About Tilia Kitchen
A neighbourhoodbistro onWellington West
Tilia Kitchen opened in 2018 in a narrow storefront near Parkdale Market. We named it after the linden trees that line the side streets of Hintonburg.
Tilia is the Latin name for the linden tree. Every July the lindens on the side streets of Hintonburg bloom for about two weeks, and the whole neighbourhood smells of honey. The small leaf in our name is a linden leaf with its long pale bract. On our menu it marks a dish that is new this week.
Our chef plans the menu around what a handful of Ottawa Valley farms can bring in each week. When the tomatoes end, the tomato dishes end too.
We are a small team of 14. Most of us live within walking distance, and many of our guests are our neighbours.
The kitchen
Nora Kettleby cooks what the farms can send
Nora grew up near Renfrew and cooked in Montreal and Toronto before she came home to the Ottawa Valley. She opened Tilia with Theo Arsenault in 2018, in a storefront that used to be a shoe repair shop.
Every Monday she calls the farms, hears what is ready, and writes the week's menu that afternoon. Meat comes in as whole animals, so the pork shoulder on Wednesday can be the sausage at Saturday brunch.
Some of our team of 14
- Nora KettlebyChef and co-ownerPlans the menu each week with the farms.
- Theo ArsenaultCo-owner, dining room and wineChooses every wine on the list.
- Ada LindqvistPastry and breadBakes the sourdough every afternoon.
- Samir HaddadSous chefRuns the kitchen on brunch weekends.
- Justine PaquetteEvents and cateringPlans every back room booking with you.
How we run the restaurant
A few rules we keep
- Produce from Ottawa Valley farms
- Allergens listed for every dish
- Fair pay and shared tips for the whole team
- Bar seats kept for walk-ins
Tips are shared between the kitchen and the dining room, and every hour is paid at or above the Ottawa living wage. We close on Mondays so the whole team gets two days off in a row.