This place came highly recommended by a tour guide we met…read more Made a reservation on the half price bottle of wine day. Bonus. Had a beautiful bottle of Pinot Grigio. Started with the garlic flatbread. Lots of cheese, roasted garlic and arugula. I ordered the mushroom truffle pizza. Extremely disappointed. The taste of the truffle was so overpowered with the taste of the smoked Gouda. I ordered it for the truffle. Smoked cheese should not be on this pizza. A friend ordered chicken parm. She was very happy with it. And another friend ordered the linguine pescatore with the wine sauce. Lots of fresh seafood. She was very happy with it. We split the vegan gluten free chocolate cake. Was reminiscent of a hockey puck. Our waitress was awesome. Service was great.

The pasta was surprisingly overcooked. I had expected the pasta to be al dente given the nice decor…read moreand location.

What should have been a happy surprise birthday turned into a disaster. We waited over an hour to…read moreorder, food was lukewarm and average, and the waiter argued with our guests in front of everyone. He refused to apologize and even got angry when billing mistakes were raised. Another staff member tried to help but did little. Service and courtesy: 0/10, food: 5/10. Ambiance: 0/10. Worst dining experience we've ever had.

Premièrement, je veux dire que je ne suis pas quelqu'un qui laisse des reviews comme celle-ci…read more D'habitude, je ne commente ni positivement ni négativement, mais là, c'était tellement inacceptable que je me devais de le faire. La Saint-Valentin, c'est censé être une soirée magique, une soirée de plaisir, mais malheureusement, ce ne fut pas le cas. Nous avions réservé il y a deux semaines pour la Saint-Valentin, plein d'attentes, surtout après la recommandation d'un ami pour leur plat de pâtes. Je comprends pourquoi le restaurant a réduit le menu ce soir-là, pour limiter les risques, mais malgré ces six plats, la qualité était vraiment insuffisante. On devait recevoir un appel de la gérante pour nous informer de la table d'hôte obligatoire, ce que nous n'avons jamais reçu. En tant qu'ancien employé de la restauration, j'ai tout de suite reconnu l'arancini comme un plat préparé à l'avance. J'ai commandé mon canard braisé à 20 h 54, et il est arrivé à 20 h 57. Autrement dit, pour un plat censé être frais, cela prendrait trois minutes. L'arancini, lui, est arrivé en deux minutes, évidemment préparé à l'avance, et la portion était dérisoire. Le canard, avec risotto, était acceptable, mais le risotto, encore une fois, était cru. Après une longue attente, une deuxième assiette est arrivée, toujours crue. La gérante est venue s'asseoir avec nous, mais au lieu de reconnaître l'erreur, elle m'a dit, avec un ton condescendant, que peu importe ce qu'elle apportait, je ne l'aimerais pas parce que j'étais de mauvaise humeur. Je n'ai vraiment pas apprécié. Elle a proposé un limoncello, mais on voulait juste partir. À la fin, la serveuse, en apportant la facture, a reconnu plusieurs plaintes sur le risotto. Nous tenons à souligner que la serveuse a fait un excellent travail, elle était professionnelle, et ce n'est pas de sa faute. Malheureusement, c'est la gestion du restaurant qui laisse extrêmement à désirer. Une table d'hôte à 85 $ pour une boule d'arancini, une cuisse de canard braisé, un risotto cru, avec un dessert de gâteau au fromage et une flûte de mousseux, c'est complètement inacceptable. C'est rire des gens dans leur face, surtout avec la qualité des plats qu'on nous a présentés. Je vous invite à consulter les autres évaluations faites lors de cette soirée de la Saint-Valentin, et je vous garantis que je ne suis pas le seul à laisser une note aussi basse. Si les gens veulent manger un bon arancini, je leur conseille le Bistro Coquelicorne dans le Vieux-Hull, qui va être le tiers du prix, qui va offrir trois boules au lieu d'une, et qui va être frais, fait sur place, le soir même. Deuxièmement, si les gens veulent manger une bonne cuisse de canard, je leur conseille, au lieu d'aller à l'Orée des Bois, à Chelsea, un restaurant reconnu pour sa cuisse de canard, là, ils vont manger une cuisse de canard qui a de l'allure. Et troisièmement, pour un meilleur service au niveau de la gestion, je leur conseille n'importe quel McDonald's dans la région de Gatineau-Ottawa, qui sera assurément capable d'offrir un meilleur service à ses clients que la gérante à qui on a parlé.

