Restaurant

L'Orée du Bois

Name: L'Orée du Bois
Address: 15 Chem. Kingsmere, Chelsea, QC, J9B 1A1, CA
Price range: $$$

French•Ottawa•$$$

L'Orée du Bois is one of the best french restaurants in Ottawa for date night, especially if you want a strong option in Ottawa.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

Twenty minutes north of Ottawa, across the river and into the Gatineau Hills, L'Orée du Bois occupies a building that reads as half Normandy farmhouse, half turn-of-the-century Quebec country home — and the distinction matters. Chef Jean-Claude Chartrand, who took over from founder Guy Blain in 2012, runs a kitchen without a cellphone, without social media, and with a chef's table where daily meals are prepared for every staff member. The room has white tablecloths, Paris maps on the walls, and an herb-and-edible-flower garden out back alongside a fumoir where salmon and scallops are cold-smoked over maple and oak chips sourced from local furniture makers. This is not a restaurant chasing the moment. It has been holding the same shape, and the night here — unhurried, deliberately removed from the city — is the point. It suits people for whom dinner is an occasion, not an event. The kitchen's identity is rooted in classic French technique pulled through a distinctly Québécois lens. The caramelized onion soup arrives with a hint of maple syrup from Ripon; the fondant of foie gras is paired with maple and cranberry jelly. Both speak to the house's real project: not French cuisine transplanted to Quebec, but French cuisine absorbed by it. The Beggar's Chicken — marinated in maple port from Domaine Acer in the Gaspésie, then sealed in clay and cooked at very low temperatures for five hours — is the dish that regulars most consistently cite, a preparation that requires the kitchen's full day and reads, on the plate, as the reason to make the drive. Duck confit and a green peppercorn steak round out a table d'hôte that resists novelty in favor of depth. Book a weekend table well in advance, particularly through autumn when the Gatineau Hills draw their own crowd. If the option exists, ask about placement near the garden side — the room is warm in the rustic sense rather than the designed sense, but position within it still matters. The move regulars know: commit to the full table d'hôte rather than ordering à la carte, and let the Beggar's Chicken anchor the evening — it requires advance notice, so flag it when you call to reserve.

Sophie Laurent, Food Editor

Methodology•Ottawa guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

date night

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Taste Score 9.0/10

Rating (Google) 9.6

1,922 reviews

Ottawa

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

9.0/10

Taste Score

Google 9.6 from 1,922 reviews

Best for

date night

Price and pace

More of a night out

Neighborhood

Ottawa | 15 Chem. Kingsmere, Chelsea, QC J9B 1A1, Canada

Price

More of a night out

Taste Score

9.0/10

Address

Ottawa | 15 Chem. Kingsmere, Chelsea, QC J9B 1A1, Canada

Inside the restaurant

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Menu and ordering

L'Orée du Bois menu: what to order

Start with the dishes below, drawn from the restaurant details and TastyPals notes available on this page. L'Orée du Bois is listed in the More of a night out price range. Menus, availability, and prices can change, so confirm current details before visiting.

Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours)

Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon

Fondant of foie gras with maple and cranberry jelly

Duck confit

Steak au poivre vert

Why go

What makes L'Orée du Bois worth the move

L'Orée du Bois looks like a good night-out option in Ottawa because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours) and Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 1,922 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.6 from 1,922 Google reviews

Best for

date night

Style

French in Ottawa

Spend

More of a night out

Best for

date night

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.6 from 1,922 reviews

Price point: $$$

Popular dishes: Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours), Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon, Fondant of foie gras with maple and cranberry jelly

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TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Sophie Laurent for L'Orée du Bois

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Google snapshot

9.6 from 1,922 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Sophie Laurent

No diner notes for L'Orée du Bois yet.

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Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Directions

Address: 15 Chem. Kingsmere, Chelsea, QC J9B 1A1, Canada
Price: $$$
TastyPals score: 9.0/10
Google rating: 9.6 (1,922 reviews)
Cuisine: French
Neighborhood: Ottawa

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does L'Orée du Bois serve?

L'Orée du Bois is a French restaurant located in Ottawa, Ottawa. Twenty minutes north of Ottawa, across the river and into the Gatineau Hills, L'Orée du Bois occupies a building that reads as half Normandy farmhouse, half turn-of-the-century Quebec country home — and the distinction matters.

What is L'Orée du Bois best for?

L'Orée du Bois is best for date night. L'Orée du Bois looks like a good night-out option in Ottawa because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours) and Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 1,922 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at L'Orée du Bois?

L'Orée du Bois is in the More of a night out price range ($$$). Google rating: 9.6 from 1,922 reviews

What should I order at L'Orée du Bois?

Start with Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours), Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon, Fondant of foie gras with maple and cranberry jelly and Duck confit. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is L'Orée du Bois worth visiting?

L'Orée du Bois holds a 9.6 Google rating from 1,922 reviews. L'Orée du Bois looks like a good night-out option in Ottawa because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours) and Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 1,922 Google reviews.

Where is L'Orée du Bois located?

L'Orée du Bois is located at 15 Chem. Kingsmere, Chelsea, QC J9B 1A1, Canada. Directions are available via Google Maps.

Is L'Orée du Bois good for a date night?

Yes — L'Orée du Bois is tagged for date night dining. L'Orée du Bois looks like a good night-out option in Ottawa because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. Beggar's Chicken (maple port from Domaine Acer, cooked in clay five hours) and Caramelized onion soup with maple syrup from Ripon also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 1,922 Google reviews.

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