Beckta Dining & Wine

I recognize that this restaurant is dedicated to fine dining, and I understand that dinner here will be a significant investment. My review will focus on the various other aspects of our dining experience. We had the pleasure of experiencing the tasting menu, which spanned approximately three hours from the moment we were seated until the final dish was served. We were seated in a private room for our group, which provided an intimate and exclusive atmosphere. The service was exemplary, marked by pleasant, knowledgeable, and attentive staff. We consistently felt well cared for, and the staff were always eager to assist and answer any questions. On multiple occasions, they went out of their way to customize and accommodate our needs. Regarding the wine pairing, while the wines themselves were delightful, we found the pairings to be mismatched. Either the wine did not complement the dish, or it completely overpowered it. The restaurant offers vegetarian substitutes; however, the quality and effort invested in these dishes were noticeably inferior to the original dishes. This was disappointing and gave the impression that we were being penalized for our dietary preferences. While I can appreciate that all ingredients were of the highest quality, the entrees did not meet our expectations. The cured boar was excessively salty and rich in fat. Although the accompanying biscuits were the highlight of the dish, they failed to balance the overall saltiness and heaviness. The duck breast was particularly problematic, being incredibly tough. The sound of knives struggling against the meat was a testament to the effort required to cut it. The duck contained large amounts of fascia, which further detracted from the chewing experience, making it thoroughly unpleasant.

Went for my birthday yesterday and LOVED our experience !! We were taken care of by lovely Natalie(I am sorry if I am getting ur name wrong ) Also, a 10 star for the wine suggestion <3 Every plate we ordered left our table fully cleared, I almost danced in joy eating my main !! It was a great surprise by my husband and Beckta dining made it even more special for me.. Thank you again

5 course tasting menu was amazing. Fabulous atmosphere. Highly recommend. Small portions but by the end was very full. I have nothing negative to say except the wait between courses

We had our wedding anniversary at Beckta, and we were NOT DISAPPOINTED!! The restaurant is amazing, absolutely blown away by the food. My chef self was incredibly impressed, I applaud the staff and the chefs. This is a very beautiful place!! 🥂🍾 must try!

Pleasant dining room, good service. Food was very average with fish not quite fresh enough and too much salt in the dishes. I was expecting better because of reputation and location.

Unequalled and amazing food and wine pairing, as usual. **BUT** sadly ruined by sub par, disappointing and bland service. Bekta’s cuisine and chef(s) deserve at a minimum enthusiastic service and the guy who was there tonight (Mar 5th 2004) ruined it. They deserve a reprimand and or some training… Sad..

It was my anniversary. I emailed several top restaurants in the city. I had 5 criteria. I chose Beckta because of their quick and thorough response to my inquiry/criteria. I was not disappointed in my chose. We had a 5 course blind tasting omnivore menu (excluding dessert, of course) with wine pairing, and all gluten free, as requested. We had tuna, scallops, boar and duck. What a great selection by the Chef. The ambiance was great. Exactly what I was looking for with plush seats (old school). I look forward to returning.

I've recently had the pleasure of endulging in Becktas tasting menu. The dishes had plenty of sauce which seemed to be the theme they were aiming for. The flavors balanced nicely with the food mostly being done perfectly. The pasta was slightly under done in the second course and there was no house bread which was slightly disappointing. Their duck dish however was one of the best dishes I've ever had. The combination of the two sauces made for an evolving flavour profile as you eat more and the sauces mix together. The servers were also knowledgeable on the dishes, as they were able to help me understand how some were cooked. It was the salmon dish in particular that was intriguing as it was soft enough to cut with a spoon. Overall very good menu with good food and excellent service.

It's been a while since I ate here. I was impressed with the service. However, they had caribou on the menu, and me and my mate both ordered it, and then drilled them about how it was sourced, and it was clear that either the source was not ethical or it was just not caribou. From a restaurant that has pretensions like this one I would have hoped for at least clear answers. It's not worth what you pay, and at that price tag it will never come close to getting a Michelin star. But the waiter was great.

Lovely restaurant with friendly, unpretentious staff. I dined here for an anniversary with my partner and we enjoyed the overall experience. We opted for the tasting menu; the food was pretty good although I felt that the value for the tasting menu was average compared to other fine dining options. Also, their choice of music didn't match the ambiance and decor, in my opinion as a former DJ! Overall, I'd recommend Beckta for a nice evening out.

It was absolutely amazing! I took my wife and friends here to celebrate my wife's birthday. Service was awesome from the moment we walked in the door. We had our own private little room. My wife is celiac and they made slight alterations in order to accommodate her. Four of us had the tasting menu. It was wonderful, one of the 5 items was sweetbreads, none of us had ever had them before. Our waitress described how they would be cooked and told us her own experience, we trusted her, we were not disappointed. In fact all of us said that it was our favourite dish. The waitress was super knowledgeable and provide us a tour of the wines. We could not be more pleased with our evening. My guests thanked me for making this a choice and inviting them along. Honestly I can't say enough.

Whenever I'm in Ottawa, this is at the top of my list for fine dining. Great atmosphere, creative menus, and the staff are wonderful.

went to Beckta recently for valentine's day for their tasting menu - excellent food with perfectly complimentary wine pairings, the only food i was hesitant about were the veal sweetbreads and even those i enjoyed. the servers were great and very attentive! our reservation was later in the evening so halfway through we had an entire room to ourselves, very cozy and intimate, perfect for the occasion!