I've been eating out and reviewing restaurants for quite some time now. While I'm not a…read moreprofessional critic, this is a passion of mine--and one I take seriously. I've had the privilege of dining in many top-tier restaurants across Ottawa, Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver, so when I say something stands out, it truly does. Last night, we went to Mezzanotte to celebrate a friend's birthday. It was his pick--his favourite restaurant, as he put it--and although I had been there before, I'd never actually sat down for a proper meal. I'll be honest: Italian cuisine isn't usually my first choice. It's not that I don't enjoy it; it's just rarely the style I crave most. That said--wow. Mezzanotte completely blew my mind. First impressions matter, and the recent revitalization of the décor is nothing short of stunning. The space is absolutely beautiful--elegant, warm, and modern while still feeling authentic. The colours, textures, and accents are exceptionally well done, and the bar alone deserves its own applause. It's impressive, inviting, and clearly designed with intention. Before being seated, we had the pleasure of speaking with Tony, the owner. What an outstanding human being. Genuine, welcoming, and deeply passionate--you feel special the moment you interact with him. That tone carries through the entire experience. Our waiter was equally impressive: attentive, knowledgeable, and personable. Because we arrived early (we were heading to a comedy show afterward), the restaurant was relatively quiet, which allowed the service team to truly cater to us. It never felt forced--just natural, thoughtful hospitality. We started with drinks. I went with my usual Old Fashioned--well balanced and executed properly. My wife opted for the Mezzanotte Margarita, their own twist on the classic, and absolutely loved it. Both cocktails set the tone perfectly. Then came the bread bowl with olive oil--and here's where Mezzanotte really showed its personality. The addition of a rich red sauce was a bold and welcome departure from the typical olive oil and balsamic routine. It was flavourful, comforting, and rooted in tradition while still being refreshingly different. This is exactly how innovation should be done. For appetizers, we kept it simple with calamari. As expected, it was very good--light, well seasoned, and nicely cooked. The mains, however, were the true stars. I ordered the Jumbo Prawn Risotto, while my wife chose the Atlantic Salmon. When the plates arrived, they genuinely looked like art. The presentation was so refined that I almost didn't want to touch them. Almost. I usually prefer my risotto a bit saucier--but I stand corrected. This risotto was spectacular. Perfect texture, beautifully balanced flavours, and every piece of seafood was cooked flawlessly. It was rich without being heavy, refined without being pretentious. By the end of the meal, we were completely full--so full that we skipped dessert. And for context, I'm a 6'4" guy with a healthy appetite. Portions were generous, thoughtful, and just right. Were Michelin stars mine to give, Mezzanotte would receive full marks without hesitation--an experience that delivers on food, service, atmosphere, and stars in heart shape at every level. Thank you to Mezzanotte--and especially to Tony--for such a memorable experience. And thank you to my friend for getting me through that door. I will absolutely be returning. Next time, though, it'll be without the pressure of a schedule--right in the heart of a lively evening, with the room buzzing, music flowing, and the full Mezzanotte vibe in motion.

Great Italian food! Amazing service too. The starter bread and dip were insanely delicious. The…read moremeatballs with ricotta were tasty and a good shareable for three people. I got a seafood pasta and it was divine. I will absolutely be back to try more of the menu. Service was also great, super helpful with the best recommendations. Thank you! A beautiful well setup restaurant !

This was probably one of my favourite restaurants I ate at while in Ottawa. The atmosphere was cozy…read moreand inviting and apparently it's can be loud at certain times. Luckily I didn't come in at a crazy time. The service was quick and friendly. I started off with the sourdough bread with cultured butter. I loved that it was the right size where you don't end up full on bread. The cultured butter was a nice touch but they didn't offer just a chunk where you feel you have to use all of it. (the difference is cultured butter has more flavour and a bit tangy). For the main I decided to go the red pie road and ordered the Sweet Tony. My oh my how delicious this was. That hot honey really added some fun flavour that cut through the Fior di Latte and the basil added that freshness it needed. The pie was the right size for two people however if your party is larger perhaps order two pies! I will definitely be stopping by and trying a new pie next time I'm in Ottawa.

