Explore the Best Women-Led Restaurants in Canada for 2019

by The OpenTable Team

Updated 03 February 2023

If you follow Canada's culinary scene, you're probably familiar with Chef Alida Solomon, Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg, and television star Ivana Raca. There are many more women in Canada's restaurant scene who are true culinary stars, and their fierce spirit and dedication to hospitality deserve recognition. In honor of International Women’s Day, OpenTable is celebrating the talented women on the front lines of the food scene. From Montreal to Toronto to Calgary, Canada's women deserve to take center stage. Diners are welcome to book a seat and experience for themselves why these female chefs, owners, and operators are rocking Canadian kitchens.

Tutti Matti

4.8

4.8 (1286)

CAN$51 and over

Italian

Entertainment District

About the restaurant

Traditional Tuscan cuisine is at the heart of Adelaide Street's Tutti Matti, where Chef Alida Solomon has been at the helm for over 17 years. Early in her career, Chef Solomon studied in Italy as a young apprentice who intended to only stay for six months, but instead remained for six and a half years. The Tuscan approach to food — local, seasonal, and screamingly fresh — was the inspiration for Tutti Matti's menu. House-made pastas and breads, and proteins like wild boar and rabbit are utilized when in season. Chef Solomon's approach to food at Tutti Matti is the same as what she witnessed in Tuscany: eat fresh, eat seasonally, and eat local not because it's trendy, but because that's what tastes best.

Top review

Louisevip

Dined on 4 Oct 2024

excellent service from all staff members; delicious authentic tuscan meal; pasta was outstanding! open kitchen concept is super nice. We highly recommend and definitely will go back

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4.8

4.8 (1197)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary American

Chinatown / Kensington Market

About the restaurant

Eclectic and funky Kensington Market is home to a variety of specialty grocery stores and vintage clothing shops all with an urban edge. Toronto restaurateur Jen Agg, whose other ventures notably include the Black Hoof, Cocktail Bar, and Rhum Corner, opened Grey Gardens in Kensington in 2017 after noticing a void in the city's dining scene: a wine bar with outstanding food. Agg carefully chose the interior decor to have stark contrasts between vintage and modern, and comfort and elegance, much like the dichotomy of the neighborhood itself. She has also entered the literary world with her novel, I Hear She's a Real Bitch, which tackles misogyny and sexism in the restaurant world.

Top review

Jacquievip

Dined 7 days ago

The first thing you notice about the food is that it is delicious. Then you notice that it is wonderfully fresh - the shrimp in the shrimp cocktail were perfect. Then you notice that it is unusual enough to be interesting but not weird. The service was wonderfully attentive but never intrusive. Absolutely excellent restaurant in all respects.

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Experience

Grey Monday - October 28

Experience

Génot-Boulanger Winemaker Dinner

Graziella Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1231)

CAN$51 and over

Italian

Old Montreal

About the restaurant

Chef Graziella Battista of eponymous restaurant Graziella credits her mother as the inspiration behind her restaurant. She recalls seeing her mother feed large groups of people, and the sense of gratitude and satisfaction of the people on the receiving end of her meals. The open kitchen at Graziella allows Chef Battista to experience the same view of her patrons as they enjoy what she's created. Dishes such as grilled octopus and squid ink brioche, lemon-basil ricotta gnocchi, and braised milk-fed veal shank highlight the chef's love of classic Italian cuisine while also showing a deft hand in the kitchen.

Top review

Larryvip

Dined 6 days ago

My overall favourite restaurant in Montréal for the all-round dining experience. And there are many good restaurants in Montreal.

Helena

4.7

4.7 (1872)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Portuguese

Old Montreal

About the restaurant

Montreal's Old Neighborhood houses Helena, a love letter to the cuisine of Portugal. Chef and owner Helena Loureiro pays homage to her Portuguese upbringing with the restaurant that bears her name. A bright celebration of wines, small plates, meats, soups, and salads, Helena invites guests to share plates, conversation, and laughs. This aligns with Chef Helena's philosophy of food bringing people together in a warm environment. Priding herself on fresh ingredients, Chef Helena features daily catches from Portugal, as well as local meats such as a grilled Quebec rack of lamb.

Top review

Royvip

Dined 2 days ago

Great place for a fine dining experience. Food is amazing, ans great wine selection.

Île Flottante

4.6

4.6 (1994)

CAN$51 and over

International

Mile End

About the restaurant

The remodeled Ille Flottante, formerly Les Deux Singes de Montarvie, is one of the most prestigious and highly regarded restaurants in Montreal. This is thanks to chef and owner Nada Abou Younes' desire to put her own finishing touches on both the decor and the menu of the restaurant that she took over. The result? Ille Flottante, a restaurant with a three-, five-, or seven-course tasting menu complete with an expert wine pairing. The restaurant represents a dream come true for Chef Younes, whose strict father discouraged her foray into a professional kitchen. Young Younes began cooking at Les Deux, and when the opportunity arose, she was able to purchase the restaurant and change its name — with the help of her father, now her biggest supporter.

