Best Modern French restaurants in Canada

had such a wonderful time at bon temps last weekend. cute and cozy spot, love the atmosphere. would be great for a date night. speaking of a date night- ladies - one of the bathrooms (there are two) has a great full length selfie mirror (bathroom is gold black and eggplant, dress accordingly). now onto the food. i eat at a lot of french restaurants and this was most definitely the best pate i’ve ever had. topped with a blueberry compote, the pate was served at the perfect temperature, for both flavour and spreadability. the bread served with it was warm, light, buttery, and perfection. the grainy mustard and pickled onions added great flavour and acidity when building the scrumptious little toasty. the french onion soup had great depth, the layering of bread and cheese did not mess around, was a large portion, and the serving bowl complete with lions heads was just darling. the frog legs were perfectly cooked, covered in a buffalo-esque sauce and served with blue cheese. perfect for someone trying frog legs for the first time, but personally i would have enjoyed a more sophisticated flavour. pasta primavera was rich and buttery in flavour, yet was a light sauce. served with a large mozzarella ball on top if you’re into that kind of thing, we found it was great without. this pasta is seasonal. the only thing that really disappointed was the bread basket. the bread was toasted ever so slightly and served with cold butter. i know- french restaurants love their cold butter. but the bread wasn’t nearly hot enough for it to be warranted. and the bread itself wasn’t incredible. totally fine, tasty, but maybe not worth the calories. i also took off a point off because the plates had finger smudges on them which is a bummer for presentation and photos. i had a non alcoholic espresso martini- it hit the spot. was missing something but im certain that the thing i was missing was the vodka! :’) overall, i want to drive back to hamilton right now to have more pate. definitely recommend.

Atmosphere is amazing. I love the dimmed lights & light pieces on the dinner tables. Staff are amazing & kind. The beet salad and steak & frites are great.

I had a very high expectation for Bon Temps with its 4.8 stars rating, but I have to say I was a bit disappointed.

Upon arrival, I could notice the ventilation was not great here. The smell of smoke from the kitchen was just too strong to ignore even I was just at the door. The cleanliness was also not very great at the table I was sitting at.

The appetizers are just ok, a bit underseasoned for both dish and nothing spectacular. The entrée are not bad but the size of braised beef was a bit too tiny. Long waittime for the food too. I would say all the things we had are decent but they are nowhere worthing this 4.8 stars rating.

One of my best restaurant experiences of all time, honestly. Wandered in with three friends after being disappointed by another nearby restaurant, discovered it was happy hour and all got 10$ New York sours! We split a few different dishes and everything was delicious — the butternut squash sage pappardelle was especially life-changing (it was the daily pasta).

The food was absolutely delicious! Authentic French cuisine, great flavours. Tucked away on Mountain Hwy. We ordered the 7 hour braised beef, it was incredibly tender with smooth and creamy mashed potatoes and a rich peppercorn sauce. Our other dish was the most decadent rack of lamb, the demi-glacé was so tasty it could make your toes curl!

This is our 2nd time visiting this amazing establishment, and we were not disappointed. From the atmosphere, to the service, cocktails....and of course the food; simply amazing! These are the bite's that you cherish and want to eat slowly; gave me goosebumps. Thanks for an outstanding evening; we'll be back soon!

Cocktails- Lady Mademoiselle

Appetizers-Oysters, French Onion Soup, Duck Liver Parfait

Mains-Cornish Hen & Waffles, Braised Beef

Dessert-Espresso, Chocolate Truffle with Salted Caramel

Absolutely delicious. Everything had perfect flavours and textures. Only thing is that it would be great if the portion for the mains were a little bigger. Portion was okay for me, but my partner had to eat more when we got home. 😅 Which normally doesn’t happen when we eat out! We ordered apps too which were tasty.

Update: after having brunch here today, I have to change this review from 4 to 5 stars. It was unreal. And super filling. By far the best brunch I have ever had. I will be dreaming about this meal for the foreseeable future.

Date spot alert! Lovely place, amazing food and great service. I went there a few months ago during their Date Night day. They had a special menu and I loved every bit of what I had. The Black Cod and the Pasta were absolutely spectacular. We got red wine recommended by the server which was a great pairing with our meal. The place has a very tranquil environment with dim lights, old school seating and good music selection. In my opinion it’s perfect for small intimate scenes or dates.