We had come here on a Sunday evening after walking by it and noticing that there weren't too many…read moreguests. We were seated at a table in the inside of the restaurant, which was actually quite warm as the main doors were open, which minimized the coolness from the air conditioner. We were served by a nice middle-aged gentleman, whom provided us with menus upon arriving, giving us ample time to decide. Since we weren't too hungry, we settled on sliced bread with butter (which was $8.00), and a margarita pizza. The bread had a strange burnt taste to it however, with the butter, the burnt taste wasn't as apparent. Also, the amount of seeds on the bread's crust were overwhelming, which made us mostly taste the seeds as opposed to the bread itself. We also found the price much too high for sliced bread; many restaurants provide sliced bread for free however, this restaurant charged an exuberant amount for it. The margarita pizza looked appetizing upon viewing it for the first time however, once we had bitten into it, the cheese on the top was overwhelmingly salty. We were surprised, as margarita pizza usually doesn't have cheese that is that salty. As well, the price for this pizza was $20 +, which once again, we found much too expensive for what we were receiving. Overall, we wouldn't come back to this particular restaurant. Although the service was attentive and the atmosphere was inviting, the food wasn't very good, and it was overpriced. We certainly wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone that is looking for an authentic Italian meal.

We had come here on a Monday evening at around 5:30 pm for dinner. We weren't sure what to expect,…read moreas we had never dined here before, and didn't look at the menu before arriving. However, once we stepped into the restaurant, we knew that it would be a tad pricey. We were the only ones in the restaurant at the time when we arrived therefore, we were given a round table near the window. Once we were seated, we each received a menu, and settled on our items. The restaurant itself was quite fancy, with the servers wearing formal attire, and the table setting/wall decor boasting an expensive flair. Once we had settled on our meals, we were given a basket of nicely warmed bread, with olive oil mixed with vinegar, along with peppers and olives on the side. The bread was amazing, and we were able to ask for seconds. The basket was never full, as we continuously ate what was placed inside of it. It was a great start to the meal! Once our main dishes arrived, we were surprised to see how much food was included. The chicken cutlet was quite large, with my son unable to finish it. It was also tasty, as I had tried a few bites. My daughter's meatball however had a strange spice which didn't sit well with her. As well, the dish that my mother and I had settled on had various pieces of burnt pasta, and it wasn't too appetizing. Since the prices were so high for each of the dishes, we were surprised that the taste wasn't adequate. Since we had such a positive experience with the complimentary bread, we expected the same for the main meal. However, we weren't too pleased with most of the items we had ordered. I have to give kudos to the service at this restaurant, as we were always doted on, from start to finish. We even saw the manager (or owner) come out to greet all of the guests individually. Although this restaurant was on the higher-end, the food just didn't suffice, and wasn't worth the price that we had paid.

We have dinner m'y friend and me at Mamma Best Italian Ristorante in Ottawa. The service is well…read moredone and fast. The place is a old House with a nice Touch of English house. We really enjoy our plates of spaghetti, manicotti, pastis délicieuse. Very good a glass of red wine. They have a good sélection of food and wine.

Visited Marzitelli for happy hour last night with a gal pal. I was surprised by how large the space…read morewas with lots of possible seating, a stage and dance floor! The restaurant was very quiet which was odd cause we had a great experience. We sat on the patio overlooking Elgin which was nice. We ordered half priced drinks: a Caesar and a non alch Paloma - both yummy and two 8$ apps: magic mushroom and truffle fries. The mushroom on toast was DELISH and they added an extra (supposed to be 3) presumably because we were 2 - nice touch! The fries were excellent but not very truffly. Friendly service and great prices - will certainly be back for one of their music nights!

We went today to celebrate Father's Day for brunch on their cute , nicely decorated patio! It's…read moretheir second week only serving brunch and we had a lovely experience. Kids menu or options could be a great addition I believe. Food was good, simple. We loved the cupcakes at the beginning (it's a courtesy of the restaurant). We tried their caprese omelettes ( thought it would be mixed together but apparently it's a plain omelette topped with the capers and basil!) kids got the French toast, a bit on the soggy end.Our waiter was very kind and the chef came out to make sure all was good. It's just the atmosphere that is unique and lovely. Parking on the weekend was bro an issue because the side streets offer free parking :)

So freakin good…read more This has been on my list for some time. Happy to get it checked off. Decor is comfortable and interesting without being fussy. Art on the wall is all interesting. I loved the hand! Our servers were amazing in their knowledge of both the food and beverage menus. We received excellent advice on drink pairings. We were checked on at just the right moments. Really, service was exquisite while also being relaxed. My Buttermilk Fried chicken was the best fried chicken I've ever had, and I look for opportunities for that meal everywhere! Yes, I have a fried chicken 'problem'. Tried a bite of Hub's Little Neck Clams, also tasty, with a wonderful mix of flavours. Tuna Tataki as a starter, also delicious. All in all, a great meal.

So happy to be able to dine at Town again post Covid…read more Excellent service and amazing food!! The best focaccia bread I've ever had!