Top review

Kellinvip

Dined 3 days ago

Outstanding place, must visit! They were great the first time I went and I feel like they've been getting even better each time I've been after. Very innovative, with Quebecois flair. The wine pairing is a must, always finding things I want to drink again, in my top 3 worldwide.

CHARCUT

4.3

4.3 (4275)

CAN$30 and under

Contemporary Canadian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Chef and owner of Charcut, Connie DeSousa, was a contestant on Season One of Top Chef Canada, as well as Top Chef All-Stars. Her dedication to the precision and artistry of dance at a young age follows her in the kitchen, where her butchery skills are at the core of Charcut's meat-centric menu. Dubbed "the primal ballerina," Chef DeSousa was able to work under Alice Waters at Berkeley's Chez Panisse, which also influenced her style of cuisine. On the menu at Charcut, diners will find house-made sausages, poultry, and beef roasted in the restaurant's custom-built rotisserie, and a handcrafted charcuterie eating bar.

Top review

Carolyn

Dined on 4 Oct 2024

Dinner for 4, cocktails, beer and wine with shared plates - everything was well prepared, great flavours and the big, bone in beef was marvellous!

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Popular dish

Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Popular dish

Bone Marrow Stroganoff

Popular dish

Prime Rib

Donna Mac

4.5

4.5 (533)

CAN$30 and under

Contemporary Canadian

Calgary

About the restaurant

Donna Mac's co-owner Amy Turner has been churning out grandma-style classic dishes with modern touches at the Beltline restaurant in Calgary. The name of the restaurant comes from Turner's grandmother, a resourceful mother of six who knew how to hunt, kept a garden, and was able to make masterful meals out of limited means. Turner's goal for the restaurant is for diners to have a new appreciation for all parts of animals, fruits, and vegetables, even the bits and scraps that one often overlooks.

Top review

ChristineR

Dined on 3 Jan 2020

The broccoli and panna cotta were my favorite.

Ten Foot Henry

4.8

4.8 (6145)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary Canadian

Calgary

About the restaurant

One of Calgary's most popular casual eateries, Ten Foot Henry was launched by co-owners Aja Lapointe and Stephen Smee. A true neighborhood restaurant that is open all day, Lapointe wanted to create a space that was vegetable-heavy in a city that's surrounded by cattle country. The balance that was created by Lapoint and her chef-husband Smee is a menu that has dishes that are not only healthy, but also leave diners coming back for more. Chargrilled carrots with salsa verde and jerk spice cauliflower are a few of the options that Lapointe serves to Calgary guests to balance out the meat-centered offerings found across the city.

Top review

Tiavip

Dined 2 days ago

Amazing service and the food was so good. Will be going back and telling all my friends.

Yuwa Japanese Cuisine (fka Zest Restaurant)

4.8

4.8 (1273)

CAN$51 and over

Japanese

Kitsilano

About the restaurant

~ STORY OF YUWA JAPANESE CUISINE ~

Chef Masahiro Omori is the Executive Chef / Co-owner of Yuwa Japanese Cuisine who was born and raised in Chiba, Japan. His grandmother "YUWA" passionately owned a fish market in Chiba, Japan for over 50 years. Yuwa's dedication to her craft deeply touched Chef Omori and he lovingly brings her spirit forward with his professional experience at a well-known long-established Kaiseki restaurant in Tokyo, Japan.

Chef Masahiro Omori brings specialized regional dishes from across Japan taking advantage of the highest quality, freshest local BC ingredients. These can all be paired with our specialized selection of wines and sake.

Top review

art

Dined 4 days ago

Favorite restaurant; food is excellent as is the service and ambience

Deane House

4.7

4.7 (1898)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Canadian

Inglewood

About the restaurant

A collection of beautifully curated rooms, each with its own unique character, set the stage for a Canadian culinary journey at Deane House. In the dining room, library, bar and gardens, we guide guests on a seasonal, regional exploration. Enjoy dinner and weekend brunch in Inglewood, 5 minutes from Calgary's city centre.

Top review

Dawn

Dined 1 day ago

Beautiful place excellent service only complaint was I had reserved a window seat and there was none a available and had to sit near bar at a night top table and not in dining room which was disappointing

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4.5

4.5 (4811)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Canadian

Calgary

About the restaurant

An extraordinary dining experience is to embark on a journey. We have created a beautiful place in an extraordinary setting and have tended to the details that make you feel at home: staff who care, chefs who are passionate about quality and the regional seasonal ingredients that bring to your palate a taste of place.

Getting to River Cafe is just a walk in the park.

Access River Café on Prince's Island Park from:
1. North side crossing the Bow River and Memorial Drive at the Calgary Curling Club.
2. South East end of the island at the 2nd street SW bridge, directly East of Eau Claire Market.
3. South West end of the island at 6th Street SW and Eau Claire Way near the Peace Bridge.
Eau Claire Plaza is currently closed for construction.
Please note, only our Afternoon Menu is served daily from 4:00pm-5:00pm.

Thank you for choosing to dine with us, we look forward to serving you!

Top review

Kiaiivip

Dined 1 day ago

Excellent Service and great atmosphere. All staff very friendly and professional. Food was great and delicious.

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