This restaurant was #1 on my list to check out while I was in Ottawa. I chose to try the tasting menu with the wine pairings. The atmosphere was elegant and warm, and the service was wonderful. Everyone was very friendly and informative. The food was composed and had beautiful presentation. Every dish was incredible, and I enjoyed every bite. The wine pairings were perfect; I loved all of them. The waiter and waitress explained each dish and wine. I really appreciate the attentiveness in providing information on these. My friend who came with me is unfamiliar with fine dining food and wine, so it was a first time experience for her. She was able to learn a lot from the staff and loved the experience. I definitely plan to return to Beckta in the future!

Had a lovely meal at Beckta restaurant while I was in Ottawa! Its apparently named after Stephen Beckta who's a famous restaurant owner and sommelier in Ottawa and owns a bunch of other restaurants like Play food and wine. The restaurant has a homely feel to it with excellent service. I had a mushroom risotto, striploin with vegetables and gelato for dessert - it was all really good! The mushroom risotto was probably my favourite because I love mushrooms and cheese. The striploin was good too - it was just a bit dry. The gelato was a huge portion size with three different flavours of vanilla, mint chocolate and caramel. Caramel was most definitely my favourite! Overall it was a great meal! It was on the pricey side so probably for a special occasion though!

I had dinner here recently. Full disclosure: I was there for a work-related event and the dinner was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. So my attention and focus was on the presentation and the product being showcased/marketed and not entirely on the food, but I will try to write a useful and fun to read review nonetheless. Unless you and your circle of friends are very well-heeled, Beckta is the sort of place where if you mention you are going there, people will ask you what you are celebrating. It's in every travel magazine as THE place to go in Ottawa. It's of course "fine dining." So I had very high expectations. Overall, I will say that the restaurant is beautiful and the service was excellent. I enjoyed the hors d'oeuvres and my main, but wasn't too thrilled about my appetizer or dessert. We were served several different hors d'oeuvres, and the servers introduced them to us, but I don't remember what they were, sorry. They were aesthetically pleasing and they were delicious. For my appetizer, I had the organic greens salad. There were lots of stems in the salad, and lots of leaves looked and felt like weeds. The salad did not feel good in my mouth. (It doesn't look too bad in the picture I took, as the nicer looking greens were on top. The greens on the bottom were much less attractive). Now I'm no stranger to organic greens. My husband and I get an organic CSA basket delivered to our house every other week. Admittedly, I pick out the pieces that look like weeds and put them in my husband's salad. My salad just has pieces that look like radicchio, endive, butter lettuce, arugula and spinach - and maybe some microgreens, as long as they're not radish sprouts. I felt like the salad I got at Beckta was some sort of cosmic payback for my salad division behaviour at home! At least there wasn't any iceberg or romaine in it. I did like the creamy goat cheese, but I found the "sunflower seed dust" (this is literally what it was called on the menu) too grainy and sand-like. I'm all about texture in my salad, but I don't like gritty. For my main, I got the Beef Striploin. Now a true testament to the excellent service was that there was no inkling of judgement (or disgust) on the server's face when he asked me how I wanted my steak and I replied "medium-well." I'm not sure what kind of face the chef made as he was cooking it, but it came as requested, and I thought it was delicious. The beef was flavourful and there wasn't any gristle, fatty areas, or any parts that I didn't want to eat. It came with wilted greens, watermelon radish, marble potatoes and oyster mushrooms. This dish had me at oyster mushrooms - love them! The potatoes were crispy on the outside, exactly the way I like my potatoes. Watermelon radish, I can take or leave, but they were nicely done in this dish. And of course, the oyster mushrooms had that earthy taste and slightly chewy texture. The accompanying Hollandaise sauce was rich and creamy, but thankfully not excessive. For dessert, I got the caramel and nougat ice cream bar. It was like an artisan Klondike bar. The chocolate coating was a bit too rich and thick for my tastes. The ice cream was too sweet in my opinion. It came with "puffed rice squares" which I found had a stale taste to them. The "chocolate fudge crumble" was too sand-like and gritty to me, and then with the peanuts, I felt like there was too much going on, but not in a good way. The menu was definitely creative. Now I feel that if I received this meal at a little unknown restaurant, I would have been less disappointed, but Beckta is this renowned restaurant with a reputation of serving food that will haunt your dreams. So I wasn't expecting to dislike anything there. Now in terms of service and atmosphere, sure, 5 stars. Staff were very professional, attentive and efficient. The space is beautiful. The linens were spotless and crisp. The cutlery was substantial and felt nice in my hands. I really was just expecting to like the food more than I did.

I won't be coming back to the place until they take foie gras off of the menu. All animals that die for our 15 minute palate pleasure is a crime, however, this is just plain overly cruel. So much so my non-vegan guest walked out of the restaurant after course #3 of 5. The service/staff were excellent. The 5 course vegan dinner was very good. I like quality over quantity and the portions were good. The overall prices of everything, even alcohol were way over priced. For the 5 course meal, at $125 per person ($25 dollars per course) I would reserve it for special occasions.

