Tell us about your favourite uptown-area restaurant.
Nominees must:
- have an address within the BIA boundaries
- have been in operation on December 31, 2009
To make a nomination, simply add a comment to this post. Tell us the name of the restaurant you’re nominating, and why you think they deserve the award. Thanks!
The Saint John Alehouse
The Saint John Alehouse – Innovative ideas and menu. Always at the forefront of the latest trends. They provide an upscale yet relaxed atmosphere with fantastic staff.
The Saint John Ale House provides its customers with great good with equally good service. With a friendly atmosphere it is hard not to consider the best restaurant in the city.
Boubon Quarter – very new and very goodf
They made a shift to local food and there has been a real improvement over the last year in both service and food.
Urban Deli; it’s a deli for real! The best restaurant that’s happened to Saint John in some time.
Deli- ishous! Innovative, comforting food.
The place is very hip, with a warm feeling from the staff.
Liz ( the owner) is one of a kind host, and knows how to run this business.
A real success story.
Opera Bistro
Not only do Margaret & Axel provide great atmosphere and wonderful food, but they are the first ones to step up and help (if not organize) with local charities and especially to promote the Uptown Saint John.
Hard not to consider Opera Bistro in this list
We are huge fans of Urban Deli. It’s such a warm, friendly environment and the food is fantastic. Everything we try is delicious. Elizabeth and Gordon make us feel welcome any time we are there, even if it’s for a take out lunch or a sit down breakfast on a sunny Saturday morning. Urban Deli fits right in uptown. We love it!
Saint John Ale House: The food is great, the atmosphere is welcoming, and the staff know their stuff, what more could you want!
SAINT JOHN ALE HOUSE,
BY FAR THE BEST PLACE IN TOWN.
Saint John Ale House – Great atmosphere, fantastic food with great service. Always updating menu with seasonal specialties. Love it
Saint John Ale House!
This is my favorite restaurant to visit in Saint John. The menu is always changing and the food is DELICIOUS. I’m so impressed by the local support the Ale House promotes. Saint John needs more of this! The restaurant also has the best location especially in the summer, the staff are welcoming and attentive and the decor is so interesting.
Saint John Ale House. Food is Amazing and they always adhere to the customer’s needs, no matter how picky.
The Saint John Ale House is wonderful for those of us who are trying to eat healthier!They go out of their way to accomodate your dietary needs and the food is delicious. The presentation is superb and the atmosphere makes for a great dining experience!!!
I vote for The Saint John Ale House! For it’s unique menu of local seafoods and organic products! Very friendly staff and relaxed and comfortable atmosphere!
The Saint John Ale House! This restaurant not only uses local products to make their delicious meals, but they are more than willing to create different versions of their menu items to cater to my dietary needs. The list of cocktails, such as the Japanese Slipper and the Pink Lady, are a relief from the mundane cosmo or martini. With almost 30 beers on tap , I’m sure even the pickiest beer drinkers can find one they enjoy. My favourites are Hoegaarden and Leffe which extremely hard to find at any bar uptown, let alone in the province of New Brunswick. The staff is amazing and go out of their way to make your experience truly a evening to remember. And if you are looking for a place to go and socialize with friends and meet new people, their Friday Night Social Club is the place to be. On one occasion I remember them lighting a tower of glasses and a bunch of shot glasses on fire the length of the bar! Based on the three main criteria that a restaurant should have, i.e. food, drinks and atmosphere, the Saint John Ale House towers over its competitions in all fields.
My vote is for the Urban Deli … two thumbs up!!
Saint John Ale House hands down!! I have been employed with the Ale House for the past 5+ yrs, and i still come in with my family for food on my days off. For anyone who has cooked in the same restaurant for that long, and still enjoy the food…says a lot!
Saint John Ale House. The best restaurant in Saint John. Innovative. Great food/service. Locally grown products used. Fantastic menu-ever changing. Great wait service. Great ambience.
Love the online reservation system, the warm and welcoming hospitality and the originality of the new menu. What a delightful experience dining at the Saint John Ale House! Cheers!
Billy’s Seafood Company
Fresh fish
Great atmosphere
Fantastic Seafood, licensed, and they just changed up their menu, more appetizers and even vegetarian!!!
Very clean,and nice patio in the summer.