One of the best parts was the live kitchen, we could smell every aroma and enjoy it throughout the meal and also have a great time seeing the delish food cooked fresh for us. If you’re looking for a cute date spot in Hamilton this is definitely it. The place has enough seating both indoors and outdoors but I would recommend reserving a table before hand especially for the Date Night event as that made our experience more seamless and enjoyable. Overall, It has a very intimate vibe and lots of charm, plus it’s absolutely during the evening. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a meal with great character and delicious flavours! Clearly very impressive ❤️

Items Ordered

-Assiete de Charcuterie
-Salt Spring Island Mussels Pot
-Duck Breast (Highly Recommend)
-Braised Beef (Highly Recommend)
-Crème Brûlée

Dining Experience: Bread and butter was brought to the table as per most French Restaurant practices. (Summary of this review can be found below)

Started off with the charcuterie. The charcuterie was very delicious, everything on the charcuterie plate meld together wonderfully in terms of flavour and texture.

Saltspring Island Mussels were also ordered to the table, the mussels were cooked perfectly with their plump and sweet flesh intact with no signs of mushiness. The sauce the mussels were cooked in was very delicious and the bread soaking up the sauces was very flavourful. The fibrous “beards” of the mussels were removed as well showing great care and attention by the chef.

The Duck Breast and Braised Beef were the highlights of the dining experience. The duck breast exhibited a crispy lightly salted exterior that was so flavourful, the meat was not dry and was quite perfect. The duck breast was not too chewy which means it was cooked perfectly!

I am personally not a fan of duck due to my previous experiences at other places, but the way they cooked it here made me a believer again! Converted to the Church of Duck and singing Hallelujah! 🙏

Braised Beef with the truffle potato puree was super delicious and every bite was full of flavour.

We then had crème brûlée for dessert. The crème brûlée was very typical and pleasant. However, one can skip the crème brûlée and feel comfort in knowing they did not miss out on anything.

Service: Service is excellent, no complaints. They were very friendly and attentive.

Overall Summary: Fantastic food, focus on substance is a big factor in this restaurant. Do not miss out on the Braised Beef and Duck Breast.

Restaurant is located in a strange industrial area and the interior is cramped, but no fault of the restaurant, the food is the main focus and they do show it! However, the location does make it a “hole in the wall” which adds to the charm! Especially for you young folks are into the instagram and want to appear unique by dining at those slightly hidden places.

The food was absolutely delicious and cooked perfectly. However, dessert can be skipped as it is typical and generic.

Thank you for reading!

Absolutely wonderful meal. Everything was excellent but the duck confit was a standout, just perfectly done. Excellent service too.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at this restaurant.

The ambiance was delightful, service impeccable, and most dishes were exquisite.

We quite enjoyed the frogs legs plus our main courses

However, the brussel sprouts fell short, lacking flavor and tasting a bit off, preventing a perfect five-star rating.

Overall, a wonderful culinary journey with just a minor hiccup.

The boys didn't charge for the sprouts and I'd definitely recommend.

The restaurant is pretty small and dark. The waitress was very nice and attentive though. We finally tried frog legs, which we couldn’t get twice in Chicago. The menu is pretty limited but anyone can find something for themselves here. The main dishes are really good, and the portions are manageable. The fish here is absolutely amazing, very fresh. Their alcoholic drinks are pretty good too.

For a little hole on the wall French r cuisine restaurant. This place is the BOMB .
Absolutely, exquisite food. There’s a reason why there’s a dozen awards on the wall.
List of top 100 restaurants in all of Canada . List of list goes on. You do not want to miss out on this place..

So keeping in mind, it’s a Ma and pa operation.. the service reflects that. It’s French food not a French dining experience..

The service was excellent, far beyond what I would expect from a one star Michelin restaurant. The atmosphere was lively with the open kitchen design.

I was a bit shocked by the amount of Japanese influence knowing that it would be a classical French dinner. Here are a few points I'd criticize on:

1. There was an abuse of herb oil - it was present in every dish. Shiso oil, basil oil, tarragon oil, chimichurri.

2. The lack of vegetables. The only veggie course we had was the chanterelle mushroom. The sabayon sauce was spectacular and by far the best dish of the night.

3. There were too many umami components in the seafood dishes. The mix of herb oils with creams masked the delicate flavors of the fish.

