Reviews of The Boreal Diner (Gardener)

Anastasia Glushko

This place is... impressive! Even their coleslaw is heavenly. We had the scallops and the veggie burger — both better than anything we’ve eaten in Montréal or anywhere in NL. Pro tip: you might need to reserve a table in advance (we were lucky to get one without a reservation though).

Dr. Adam Markew

My wife and I loved this place! Cozy ambience, friendly staff and food was amazing. We started with scallops and she had pan seared cod (she loved it). I had arctic char fettuccine and devoured it! Currently ordering desert but I'm sure it will be great as well :) Worth the stay in Bonavista.

Matt C Reynolds

It's worth travelling to Bonavista just to eat here! The Boreal Diner is located on Church Street in a beautifully restored historic building that has been adapted for the restaurant. The level of quality in their coffee, espresso drinks, and food is remarkable—they have certainly elevated food on the Bonavista Peninsula. Jon and Sylvie aren't simply running a seasonal restaurant, they are deeply invested in the local community and have permanently moved to Bonavista. Go here for a seasonally rotating menu, the Bonavista seafood, and their elevated take on local food!

leonedest g

Definately a gourmet restaurant experience, the food was excellent and the flavors were well balanced.

Amy Saunders

I love Boreal Diner! Fresh seafood and a variety of options. I booked the Boreal for a group of 15 ppl. We had the entire upstairs to ourselves, it was quiet and intimate. Great food and the staff and owner are very welcoming and friendly.

Ian J McCurdy

So. Good. Incredible food, great atmosphere, I love it and will be back.

Tedford Chan

Cozy space, great service and food!

Saleena

Loved this gem! We (travellers) stumbled across it and had a great dinner (veggie burger, lemon cake, local Arctic rose white tea). I liked that they incorporate local products - such as the teas and amazing salt (Newfoundland Salt Co.). The servers are really friendly and the interior is beautiful. I would definitely come back if I'm ever in the area again! (May, 2019)

Jayant Mathur

Amazing place! The appetizers were awesome, and the restaurant has a fresh and modern look and feel. Great to see tourism revitalizing the area. Must visit!

John King

Wonderful and original food that emphasizes fresh local ingredients. Superb friendly and professional service in a restored heritage building. A favorite place for a memorable meal.

Nicolas Koeppe

Nice spot in Bona Vista! Came by based on a recommendation from friends. Loved the aesthetic of the spot and our second floor table had a nice view of the town-scape. Polite if not quite service. Burger were grilled to perfection, dressed nicely and the baked potato was a perfect (and different) accompaniment. Sour slaw balanced it all out nicely, along with the locally brewed kombucha. Pricing is aspirational for the area, but fair when your comparing to Toronto.

Jim Lochhead

Great Shepherd's Pie

David Le

Thought this place looked pretty nice from the pics on Google, and we're tempted in by the pictures of pie. The place was nice. I enjoyed the second floor. But the food wasn't that great. The burger was a bit disappointing, dry, and almost tasted over cooked for some reason, and the slaw a bit too sour or pickled. The noodles we're almost too salty and the pickled vegetables in the noodles was also too sour or pickled. I was hoping it would have been more fresh and light, but it was very strong. The pies looked good and tasted yummy, however. We got a scoop of vanilla with our slices, but really wished the pie was warmed up more. Overall, I def think it was lucky of us not to have spent the big moolah on the larger mains.

Mathieu Taggart

Great potential in the futur for this new restaurant! Keep this place in mind if you pass by Bonavista. The desert are crazy good!

Stephen Pike

Excellent meal and desert in a great environment. A must visit place in Bonivista.

Rick Stead

Good coffee but limited menu selections. Very nice decor.

Mark Maizonnasse

Nice food and good prices, moderate/healthy portions.

f k

Amazing food and great atmosphere. Everyone here is super friendly, great experience overall

Edward Power

Healthy fare that does not get a thumbs up from 4 guests. To be fair we just came back from St. Pierre enjoying French dishes that were great.

Alexander Love

Lovely food and wonderfully nice service. I really enjoyed my meal!

K Anstey

This was a great, if unexpected, find. Cozy restaurant with great dessert choices.

John Roland Burmeister

Best place I've been to in my travels across Newfoundland. Incredible service modest prices and such a quaint building. Loved it.

Patti MacPherson

One word - Awesome!