Alley Gria!!!!! Number one…AMAZING RESTAURANT, AWESOME FOOD, GREAT ATMOSPHERE and WONDERFUL SERVICE
…If you go there once you will go back for more its a great place to be in the uptown saint john area. By far Alley Gria deserves best restaurant of the year!!!
Alley Gria, by far the best!! It’s different, food is amazing with a concept no others have, the atmosphere is great, cozy, warm and welcoming, with staff that enjoy their jobs and their guests even more! You can’t go wrong with this restaurant. Newly renovated, great big windows facing the Harbour…you gotta just love it.
Alley Gria is easily the best restaurant!! I’ve never been to a more interesting and fun restaurant environment! A definite must for any group looking to have a great time with a fun staff and amazing food.
Service is excellent,very clean, and the food is Chef Ram quality….
Food is excellent, Service is excellent, Very clean,Very modern….
Saint John Ale House! Amazing food, great atmosphere, always something new and delicious to try out. And definately the best drinks in town!
Saint John Ale House is my favorite … I have my favorite dishes of course and I travel all the way from British Columbia just to enjoy the bread pudding!
Cannot wait until June 25th when i am there once again! And the view from the window is stunning, even on a mystical foggy day!
Saint John Ale House. I am blown away by their passion and care for the quality of ingredients they use in all of their dishes. They use fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients that support the local economy, and makes for a freshness you can taste in every delicious and unique dish they create. Whether you are there for a relaxing dinning experience filled with wonderful food and beverage and great service, which also reflexes the pride in all of the Ale House Staff, you can also head downstairs the pub for a fun social evening, all of which leaves you looking forward to your next visit.
My vote goes to the Urban Deli. It stands out above a number of interesting and tasty offerings Uptown. The food is scrumptious, and the Urban Deli has a really nice vibe: the décor is great – brick wall, beautiful communal table, cozy booths. Contributing to that vibe is the friendly and attentive staff. The service is better than good. The owner, Liz Rowe, seems to radiate joy in what she is doing, and that comes across in the food and the atmosphere. It has quickly become my favourite eating-out destination, the place I crave to visit when I haven’t been for a while. I can’t wait for my next visit. I will likely order my favourite: their delicious spinach salad.
Saint John Ale House gets our vote! Very warm welcoming and great atmosphere. We loved the food and using local produce is the best!
Saint John Ale House has the whole package. No other restaurant in the city offers quality in every area like they do. Fresh seasonal ingredients in cocktails, well chosen wine list, more beers on tap than anyone in the province, and locally sourced contemporary cuisine at great value.
Not to mention the fantastic location overlooking the harbour and the entertainment provided during the summer months on the boardwalk.
ALLEY GRIA
Alley Gria…Great place, Food, atmosphere, service everything about that restaurant is amazing…you will always go back for more!!!!
Alley Gria… By far # 1
!!!
I would have to vote for ALLEY GRIA….Always something new! wonderful service, food, and environment.
Saint John Ale House
Always a good experience. Great beer, a menu that changes with the seasons and regularly features local organic ingredients.
Saint John Ale House is by far the best restaurant in the city. Their menu is continuously evolving with each passing season, they choose local, fresh and organic products for their delicious and creative dishes. Their bar menu is like no other in the province and will not dissapoint even the pickiest of drinkers. Great staff and an incredible experience with each visit to top it off!
Several years ago friends took us to the Saint John Ale house and it was wonderful with a great selection of beers and wonderful fresh food. the mussels were delicately cooked with that “Kiss from the sea” taste that we can’t get in Tennessee.
I vote for the Saint John Ale House. I have visited there numerous times and the food is always well prepared and flavourful! I like that they vary their menu. The atmosphere is relaxing. The only bad thing I could say was their coffee was not very good, but I have heard they have recently changed it.
Saint John Alehouse is the best Restaurant in Saint John! They deliver a great dining experience everytime with their excellent menu and service. Not only is the food the best, it is different than other restaurants and the staff always make me feel special everytime I dine there.
Saint John Alehouse. Was surprised to see the great selection. Great location for an ale house. Staff courteous , friendly and efficient. Good food. Have recommended it to anyone I know visiting Saint John.
Saint John Ale House. They have made serious improvements in the last year. Food and service is awesome, they have alot of great things to offer. Everytime I’m looking for a place to go it always winds up being there. Love it.
