Explore the Best Women-Led Restaurants in Canada for 2019

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.

The OpenTable Team

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Updated February 03, 2023

Tutti Matti

$$$$

Italian

Entertainment District

4.8

1104 reviews

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.

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Grey Gardens

$$$$

Contemporary American

Chinatown / Kensington Market

4.8

887 reviews

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.

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Graziella Restaurant

$$$$

Italian

Old Montreal

4.7

1055 reviews

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.

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Helena

$$$$

Portuguese

Old Montreal

4.7

1499 reviews

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.

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Île Flottante

$$$$

International

Mile End

4.8

1650 reviews

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.

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Chez Sophie - Montreal

$$$$

French

Griffintown/St-Henri

4.8

1028 reviews

Executive Chef Sophie Tabet is Montreal born and bred, and she brings her classical French training and European experience to Chez Sophie. While working in Italy, she met her husband, an expert sommelier, and the two returned to Montreal to open Chef Sophie. With a menu divided into starters, mer (sea), and terre (land), Chez Sophie's selections reflect the chef's skill and some of her favorite dishes, such as the "perfect egg" and foie gras on toast.

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CHARCUT

$$$$

Contemporary Canadian

Downtown

4.2

4065 reviews

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.

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Ten Foot Henry

$$$$

Contemporary Canadian

Calgary

4.8

4744 reviews

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.

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Yuwa Japanese Cuisine (fka Zest Restaurant)

$$$$

Japanese

Kitsilano

4.8

1087 reviews

We are regulars at Yuwa since we moved to Vancouver a few months ago. It never disappoints across all categories.

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Deane House

$$$$

Canadian

Inglewood

4.7

1408 reviews

Excellent food, outstanding service. A must-try restaurant that definitely you need to eat at!! You can enjoy here some of the best Canadian cuisine with local products and freshly made.

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River Café

$$$$

Canadian

Calgary

4.6

4068 reviews

One of Calgary's finest restaurants for special location, creative and wonderful food, and excellent service. The lamb was incredible as was the meat and fish plate appetizer. Location is so unique and special. Service was professional, friendly and lots of fun.

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