Fontenelle Restaurant

If you wait long enough, your mid-century modern sense of decor will come back into vogue again. Well, at least the formica table tops, vinyl-covered booth seats and sit-up counter stools. I am not sure that the velvet wall art will ever be more than kitsch.

Such as it is at the Fontenelle Restaurant on 55 Montreal Road, across from the Bingo Hall. Frozen in time.



Breakfast starts at 4 am and the place closes up at the end of lunch hour at 3:00 pm. It is open 7 days a week.

Although, not quite 60's pricing, they are one of the cheaper breakfast deals in town. This morning, we were the only newbies. The regular patrons were given a familiar greeting when they made their way to their preferred pew.

I was charmed by the waitress's casual way of collecting all the order details without pen and paper, let alone repeating it back. She seems like the kind of gal that will ask me next time if I want the usual. Me thinks she has worked here a while.



I chose the one egg option with one meat (choice of bacon, ham, bologna and sausages) and two sides (choice of home fries, tomatoes or beans). It comes with a refill of coffee, toast (white or brown) and a jam. All for $5.60. I hear that if you want onions in your home fries, you just need to ask.



The plates arrived within minutes. (Crikey. An hour on the parking meter was way over estimating this visit.)



You won't find them on the internet. No website. No Facebook. No Twitter. None of that stuff was invented back then. So how are they still doing a steady business? The mid-century modern way - good old-fashioned word of mouth.

Fontenelle Restaurant
55 Montreal Road
Ottawa, Ontario
613.749.0332

Mon - Sun: 4:00 am - 3:00 pm