Francophone food and drink
St-Albert Cheese Factory | Ottawa Tourism
Indulge in delicious treats and culinary experiences across the province, from small rural Francophone communities to bustling city centres. Local and sustainable ingredients make for an amazing selection of tastes to try.
We’ve assembled a list of some of the best places in Ontario to experience French and Francophone cuisine.
The languages of service for each attraction are identified below each one.
Northeastern Ontario
L'Autochtone Taverne Americaine
Anglo, Francophone and First Nations traditions are woven into the innovative menu at this bar and grill eatery in downtown Haileybury. A focus on local and sustainable ingredients makes for delicious and unique offerings like mashkode-bizhiki (the Ojibwe word for “bison”) meatballs with cured pancetta, sage, toasted Oka cheese and barbecued blueberry sauce.
Don’t miss the wendigo egg—a beet-pickled “devilled egg” dish served with salsa roja, candied smoked bacon and chives, and named after the legendary Indigenous mythological creature.
Location: 484 Ferguson Avenue, Haileybury
Details: open Wednesday to Saturday, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.; closed Sunday through TuesdayFood and
Languages of service: service in English and French
Leisure Farms
One of the area’s best-kept secrets, this family-owned and -operated farm in the small Francophone community of Sturgeon Falls is the place to go for fresh air, fun and farm produce. Purchase or pick fresh strawberries, raspberries, corn and pumpkins.
While you’re there, enjoy a picnic or wagon ride, or roast marshmallows on the bonfire. The farm also offers daily fresh-baked pastries including homemade fruit pies, breads and award-winning jams.
Location: 744 Quesnel Road, West Nipissing
Details: the farm is open seasonally
Languages of service: service in English and French
Distillerie Rheault
Connoisseurs of hand-crafted spirits won’t want to miss the delicious options available from this Francophone family-run business, which specializes in unique products and small-batch distilling. Choose from a wide range of top-quality vodkas, whiskeys and liqueurs, all crafted using only the finest ingredients.
The Loon Vodka is distilled four times to create a crystalline, velvety vodka that’s methanol-free and unlike any other produced in Canada. Whiskey lovers can mix and match small, two-litre barrels to suit their individual taste. Or if liqueurs are more your thing, try the “sinfully delicious” raspberry and cherry options.
Location: 6 Hwy 583 Nord RR #2, Hearst
Details: open Monday to Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Languages of service: service in English and French
Ottawa and Countryside
C’est Bon Cooking – ByWard Market Food Tour
Taste your way through one of Ottawa’s most popular attractions, the ByWard Market on this gourmet food tour. Meet the merchants, discover outstanding Francophone, ethnic and fine food shops, and sample award-winning dishes.
Explore the city’s historic neighbourhood while sampling dishes prepared by local chefs and food artisans. The 2.5-hour tour offers six to seven tastings, including the world-famous BeaverTail pastry.
Location: 200 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa
Details: open year-round
Languages of service: service in English and French
1 Elgin Restaurant
This casual, airy eatery is located within the National Arts Centre, Ottawa’s performing arts organization. With a focus on local seasonal ingredients, their diverse menu of contemporary cuisine has something for everyone. Meals are inspired by French cooking, Métis, and Canadian and French-Canadian traditions, among others.
Try the delicious Li zhaardayn starter (Michif for “The Garden”), which includes carrot and lentil hummus, pickled beets, puffed wild rice, Aunt Ruth’s celery seed vinaigrette, dandelion and mustard greens and purslane. A new indoor-outdoor annex means you can savour your meal outside comfortably in colder weather.
Location: 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa
Details: dinner is served from Tuesday to Saturday, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Languages of service: service in English and French
Cassel Brewery
Try a frosty beer with a side of history at this brewery in Casselman—the first train stop between Ottawa and Montreal and a historic railway line central to trade and transport (including beer!) in the area.
Located right in front of the village’s train station, Cassel Brewery specializes in unique beer experiences infused with the area’s Francophone roots. Book a group or individual visit to learn how beer is made, and to enjoy a refreshing drink in the brewery’s warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Location: 2 Racine Street, Casselman
Details: open Wednesday, 1:00 to 9:00 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 1:00 to 11:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.; closed Sunday through Tuesday
Languages of service: service in English and French
Drouin Farm
Get hold of some delicious maple sugar at this charming and rustic 19th-century farm, which has been run by the Francophone Pierre family for five generations. The farm has a fully operational sugar shack during maple syrup season (mid-March to mid- or late April) and foods and activities for everyone in the family.
