| Alice | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of Alice | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | June 1, 2019 |
| Closed | February 4, 2024 |
| Owner | Briana Kim |
| Head chef | Briana Kim |
| Food type | Vegetarian |
| Location | 40 Adeline St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
Alice is a former vegetarian restaurant located in the Centretown West neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario.
Alice was opened in June 2019 by chef-owner Briana Kim succeeding her previous venture, Cafe My House, a casual dining restaurant that was located in Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood. [1] [2] At opening, Kim envisioned Alice as being "small and intimate...[giving] a sense of discovery when customers are visiting the restaurant."
The business' name, Alice, was inspired from the popular children's book Alice in Wonderland. [3]
The business closed in February 2024, with Kim citing that she was looking to 'evolve' her cooking by opening a new restaurant concept further focused on fermentation. [2]
The restaurant was fully plant-based, serving an eight course tasting menu alongside natural wines and cocktails. [1] In the fall prior to opening Alice, Kim spent some time working at New York City's three Michelin-starred vegan restaurant Eleven Madison Park, helping draw inspiration for her own restaurant.
Many of the restaurant's dishes incorporated fermented ingredients, with miso pastes, vinegars, and other house-made ferments prominently displayed in glass jars within the dining room. [4] During its operation, the restaurant's menu changed roughly every six weeks. [4] In addition, Kim also foraged for many of the restaurant ingredients in forested areas around Ottawa, including items such as pinecones, spruce tips and mushrooms. [3]
It also offered guests the option of wine and cocktail pairings, with some items, such as the restaurant's vermouth, also made and fermented in-house. [3] Kim learned how to prepare mixed drinks following time training at a non-alcoholic beverage company and alcoholic distillery in Denmark. [3]
Ottawa Citizen restaurant critic Peter Hum praised the restaurant for its "refined" and "visually stunning" approach to plant-based cuisine, particularly its extensive use of fermentation. [4] He highlighted the dining experience as showcasing Kim’s technical skill and creativity through dishes like fermented rice “butter” candles, intricately plated salads, and umami-rich eggplant preparations. Hum lauded Alice as a groundbreaking addition to Ottawa’s dining scene, positioning Kim as a chef of national significance. [4]
In 2023, while serving as head chef at Alice, Kim won the Canadian Culinary Championships, an annual competition in which chefs from across Canada compete by presenting dishes evaluated by a panel of restaurant critics. [5] Kim was unanimously selected as the winner by the judging panel and also received the People's Choice Award, determined by votes from non-judge attendees. [5]
While in business, Alice consistently made Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list, reaching its peak of #31 in its final year of operation. [3] [6] It was also the highest ranked restaurant in Ottawa on the list that year. [6] According to the publisher of the list, the restaurant would have been placed at #20 in Canada in its 2024 ranking if it did not close a few weeks prior to its reveal. [7]
| Alice [6] | ||
| Year | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 94 | new |
| 2021 | No List | |
| 2022 | 50 |  44 |
| 2023 | 31 | 19 |
| 2024 | CLOSED | |