This is a gorgeously appointed and elegant old mansion turned into a restaurant and wine bar, and conveniently located near my hotel. I went to the wine bar in the back and pitched up at the bar. The bartender was super friendly and knowledgeable about the wines, and we geeked out a bit as he poured me two wines I had inquired about. In the end I went with a Vouvray that had screeching acid but a rounded and supple finish with a little funk. First I had some delicious warmed olives that simply tasted like themselves and were not all brined and marinated out of existence. The accompanying sourdough bread was just the right crispy/chewy texture and was served with caramelized butter which called to mind the bottom of a good croissant. Next was a sausage and pea risotto, with a padron pepper reduction and a grand padana foam. I had a Syrah from Ontario to go with it, and it was a very nice pairing and not too expensive. I would happily come back on my next visit to Ottawa.

An amazing night with my son Cory at his lovely lady friend's very high end restaurant Beckta. Every course was delicious. The service by Bill was exceptional. Had a couple of courses of sparkling and champagne that were so on point. Appetizers were Steak Tartare with a Sous Vide Egg and a Foie Gras that blew me away. We then had an amazing pasta course (mine seafood, Cory's mushrooms which he loves) but my pics were terrible - Cory was rushing me! The red wine that Candace and Cory picked was better than anything I've ever tasted (as usual) and our mains were delicious! My Cornish Game Hen was so moist and the Demi Glacé was incredible as was the carrot purée. Way to knock a poultry dish out of the park Beckta! Cory had a strip loin accompanied by crab and Foie Gras gyozas. Who does that? Steve Beckta is who!! Probably the best dinner and service I've ever had. My kids continue to spoil me beyond what I deserve!!

We went to Beckta to celebrate my birthday. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly and seated promptly. Since we were ordering from the pre-theatre menu and my husband wanted a vegetarian meal, the server told us our choices. The service started beautifully with my tasty Bluegrass Farm Greens salad and my husband's spring onion veloute was fantastic. The main course was a different story. My husband's Goat cheese Risotto, a very big portion, was not what he had expected and not tasty at all. My fish was not seasoned properly and the white asparagus which was served with the fish was tough. My husband opted not to order the dessert because of the disappointing entrée. I expected a much better tasting dessert than the maple pound cake I received. It was just ordinary. All along the service was very attentive but the food quality was average and certainly over-priced for the quality of food. We had gone there after reading so many wonderful reviews but for us it was a very disappointing experience.

Had dinner here with 5 friends, chose this restaurant because it appeared on a 'top restaurants' list in EnRoute magazine. We were underwhelmed by the overall experience. I'm well acquainted with the concept of a tasting menu, however I felt this restaurant took the concept just a little too far- portions were small enough to be ridiculous. The food was flavourful, yet The staff were knowledgeable and welcoming, no complaints on that score. One off-putting aspect of the evening was that we were given our own dining room (presumably because we were a group of six 30-something guys and the host worried we'd be a bit raucous), however staff who weren't serving us would constantly come in and out of the room to access supplies in a cabinet. It almost felt as though we were in the way. I might be inclined to try Beckta again, but for lunch, no tasting menu next time around.

I've been meaning to try the actual food menu here since forever, and finally got the chance to on a workday evening. I opted to try the Wine bar menu, instead of the tasting menu, as I really enjoyed the cozy look and atmosphere of the wine bar area upon walking in to be seated. What I tried: - Drinks: a deliciously sweet red port (10 years) - went perfectly with the hearty meat platter - Charcuterie plate ($22): Note that this only comes with meat and no cheese; if you want to have cheese, you'll have to choose the "artisanal cheeses" option (3 for $18). Although the choices were delicious, I felt as though the platter was smaller than what I usually receive. There were 2 types of meat, some pickled items, and potato bread. - Soup made daily from the freshest seasonal ingredients ($10): the soup of the day was very creamy yet light; I forgot what it was made from (oops!) although it was indeed very fresh. - Pan-seared wild BC salmon, popcorn purée, pickled parmesan, spent grain-glazed carrots, roasted fennel ($29): I actually enjoyed the purée part of this dish the most! I'm not sure what "popcorn" purée is made of, but it was the most insanely creamy, rich, sweet yet salty purée, and I kept wishing there was more! The salmon itself was very fresh, and the skin was perfectly crispy. - Duck leg confit, sunchoke purée, wild rice, roasted celeriac, sautéed bok choy, apple cider gastrique ($27): I actually didn't try this dish, but was told that it was "super" tender, and not dry at all. The flavours were apparently spot-on, and not too salty. I guess it'll be on the list to try, given that many confits tend to be a bit on the dryer side! Service was very professional, and attentive for the most part. In the beginning, quite a lot of time was given to choose the dishes, but I suppose more time is better than less time. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, because it's super dim (very romantic!), and there is enough chatter going on so that others can't hear your conversation. I would definitely come back to try the tasting menu, and actually, probably just a bunch of desserts since I found them of very high quality!

