Mallard is one of my favourite places in and around St. John's. It is ALWAYS good - I have never been disappointed there. Love the atmosphere, food, staff, everything about it! read more

We were super looking forward to trying this place, we made reservations two weeks in advance, and had heard good things. The staff was very friendly and the place is decorated nicely. The food was very mediocre and overpriced. It was weird food and tiny portions and it costs a small fortune. The Caesar salad should not be allowed to be called that. Everything had weird ingredients. The drinks were okay, and they'd be happy to get you a refill (for another ten bucks). We will not be going back there. Such a huge let down after waiting for so long to get there. We also got a parking ticket because there is no where to park and no signs up!! read more

*The Lobster Boil That Wasn't* - don't bother with Monday's We had a recommendation from a friend that went to the Mallard Cottage for brunch and were blown away. The reviews online said the same. We went to reserve online and found out it was "THE GREAT LOBSTER BOIL" on Mondays and upon further review we saw that it was served family style. Well... we were tourists in Newfoundland, let's do a lobster boil! So we booked at $65 a person. Well, it wasn't what you would think. The lobster was served cold. Yup, cold. When we asked the server why, they said it was to expedite service (I guess they planned lots of turn over of tourists on Mondays - and we happened to be tourists). It was served in a cast iron pan that was also cold, so the hot baked potato (which was over cooked and very dry) that was served with it got cold by the time we got through it. The clarified butter for the lobster was warm, but not hot - so when you dipped your cold lobster in it, it started to set, about half way through dinner we had to get another one as the butter was starting to solidify. The salads were good, the side dish of squid was fine and hot, but the lobster was a real let down which should have been the star. It was quality lobster, but it was not what we were expecting. When we heard "THE GREAT LOBSTER BOIL" we expected hot lobster, hot sides, everything steaming and kinda messy. We were very disappointed. When looking around, I saw plenty of "meh" faces. Another couple barely spoke, there was no "mmmm this is awesome" or anything like that. With two glasses of wine, and tip it came to $200 - for cold lobster. That really was a let down and didn't impress me at all. Maybe just go for brunch... apparently that was good. read more

Brunch is where it's at! The cod fish cakes were fantastic! Fish was super fresh and the cakes were tall stacks with a beautiful blueberry compote to go with. The secret however, is to ask for the hot sauce... Just the right amount of spice and pairs with the fish cakes really well. If you want sweet breakfast, stick with the blueberry compote. But if you want a kick of savoury with a bit of bite, hot sauce all the way! Special mention for the smoked duck ham eggs Benny. Again, the duck is beautiful with the smoke and creamy hollandaise. Go with the potato wedges to have something to dip in the sauce and your morning is made. read more

Hidden in plain sight, this tiny little house of green and white blends among the neighbouring homes and if you're not careful, you could miss it (especially if you don't know what you're looking for). If and when you do find it, be prepared for the most unexpected culinary experience. (This, is a great thing!) Mallard Cottage was the first restaurant I went to upon my arrival in St. John's. Admittedly, I had no expectations of Newfoundland's food culture other than what they were known for (in the general sense) and being in a fishing village, I was prepared for a lovely dinner of cod and craft beer. (Boy, was I in for a surprise.) There were just two of us at dinner and we shared everything and were blown away at the dining experience at the Cottage. The beautiful thing about Mallard Cottage (as with many of the fantastic dining establishments in St. John's) is that the MENU ALWAYS CHANGES. i guess being a small town, with seasonally changing ingredients, you have to do something to keep people coming back - a winning formula that is making me fly east at least once a year. Here's what we had off that day's menu, in no particular order: - Lobster, gravy, biscuit, parmesan: Literally, those four ingredients in one dish as they are; flavour profiles like no other. The gravy exploded with flavour atop my forkful of 50/50 ratio of perfectly textured lobster to the soft-centerd, crisp buttery biscuit. $14 - Halibut ceviche, roasted garlic aioli, pickles, crispy shallot: Fish from a fishing village. Period. I had no doubts that ceviche in St. John's would be anything short of amazing. A perfect balance of sweet, tart and savoury flavours with an inviting texture and just the right amount of crunch thanks to the crispy fried shallots. $12 - Skin on Cod, roast potato, kale, caramelized onion, white turnip puree, brown butter vinaigrette: Again, fish from a fishing village. Period. If I expected to eat anything in St. John's, it would be cod and at Mallard Cottage, it was done right. I'll let the photo speak for itself. $27 - Duck leg confit, pinto beans, braised trotters, turnip greens, beer jam, cilantro: garnished with edible flowers, the duck confit was stunningly beautiful, inside and out. The flavour and texture mimicked a plate I experienced in Paris and the accompaniments of the beer jam and braised trotters made it explode with flavour and unique to Newfoundland. $29 From my table I could see Todd (Mallard Cottage's Chef) working the pass that night - we had met briefly, once before when he was in Toronto for the Terroir Hospitality Industry Symposium. He meticulously inspected every dish that was going out to the full restaurant - which admittedly elongated our dinner (a tad), HOWEVER, this is not to say that this was a bad thing. (I've waited longer at lesser reputable establishments, so this is more of a praise than a complaint). I went over and re-introduced myself and thanks him for an out-of-the-park experience. All in all, it's clear that Todd and his team at Mallard Cottage have somewhat of a culinary art gallery in the little village that is Quidi Vidi offering edible masterpieces, day in and day out with colours (flavours) that change like a chameleon on a rainbow road. The locals swear by it (with good reason) and even though I'm not a local, I would like to use my (now) close ties to the little province to adopt myself as a local so I can say I swear by it as well. A previous review stated that this restaurant would be a reason alone to go to Newfoundland, and I would have to agree 10000000%. read more