Enjoy self-serve maple-inspired pancakes and maple taffy treats at the sugar shack buffet, and then take part in fun farm-related activities like a horse-drawn buggy ride, the apple picking and pumpkin festival in the fall, and tobogganing in winter. Pay a visit to the animals while the kids work off their energy in the bouncy castle.
Location: 1230 Route 400, Casselman
Details: open seasonally
Languages of service: service in English and French
Le St. Laurent
This modern restaurant set in the penthouse of the Brigil building with gorgeous panoramic city views specializes in quality French cuisine. Local ingredients sourced from the area’s farms and producers combine with global flavours to make for delicious seasonal menus and unique dishes.
Try the duck and foie gras rillette, with peach mostarda, candied pecans and toasted country bread, followed by the Quebec rabbit wrapped in prosciutto and dressed with lemon aioli. Vegetarians can indulge in a beet salad with seared halloumi and black walnut vinegar, followed by ricotta gnuddi—chanterelle mushrooms with corn, rosemary, lemon and a parmesan emulsion.
Location: 460 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa
Details: open Wednesday through Sunday, 5:00 to 10:00 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday; reservations available online
Languages of service: service in English and French
Gitanes
Locally sourced ingredients are a focus at this traditional French restaurant, which offers a special after-hours oyster and whisky menu until 2:00 a.m. The dinner menu varies according to season. Indulge in a cold seafood platter and traditional starters like oeufs mayonnaise, seared beef tartare and braised beets. For dessert, try the apple crème caramel, foie sundae and chocolate truffles.
Location: 361 Elgin Street, Ottawa
Details: open Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30 to 11:00 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday; reservations available online
Languages of service: service in English and French
St. Martha’s Brasserie d’Orleans
This casual eatery in the Orléans neighbourhood of Ottawa serves traditional French cuisine centered on “rustic refinement.” Combing elegance and quality ingredients with the spirit and comfort of home-cooked meals, St. Martha’s offers a range of delicious salads, mains, pizzas and desserts.
Try the rich onion galette, with an assortment of sauteed onions wrapped in a brie pastry with Dijon mustard, or the saumon tartare—diced Pacific salmon tossed in a light and fresh marinade and served with crostini and cucumber. For dessert, the traditional Québécois pouding chomeur with maple whisky infused syrup, mixed berries and whipping cream is not to be missed.
Location: 3095 St Joseph Boulevard #305, Orléans
Details: open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; reservations available by phone or email
Languages of service: service in English and French
St-Albert Cheese Factory
Established in 1894, this is one of Ontario’s oldest cheese makers. St-Albert Cheese Factory, located in the heart of this charming eastern Franco-Ontarian village (famous for its “St-Albert” cheddar), produces the freshest cheese curds and other delicious cheese products. Savour tasty cheeses while soaking in the fascinating history of the area and its community, shaped by this factory and its cheese production.
Choose from fifty varieties of cheese or pick up some fresh curds from the cheese shop, open seven days a week. If you’re in town during the third week of August, don’t miss the food and festivities at the famous Festival de la curd (Curd Festival).
Location: 150 St. Paul Street C, St-Albert
Details: visit the website for information and operating hours
Languages of service: service in English and French
Southwest Ontario
Forrat’s Chocolates
Chocolate lovers won’t want to miss this chance to satisfy a likely childhood fantasy—touring a chocolate factory and sampling the wares! Francophone company Forrat’s Chocolates specializes in pralines, truffles, caramels and many other delicious treats, each of them carefully crafted by chocolate artisans.
Take a tour of the chocolate factory at Forrat’s Chocolate Studio, and then purchase treats to take home. You can also purchase their goodies at Forrat’s Chocolate Lounge, where you can indulge in specialty crepes and chocolate fondues.
Location:
Forrat’s Chocolate Lounge, 60 North Centre Road, London
Forrat’s Chocolate Studio, 2190 Dundas Street, London
Details:
Forrat’s Chocolate Lounge is open Thursday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Sunday and Monday, 4:00 to 10:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Forrat’s Chocolate Studio is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is closed Sunday and Monday
Languages of service: service in English and French
For more information about Francophone experiences in Ontario, Salut Canada offers lots of useful tips on things to do, places to see and routes to explore.
For more Franco-Ontarian activities to add to your itinerary, check out these articles:
Last updated: February 13, 2023