This restaurant is definitely a gem in Ottawa. It has a very intimate atmosphere to allow a nice conversation; the epitome of a special occasion candlelit date night We started with bread service which costs $3, but it goes towards a great service! And honestly it was one of the best sourdough breads I have ever tried! As an appetizer, we went with the Arctic Char Tartare. It was very fresh, and the staff accommandated to my nut allergies, even though on the menu that item does not state there were any nuts. Not only that, they split the tartare for my husband and I even though we didn't ask them to so we got a bit extra than what we bargained for! For the main course, I got the Duck Magret, and again the staff accommandated my nut allergy as the item lists hazelnut praline. Instead they went with coconut, even though I couldn't tell there was coconut in there, however it was simply by far the best thing I ever had in my life! The duck had a really good flavour and the foie gras mousse was heavenly. I had to restrain myself from licking the plate clean cause it was that good! My husband had the 6oz Alberta Beef Tenderloin. Honestly, his dish was mediocre. The steak was bland, the potatoes were cold and hard as if it was undercooked. Nothing about the dish had a wow factor so I would say I have had better steak elsewhere at a much cheaper price. We opted out of dessert, however when we got our bill, it came with 3 pieces of chocolate. I'm not sure if that's typical on a day to day since it was our first time trying the place. The chocolate tasted amazing! And apparently it was made in house so all 3 had a very unique flavour and fresh taste, one had caramel, one was chocolate, and the white chocolate looking piece had a fruity taste. Overall, I gave Beckta 5 stars based on the apps, the chocolate and my main dish alone. I cannot stop thinking and drooling about the thought of the duck dish. Amazing!! Attentive staff!! All good things to say minus the steak. Expensive restaurant but I would definitely come back and recommend it to anyone.

I agree with all those who said it's good ...but not great. I feel they missed the mark in terms of flavours and that "wow" factor when it comes to tasting something truly unique and special. We went out for a special family meal to celebrate many people's birthdays. The dining room we got was a perfect size for our group of 8 although nothing special in terms of decor or art or view (2nd floor). It was also freezing but they quickly shut off the a/c to our room as we had an older adult who feels cold quite acutely. The service was excellent (attentive, she tried to speak in french to those in our party that were francophone, very pleasant and accommodating.....even when someone knocked over their entire water glass and soaked the tablecloth). You get a choice of flat or sparkling water (plat ou petillant). We had the 3 course prix fixe for $71 each plus 2 bottles of red wine. Great wine selection if you know your wine! I had the oysters - nothing special. See photos. For my second course I had the PEI stir loin steak with potatoes and radish. Again nothing special although the hollandaise sauce was a nice touch. Not enough veggies. The bread wasn't warm and the butter with chives was just okay. I had the nougat ice cream bar which had very rich and thick chocolate around it which was good in my opinion. I got greedy and also got 2 cheeses and their potato bread. They had this delicious cheese called Cerne de lune from Quebec and it was AMAZING! The cheese was my fave part of the meal. It was a nice outing. But most felt a tiny bit disappointed. I would say the price is reasonable for a special occasion but my palate wasn't wowed so for that reason I would say spend your $$ elsewhere. Oh they also wrote "Bonne Fête" on the dessert plates of those who had birthdays, on request. I don't think they would allow us to bring our own cake :-( Curious to come back and read what others thought! Not too many fine dining options in Ottawa either.....

Came here for a wedding venue during lunch and the food they had served for lunch was buffet style. The food was great! They served pasta, salad, potato fries, scramble egg (which was really good! Its was really buttery *drools*) french toast and it was open bar so lots and lots of alcohol! The area is a bit small especially nearby the bar area as it consists of 2 rooms but there isn't much space to sit and there is limited tables which are all standing and there is like only 2 to 3 window seats which only can sit perhaps 3-4 people and the rest are standing tables. Food and drinks were tremendous, I just wish they had chair for the customers to sit while eating because standing for an hour or 2 is quite tiring and there is no where to sit as the restaurant is quite small. The restaurant is located conveniently in the downtown area across from City Hall. Also on weekends they have free underground parking!

Beckta is without a doubt the restaurant that put Ottawa on the culinary map. I will say that I had some pre conceived notions that this place is stuffy, pretentious, and just downright food that is pretty but nothing flavourful. I'm happy to say that I was wrong. Our server was attentive but also gave us space. He knew when to give his input but was also very respectful. I was glad to have him around as I wasn't sure on whether or not it was worth it to be daring, turns out, trust your instincts. The wine list is a serious home run and although you will find some pricy bottles, they have some stellar economical choices that not only will pair will your meal, but will also impress. The food - its intimidating at first but I thought of it as a journey. I don't eat like this on the regular (*ahem rarely ahem*) but each item and ingredient fit perfectly. I had the velouté - delicious!! My main was the fogo island cod - cooked perfectly, incredibly flavourful My dessert was the pineapple carpaccio - WOW!! Don't be intimidated by this place - it's fine dining but with good reason. Each meal is carefully created and I cannot wait to come back

It would be a crime to not visit Beckta. The atmosphere was modern and elegant. I love the waterfall chandeliers that can be seen from the street. Food was to die for, and worth the wait. It is a pricey place, so not somewhere you would want to go all the time - save it for special occasions . Check out my blog on Beckta here: http://www.tobakiss.ca/beckta-dining-and-wine-on-elgin-street/

Came here for lunch today with a Friend. Made reservations a few days in advance. The experience was spectacular. Attentive staff took great care of us and were nonplussed, pleasant, and unpretentious. I had the carrot soup to start: it was rich and buttery and cheesy. I didn't finish it, but enjoyed it. I also had the mocktails: the cranberry is superior. I tried the cranberry cider and the kumquat cocktail. The kumquat one is too much, but refreshing overall. My friend and I both had the chorizo squid dish with rocket and arugula. It was amazing! The sauce was tantalizing, with a balsamic base I think. And the kalamata olives just added that extra zest. Since it was a Christmas splurge, we both had dessert: I indulged in a Portuguese tart that was creamy and nuanced. She had the poached pears with chocolate drizzle and a chocolate fudgsicle. Amazing! We were both satisfied but not stuffed and waltzed away after a perfect Friday afternoon. Beckta is the perfect place if you want an intimate classy dining experience that pulls out all the stops. The total damage for a sumptuous lunch with tax and tip was well under 200$.

