Explore the Best Women-Led Restaurants in Canada for 2019

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Refined sushi eating with tablecloths and excellent service. High quality and very enjoyable.

If you want a nice quiet, wonderful lunch with a great view and outstanding ambiance then the “Deane House” is your place. Great service! Highly recommend it.

We enjoyed our anniversary dinner at the River Cafe.