Home > Deliciously Ottawa: Riviera – Luxurious, One-Of-A-Kind Cocktails

Deliciously Ottawa: Riviera – Luxurious, One-Of-A-Kind Cocktails

With Canada’s 150th birthday coming up, I started reflecting on what makes Ottawa so great. Actually, it was a comment made during cocktails with friends that really made me sit down and think about what made my city so awesome.

Riviera Sophia Loren Cocktail

Acquaintance visiting Ottawa for the fist time: “So, guys! what’s the first thing I should do here in Ottawa?”

Friend: “Go to Montreal.” Laughs ensue.

After punching my friend, I told my acquaintance that there really are a lot of great things to do in Ottawa – one of which is to eat to your heart’s content. So, that little joke over Old Fashioneds inspired a blog series that I’m undertaking where I highlight my favourite tasty spots in Ottawa. Welcome to Deliciously Ottawa!

One thing Ottawa is rich in is fantastic restaurants. I travel a lot and one thing my husband and I love doing is exploring restaurants in new cities. What impresses me about Canada’s capital is that its restaurants are on par with other great cities such as Toronto, New York and Los Angeles.

Riviera Ottawa Menu
Riviera Sophia Loren Cocktail
Riviera Ottawa Tulips

One stand out for me is new darling, Riviera. Located on Sparks Street, Riviera is a place to see and be seen. With its stellar menu and cocktails, Riviera is a flavour powerhouse.

The owners of the popular El Camino and Datsun restaurants on Elgin Street took over a grand Art Deco space on Sparks Street with the intention of opening a fine dining restaurant. The interior is gorgeous with its sky-high ceilings, walls covered in a soft, dove-grey fabric and beautiful architectural details such as heavy crown moulding and pillars. In addition, huge windows let in plenty of light to illuminate this moody space. At the far end of the restaurant, patrons are treated to a view of the bustling kitchen area.

Riviera Ottawa
Riviera Ottawa Bartenders

Riviera is a so popular that reservations made weeks in advance are a must, but usually, you can secure a seat at the beautiful 70-foot long marble bar.

The bar is my preferred spot in the restaurant, actually. I’ll round up my crew after work and we’ll enjoy a couple of cocktails and appetizers. This is how I discovered my new favourite drink, the Sophia Loren.

Riviera Sophia Loren Cocktail
Herbal, earthy and delicious – Riviera’s Sophia Loren cocktail
Riviera Sophia Loren Cocktail

I’m a lover of old timey cocktails with the Old Fashioned and Boulevardier being my top choices. When one of the friendly bartenders at Riviera suggested the Sophia Loren, I was all ears. A tasty cocktail made with Fernet blanc, Capo Capo Aperitivo, Cynar and sea salt, this beauty of a cocktail packs a punch with its depth of herbal flavours. And it’s served beautifully, like its namesake.

Everything on Riviera’s menu is delicious, creatively prepared without feeling pretentious. Since I’m always there for happy hour (you cannot beat the lively ambiance here), I’ll nab a couple of appetizers. So far, my favourites are the mushrooms on toast and beef tartare. Absolutely fantastic.

Riviera has recently launched their brunch service (finally!) and I will soon be lining up with others to experience some morning haute cuisine.

Have you been to Riviera? What did you think?

Riviera is located at 62 Sparks Street in Ottawa, Canada.

*Photography courtesy of Worn Leather Media

Dominique Baker
Dominique Baker

Dominique is a Canadian-based fashion and beauty influencer with a strong voice in Ottawa’s black community. Since launching her blog Style Domination in 2015, she has amassed a global fanbase. Dominique shares her life through beautiful imagery and compelling story-telling that speaks to her fans on a personal level. She’s been featured in The Guardian, Flare, The Kit and Cityline. She also hosts events for Dress for Success, the Gem Conference, and has been named a United Way Person 2 Know for the past three years.

Find me on: Web | Instagram

6 Comments

  1. April 19, 2017 / 12:28 pm

    Wow, what a beautiful place! I would go just to sit there and take in the atmosphere!

    • Dominique
      Author
      April 19, 2017 / 12:49 pm

      Amanda, if you lived here – we could meet up and I’d take you for a Sophia Loren! We could discuss blogging and cocktails!!

  2. April 19, 2017 / 1:31 pm

    I’m way more familiar with Toronto, but I must admit that this restaurant in Ottawa looks amazing. And I’m happy that your lovely new Gucci bag made an appearance in the background.

    • Dominique
      Author
      April 19, 2017 / 4:19 pm

      Hey Cheryl! Thank you! I’m dreaming up reasons to include that bag in everything! LOL! Riviera is truly great. The atmosphere is incredible and those bartenders are so friendly!

  3. April 19, 2017 / 2:39 pm

    Love the concept of your new food series, Dom! And my gosh, it doesn’t get much better than Riviera. Like you, my favourite spot is at the bar so I can people watch and chat with the (incredible) bartenders.

  4. April 22, 2017 / 12:22 pm

    OMG! A drink called Sophia Loren! I think I just orgasmed a lil! 😛 That glass brings me back to the 50’s and 60’s!

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