We went here with a group of 5 people. We had a few food allergies which the restaurant was excellent at accommodating. They gave us a private room upstairs for dinner. We would ask to be seated in the main dining rooms on the main floor next time. They have a very large wine and cocktail menu. We ordered a few cocktails and everyone enjoyed their choice. We tried the Malbec wine from Argentina and everyone really enjoyed it. We went with the three course dinner. Everyone was able to pick their choices for dinner rather than the tasting menu. The course menu had enough selection to satisfy any palate. Everyone really enjoyed their dinner. The only thing we wouldn't order again was the rice pudding which the server did inform us that either people liked it or didn't. The service for the evening was impeccable.

Very nice surprise. We ate at the bar and were very well taken care of by the personable bar tender. Lovely room--orange chairs are beautiful contrast to the older building. Lighting at the bar was particularly well done--intimate but helpful to reading the menus! WIne selection by the glass was good--tried a Canadian Gamay--who knew? Am going to buy some to bring home to the US it was so good. Food was yummy--had the pasta and the Arctic char tartar--quite good. Salads were good but overdressed--hence the 4 stars. Bartender was stellar as I ordered a dish that I did not like and he immediately saw my expression and whisked it away and replaced it--no charge for the dish I did not eat. Well done! We will return while we are here--more food and wine to try. Try it you will enjoy

Beckta is a nice restaurant for fine dining. The interior is neat and modern and everything is kept flawless. Immediately upon entering the hostess greeted us and took our jackets. She asked if we could wait for 2 min since a better table right by the window would be ready then. As she seated us, we were presented the menu and soup special of the day. Throughout the meal, staff made sure we had everything we needed; kept filling up the water glasses and made sure we were happy. I ordered the rainbow trout with pickled persimmon and rapini tabouleh. It was served with mushrooms, roasted eggplant and bean silk and topped with crispy root vegetable chips. The combination of all these components worked really well together! One pleasant surprise was the persimmon tabouleh. The sweetness of the fruit combined so well with a hint of sourness and the bitterness from the rapini. I would really recommend this dish to anyone. My husband went for the risotto with house made ricotta, mushrooms, truffle oil and poached egg. This dish too had flavours that were nice on the palette. The ricotta is what made this dish something out of the ordinary. The flavour was so nice! I had a sparkling cider drink with the meal, which consisted of cider, pomegranate and cinnamon. It was a nice and fruity drink. With the food we were served freshly baked bread with rosemary butter, on the house. The bread was so delicious that I could have eaten the bread alone for lunch. Taken everything together; the friendly welcoming service and the great food I would rate this place quite high. What takes away a little on the rating is the fact that the food is a little on the pricier side. However, if you want to experience fine dining, this is truly a top contender to try out. They also have a wine bar with great selection of wine. Based on all this I rate Beckta 4 stars.

Well, once again a superior review. This is certainly the best restaurant in Ottawa. I try to go every 3 weeks and am NEVER disappointed. Where to begin...? Welcoming is professional. Servers, hosts and hostesses are professional. I cannot reach for a more flattering description. They present well, they speak well, they are attentive. Servers remember my name, yet I am not there weekly. Impressive. Bring your most important client here and you will be rewarded. All seating areas are very comfortable. One cannot hear the nearest tables, one feels one has plenty of room, yet one gets the vibe of being in a spectacular meeting spot. Superior. I cannot say enough about the servers. Knowledgeable about wine and single malts. They go above and beyond when detailing tastes and chef's unique meals. These folks are the "real thing". Friendly, no dumb jokes during a business meeting, fun with social company. Food is absolutely the best. Appetizers, soups, rich salads, perfectly done entrees. The chef and sous chefs know meat. Vegetable plates are filling and bright. I certainly couldn't do it. I'm not a dessert person, but others rave. Coffees are great, too. Tough to beat a couple espresso spots on Preston St., but one cannot go wrong here. Please keep Beckta THE spot folks. You will never be let down. Jeffrey

Very nice ambiance and great service explains a lot of the price. It better because the food was rather ordinary, nothing really special about it. But what warrants them 2 stars is because they charge $4 for bread and another $4 for "Q filtered" water. Prisoners get bread and water for free. When I pay $56 for a steak and $120 for a bottle of wine, I think I can expect to get bread and water complimentary