Clare Fowler

Great fresh food. Excellent staff. Wonderful atmosphere. You need to try the ice cream/coffee desert. Also, check out the book shelf.

Matt Vainio

Beautiful spot, great food and service!

Lyndsey Paynter

Lovely meal in a really cool setting!

Michal Recka

They had only 5 main dishes to choose frome but we tried the 3 of them (lobster, crab and noodle one) and all were very good.

Sois Da funk AV

Had their burger twice in one week it was so good.

Tom McGreevy

It had been a long cold wet day here; so to finish it with carrot soup and cod with white beans and veggies was lovely. The restaurant is in a welcoming open concept building with friendly staff.

Jessica vb

We had heard that this was The Place To Eat in the area and weren't disappointed! The food was wonderful - all so fresh and prepared beautifully - and we really loved the use of local ingredients (bakeapple mousse and partrigeberry lemon cake were a big hit with us). Staff were friendly and helpful. Would give it ten stars if we could!

Steve Sanders

The mussels were some of the best we’ve ever had! Window table upstairs for a fabulous view of the Mummer’s parade (on a Monday night - who knew?!). My burger was ok but the wife really liked her orange and ginger noodles.

Don Craig

Great hospitality, while very, very busy. Excellent food. Some of the best food we have encountered in Newfoundland!

Rachel

Very photogenic! I loved the ambiance of this place! To the quirky set of mismatched chairs and tables, to the book nook upstairs! The food was also tremendous! They brought us a basket of sourdough with their housemade spiced butter for appetizer and I kid you not, it was one of the greatest things I have ever tried. Definitely one of the highlights from our trip to Bonavista! Highly recommend!

Jon Weir

The service was perfect. The shrimp croquettes were delicious, as was the Boreal Burger. The upstairs gets a bit warm, which is only an issue because of the global warming. Be sure to check out the fascinating paintings, too.

Ana Caballero Mengibar

The food was great; our table, however, was dark and in a cold spot

V BS

Great food, friendly place, and the atmosphere is quite nice. Had the scallops with veggies and my hubby had the fried rice.

Cory Babstock

Amazing food. Amazing staff. A real treasure to find.

Julia G

Amazing, amazing food. The sourdough beard and maple butter is life changing. I ordered the Smoked Char Linguini, and it was astoundingly delicious. The chefs know what they are doing, and balance flavours very well. I also had a bite of the Szechuan noodles and it was also really really tasty. Very special little restaurant, I love the cozy atmosphere and its worth every penny.

Canning Factory

Lovely spot, great care was made restoring the old building into interesting open space upstairs. The chanterelle pasta I had was easily one of the best plates of pasta I've had in ages with perfectly cooked fresh in house pasta and delicious locally sourced chanterelles. The blueberry pie was fantastic. If you are visiting Bonavista it's a must visit.

T M

Great space and great fresh food. A gem of Bonavista.

Rafael Bergamaschi

Great experience at Boreal Diner! Delicious food and excellent service. Compliments to Chef Sylvie and crew.

Jean Laforest

Great food ... Good prices... Great friendly service!

Marina Chan

If I could give this place a 10/10, I would! Great service and amazing food. We walked in to get take out because they were pretty much all booked up but a table freed up and we were able to eat there. The food was spectacular! What a cute and (honestly) surprising find in Bonavista, NL

John Kearns

Great espresso from local fair trade coffee roaster Bonavista Coffee Company!

Phil Lynch

Great place, excellent food, great service, great environment. Treat yourself to this wonderful place. They went out of their way to accommodate my wife by making a wonderful vegan dish!

Dean Boland

Amazing food and service. I highly recommend to check this place out when in the Bonavista area.

Gina Bunger

Real turkey, not lunch meat, food was very good.

Sarah Jane Walker

Beautiful ambiance, adorable service and fresh flavourful food. Recommended highly!

Trevor Harris

Stopped in for dinner. All the staff are so friendly, and very helpful with recommendations for things to do in the area. Food is best in Bonavista hands down. Good variety of options as well. We had the green salad, scallops, veggie burger and sichuan noodles and everything was excellent!

Nicholas Thoms

Beautiful place but pricey and food wasn't the best quality that day but willing to give it another try.

