Explore the Best Women-Led Restaurants in Canada for 2019

by The OpenTable Team

Updated February 03, 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 (1309)

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

JasonVIP

Dined 2 days ago

My god that venison tartare was amazing , and the porcini crema pizza And the pici noodles with the wild boar ragu paired with a brunello transported me back to montalcino Best staff ! And the candy cane and egg nog ice creams were both delicious !

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4.8

4.8 (1221)

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

LucasVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. Thank you so much!

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Experience

Grey Monday - December 23

Experience

New Year's Eve at Grey Gardens!

Experience

Grey Monday - January 27

Graziella Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1253)

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

Bruno

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Always a pleasure dining at Graziella. They accommodated us with a nice table. Food was excellent. Noise level was high because the restaurant was full with groups having Holiday Season lunches.

Helena

4.8

4.8 (1908)

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

OpenTable Diner

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent food and service. We will definitely visit again.

Île Flottante

4.6

4.6 (2018)

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

Emily

Dined 2 days ago

Excellent all around for food, service and ambience. Would definitely recommend.

CHARCUT

4.4

4.4 (4297)

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

JesseVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Jesse was amazing great service and great drinks, food was good.

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Popular dish

Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Popular dish

Bone Marrow Stroganoff

Popular dish

Prime Rib

Donna Mac

4.4

4.4 (552)

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

Paul

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

Loved everything! Food was delicious and service was excellent. Highly recommend.

Ten Foot Henry

4.8

4.8 (6270)

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

Kim

Dined 3 days ago

Rachel and Carsten were excellent- food was amazing and we enjoyed the restaurant!!! Great job!

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Yuwa Japanese Cuisine (fka Zest Restaurant)

4.8

4.8 (1290)

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

Greg

Dined 2 days ago

We had another wonderful evening at Yuwa. It is a restaurant that we always stop at while travelling to Vancouver. It starts with a warm welcome, continues with exquisite food and finishes with a heartfelt thank you. Thank you for the experience once again.

Deane House

4.8

4.8 (1938)

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 4 days ago

A wonderful place to meet with friends for a lovely dinner. We all enjoyed the food and service.

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Ring in New Year's Eve 2025

River Café

4.6

4.6 (4857)

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

BillVIP

Dined 4 days ago

The River Cafe is an iconic choice for a memorable evening or lunch that takes you away from the bustling downtown vibe to a hunting type lodge with a five star feel. Food was a chef special five course event that was timed in a relaxed manner, each . Each course was fantastic with many different tastes and all made us comment that one could make a meal of this! Portions were perfect so to enjoy and satisfy. Felt we eat healthy while spoiling our palettes! Good wine was available at a fair price,so not the case in many 5 star restaurants. What a gem in the heart of Calgary.

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Haida Gwaii Halibut Cakes

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