I was visiting Ottawa for the weekend and a hotel guest had recommended that I go check out Beckta which was around a 5 minute walk away from where I was staying. Beckta is located in a nice house located on Elgin Street, which I think is the "happening" street in Ottawa downtown. The atmosphere was elegant and roomy - they had a few dining rooms with a couple tables in each room. If I remember correctly, they offer set menus for the Dining Room area and a more causal menu where you can order individual dishes in the lounge area. We opted for the set 3-course dinner menu. I ordered the fois gras appetizer, butter poached lobster and gnocchi main course, and the brioche bread pudding for dessert. The fois gras appetizer was surprisingly large, but it did not come with enough of the toast to spread the pate on. I felt that this dish was a bit too rich for me - after finishing the huge portion, I struggled a bit with dinner and dessert. The lobster/gnocchi and the dessert were both delicious. The lobster was cooked perfectly and the gnocchi was nice and soft. The dessert came with bread pudding, an ice cream sandwich thing, and bits of waffle pieces. A gentleman walked around the restaurant and greeted us towards the end of our meal. I believe he might have been the owner. He was very nice and we made conversation about different restaurants in the Vancouver area where I am from. One suggestion I would make for the restaurant is for the servers to explain to us what is on our plates. I've been to a fair share of fine dining resturants and this is usually the norm, so I found it odd when nothing was explained. But overall, I had a great experience.

Initially I was excited to go to Bekta with one of my buddies as I heard that it was an incredible place to eat. As expected the servers were amazing but the food and atmosphere were not as fantastic as I was anticipating. The had a tartar appetizer that had some sort of pickled vegetable that was really sour which was garnished with small toast triangles that were really burned on one side (oddly, not the side that was face up on the plate). The main course of steak was pretty good but nothing to write home about. Dessert was a fruit/cake concoction which was ok. The sauce and ice cream was spot on but the cake was...a bit strange. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a cake/cookie hybrid that was intentionally a bit chewy. In any case, it wasn't bad...just not something I'd dream about later. All in all Bekta was ok but for the price I expected a rather mind blowing experience and I'm a little sad that it wasn't. I kind of wonder if I went on an off night as lots of people have raved about this place. Great service though!

Not a memorable experience at all. Expectations. When going to a restaurant like Beckta, it is safe to assume that you as a guest would have some preconceived notions of what to expect. Even if you don't, upon entry you can't help but notice the numerous '4 star diamond' brightly displayed on the wall. At this point, you should hopefully begin to expect something from the restaurant. Service: Great, not excellent, but great. Our table didn't have alcohol and I had to struggle a few times to make eye contact to get some water. Am I being 'fussy'? Maybe. Menu/Food: Our table all went with the three-course Priix Mix option at $71/p. I found the menu a little exhaustive to read because they listed every single ingredient that came on the dish. Alternatively the tasting menu simply stated the main in the dish and left out the fluff. Not sure why they didn't do this for all their menus. I had the Mackerel and the Bison short ribs. The server told me if I am okay with the ribs being 'a little salty'. I was a little thrown off by this, because my 'expectation' for the dishes was a series of complex flavors that blend together to form a wonderful tasting experience. A tasting experience that I would would hope is not described as simply 'a little salty'. Is Beckta a high end restaurant or am I at East Side Marios? Nevertheless I had both dishes and I honestly can't even describe them to you because that is how forgettable they were. Restaurants like Beckta offer you an 'experience' and at the end of the day I don't find any value in experiencing something I will never remember. At this price point I would find it very hard to recommend Beckta to anyone.

A solid restaurant with some extremely delicious, creative and educational dishes, but the overall impression was it wasn't quite excellent value for money. Beckta shines in its decor, impeccable service and wine pairings. The meals are unique and varied -- certainly a cut above most anything else in Ottawa. But the price for a dinner for two with taxes and tip was over $150. The food is very good, but I would actually recommend Fauna (a restaurant I had similar price qualms about) over Beckta. It's a bit cheaper and the food is more interesting. At Beckta i had the coppa (basically a chewy pork-like cut), chicken from Quebec and a dessert. The big winners of the night were the coppa, the duck and the strawberry and chocolate dessert.

Beckta is my favorite Ottawa restaurant. Elegant, warm and welcoming. The food was delicious, the wine superb, but it was really the service that sells it. Efficient, friendly, and personal. We felt at home as soon as we walked in. We had a lovely talk with the proprietor, Stephen Beckta, who welcomed us off the street, guided us to a white tablecloth dining room and helped us choose our wine and dinner. It is so nice to be in a restaurant where we can talk without shouting, where you could make a meal of the delicious bread and brown butter, where the food is presented with artistry and care and where the staff truly cares about your enjoyment of the entire experience. Go there. You won't regret it.

Great fine dining place in downtown Ottawa. Went for the 5 course tasting menu, with the wine pairing. Everything you expect from a fine dining experience, and the price is very reasonable for the food and level of service you get. I went with the lamb, the duck, the Shrimp, the Strip loin and the mocha pair. The lamb was just seared and nicely rare in the center. The shrimp cooked in milk was amazing. The best part was the Beef, cooked rare/medium rare just how I like it.(I asked for medium rare, but prefer they err on the side of caution, I don't order rare because then you get it raw). It melted in your mouth, and only required the glorified butter knife given to you to cut it. The mocha pear was light and airy, The wine pairings were explained to us in detail, and matched well with the meal. Their cocktails are also very good. Best experience of my Ottawa weekend, by far.

The food here is largely mediocre. While the service was decent, the descriptions of the entrees were basically wrong. I was told, for example, that fingerling potatoes would accompany the steak when, in fact, there was no starch of any kind. French fries were brought out to remedy the error. I had a chance to sample a few desserts and each was just a bit off in their flavor combinations. Finally, the room we were in was upstairs and there is no elevator. The entire facility, given that and the 6 or 7 steps to get in the front door, is a horror house for anyone with mobility issues. I won't return on my next visit to Ottawa.

