Canadian Museum Restaurants

Beaux-Arts, photo by Laurent Godbou

Throughout Canada, museums are upgrading their culinary offerings with the help of renowned chefs and inventive interior design. Here are five places to try.

ERA Bistro
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Winnipeg, Man.

Located in Winnipeg’s now-famous piece of architecture, ERA serves dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. For lunch, try the pickerel po’ boy or the poutine topped with local cheese curds. For dinner (Wednesdays only), try the Manitoba Jambalaya, featuring provincial ingredients such as quinoa and Berkshire pork sausage.

Beaux-Arts Restaurant
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal

One look around this incredible museum and it’s easy to see where executive chef Laurent Godbout gets inspiration for the beautiful dishes at Beaux-Arts. While the menu offers simpler fare than that at Godbout’s own restaurant, Chez l’epicier, you’ll still find creative dishes including strawberries and cream, served with mini meringues infused with orange-blossom water.

Gallery Cafe
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver

The chic Gallery Cafe has a bistro-style menu that includes freshly made quiche or a bowl of slaw topped with seared ahi tuna and hemp hearts. The spot’s best-kept secret, though, is its large garden patio that overlooks Robson Square.

Diwan
The Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

Toronto Muslim art, culture and history are celebrated throughout the modern grounds of the Aga Khan, and its restaurant highlights the breadth of Middle Eastern flavours with dishes such as Masala-spiced fries, lamb kofta with coconut curry and a reimagined baklava with honey lavender syrup and fig gelato.

The Rooms Cafe
The Rooms, St. John’s, Nfld.

This casual café, located inside the massive structure that houses Newfoundland’s main art gallery, archives and museum, cooks up plenty of East Coast classics with a bit of a twist. Try the Lobster Tail Nicoise Salad—butter-poached lobster tail served with greens, Kalamata olives, baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, marinated green beans and a yoghurt dressing.

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