Andrew Ferrara

Small menu .food exquisite

Vincent Renaud-Lépine

(Translated) Perfect. Price, taste and service, everything is there! I recommend the cod tacos. (Original) Parfait. Prix, goût et service, tout y est! Je conseil les tacos de morue.

Susan Whalen

Too late to book a table but they do take away & it was delicious. Well worth it, we had homemade udon Noodles with pork belly & gluten free noodles with tofu, with the local tomato salad. Both meals were flavorful with diverse textures & flavour, delicious & delightful.

Mark P

Cool atmosphere but really disappointed in the food. I was there in the summer for lunch and though we'd stumbled on something great. There was a lunch special, fresh pasta with crab for $25. Being lunch time and where we were with the access to fresh seafood and the high price for a pasta I was super excited and several of us ordered it. When it came out there was a little piece on top, maybe a teaspoon... but less than a table spoon which I assumed was a garnish. Nope that was it... noodles and pesto and nothing else. I was shocked.... maybe at an olive garden in Times Square but not on the ocean in rural Newfoundland. It felt like a blatant tourist rip off. It may have been a lobster pasta... there wasn't enough to remember.

Ellie King

We were very impressed with this restaurant - the food was excellent (I had seared scallops to start, followed by cavatelli pasta with lamb and mint pesto, then carrot cake, with partridgeberry filling) and even the complimentary bread and butter was delicious!). The service was also great. We would definitely recommend checking it out if you're in Bonavista!

George Ayoub

Enjoyed the place, the service and the food and I would certainly recommend it to people who like good food, unusual for these parts of Newfoundland. Prices are a tad above average but worth it.

gc1789

Great cozy and romantic place. Amazing food. Greatly suggest it

Alex S.

Excellent food and drinks! A real gem in Bonavista. Highly recommended.

Stevie Kenyon

An outstanding meal from start to finish. Local seafood and foraged goods are crafted into rich dishes that will wow your tastebuds. Cute atmosphere with books to borrow, which my daughter loved. Quick and friendly service. Best meal of our week visiting Newfoundland.

Kyla Hewson

Best meal we had in Newfoundland, with fabulous vegetarian options

Graham Wilson

Wonderful! It's great to have top quality veggie food available in a small community like this. We really enjoyed it and the prices seem ok too.

Jay See

Perfect spot for a enjoyable meal in a historic building. Well skilled servers. Love the open concept kitchen. Some good vegetarian options. Nice, seasonal menu that clearly had a lot of thought put in. Edible flowers were a nice touch! Highly recommend.

Dave Ling

Poor burger, regret eating there.

Kathy Jaeger

Forget that other trendy place everyone is eating at and go to The Boreal Diner! Excellent fresh food, made with love.

Carrie Maxwell

We arrived an hour before close at this great place. A renovated two storey house transformed into a quaint restaurant. Open kitchen, great desserts, delicious appetizers and main course, excellent wine and beer options. The service was exceptional, ambient atmosphere, great local music playing. The top floor has a library too for lounging with your hot drinks on a rainy day. We had the burger and hummus with roasted seasonal veggies. Delicious. So happy we went there and you will be too!

Nancy Williams

Amazing food and service ????

René Enguehard

Excellent food with excellent service. Smaller menu, but honestly that's a positive. There were six of us and we basically ended up trying most dishes, and they were all on point. Cannot recommend this place enough!

Tiffany Kwok

Great food, staff and atmosphere. Be sure to make reservations before you go!

Elisabeth Duggan

Enjoyed freshly made dishes. The sourdough bread is fresh and warms you before your meal. The appetizer was a Tomato Toast and shared the Atlantic Char Alfredo. As for the cappuccino, it was good, but a bit too strong for my liking.

Ken Jones

Really wonderful meal. Friendly, attentive service. Lovely surroundings. Mains were delicious (we had a pasta dish). Deserts (peach pie, black tea cake) also scrumptious. Someday hope to be back for another great meal.

Ron Parisien

Wonderful little gem..

Carl Martin

Staff is amazing, food is brillant. It's tasty, creative and very well presented.

Maxime Côté

(Translated) I found the place very pretty. The decor and atmosphere are good. (Original) J'ai trouvé l'endroit très jolie. Le décor et l'ambiance y sont bien.

S Pepper

Nice atmosphere, food was different from other restaurants but was okay, also had vegan options.

Sheila Ryan

Great ppl to work with..great cooks..very clean..great atmosphire

Joe Vaira

The food was delicious. A little pricey but well worth it.

