An Old Ottawa South favourite…

Small plates, big impressions at The Belmont

QUINN ABUGOV

Tucked into Old Ottawa South, The Belmont is a cherished neighbourhood restaurant that has earned its reputation over the years. My family and I celebrated a birthday there in early February and immediately felt at ease in the intimate, cozy setting. Despite its modest size, the restaurant makes a strong impression from the moment you walk in, with staff who are attentive without being overbearing and a layout that encourages conversation and connection. The restaurant strikes a perfect balance between lively energy and relaxed comfort, making it ideal for both special occasions and casual nights out.

The décor adds to the welcoming atmosphere, with playful wall decals showcasing different places across Canada, giving the space a distinctly local and personal touch. These thoughtful details make the room feel curated rather than staged, reinforcing the sense that this is a place built with genuine care and personality. The bar is compact but impressively well stocked, offering a range of cocktails that are consistently excellent. Even with limited space, the bartenders demonstrate creativity and precision, ensuring every drink feels well-crafted and has earned its way onto the drinks list. On this visit, we opted for a Moroccan red wine, which paired beautifully with our meal and highlighted the thoughtful beverage selection that complements the menu.

The Belmont focuses on small plates designed for sharing, making it perfect for couples or groups of friends. The menu itself is relatively small, but this proves to be a strength rather than a limitation, as every dish feels refined and carefully considered. Their family-style menu, priced at $65 per person, is a six-course experience available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Each course is carefully portioned and thoughtfully curated, providing a no-nonsense yet elevated dining experience that works well for any group size.

The non-vegetarian menu included the restaurant’s famous Trinidadian-style doubles, creamy burrata with toast, a crisp little gems wedge salad with blue cheese and toasted prosciutto, fingerling potatoes with labneh, subtly spicy piri piri chicken, and a perfectly moist slice of tres leches cake to finish. The vegetarian menu followed the same structure, replacing the chicken with richly flavored maitake mushrooms and omitting the prosciutto from the salad, ensuring every dish remained satisfying and full of depth. What stands out most is the consistency across the courses, with each plate arriving well-timed and executed with the same level of care and attention to detail.

From start to finish, the meal was comforting, flavourful, and meticulously executed. There is a clear sense that the kitchen prioritizes quality over quantity, focusing on doing a few things exceptionally well rather than overextending itself. The Belmont remains a long-standing Ottawa classic, combining a warm, intimate atmosphere with inventive, delicious food, and is a place that invites repeated visits, whether for a family celebration or a casual night out with friends.