inviting with an incredibly cozy atmosphere.

Photos
Bernard Stanley Gastropub - Inside

Inside

Bernard Stanley Gastropub - Hungry & Hungover Plate

Hungry & Hungover Plate

Bernard Stanley Gastropub - Quidi Vidi 1892 amber ale

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Quidi Vidi 1892 amber ale

Mallard Cottage - newcanadian - Updated May 2026

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