Richard Crane

Lots of great vegetarian options which is refreshing in this neck of the woods. Had a lovely white wine from Nova Scotia to pair with a rich, creamy chanterelle pasta. The Tomato toast was surprisingly good as the salt really brought out the flavours in the tomato's. Had a heart Butternut Squash soup as well. Staff were attentive and courteous.

David Z

Amazing restaurant with a cool atmosphere. Be sure to check out the books they have for sale on the second floor when you go.

Eric Fagan

If your only reason for coming to Bonavista was to eat here, it'd be worth it. Incredible atmosphere, music and food. One of the best meals I've ever had.

Laura Kennedy

Really lovely restored building! Food was as fresh and locally derived as you could probably find out here. Service was great too. Awesome addition to Bonavista! We will be back.

Wayne Macdonald

Great food

Jon Skinner

Thoroughly individual food, wine, decor, staff and even music playlists - all excellent. Reputed menu changes every few days indicate regular visits...

Rick C

Had a great breakfast. Nice baked items!

Carolyn Aldsworth

I tried the seaweed sauce. Very excellent!

Kara Lackie

Went for dinner with friends and had a very nice time. The shrimp sandwich was fresh and juicy and the bakeapple custard tart was amazing. I also had an affogato that was delicious. Nice meal, friendly staff and lovely atmosphere!

Geoff C

Great coffee, atmosphere, and staff. It's worth going out of your way for a visit.

Janet or Darrell Newediuk

We enjoyed the food and experience. The decor was very comforting and pleasing.

Gray McCulloch

OMG, the food was amazing, we had 5 different dishes, all were mouthwatering. Great service, friendly and genuine. The best dish had to be the scallops...

Bernie Kehoe

The food was good but overpriced in my opinion and a very select menu. Bread and maple butter was very good.

Holly Anderson

This restaurant is very unique, started by a peek into the kitchen. Service excellent and food fantastic! 5star.

Mark Orth

Food was mediocre.

Mervin McDonald

Great atmosphere and very friendly service. Menu a little more elevated than the regular local fare. We had brunch with our two young kids. Everything we ordered was delicious! Would reccomend if you're looking for something a little different.

Jim Earls

We showed up without a reservation, and got a table downstairs. We had such a good time with the wonderful staff and other customers that evening, that we booked for next night too. Menu was sparse but food was delicious. Salad was fabulous. Craft beer and nice wine. Lot of fun.

Rachel S.

A review based on an experience that occurred 8 months ago: Very photogenic - I loved the ambiance of this place! To the quirky set of mismatched chairs and tables, to the book nook upstairs! The food was also tremendous. They brought us a basket of sourdough with their housemade spiced butter for appetizer and I kid you not, it was one of the greatest things I have ever tried. Definitely one of the highlights from our trip to Bonavista! Highly recommend!

Catherine Dupuis

Good food but very expensive for what u get

Karen Thistle

Good food!

Jordan Delaney

Great burger

Tl Iguana

Fantastic, fresh food! Not a lot of selection bit the quality is top notch. Stop in and ask what's on special. It may not be on the menu as it will be seasonal. Highly recommended!

Joe Sullivan

Awesome dinner! This place is a must when in or near Bonavista. We stopped in without a reservation and were told there was a table open an hour and a half from then. We took it and walked around town sightseeing. We finished just in time for our dinner reservation. We were seated immediately and had the best view in the house for the sunset. We enjoyed our meal and drinks while watching the sun sink below the hills. Gorgeous. The staff was attentive and pleasant. The coffee is great as well. They outsource to Bonavista coffee.

Meagan Bowman

This place was absolutely delightful. The atmosphere is homey, comfortable and the food is dynamite!!! The waitress and chef were flexible with my vegan diet and the food they made was mouthwateringly amazing! My wife said she has never had food like this in her life.

Rob Coombs

Limited menu..5 mains...but delicious. Had cod with white beans, beet salad, and mock cherry pie. Yum!!

Jonathan

One of my favorite restaurants, period. Food was contemporary and delicious. I got the lentils pate with yukon morels and partridge berry mustard; I also got the lobster bisque which had large chunks of fresh lobster meat. Service was impeccable. Setting was very comfortable, spacious, well-lit, and clean. Can't recommend enough.