We have lunched and dined at this restaurant and always enjoyed it. I particularly like their shrimp linguine, always served hot and with the right amount of shrimps..... In summer time the terrace is a must
Waiter spent a long time discussing today's specials, but did not mention that a major item from the menu was actually not available until we tried to order it. We asked for a rare steak, but it was served raw. Asked for a replacement, but the new steak was not better. There's no lock on the men's restroom, so people keep walking in on each other. The prices were really high, and in my view not justified. The only positive aspect to this restaurant was the outdoor patio, which has a good view of the river.
The food was great at The Cellar last week when we were there. We had the Classic Sirloin burger with a Cesar salad, and it was delicious! I'm familiar with Mill Street in Elora, so I don't expect beer to be made there, and bottled Cesar dressing is fine with me. I don't expect Chef Jimmy to make Cesar dressing from scratch. I had his Cesar salad and I enjoyed it. The Cellar's patio on the river is a wonderful place in the summer. Have you seen the herron yet? or the beaver?
What a shame this restaurant was sold. It was wonderful in the summer of 2010, with fresh locally sourced food and wonderful innovative specials. Not so anymore. I gave this restaurant 3 shots this season, twice with my husband and once with my daughter on the Elora culinary walking tour in the interest of fairness. I strongly suspect the new chef is using prepared frozen foods and a microwave in the kitchen. The new menu is all over the place with zero focus. The mussels we had while cooked well had the worst sauce I have ever had in my life glopped over them, plus no bowl provided for shells, and a couple of anemic slices of stale bread to dip, presumably-not that I had any desire to. The server on the walking tour visit claimed that the Mill Street beer they were sampling that day came "from right here on Mill street in Elora!" (of course it's brewed in Toronto, and no, she wasn't trying to be funny) When my husband asked if the Caesar salad dressing was made in house, he was told "um, no, there is only one person in the kitchen tonight" Well, we could clearly see three people in there, and the restaurant was half empty, and aside from that the dressing should have been made early in the day during prep. Bottled Caesar dressing? Really disappointing. We dined a second time this season to give them the benefit of the doubt as it was such a great place last year, and has such an awesome patio, but it's just not good at all anymore, sadly. The only improvement is that the new owner got rid of the fish tank, which I didn't care for. I probably wouldn't be so harsh in my review had I never visited The Cellar under previous management, I must admit. There are a bunch of really good restaurants in Elora, unless you just want a great patio and a drink eat anywhere else, is my advice.
I don't agree with the bad review The Cellar got lately. The Cellar is our favourite place to eat in Elora,and we have been there many times. The food has always been "top drawer" and the servers are pleasant and courteous. Our food has always arrived in good time. The new owner has made some great changes, and from the size of the crowds on the weekend, I think she's got a winner! The patio at the back overlooking the river is a wonderful place to sit on a mid-summer night's eve.
Terrible service, mediocre food. Arrived at 6 (with a reservation); didn't get our food until abotu 7:15. The server said they were slow because "all the reservations arrived at once." Well, yes - isn't the point of a reservation that you know how many people are coming? As far as we could see, none of the other tables had their food either - and the place wasn't very big or completely full.
When the food finally came (with a gap of about 5 minutes from when the first was served to when the fourth person got her food), it was not worth the wait. One person had the pad thai, which was regular pasta noodles with no flavour but too much spice. I had the Cajun chicken with penne; the grilled chicken strips were okay and the cream sauce was inoffensive, but there was nothing Cajun about it.
All told we should have paid for our glasses of wine after waiting an hour and gone elsewhere to actually eat. The only reason this review averages out to 2 stars is the patio was pretty.
No ones meals were served at the same time, food was okay, presentation was nice. Our table ordered wings, bruschetta and spinach dip as appetizers. Would not recommend the wings, the buschetta wasn"t veru flavorful but the bread was ncie and soft. the spinach dip arrived half way through our entrees. One person ordered the pad thai was not impressed - last meal to arrive. Pad thai should be left for Asian recipes.
Been there for lunch on a weekend and it was so amazing. Perhaps they are not used to large groups on a weeknight. Huh....
I reviewed The Cellar 9 months ago after dining there with friends and I loved it! I returned today with my husband for a birthday dinner, prepared to love it again...but I couldn't. We started off with one of their beers on tap for him and a caesar for myself. They were both delivered promptly and were nicely chilled but the signature salted rim was conspicuously absent from my caesar. The caesar salad I ordered to start, however, was delicious. I followed it with the Cellar's orange roughy. The menu described it as "lightly dusted" and accompanied by a fruit salsa. When it arrived, it was not lightly dusted but decidedly breaded and fried past crisp to such a state that I had trouble cutting through the bottom portion of the breading with my knife. The delicate taste of the fish was completely masked by the breading and the taste of the oil it was fried in. It sat very heavy in my stomach after eating it, definitely not what I was expecting from an order of orange roughy. The "fruit salsa" was no kind of salsa at all, but a loose scattering of half-cooked sliced grapes (very strange!), whole blueberries and sliced strawberries which had been cooked down to a point where they were an unappetizing pale pink mush. The accompanying vegetables were cooked perfectly and delicious, the only saving grace of the plate. My husband's chicken curry entree arrived at least five minutes AFTER my fish entree had been served, leaving me to either start eating without him or wait while mine got cold. The waitress was very apologetic though clearly it was not her fault. It had a delicious sauce and once again fresh and perfectly cooked veggies, but the actual pieces of chicken, which appeared to be nothing more than small slices of previously cooked chicken breast that were added to the dish rather than cooked in the sauce, were few and far between. The patio overlooking the water is still a nice place to sit and maybe it was just an off night but I won't be hurrying back here. The food was miles below what I experienced on my first visit last year, and a real letdown because it was for a special occasion.