The new location has the same amazing cuisine, in a nice, roomy restaurant. It's still outstanding for Ottawa in terms of high-quality cuisine. The service is top-notch, and the food is worthy of a Michelin star (IMHO). Definitely a place to visit in Ottawa!

Beckta has a great reputation as being one of the best in town for an elegant night out. The decor mind you lacks a touch of modernness. The carpet looks like an old style casino rug and the drapes were just as awful lol. (Sorry just being honest) On a seperate note, the food was pretty good and servers and runners were very knowledgeable which is a plus in my books. My husband and I had the 5 course meal and enjoyed all five without disappointment...especially the dessert!! I did however get charged an extra 50$ on my credit card which kinda raised an eyebrow and had me question their integrity. So I gave them 3 stars out of five based on food and service. If anyone is wondering yes, I was reimbursed for the "accidental charge" and the manager was apologetic in return.

I was so looking to try this place... But man was I wrong. We were a group of 9 and they gave us a private room upstairs witch was nice but that room is also a storage for the cutlery and glasses for the upstairs, so we had staff come in and out to either get stuff or put stuff away. Was very annoying. The menu is simple. 3 course meal and you pick one for apt one for main and one for dessert. No other option. So that what I got. I started with the fois gras. Worst I ever had. They were no fois only gras. It had no taste whatsoever and was just like eating fat. Then I had the steak. It was well cook but the size of it all made me wonder why cows are so small in Ontario. That plate could have been and should have been an apt. But it was good on taste. Nothing to write home about but good. And now on to dessert. If you think your meal was bad this was even worst. So all and all not a place for me. A friend told me that the owner is a great chef but he as a few restaurants in Ottawa, so I guess he was not there that day. I would have gave it a 2 on food but service was good and the place is beautiful so i felt good with a 3.

Top tier. Suggest the tasting menu with pairing. Everything is excellent, service is top notch, wine pairing is perfect.

I'm a little torn on Beckta these days. I had gone to the old location several times and just loved it, however the new location (even though it's the same management and head chef) really let me down. We came here for dinner for our last anniversary and the food was such a disappointment. We went with the tasting menu, and most of our courses were shockingly over salted (and we both love salt, but this really was too much). Also, we were seated next to a window in the front dining room , which made for a nice view, but was terribly drafty on a cold winter night. I may come back, but only because my experiences at the old location years ago were outstanding. Perhaps we just came on an off night, unfortunately.

Oh Beckta! We wanted so much to have a 5 star experience at your new location. We really did. This time we give you a 3.5. We visited your old location about a year ago and it WAS a 5 star experience. This time around, not so much. I guess we were spoiled last time and our expectations were high. The overall food experience and ambiance was better than average but just. So first of all, the new location is nice, not sure that the décor all comes together but it was elegant enough. The service from our waiter was excellent but we never knew what we were eating because the food runner, as cute as she was, spoke so quietly that nobody could hear her. She told you what you were eating as though she was telling a secret. We took it in stride and laughed it off but seriously! So the best part of what arrived at our table this time around (and what was worth the price) was the wine pairing, which we went for and Beckta hit out of the park. If you enjoy good wine then this is for you. We enjoyed it. My husband and I each ordered the 5 course meal and wine pairing. The dishes included scallops (this was the best dish of the night in both our opinions), fois gras, venison, sweet breads, tuna, mint chocolate marshmallow brownie type dessert and a peanut butter jube jubee dessert. I have to say the menu has changed a lot and is constructed differently than it used to be and in our opinion, not for the better. The meal choices were rather limited, either a three or five course meal. Of the limited choices, the proteins were more on the exotic side (hare, fois gras, sweet breads, venison) and not much in the way of chicken or beef. We are all for a culinary experience and trying new things (and did) which is always fun, but to be perfectly honest it was just okay this time around. Dessert isn't optional, it is included in the price of either the three or five course menu and for the first time in our lives, we have to say we didn't really enjoy dessert. WHAT? I can't believe it either. What can I say, it was just okay. Some things that changed from the old location to the new location that we really missed were the ala carte options, 8 course tasting menu (with optional wine pairing of all 8), the in-house made carmelized butter (this was beyond fabulous), the amazingly fresh and lovely selection of bread (they still have bread but far more basic), and last but not least the print out of everything you were served during your culinary experience (was offered at the end of the meal along with the bill).

Good fancy dinner place! Interesting combinations of ingredients. Creative cocktail menu. Good for a celebration, date, or business event.

Glad we managed to go to Beckta during our visit. The place was awesome! Great atmosphere for a fine dining place. Awesome service too. The dinner options were 3-course or 5-course. We picked the 3-course menu. We are both pescatarians and as we went pretty late (9pm), there were only one seafood option left for the appetizer. Luckily the waiter told us that it was a deep fried dish which we didn't enjoy much. So he went off and asked the chef if we could pick something from the 5-course menu. They did an excellent job in accommodating dietary requirement! I ended up having tuna, scallops and cheese while my husband had salad, halibut and maple dessert. They were all fantastic! Couldn't go wrong with this restaurant. We also overheard that the 5-course tasting menu usually changes every 1-2 weeks. Very creative place! PS- if you go there after a running race (e.g. the marathon), make sure you request for first floor to avoid going up and down the stairs in pain. We went after my marathon race and the waitress told us that she seated 3 couples who did marathon that morning upstairs. Obviously none of us know about the restaurant seatings.