4. The two protein dishes were good medium rare. However, the basil sauce overpowered the beef. Also, I did not understand why the bread service was only done at the last savory dish.

5. The champagne foam on top of the dessert was too much. Again, it overpowered everything else. I little bit goes a long way. The rest of the desserts were excellent.

Came here for my birthday and was beyond impressed with everything. The food was so good that after each course was done, I was a little sad that it was over. The servers were highly attentive. I really don’t know how to describe the experience other than as one-of-a-kind and must-be-had. Best meal I’ve had in many years in Toronto and one that I fantasize about.

Ok, so here is my review on this place.
1- decorations 10/10 . Very nice decorations with style 👌.
2- service 10/10. Excellent service, the waiters, bartender knew their menu, and described all plate correctly.
3- ambiance 9/10. The ambiance is very nice with smooth music, not too loud, where you can hear yourself talk. The only thing is that if you are a smoker, you need to go all the way down the elevator and go outside.
4- food 10/10. Very tasty, fresh, and well presented, it's a 6 course service for 120$ ,good drinks too.(Look at pictures)
5- cleanest 10/10. Now, these are one of the most cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen. It even smells good 👍. There is nothing worse than having a good meal, and after you go to the bathroom, it stinks. But not at this place

The best dining experience we had in Toronto! The service was outstanding but the food took the cake! Everything was an explosion of flavors and surprises. Highly recommend! You have to book way in advance though.

I thought the experience overall was great, food was just ok. Service really in sync and on point, food came quickly and fresh. The menu was more Japanese than French inspired, not complaining though, I preferred the raw dishes to the cooked. Canepes were cute and raw bites, some of the sauces a bit salty. The main ingredients were nice but combos a bit repetitive for some parts of the menu, especially with the use of peas n asparagus. Fresh brioche bread was yum and fun dessert bites to end it off. Wasn't a huge fan of the palette cleanser though, was a bit strong with the alcohol foam and heavy with clotted cream.

My boyfriend and I came here for his birthday dinner and thoroughly enjoyed our time here. The food was delicious, and we were served by the friendly owners of the restaurant.

We started off with drinks and the albacore tuna appetizer, I had the lamb shank main, and my boyfriend had the braised beef. For dessert, we ordered the lemon creme brulee and they added a chocolate terrine with a birthday candle in it.

Finally posting this incredible meal! It’s probably one of the best dining experiences you can have in Toronto is the tasting menu at here. The dishes were super fun and offered such a broad variety of flavours and ingredients. Definitely worth the long wait for resos! These are just some of the highlights from the meal.

The food was amazing! And the service was professional and friendly. Loved this place and difently recommended 👌 we had the lamb shank, the tuna salad, and the prawns they all were great.

This place is iconic for a reason. We went for a birthday dinner and did the tasting menu without the wine pairing. From beginning to end the food, drinks and service were exceptional across all 3 hours of our seating. The staff were friendly and unpretentious but also attentive and precise. We sat in the dining room and had the privacy of our halfmoon booth but with a good vantage point of the rest of the room and the kitchen. Would be very interested to try the bar seating along the kitchen next time to see the chefs at work. The sticker shock is no joke so for the average attendee be prepared ahead of time. For a special occasion we were glad to splurge for the evening but it's certainly a once in a while/lifetime experience. Proud to have such a world class place in our city. Compliments to the staff and kitchen for a wonderful evening.

The food was fantastic, plating on point. What I love is how every dish has described with ingredients and origin. Service was top-notch as usual. Never being there before, I would have given 5 stars. However, being there before gave me a comparison. I noticed some ingredients were not as premium as the first visit, and some dishes were not as mind-blowing as before. Taken that into consideration, the value for the experience was nowhere near of that 3 years ago on our first visit. After the Michelin star and inflation now has cost more than double what it was back then.

Absolutely recommend!

This place is a hidden gem! Awesome French restaurant with daily updates on their menus. It is a small restaurant without fancy decorations, but I love it! Makes me relaxed and no “table manners” needed. I can fully focus on the food!

I tried their beet salad, the sour and sweet balance is perfect! The beef tartar is great, octopus appetizer is a must try. The pate du jour is a great choice if you are into Dijon mustard. For the main we tried the daily special for pork belly. Fabulous. The mash potatoes the carrots the sauce and the sausage! Well balanced and just the right amount. Using the brûlée to finish this beautiful food adventure. Not expensive at all for such a great experience.