If you’ve driven from Ottawa to Montreal along Ontario’s Highway 417 and Quebec’s Highway 40, you’ve likely noticed the turnoff for Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. But have you ever taken it?
I hadn’t until last week, when I was headed to Montreal’s West Island to meet my sister Jane in Pointe-Claire. She was there for work and we were going out for dinner.
Because I was a bit early (for once!), I decided to detour to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to check it out. And am I ever glad I did!
A walk along Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue’s waterfront
I’d heard over the years that this suburb on the shore of the St. Lawrence River was a pretty spot, and the tales were true. Along with a lovely boardwalk/paved path, the waterfront is lined with restaurant terraces. And because I was there on a weekday afternoon, it wasn’t overcrowded.
I spent a pleasant half-hour strolling along the path, walking far enough to check out the picnic area next to the sole lock station of the short Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal.
Then I headed to rue Sainte-Anne. It’s lined with all sorts of shops, which I didn’t have time to check out but noted for a later visit.
Soon, I passed the bright red-and-yellow facade of Olé Tapas restaurant.
I’d come across some good online reviews for Olé when I’d been researching Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and I’d thought about making a reservation, but I didn’t quite get organized. However, the enthusiastic man at the front door—I believe he was the owner—said they had lots of space available on the terrace, even on this picture-perfect day. (It was about 24C, without a trace of humidity or a cloud in the sky.)
Convinced, I reserved a table for two, then headed to nearby Pointe-Claire to pick up Jane. We were back at the restaurant by 6pm.
Dinner at Olé Tapas
What a discovery this place was. We could have ordered a set menu for two, but we chose instead to order our tapas dishes à la carte.
A word of explanation, in case you haven’t tried tapas before: they’re Spanish-style shared plates. I was going to write “small” plates, but there was nothing small about these portions! We ordered three dishes to share and ended up with leftovers to bring home.
It was hard to choose, as the menu stretches across four densely packed pages, but we eventually went with the calamares a la plancha (four big pieces of grilled calamari, served with salad), gambas al ajillo (shrimp sautéed in olive oil, white wine, garlic, paprika and hot pepper) and carnitas al vino tinto (chicken, pork and chorizo cooked with red wine, garlic and bay leaf).
Many other tapas classics are available, such as aged Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, marinated olives and patatas bravas. You can also order a seafood, meat or vegetarian paella, big enough to split between two or three people.
The joys of calamari are lost on me, but Jane was delighted with that dish, pronouncing it some of the best calamari she’d ever had. I was equally keen on my perfectly cooked and seasoned shrimp, and we happily split the carnitas.
Glasses of dry Spanish white wine hit the spot as well. We went with our server’s recommendations on that score—Blés for me, El Coto for Jane—and were not disappointed.
The view of the river from the shaded terrace was lovely. The only drawback was the hum of traffic from the nearby Pont Galipeault, the bridge that takes Highway 20 across the river to Ile Perrot. It didn’t bother me, but if you’re sensitive to noise, it might bug you.
The capper to a great evening was when our server arrived at our table with a free dessert and two forks! We were utterly surprised, and the dessert—a pastry filled with banana mousse and topped with bananas—was not too sweet and not too heavy. Perfecto.
And now, the bottom line: How much did it cost? Our meal worked out to $67 each, after taxes but before tip.
Other restaurants on Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue’s waterfront
Many of the other restaurants along the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue waterfront serve casual pub fare, so if you’re in the mood for burgers or nachos, you’ll have lots of choices. I also spotted Vietnamese, Italian and Thai restaurants, which I might check out on a future visit. But I suspect that the next time I’m in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, I’ll beat a path straight back to Olé Tapas.
P.S.: Shortly after I visited, Olé Tapas opened a second, quick-service/takeout location just down the street, Olé Tapas Express. Something else to check out, next time I’m in town.
If you go to Olé in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
Olé Tapas is at 132, rue Sainte-Anne, in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue. That’s about 165km east of Ottawa, and it will take you about an hour and 40 minutes to drive there from downtown Ottawa, outside of rush hour.
There are several small parking lots along rue Sainte-Anne. Parking in the lots or along the street is free for two hours, but arrive early in the evening for the best chance of snagging a parking spot.
If you’d like to extend your visit with an overnight stay, you can use the map below to find accommodations. There aren’t many places to stay in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, but there are lots of national-brand hotels in Pointe-Claire, about a 15-minute drive to the east. (Jane liked her stay at the Doubletree By Hilton Pointe Claire Montreal Airport West.)
If you book using the link above or the map below, I’ll receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this site!
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.