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Awesome people and outstanding food. At a little remote area in St John's at the bottom of Signal Hill. I'm from NL and have never been to this restaurant before. Quite impressed. A little music in the background. All the dessert you can eat for $10. I had the fish cakes for the entree and now I might need to take a nap before I walk back to my car which is over at Signal Hill (said that before, didn't I). AWESOME SPOT what else can I say. read more

Mallard Cottage - Yes, they're making me my fish cakes. - Canadian (New) Near Me - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

What an amazing meal tonight. Highly recommend. Definitely not the norm everyday foods. Love the variation on traditional Newfoundland specialities items. Will definitely return. read more

Awesome buffet! We were able to try many different local foods in a beautiful setting. Drinks were also delicious!

Lovely ambiance and attentive service. Food good and flavorful and ranks as a great place in Newfoundland but it does not compare to great meals in other cities. Glad we went and enjoyed it though. read more

Wonderful location and great food. Each plate was a perfect portion and allowed us to order a few plates. read more

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The food looks good, but it's nothing special. It's homestyle cooking, but not gourmet. Was a little disappointed.

Amazing! Perhaps the best meal experience of my life! The location, the venue itself, the wonderful staff, it was all great. But the food, THE FOOD!!! Our table shared multiple dishes, and everything was insanely delicious. From the green salad made from vegetables all grown in the garden beside the restaurant, to the grilled cod dish made with cod fish caught that afternoon, it was perfect. The pork belly, seared duck breast, halibut ceviche, and everything else was fantastic! Even the wine, beer and cocktails we all had were delicious! It felt like the food and drink were all very well thought through, regarding not just their individual flavours, but how everything complimented each other very very well. We all had a meal that we will never forget, and it is worth the trip to St. John's! My husband and I will certainly be going back the next time we can make it to St. John's! This place is a gem and not to be missed. read more

Used to be there was only one restaurant in St John's that made good use of local game and veg for preparation of first-class food. Now we have several, but Mallard College dukes it out for first place. Combined with excellent relaxed ambiance and a variety of the New Wave of local beers and ales, this is a great meeting place for friends. The Polish Husband's Club will be welcoming two new members, and I'll let them give their own judgements. read more

Just got home after a date night at Mallard Cottage and it was definitely our best dining experience in St. John's yet! My husband had made a reservation several days in advance. The restaurant is in a beautiful setting in Quidi Vidi with a great ambiance inside. The food was great (I had the shrimp entree and my husband had lamb) and his drink was wonderful. What we were most blown away by was the service. Our server was incredibly attentive and made sure we had an amazing time the entire evening. Will be going back regularly! read more

Great simple brunch , decor is rustic and the serving we had staff is a little over the top with the bearded fishermen look, as there were many others "styled " the same way. A bit pretentious. But the food is great, and the smoked stuff tastes amazing . read more

Can't beat this vibe! Food is fantastic and the price is reasonable. For people visiting town this is the first place I recommend they check out. read more

Amazing service and food. We did the family meal at $60/person - well worth every penny. We had an assortment of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Cannot wait to go back to St.Johns and go back! read more