No contest, the best is ALLEY GRIA and by far
A unique restaurant with something different.Not your typical North American
sandwiches and fries concept.Service is friendly and professional, menu is well planned
and changes frequently.Well done.My favorite restaurant.
Alley Gria: What a culinary experience! If you haven’t been, it’s your turn. A ‘must’!
Love the Saint John Alehouse. Food is great and so is the atmosphere!
Alley Gria – I really enjoy the warmth of the atmosphere. Very good service and the flavor of the food is excellent. The view of the Harbour is definitly a plus. Well Done.
Alley Gria – Great Atmosphere, Delicious Food , Top Notch Service
I vote for Alleygria
Alley Gria…..If you want to be wanted than Alley Gria..is the place to be.
It is my most favorite place to be…… With the warn and amazing atmosphere, like no others here in Saint John. It’s definitely a place to unwind, relax and be Yourself.
The food is amazing, extraordinary and delicious and always leaves you wanting more along with the flavorful wine list.
With the warn and welcoming invitation not only by the staff and but owner too,
this friendly atmosphere will enable you to see why I think is hard not to consider THIS the best restaurant in Saint John. Even more fantastic is the location overlooking the harbour.. Great Job and Great success!…
Alleygria, hidden gem in the city!
ALLEY GRIA is the best place in town
Alley Gria, great food, best service, nice view. Everything is perfect
Alley Gria is the best for friendly service and consistenly great food. Walking down the alley you think “where am i going” but when you open the door you are greeted with a magical atmosphere that makes you feel like have been transported to the Mediterranean! I love it!
Alley Gria would be my vote for this year. It’s different. It’s good food with good prices. It’s a nice atmosphere. It’s a good thing for Uptown Saint John!
Alley Gria
Alley Gria…Am amazing and plentiful menu to choose from, a unique concept that is not reflected by any other restaurant in the city. Great atmosphere, and personalized service from Chef Stephane Metayer. Not very ofter you see the Chef cook and design the food but also comes out and greets and serves the customer. #1 in my book!!!
Alley Gria! #1~!
Alley Gria, by far the best restaurant.
New experience , huge menu , good wine list at a good price, amazing ambiance and the washroom are wonderfull!!
My vote goes to Alley Gria. Great place and great people.
I vote for Alley-Gria
Great Food, Great Service,Great View
I love everything about it!!!
Chef Metayer is the best!!
Alley Gria Number one in my Book…AMAZING RESTAURANT.
Alley Gria Number one in my Book…AMAZING RESTAURANT
Great place, great food, great view. A wonderful use of another of our heritage properties
I vote for the Infusion Tearoom! It is a delightful little place! Staff are always so pleasant! The food and teas are amazing! My favourite!
I vote for Alley Gria
Great Food,Great Service,Great View
Chef Metayer is the Best!!
I Vote for Alley Gria
Excellent seafood,Great Service
Bilingual Service
alley gria !!!! is the place to go and socialize and eat in the saint john area ,great food ,great prices,and extremely great service and atmosphere.a must visit place to expeience
Je vote pour Alley Gria…..
I vote for the Infusion Tearoom! It is a lovely little place! The staff are always so pleasant! The food and the teas are great! My favourite!!!
The Urban Deli <3 If you haven't had the mouth watering pleasure of eating at the Urb you are missing out!
When you decide to make your dinning experience something out of the ordinary,try the new Jet Set Tapas Bar in uptown Saint-John.With is Spanish Style,cosy room to dinne in privacy,or sharing great food with friends,Alley Gria is the place to go.Long Life to Alley Gria
I am a fan of good restaurant and to my without hesitation Alley Gria is the best St John offers for taste quality of meals and ambiance. Thank you and long life.
Been a fulltimer in the RV life style,i have been in many Tapas Bar in the US,but the one that i discovered in Uptown Saint-John,was worth the trip.The Jet Set style tapas bar Alley Gria with is spanish style cosy atmosphere and great food is certainly on top of my list>Long life to Alley Gria
Saint John Ale House is my favourite Saint John restaurant…the menu is always intriquing and the wait staff are fun and always helpful!
The Ale House is my favourite Saint John restaurant..the menu is always intriquing ..the wait staff are very helpful and always pleasant!