Had the 3 course prix fixe menu at $68. Started off with the tuna sashimi, followed that with the strip loin and finished with a thin slice of chocolate torte. Really like the spacious dining area with ample room between tables so you are not a party to nearby diner's conversations nor they yours. Service was friendly and efficient. Portions were not large as befitting this type of restaurant. Strip loin was, rather than the steak I expected, 3 slices of beef but it was very good. No complaints and my guest was pleased with the meal.

Watching gusto live feed by accidental. Saw a guy almost put the spoon back to the food container after he tasted it, then realize he is on live TV and quickly put the spoon back into his pocket. Hilarious . I bet if is not on live TV, he will put the spoon back to container. Yuck

Its on the expensive side, but for once you actually get what you pay for. The food was amazing, and the portions where quite generous. You wont leave there feeling hungry. The service was fantastic and not at all pretentious like most other high end restaurants. The atmosphere was great. Great place to go for a special occasions. First time paying a high restaurant bill where I didn't mind. You defiantly get what you pay for. We did the tasting menu which was fantastic. The food was creative and well presented. The server delivered all the food just a the right time. I will defiantly come again.

I'm a big fan of the Beckta Boys: All three restaurants are excellent and all bring something unique to the Ottawa food scene. I was really looking forward to the "new" Beckta on Elgin. They've upped their game in nearly every way. The space itself is really beautiful, elegant and tasteful, but not stuffy. This dining room is as beautiful as any you're likely to find in New York or Paris or London. The addition of the wine bar in the back of the restaurant was an excellent idea--you don't always want a full-on tasting menu, but you almost always want a great glass of wine and a snack. (Or at least I do.) Since the space was the kitchen of the previous steakhouse there were no heritage finishing to maintain, so there's lots of exposed brick, hardwood and really, really nice leather chairs. Gone but not particularly missed: Wine bottles as water pitchers, carmelized butter for the complicated bread basket. Bread now comes in a little box, requires no explanation and butter is just really good butter and maldon sea salt. The food, too, is better--or maybe it was just a night in which what I wanted was what they were doing. Inventive, imaginative and clever--maple buds!!-- but never cute. And the service is, as always, probably the best there is anywhere. Go. Now. You won't be sorry.

Maybe we're a bit spoiled from having dined at many places around the world. The food and experience at Beckta's was just ok. Better than the average restaurant in Ottawa but nothing that really warrants the high prices. In New York City for example, one can dine at half the cost for an equally well prepared meal. There's a little something missing from the ambiance. Other than the Andrew King paintings (some for sale by the way), it's very average. The service was excellent but the meal choices are quite limited. And, you must choose from a three or five course event. Even if you don't want dessert. There's a great selection of wines which far outdoes what's available on the menu. There aren't nearly enough meal choices to justify the amount of wines available. We really wanted to love this place and we only liked it. Bottom line is the prices aren't justified for the meal quality, portion sizes and ambiance.

I can't say how dissapointed I was with the tasting menu. This should be the chefs chance to show off. My husband and I went and ordered the opposites on the tasting menu. The brazino crudo, a type of bass was the best item on the menu, fresh tasting sweet, fish-delicious. My husband's mushroom carpaccio was a disaster. If I closed my eyes I would not have been able to tell you what I was eating. bland, where was the mushroom flavour, not there. The foie gras and blueberry torchon, if this was the first and only time you had tasted foie gras you would never try it again. All that could be tasted was the blueberry and a fatty substance, heartbreaking for a foodie.The next course, pork belly, how can you go wrong... it was nice. My seared lamb sweatbreads on the other hand had no flavour at all, in fact I had to hack at it with my knife to cut bits off, it tasted of, the lemon sauce, nothing else. The duck was undercooked and again it took some serious hacking with the knife to cut pieces off, flavour OK, but too fussy too much going on, on the plate. The halibut was nicely cooked. The deserts were a disaster. After a good sized meal something fresh, light is nice. Instead the Peach Melba had some terrible pickled peaches and clumps of other stuff, again, too much going on, not enough peach. The Rasberry Pistachio had several very sad old raspberries on it (are they not in season?)and the entire dish tasted of almond extract. The entire meal missed the point. Nothing was at center and highlighted, everything was muddled. It was a sad and expensive lesson even with the wine pairing there was nothing I felt I would want to rush out and buy...underwhelmed, sadly, and $400 lighter. Very sad indeed. Service was good. Sadly the food was not. I will not be back.

Superb service. Excellent food and ambiance. I hinted that the salmon was way too small (it was the smallest I have seen) and the waiter brought over extra food including a cheese tray for free. I was impressed over all. Would go back. Would make the salmon a more generous portion, in my experience it's too small even for a true gastronomic experience.

A wonderful spot for a nice meal. There were singles, couples and groups dining while we were there. The three course tasting menu was wonderful and my group ordered nearly everything. We did not do the wine pairing but the wine list was great and we had no problem selecting drinks. Service was A+ and the atmosphere was upscale but not stuffy. Blue cheese ice cream was not to be missed (although the men preferred the chocolate brownie).