Bring me the heads of anyone who rated the Mallard less than five stars. They are miserable, miserable people. Probably from some awful and soulless big city. (Toronto) Where to begin. The food is fabulous. We had party of 8 and ate "family style" for $60pp plus drinks. The chef sent us a succession of amazing tastes. Prawns. Lobster. Fish. Pork. Mussels. More pork that was even better. More fish. I won't review each dish because the menu changes. If you see pork cheeks with chickpeas and garam masala on the menu you must try it. Everything was well designed and perfectly executed. Just the right size, the right seasoning, and perfectly cooked. The pasta was tender. The pork was lovingly charred. Desserts were also great. Fresh tasting. Intense chocolate tart. Berries. Sorbet. And a sponge Madeline that blew minds. The service is great. Friendly. Well paced. A little saucy at times - in a good way. I think the staff actually like working there, which is refreshing. The price is fine for this level of food. We topped out at $100pp plus tip. Not cheap but justified. Great place to impress a date. The sommelier seemed knowledgable. We didn't need his services but he buzzed around other tables and his customers were happy with the results. The room is warm and relaxed. I think the style would be "East Coast Eclectic". Wood paneling, wood furniture. A stuffed caribou head on the wall. Paintings. We had a big table which was roomy. Some of the other tables looked a little close together for fine dining but not painfully so. If you like good food and are in St John's for a few days you are an imbecile if you don't eat here. Or miserable. (Toronto) read more

This place is one of the beeest restuarants ever. Everything here taste like heaven. We tried Hallibot as starter and smoked chicken with bracoli and almond pesto which was amazingly tasty! Also their chocklate cake was so homy! Definitly would come back! Staff are sooo polite and friendly! read more

We have the privilege of traveling the world....many five star restaurants... nothing compares to MALLARD COTTAGE! The love, passion and commitment to pure food is second to none. Thank you Chris for your kindness and appreciation for what food and wine should represent! John mark and Sherry read more

Mallard Cottage - This kitchen creates perfection! - Canadian (New) Near Me - St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

This is a really great place. Went there for brunch and had the seafood crepe, it was fresh and tasted wonderful. Staff was more than friendly, worked well as a team and all seemed to be old drinking buddies. Great example of true Newfoundland culture and cuisine. Recommend this cool cottage restaurant highly. read more

One of the highlights of the trip, wonderful location and only 40 minutes walk from downtown. Had a rezzy for one sadly but sat at the bar where the highlight is being able to see the kitchen at work. Very well looked after at the bar, was given a braised shoulder of moose amise, I started with cod tongues which were so tender with the gentlest of batters, I had the pasta with salt moose and pickled spruce tips, delightful although I feel a different pasta could carry it better (ravioli perhaps), prices not exorbitant, maybe the wine by the glass selection could be expanded a little, but that's minor. read more

I saw that this was listed as one of the top 20 restaurants in all of Canada so I had high expectations, but the food seemed pretty ordinary. We had cod and potato fishcakes but although they had good flavor, we couldn't find any cod. The potato sides were reasonably cooked but not imaginative. Maybe dinner is better. Lunch was okay but definitely not top 20 or even top 100 kind of food. I thought the idea of paying 10 bucks for all you can eat dessert was outrageous unless you were thinking of having two desserts. Nice ambience but if you want a gastronomic experience give it a pass read more

Great brunch. We ordered family style + Po boy shrimp sandwich. Definitely recommend family style - you get a bit of everything and it's all great. The dessert table is definitely a highlight, you pay a fixed price for a box of all you can eat dessert.. they have everything! This place is close to the quidi brewery so you could combine the two. Would definitely recommend. read more

Love this place. So charming and amazing food. Dessert table is insane! I've been for brunch and dinner and both are great!

Good food, great service. My husband had the pot pie and I had the couscous salad. Loved the atmosphere of the place. The food was good, not blow your mind good. Fresh, local ingredients. Would definitely go back, not crazy about the hype though. read more

A great experience with delicious food in a really beautiful atmosphere. It's difficult to get a reservation as it's very busy but we accepted an early time of 5:30. Ben, our server, was professional and without fault. All of our five meals were perfect. read more

Quaint cottage from the 1800s with delicious food. We were two and had the sampling brunch. Well worth it and included locally sourced bacon, ham, sausage, homemade baked beans, home fries, hummus and fresh crostini and vegetables. $25 each. Try it, you won't regret it. read more

Just incredible as usual. Tried the family meal plan tonight and it did not disappoint. Lovely menu with something new and delicious to try every time. Suits every palate. Staff are incredible as always. There's a reason we keep going back and tonight just proved it once again. Thank you Mallard for making our date night wonderful. read more

Great brunch selection! The waitress was really friendly and very nice about my dietary restrictions. Parking is annoyingly limited, but that's Saint John's for you! The atmosphere was perfect. read more