Alley Gria!!Number one…AMAZING RESTAURANT, AWESOME FOOD, GREAT ATMOSPHERE and WONDERFUL SERVICE …If you go there once you will go back for more its a great place to be in the uptown saint john area. By far Alley Gria deserves best restaurant of the year!!!
I am most impressed with the Saint John Alehouse, wonderful ambience, friendly staff
and delicious food. It is always a favourite with regular guests from Cape Cod Ma. who
always request we make a reservation to go there on their visits to Saint John. Would
highly recommend it to anyone wanting a truly special dining experience. Keep up the
incredably high standards you have set and have been able to maintain. It is so nice to
leave a great restaurant with a contented smile and a wish to return soon.
Alley Gria Most definitely the best in Saint John
Extremely great service and atmosphere. The Chef and Owner, Stephane Metayer and his friendly staff are always there to help give a private party, as well as having one of the most original menus in town. You can not find a more relaxing place. The lounge area is just fabulous. A great place for friends and family to get together, have great food, some friendly conversation in a relaxing environment. The food is great with a flavorful wine list. The prices just right. The washrooms are best in the city.
I am most impressed with the Saint John Alehouse, wonderful ambience, friendly staff and delicious food. It is always a favourite with regular guests from Cape Cod Ma. who always request we make a reservation to go there on their visits to Saint John. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a truly special dining experience. Keep up the incredably high standards you have set and have been able to maintain. It is so nice to leave a great restaurant with a contented smile and a wish to return soon.
Alley Gria
I did not seem to have used a name of a restaurant when making my previous comments.
Alley Gria, is the best
Sense of Tokyo! How has everyone overlooked the incredibly delicious food and super sweet service of this place? People drive up from Fredericton to come here. This get my vote for sure.
Best Sushi in Canada. Fresh, well presented, extensive selection on menu.
I vote for Boilerworks! Great food, great staff and a great place to have a cocktail, glass of wine or a cold beer!! Cheers!!
BOILERWORKS!!! Plenty of restaurants have great food and great service… that’s what restaurants do and what customers expect of the industry… but how many restaurants integrate with their customers lives? Since Sean Fleming has been there, I actually WANT to go to Boilerworks… they take the time to find out what I like and need, and just do it, simply to enhance the customer experience… now that’s living life. Good job using social media too Sean! Go Boilerworks and thanks for being the best restaurant in Saint John.
Sense of Tokyo! Sushi all the way!
Alley Gria!!
alley gria!
Alley Gria…Best restaurant of the year!!!
My vote…Alley Gria
Alley Gria…Great food, service eveything is great about the alley gria
How is this by any means fair? Look at the comments. Most are either by people related to the alehouse or related to Alley Gria. Kind of sad when you see Alley Gria almost begging for votes on their FB page. Clearly this isn’t a fair one. I’ve been to the Ale House numerous times and three quarters of the menu is either fried or ordered in. This award will ruin the relationship of restaurateurs simply because it forces the public to chose one as , “the best”.
It still recognizes all of the great restaurants in town, people are entitled to a vote and their opinions can be shared and recognized with an award show. This not only recognizes restaurants but also retails and cultural events and such…there is no begging, when i see it on FB, I see it as a reminder of voting, for the ones that want to share their favorite place to go out. I think its a great idea, maybe not for everybody thought…
No one is forced, you vote if you want, you dont if your not into it.
its only by choice.
I go to Saint John, just to go to Alley Gria. My friends and I enjoy the atmosphere and the great food. The service is second to none. The only other place in New Brunswick that offer atmosphere and great food is the Windjammer in the Delta Beausejour.
Hello Dawson.
My name is Stephane and I own Alley Gria .
We have 398 fans who like us and we just remind them to vote.
It is far from begging.
What is sad is you have a chance to vote for your best restaurant but instead you critics the peoples who vote for who they like.
Regards
Sense of Tokyo! It’s such a unique and wonderfully delicious dining experience!
Alley gria
I agree its not begging just saying it on fb shows that you can go an vote if that is a place you feel is a great place…No one is forced to vote unless they want to!!!!
There are people voting numerous times. Mostly family members or employees of the restaurants themselves. Why isn’t there some sort of form or something or poll where you state why and it must be from people not related to the restaurant. I just think its flawed that you vote by commenting on a website? Why aren’t there categories like fine or pub. It’s fine if you don’t agree but clearly it isn’t fair if you get your whole family and staff to vote for you; that’s not being honest. I mean you see some people say what a diverse menu the Ale House has when all their apps are frozen…
I agree voting numerous times is unfair, but its not the restaurants fault though…people should just be fair and vote once, and let others vote.
