When a restaurant is more than a place to dine

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Business is tough for many restaurants right now. Global food inflation has in some cases driven up the cost of ingredients used in restaurant kitchens, beyond the ability of these companies to increase their menu prices. In January, the government will start charging interest on the emergency loans that kept many of them alive during the pandemic. And in many areas it remains difficult to recruit employees. A July survey by Restaurants Canada, a lobbying group, estimated that 33 percent of restaurants do this operated at a losscompared to 7 percent before the pandemic.

As we wrote previously, restaurants that are considered institutions may not offer impressive decor or ultimate cuisine (although some do), and many are located in less than inviting locations. But they are often part of people’s routines, or the places people return to when they visit their hometowns.

Below are a handful of the favorites you sent us.

Our best wishes to you all for 2024.

The following entries have been edited for clarity and length.

Les Fougeres in Chelsea, Quebec

“The food is delicious, well portioned, beautifully presented and served by excellent staff, mostly staff with charisma, personality and experience. As for being an institution: Les Fougères is the definition. They have never wavered in their support of their community and those beyond. I can’t begin to list the charities they have supported. As far as celebrities go, too many to mention have passed through their doors, and often late at night.

— David Maitland, Chelsea, Quebec

John’s family dinner in Ottawa

“Coincidentally, my morning walk today took me to John’s Family Diner on Wellington Street for my usual: two eggs over medium, bacon with pea flour, beans, wheat toast and coffee. The place was jumping at 10am. There are many small tables, so you don’t feel uncomfortable sitting alone. You feel like you are joining your extended family.”

— Brian Gold, Ottawa

Small Bavarian restaurant in Port Alberni, British Columbia

“It’s been several years since my last trip to Vancouver Island, but a friend from Comox had dinner there recently (I grew up in Port Alberni and knew this was the place to go for a special catch-up meal with old friends) and extolled its many virtues: excellent schnitzels, friendly atmosphere, attentive but not intrusive service. From the street it is absolutely unprepossessing and you would never guess what delicacies lie just behind the door.”

— Rita Legros, London, England

The Armview Restaurant and Lounge in Halifax

“I live in the western part of Halifax, and for 70 years the Armview Restaurant and Lounge has been a mainstay in the neighborhood. The restaurant’s decor is largely original with some upgrades, along with the menu, which still includes old favorites like liver and onions (although I suspect this isn’t the most popular item on the menu). The steak and fries are a firm favorite among my crowd, and the burgers are always a hit. The customers are a diverse group of people, not just from the neighborhood, but from across the city.”

— Christa Hornberger, Halifax

Nick’s Steakhouse in Calgary

“The restaurant I immediately thought of in Calgary is Nick’s Steakhouse. It has been around since the 1970s (an era of dark brown wooden interiors and yellow stained glass windows). Nick’s is conveniently located between the University of Calgary, McMahon Stadium, Motel Village and a transit stop. My parents used to go there when they were in college, and we go there too, especially for deep-dish, guilty pleasure pizza.”

— Caitlind Brown, Calgary

The Bruce in Kincardine, Ontario

“I’ve been eating here for the past eight years and never had a bad meal! It’s typical pub fare: steak, burgers, fish and chips, with some interesting starters on the side. (Their Cajun-style blackened catfish is delicious!) The big attraction, besides good food, is the location, on a hill overlooking the town’s lighthouse and lake. Every summer their popular terrace is packed with people wanting to enjoy their drinks while watching a beautiful sunset.”

— Lee Evans, Neustadt, Ontario

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Ian Austen, born in Windsor, Ontario, educated in Toronto, lives in Ottawa and has written about Canada for The New York Times for more than two decades.

Vjosa Isai is a reporter and researcher for The New York Times in Toronto.

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