Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Ottawa

Ottawa's fine dining scene punches above its weight. Four restaurants landed on Canada's 100 Best in 2025 — more than any year in the city's history — and the chef-driven tasting menu crowd now has options at every price point, from $95 at Stofa to $250 at Atelier.

Whether you're booking an anniversary dinner, a client meeting, or a milestone celebration, here are Ottawa's eight best fine dining restaurants.

Chef-Driven Tasting Menus

Atelier

Atelier is the city's benchmark. Chef Marc Lepine (Canada's Most Innovative Chef, 2018) serves a single 7-expression modernist tasting menu — "Zyre" — over about three hours. The 14-seat room is all concentration and ceremony. Canada's 100 Best for 10 consecutive years (2015–2025, #41 in 2025). Book well in advance for weekends.

Tasting Menu: $250 per person | Hours: Wed–Sat seatings 6–8pm | Best For: Once-a-year milestone | Neighbourhood: Centretown West

Perch

Perch on Preston Street is chef Justin Champagne-Lagarde's sustainability-forward Canadian tasting room. Nine courses, $180, with optional wine or non-alcoholic pairing ($100). enRoute "4th Best New Canadian Restaurant" (2022), Canada's 100 Best 2023 and 2025. Intimate setting — book 60 days ahead for peak dates.

Tasting Menu: $180 (9 courses) + $100 pairing | Canada's 100 Best: #95 (2025) | Best For: Intimate anniversary | Neighbourhood: Little Italy

Aiana Restaurant Collective

Aiana at O'Connor & Queen is chef Raghav Chaudhary's modern Canadian dégustation program with global influences. Location alone makes it the top pick for business dinners — it's in the heart of the downtown business core, a short walk from Parliament and most Ottawa hotels. Lunch and Social Hour (3–6pm) are good for client meetings; the tasting menu dinner works for a bigger occasion.

Dégustation: $150 per person | Hours: Lunch Tue–Fri, Dinner Tue–Sat | Best For: Business dinners, client meetings | Neighbourhood: Downtown

Business Dinner Classics

Riviera

Riviera on Sparks Street sits inside a 1930s bank building — marble, high ceilings, and the kind of room that impresses. Chef-owner Jordan Holley runs a contemporary Canadian/Mediterranean menu with serious mains ($37–$87) and the city's best negroni program (10 variations). Two private dining rooms (Banker's Office for 12, Cellar Vault for 12) make it the top choice for executive dinners.

Canada's 100 Best: #88 (2025) | Hours: Daily 5pm to 10–11pm | Private Dining: Yes (12-seat rooms) | Best For: Business, impressing visitors | Neighbourhood: Downtown (Sparks St)

Beckta Dining & Wine

Beckta on Elgin Street is the institution — Stephen Beckta opened it in 2003 and it's been shaping Ottawa fine dining ever since. A certified sommelier owner means one of the best wine programs in the city. Location is ideal for NAC pre-theatre dining (5-minute walk). Interactive 5-course chef's tasting or à la carte.

Hours: Lunch Mon–Fri, Dinner Mon–Sat | Best For: NAC pre-theatre, wine-focused dinners, anniversaries | Neighbourhood: Downtown (Elgin St)

Restaurant e18hteen

Restaurant e18hteen occupies a 19th-century heritage building in the ByWard Market (formerly Canada's first cheese processing plant). Stone walls, a fireplace, and executive chef David Godsoe's "Canadian Freestyle Cuisine" with steak and seafood focus. CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award. Semi-private and full buyout options available.

Hours: Daily 4:30pm–10/11pm | Style: Upscale steak & seafood | Best For: Heritage atmosphere, visitor-friendly | Neighbourhood: ByWard Market

Anniversary Picks

North & Navy

North & Navy on Nepean Street is Ottawa's most romantic Italian fine dining — OpenTable named it one of Canada's 100 Most Romantic Restaurants for 2025. Northern Italian inspired by Venetian bacari, with game, seafood, and vegetable dishes through the seasons. A 6-course tasting menu ($150, optional $60 wine pairing) launched in 2025.

Tasting Menu: $150 (6 courses) + $60 pairing | Hours: Mon–Sat 5–10pm | Best For: Romantic anniversary | Neighbourhood: Centretown

Supply and Demand

Supply and Demand on Wellington Street West is the city's top seafood-focused fine dining. Chef Steven Wall's raw bar and house-made pasta program has been the Hintonburg benchmark for years. Sleek modern room, serious wine list, and consistently one of the harder reservations in the city.

Hours: Tue–Sun 5pm (closed Mon) | Style: Seafood + pasta fine dining | Best For: Oyster lovers, seafood date nights | Neighbourhood: Wellington West / Hintonburg

Fine Dining at a Glance

Which Fine Dining Spot Is Right for You?

• Once-a-year milestone? → Atelier
• Closing a deal? → Riviera (private rooms, impressive space) or Aiana (business core location)
• Romantic anniversary? → North & Navy or Perch
• Before an NAC show? → Beckta (5-minute walk) or Aiana (10-minute walk)
• Impressing an out-of-town visitor? → Restaurant e18hteen (heritage building) or Riviera (bank-vault room)
• Wine-first dinner? → Beckta (sommelier-owned)
• Seafood-focused date? → Supply and Demand
• Biggest splurge? → Atelier at $250 per person

Booking Tips

• Book early for peak dates — Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, Mother's Day, and summer Saturday nights fill up 4–8 weeks ahead
• Atelier and Perch open bookings 60 days out — set calendar reminders for prime dates
• Private dining for groups — Riviera (2 rooms), Restaurant e18hteen, Beckta, and Aiana all offer dedicated private rooms for 8–20
• Pre-theatre timing — if going to the NAC, Beckta or Aiana are the closest fine dining options (5–10 min walk)
• Wine pairings add up — tasting menu pairings range $60 (North & Navy) to $100 (Perch). Factor in taxes and 18–20% tip
• Dress codes — most are smart casual, but Atelier and Riviera skew dressier. Jeans are fine at Beckta and Supply and Demand; jackets recommended for Atelier
• Dietary restrictions — note them at booking. Most kitchens accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, and major allergies; check with the restaurant for full vegan or halal