When Arlo opened in 2020, the exceptionally warm Centretown restaurant already had the vibe of an establishment that knew what it wanted to do and how to do it. Chalk up that assured start to the bona fides of Arlo’s principals. Co-owner and self-taught chef Jamie Stunt won silver at the Canadian Culinary Championship in 2013. Sommelier and co-owner Alex McMahon worked previously at Fauna and Riviera in Ottawa and also interned at Noma, in 2015. But customers flock to Arlo not to admire CVs. They’re drawn in by Stunt’s concise, ever-changing menus that exemplify playful but potent ingredient-focused Canadian cuisine. Count on dishes with intriguing but deft combinations such as beef tataki and barbecued eel with chili, pickled shallots, crispy sweet potato and aioli, or scallop tartare with black garlic, kohlrabi, cilantro and mushroom vinegar. McMahon leans hard into natural wines, but his recommendations are always accessible and his enthusiasm disarming. The front room and bar are usually packed and buzzy, while booths in the back are more intimate. In summer, the relaxed and leafy back terrace is the place to be.
Scallop tartare with chili, compressed cucumber and herb oil.
Tomatoes with cantabrian anchovies & chili + Cucumbers with feta and trout roe.
Zucchini and mussels escabeche salad.
Scallop tartare with chili, compressed cucumber and herb oil.
Tomatoes with cantabrian anchovies & chili + Cucumbers with feta and trout roe.
Zucchini and mussels escabeche salad.
The NEXUS for low-intervention wines, IMPECCABLE service and comforting, DELICIOUS food. Daniel Hadida
Photography by Rémi Thériault (salad), Audrey-Eve Beauchamp (scallop)
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