Riviera (restaurant)

Riviera
Map
Interactive map of Riviera
Restaurant information
EstablishedJuly 29, 2016 (2016-07-29)[1]
Owner(s)Matthew Carmichael[2]
Jordan Holley
Head chefJordan Holley[2]
Food typeContemporary
Location62 Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates45°25′23.63″N 75°41′47.57″W / 45.4232306°N 75.6965472°W / 45.4232306; -75.6965472
Seating capacity105[2]
Websitedineriviera.com

Riviera is a contemporary restaurant in the Downtown neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario.

History

The restaurant opened in the summer of 2016, occupying a former Art Deco building built in 1869 that previously served as the Ottawa headquarters of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.[3][2] It was opened by chef-owners Matthew Carmichael and Jordan Holley, as part of the York Street Entertainment restaurant group.[4]

The owners kept much of the building's original design features, including its 50-foot white plaster tray ceiling and marble floors and panel walls.[5][2] Other design features for the restaurant, such as the chandeliers and brass bar area, were created by local interior design company Linebox Studio.[2] The former bank's two vaults were also re-purposed, with one serving as the restaurant's wine cellar and kitchen, and other converted into communal washrooms.[2]

In August 2018, Riviera hosted an unexpected visit from Boyne Lester Johnston, a former bank teller who, in 1958, had stolen $260,000 from the same building when it operated as a branch of the Imperial Bank of Canada.[6][7] Johnston, then 85, toured the restaurant with staff, recounting details of the heist and his subsequent 17-day flight across the United States before his capture. His visit concluded in Riviera's wine cellar - formerly the bank's vault - where he signed the wall with his name, the date, and his former prisoner number.[6] The visit attracted international news coverage, including from the British Broadcasting Corporation and the New York Times.[8]

Concept

The owners cited the vision of the restaurant was to be "casual fine dining", where individuals would be comfortable showing up in a suit or jeans and a t-shirt.[2] It also sought to eschew food trends like small plates and molecular gastronomy, instead seeking approachable and high-quality dishes designed to appeal to both casual diners and those seeking a celebratory experience.[5] The restaurant's name, Riviera, is derived from the Buick Riviera, maintaining a naming tradition among other establishments owned by Carmichael and Holley, which are also named after 1970s era automobiles.[2]

When the restaurant first opened, it was envisioned as an all-day establishment, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a focus on serving pastries and espresso in the mornings to cater to the nearby downtown workforce.[2] As of 2025, however, the restaurant operates exclusively for dinner.

Recognition

The restaurant was ranked #7 in Air Canada's annual list of 10 best new restaurants in Canada in 2017.[4]

Ottawa Citizen restaurant critic Peter Hum called Riviera a "shot in the arm" for downtown Ottawa's Sparks Street area, highlighting the business's spot prawn and scallop chowder, beef short rib, and chocolate peanut butter tart as its best dishes.[3]

Riviera has also received recognition for its cocktail program, created by mixologist and bar manager Stephen Flood.[9][10] Flood's cocktail list changes with the season, and includes ten variations of the Negroni.[10][11]

The restaurant, located across the street from the Office of the Prime Minister, gained notoriety for being a popular hangout for former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his family, as well as senior members of government staff and lobbyists.[12]

Canada's 100 Best Restaurants Ranking

Riviera has been a consistent presence on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list since its debut at 2017, peaking at #26 in 2020. In the 2024 edition, it was ranked #28 nationwide, and was the highest ranked restaurant on that list in Ottawa that year.[13][14] As of the 2025 list, the restaurant is ranked #88.

Riviera[13]
Year Rank Change
2017 73 new
2018 54 Increase 19
2019 51 Increase 3
2020 26 Increase 25
2021 No List
2022 43 Decrease 17
2023 49 Decrease 6
2024 28 Increase 21
2025 88 Decrease 60

Controversies

In 2017, media reported that co-owner Carmichael admitted to sexual harassment and drug abuse, which included allegations from a former employee of Riviera.[4][15]

Following the accusations, the restaurant stated it had removed Carmichael from his managerial position.[15] Carmichael released a statement following the allegations stating that he had handed over operations of the business to the restaurant's management team, and no longer had a role in daily operations.[4] Others in Ottawa's food and entertainment scene alleged that Carmichael's behaviour had been an "open secret" in the sector.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Riviera cracks long list of Canada's best new restaurants". CTV Ottawa. CTV News. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Robin, Laura (14 March 2016). "Riviera restaurant promises new flavour for Sparks Street". Ottawa Citizen. PostMedia. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b Hum, Peter (14 December 2016). "Dining Out: Riviera woos with power-player fare and capital-city cool". Ottawa Citizen. PostMedia. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e Nease, Kristy (25 October 2017). "Ottawa chef behind Riviera, El Camino admits to sexually harassing women". CBC Ottawa. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  5. ^ a b Aiello, Rachel (11 July 2016). "Riviera set to become popular post-work hangout, but don't call it the new Hy's". The Hill Times. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b Britneff, Beatrice (18 August 2018). "Lunch at the old crime scene: Ottawa bank robber visits Riviera restaurant". Global Ottawa. Global Ottawa. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  7. ^ "Man returns to bank he robbed 60 years ago for champagne lunch". BBC News. British Broadcasting Company. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  8. ^ Mervosh, Sarah (20 August 2018). "After 60 Years, a Bank Robber Returns to the Crime Scene. This Time, Just for a Drink". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  9. ^ "Stephen Flood, Riviera's Master Bartender". Apartment 613. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  10. ^ a b "No. 28 - Riviera". Canada's 100 Best Restaurants. Canada's 100 Best. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  11. ^ Langen, Yvonne (30 October 2023). "Savour the City: Here are five must-try cocktails for the fall season at Ottawa bars". Ottawa Business Journal. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  12. ^ Campbell, Meagan (30 October 2017). "After sexual harassment at Riviera, will politicians go back to eat?". Macleans Magazine. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b "Canada's 100 Best Restaurants Lists". Canada's 100 Best Restaurants. Canada's 100 Best. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  14. ^ Hum, Peter (13 May 2024). "Six Ottawa eateries make Canada's 100 Best restaurants of 2024 list". Ottawa Citizen. PostMedia. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
  15. ^ a b Laucius, Joanne (26 October 2017). "Ottawa celebrity chef Matt Carmichael admits to sexually harassing women". Ottawa Citizen. PostMedia. Retrieved 16 March 2025.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riviera_(restaurant)