Perfect Balance of Atmosphere, Fine Food & Hospitality!
We had the pleasure to host a small Anniversary Party and no one was disappointed in our choice of venue. There were 14 in our party and Janet, the owner, was instrumental in pulling together a fine menu and seating for us to all enjoy some great food, wine and celebration. Everyone had the opportunity to enjoy the great patio and view of the river on which it backs on to (one of the few restaurants in Elora that has this feature). Our fresh, crisp and homemade Caesar Salad kicked off a feast for the senses! The kitchen staff and servers were able to deliver 14 hot meals all at the same time. Our party gave top marks to the Striploin Steak, the Salmon Wellington and Home-style Mushroom Chicken. If you can, take in the Jazz Band that entertains Sundays - it added to the ambiance nicely. The value and quality of the meal you receive makes this a great spot for a special occasion or simply a nice dinner out - I can't see there room for disappointment and their team doesn't seem to allow it either!
We enjoyed a very nice dinner here, recently, as the culmination to a lovely afternoon of shopping in Elora. We ordered wine, an appetizer to share, the same main course for each of us and the same dessert for each of us.
Great marks for the coconut shrimp. We were served seven plump and perfectly cooked shrimp, finished with coarse salt which really brought out the flavour. They were accompanied by a marmelade dipping sauce. The server delivered a basket of warm bread, served with a flavoured butter, consisting of carmelized onions that was absolutely delicious!
As promised, the schnitzel and mushroom reduction, was excellent. I'm used to the pork being pounded quite thin, but this version was thick, but quite tender and served with diced tomatoes that were sweet. My husband loved them and he really isn't fond of tomatoes. The spaetzle was a homey match for this dish and the side of sauteed chard was also cooked perfectly.
We were splurging on a daily calorie intake and so we ordered dessert, but I am sorry to say it was the weak part of the meal. We were assured that all desserts were made on site, however the pastry for the pecan tart was tough and the filling lacked flavour. It was served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and a homemade blueberry preserve smear for dipping.
Service was, a times distracted, but it in no way detracted from our enjoment of the evening. I think the server has a lot on her mind, the evening we were there, and her confusion and forgetfulness was an exception to what I am sure would be her normal good service, which we saw evidence of, as well. One thing that needed attention was the state of the table. The glass platter which served as a base for the salt/pepper and sugar container was in need of a good washing, as was the glass holder for the candle. The ledge around the side of the dining room housed a collection of knick-knacks that really needed a god dusting and reorganization. They looked like they had been placed with little attention given to the overall impact they would have on the room's ambience. Perhaps a collection of items, which could be culled from the unique stores in town, would have contributed to a nicer atmosphere, while at the same time advertising the local merchants and their wares.
Would I go back to this restaurant, again? You bet I would. The chef knows what he /she is doing and the patio would be a wonderful place to spend a few hours on a sunny day or moonlit evening when the weather warms up a bit!
This SUPER CHARMING little place is JUST what Elora needs! its casual, warm, inviting, and the food is sooooooo good! the menu isn;t exotic but it is well executed and presented very attractively! the artwork celebrates the beauty of the gorge and is actually done by one of the owners who is a wonderful artist and actually showcases her jewellery upstairs from the restaurant in her shop/studio! Way to Go guys! we will be back again and again!
Some friends and I decided to try The Cellar, one of Elora's newest restaurants, after hearing some good things about it...I'm glad we did! It was a beautiful evening so we chose to sit on the outdoor patio overlooking the water, but the interior of the restaurant was beautiful as well. The food was well prepared, tasty and reasonably priced--the menu isn't huge but it appears that what they do offer is all done well, using fresh local ingredients wherever possible. Three of us had the schnitzel with homemade spaetzle, growing up in this region most of my life I've always just thought "schnitzel is schnitzel" but not so here! The sauce and spaetzle elevated this dish beyond the norm. I will be returning for more!
What a great find! Tucked down an alley, with a beautiful patio overlooking the river, this gem will be a regular stop for me now that I live in Elora.
I've tried a few dishes there, and they have all been superb. Nearly everything is made in house, and made well. The chicken wings are huge, and the vindaloo curry sauce was wonderful. The lamb burger was great (and I generally don't like lamb at all), as was their ceasar salad, which had a lovely lemony dressing. I have to echo the other reviewer who commented on the mussels, which were awesome. The broth was incredible, and they were perfectly cooked.
Bottom line, the food is great, the patio is the best in town, and the drinks are cheap. I can see myself eating there at least once a week.
This is my new favourite restaurant in Elora. We've been about 5 times already and they've only recently opened! The quesadillas and nachos are fantastic, the nachos may be the best I have ever had, in fact. (they make their own homemade chips! YUM) And it includes guacamole, which many places charge extra for which annoys me. I was there last week with my husband when the special was mussels in a Thai inspired broth... they were phenomenal, perfectly cooked and the broth was so delicious I found myself eating it like soup after the mussels were gone! The patio is right on the river, and is just beautiful, and when we were there a musician was just beginning to play-sorry we came too early to enjoy that. We will be back again and again, it's just a fantastic place!