Fabulous brunch on a rainy Weds in Quidi Vidi. We had an assortment of treats, shared between 2 people-we just couldn't decide what to get so got almost everything on the menu. We had the Waffle Eggs Benny with braised pork (amazingly tender), the Hash Skillet with sausage, eggs, cheddar, roast carrots and potatoes, and finally the Cod au Gratin, which was the win for the table. If you find yourself in the area, definitely make a trip to Mallard Cottage! read more

I went there with the bf on Saturday night which is their "small plates" night. Mallard Cottage has a private parking lot but this was full at 730. Luckily, the lot at the Quidi Vidi Plantation was empty (not actually sure if you can park there but they were closed and our car was still there after dinner). I can see if this was during the day the parking situation could be a nightmare. I had made a reservation in advance (recommended) and was seated immediately. I had the cocktail of the day, which was tasty but was 90% ice. Literally a 2 inch cube of ice was left in my cup after an hour. Food was very tasty - we ordered 4 hot dishes: curry mussels, pan seared cod, cod tongues, and octopus. The waiter had told us one person can eat 4 dishes and to order 5 or 6 for 2 people. 4 dishes worked out for us since the dishes were fairly rich. So why 3 stars? I took off one star for the extra charge on bread for the mussels. It annoys me so much when waitstaff don't tell you when something is extra. The cost is really not much but it irks me. And then one star for waiting at least 15 minutes (with all our dishes and glasses emptied and stacked) while our waiter ignored us half a dozen times before asking if we wanted dessert or bill, etc. All the while, some other waiter is having a conversation with the table next to us (clearly friends). Summary: Food is good, a little pricy for what it is, but could really make significant improvements to their service. read more

Very quaint setting, lovely welcome ....but we, a group 8, arrived at 8:40 and food was served at 10:30... our server was very pleasant , but did not check on our needs for almost an hour after first round of drinks and one appetizer...had run out of water, asked for another glass of wine...did not arrive. When food arrived it was delicious ... one meal of scallops only warm...at one point server did advise our meals were being plated , but did not arrive for almost 30 more minutes....all in all an ok experience....focus on the basics needed.... read more

When we arrived we didn't realize it was a restaurant:) looked like a regular house once you come in you feel like this is the right plAce! Cosy with rustic character. Ee have been impressed with the chef - so much variety and every single course was delicious! Vegetables, smoked mackerel and pasta!! The pottery is impressive too. Although i had dietary restrictions the meal was amazing! The star of the night was lamb and the dessert was amazing. Will be returning here for Sunday brunch! I was told there is all you can eat desert for just 8$. Will check it out. Thank you Mallard Cottage for an amazing time ! read more

Reading back on previous reviews now, how sorry I feel for everyone who did not have the experience I did. I went last night with my boyfriend. We are fairly new to St. John's and it was our first time visiting Mallard Cottage. It was one of the nicest evenings I've had in a long time! The white wine sangria is dangerously good. We split an appetizer, endive and beet salad with a buttermilk dressing. This was my least fav of the night but still good. The dressing was too salty for my liking. I had the roasted pork shoulder. I am a very occasional meat eater but obviously tonight I made an exception, and I'm so glad. The pork was nice and tender and the sides of potatoes, turnip greens just made the dish. I could have funnelled the gravy- it was that good. My BF had the moose sausage and he thought it was delicious as well. We split the dessert, a mousse-like brownie. I cant even express how good this was, the best chocolate dessert I've ever had. Seriously. The service was great, very friendly and welcoming. The British server we had was great to talk to! It's a very relaxed environment, no rush at all to leave. It was nice to sit and talk and enjoy the food without having a bill shoved onto you. Yes, it's expensive... It's probably one of the larger bills we've had. Although we rarely go to fine dining. But not for one second would I say it's wasn't worth it! I've never written a review this long or detailed but I can't stop talking or thinking of this place. Can't wait to go back! I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone. Thank you Mallard Cottage for a great evening! read more

Very casual. I mean very. The food was ok. Thought it would be better. Don't order the lobster.

We had a wonderful breakfast there during our last visit to St. John's after a strong recommendation from our friends. What an amazing, delicious time that was. Fresh & local. We are going back tonight to check out dinner. Very much looking forward to it.... read more

This place is has always has a creative menu and is delicious. Awesome atmosphere. One of my favourites.

We didn't know what to expect as we walked in, but the courteous staff was quite present, from offering to hang out coats to giving us the ins and outs of the dessert table. Food was delicious, definitely recommend the breakfast sandwich read more

Very good. Chic decor in great location. Excellent service. I had a very flavourful pork dish. The menu is small, but the focus is on quality not quantity. Our out of town visitors were impressed. read more