I love the food at Alley Gria. Now I can see some of your points, but if you think about it, it doesn’t really matter who writes what on here, or how many people wrote something because of a facebook message. This is a site for nominations. It is not for voting. It clearly states many times in the website that it is for nomination purposes. This means that any restaurants NOMINATED here will probably be evaluated by a professional. This should prevent any situation where one person could change their name and vote for the same restaurant over and over again. The amount of people that nominate any certain establishment on here can only determine what restaurants are going to be evaluated. Your comment is not wrong, just irrelevant.
Hi Dawson – thanks for noting your concern. The Uptown Saint John nominations & selection committee will have the final say in terms of who gets short-listed from the collection of nominations made on the LiveLifeAwards site. The site will not be used for voting purposes nor does every comment posted on the site count as a vote. It is simply a name put forward as a possible nomination. We’re really thrilled that so many people like yourself are enthusiastic about the awards – because that means the idea and the purpose behind them is resonating. We hope to see you at the awards on
the 24th of June, to see who wins!
I really enjoy Alley Gria!! By far the best restaurant i have been to in a long time.
Just to clarify, I had accidentally voted twice for the Infusion Tearoom, as my first vote was under moderation and it was not showing. Therefore I voted again just to be sure. Sure enough, both of them showed up. So, I am thinking other people have made the same mistake…..
Saint John Ale House rocks!!! They have the best service and most innovative menu. Thanks for always keeping a night out fresh and exciting.
pick an appetizer that is different/innovative.
What about the mussels or the bruschetta, right now you can go there and get oysters or rabbit too. And they used to have a fresh trout appetizer and grilled clams. Plus if you read the actual menu a lot of their stuff is sourced locally…
Every restaurant has your run-of-mill deep fried stuff, but if you can’t look past it then you’re missing the good stuff too.
Love ChurchHills and SJ Ale House.
The Ale house really knows how to market themselves – and provides the food and drink to back it as well.
ChurchHills – sweet jebus they make a tasty “crust” steak (unsure if that is the term they use) and the always tasty Guinness to wash it down. Love the “Pub” atmosphere in there as well – both great locations with their own flavour and feel.
Thanks Ray, I didn’t mean any harm just stated my opinion and I understand that I read it incorrectly, my appologizes. My personal nomination is for Opera. Consistenly good food, one of the best lunch bang for your buck and its actually food ; not frozen stuff. Don’t jump on my back I just find UD to be a bit greasy in terms of sandwhichs. JUST my opinion.
Thank you for understanding.
Tea Infusion
My vote is for Billy’s Seafood. Always delicous, great atmosphere. love the staff and the patio. Billy Grant has by far the cleanest kitchen in NB!
Saint John Ale House!!! Looooove that crab dip!
Saint John Ale House!! They have such great staff, everytime you go there they make you feel so important, and they’re willing to make modifications on meals (gluten-free…)
Sense of tokyo!
Grannan’s is the best!
Saint John Ale House. Excellent service, beer selection & food. The bacon wrapped scallops and Guinness burger are superb. As a relative new comer to Saint John they made us feel very welcome.
Saint John Alehouse AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
I nominate Thandi. Best Asian style cooking in the city. Indian, Chinese, and a bit of Thai. Kenny and his crew cook it all from scratch in an open kitchen. The recent renovations are classy; and having Wayne Melvin as bartender is top notch. A nice ethnic addition to a vibrant and growing Saint John restaurant scene!
Sense of Tokyo is, in my opinion, far and away the best restaurant in town. In terms of artful and gracious presentation, great value, and warm service, they blow the Saint John Alehouse out of the water.
Opera and SOT I think are a fair tie.
Urban Deli, they focus on quality of food, service & atmosphere
The Urban Deli! The fries! The smoked meat! The ribs! The triple decker grilled cheese! And since I’m a geek, the wireless access ’cause I can eat and tweet and blog.
Oh yes … and the people. It’s a people place!
Urban Deli has amazing food and fantastic home-made desserts
I vote for Urban Deli…best spinach salad in town!