Very good brunch experience!
Went with a friend and we had the french toast & salmon gravlax. French toast was pretty good - the rhubarb compote was tart and complimented the sweetness of the toast very well. Texture of the toast was also good.
The standout was definitely the gravlax, each component came together to make a very well balanced and tasty meal, and the potatoes were simply amazing. Would go back just for the potatoes honestly.
We also tried the croissants - however they were not as good as the brunch food and were a bit dense.
Went to Benny’s Bistro on a recommendation. My friend and I went for Brunch. I had the savory buckwheat crepe, my friend had the poached eggs with potatoes au gratin. Food was excellent, and stood out against the simple bistro backdrop. Would definitely go again.
I’ve been here several times. It’s the best brunch I’ve had in Ottawa (and Montreal even). It’s worth the wait, and prices are totally reasonable for what you get.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this small little bistro. Tucked away inside the French Baker (excellent macarons there by the way), Benny's Bistro has a home kitchen/avant garde kind of feel to it. It's cozy, but the decor and the brightly painted walls give it a touch of something special. The lunch is quite good, quality ingredients and very simple but good (love the sandwich), but it's not so amazing that I would recommend this place off the top of my head for brunch.
Had a lovely breakfast, myself the frittata and my friend the French toast! European feel, casual atmosphere, open kitchen. Excellent coffee as well.
Lovely place inside the French Baker. Delicious brunch! We had the savoury crepe and the special (huevos rancheros). Both terrific dishes with great flavour. Only wish the restaurant had windows but it's a nice little place to eat.
Simple breakfast, executed by a master chef, sheer love and affection for his food and life. I have taken all my closest friends and family here. Sometime when my wife and I need to reset our focus, we go here to remind ourselves of how beautiful life is.
Yeah, I know, it's a food joint.
My recommendation - weekday breakfast. Order a mimosa, and close your eyes and point randomly on the menu. Let your taste bud do the rest.
A hidden treasure. Tucked away behind The French Baker, this little bistro is a real gem. I had the pleasure of joining a friend here for lunch recently, and was was pleasantly surprised. While it is on the pricey side, it is worth every penny. I ordered the roasted organic mushrooms, and when it arrived it looked beautiful. I was slightly worried it might not be a large enough serving for lunch, however it was very filling. Every component of the dish was delicious on it own, and it all worked wonderfully together. Also, there is the bonus of seeing the food being prepared in their open concept kitchen, which was impeccably clean, I might add. I will definitely be returning!
Lovely service, amazing food. This is a brunch favourite for me. I always order the potato gratin with poached eggs and it never disappoints.
I love brunch, and this place is amazing! The food combinations are incredible! It is a bit pricey, but defiantly worth the price. I would recommend this place to everyone.
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I used to live on Murray street and thought The French Baker was a pet store because of their dog logo 😅🤣. Turns out, it’s a bakery that’s been in Ottawa since 1995 and opened a small brunch spot in the back called Benny’s Bistro in 1999. I think I read somewhere that it was a “hidden gem” in Ottawa so I wanted to try it. And now I understand why!! They start you off with some fresh slices of different baguettes. I was super excited because I was already thinking about buying baguettes after my meal but now I get to try some first!
The French Toast was unbelievably good.. they used baguettes for the French toast, the outside was crisp and the inside was so soft. It came with apple compote, almond oats, and a salted caramel sauce. The flavours complimented each other so well, I’ll always come here for my French toast cravings now.
We also got the Yukon gold potato gratin, with a maple cured pork loin, and a soft poached egg. As well, we added a side of the double smoked bacon & fingerling potatoes. We didn’t want to feel super heavy so we didn’t add hollandaise to our poached egg & potato gratin, but you can for an extra $2.
We throughly enjoyed everything and will probably be back to try something else, and also get the French toast again 😆. The server’s are very friendly, and are super quick with cleaning and attentiveness. We only had to wait 10mins today but I’m sure it varies between 10-30mins depending on the day and time.
While the food is delicious, service from Scott, the owner, was especially impeccable. He graciously explained the specials to us, replaced a glass of wine I broke. Between the excellent meals I've had here, and the service, this restaurant deserves a visit, and I'd return anytime.
Haute Cuisine for brunch ? This small restaurant's food exceed our expectations! It was worth to wait in line (they are popular and their space limited). Very friendly polite server and staff. It's quite interesting to see how efficient they are in that small open kitchen. Bravo!
Great little restaurant! Had to wait a bit as we missed the brunch time, but it was well worth the wait. I had the organic mushroom dish and my boyfriend had the smoked salmon and it was amazing!! Highly recommend you take a stop here if you get the chance!!
Had breakfast here: Two eggs sunny side up, with bacon, salad and potatoes fingerings. Since they're making everything from scratch, the bacon and potatoes are super crispy and delicious. The eggs and the salad were great as well. The place is quite small and I can imagine it being super packed on the weekends (brunch is offered). Special shoutout to our waiter who was super friendly and gave us tips for our trip to Montréal.
Tl;dr: Tiny, delicious, recommendation!
An uncomplicated menu with delicious food. Start with a croissant and some coffee then order breakfast - wait and enjoy the amazing smell from the kitchen. Went twice when we were visiting Ottawa for a week.
Ottawa has a great reputation for delectable brunch spots, but this one really did it for me!
The French Baker, a cute Parisian style bakery (as its name implies), is worth the visit in its own right, delicious pasteries and coffees, a charming atmosphere... but oddly hidden in the back is the real pearl!
Benny's Bistro is camouflaged behind the bakery. A windowless, smallish space... this usually wouldn't be my jam! But the homey service, delicious food, and unique little charm makes it more speakeasy than claustrophobic. And what really steals the show is the food! Delicious options with generous portions, this is THE brunch place to be. And for a little extra you can add a non-stop mimosa refill option which is great for a breakfast amongst friends.
The setting is extremely intimate and often packed with locals and visitors alike so do make sure so show up a good 30 mins before open. The wait is more than worth it!
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