about us
Ian Carswell
Chef - Owner
Ian's path to becoming Chef/Owner of black tartan kitchen started in a family diner in North Bay and took him as far as Helsinki, Finland where he worked at the 2 Michelin Starred "Chez Dominique" ranked 21st in the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2009.
Ian studied Culinary at George Brown College and worked in Toronto at Fare Bistro. He traveled to Europe and worked at Brasserie Paardenburg in Amsterdam with a stage at Ron Blaauw. In France Ian worked at Domaine de la Grezille, a vineyard in the Loire Valley. Ian's European experience culminated at Chez Dominique where he worked for 10 months, developing his skill with modern cooking techniques and appreciation for Finnish minimalism and simplicity.
On his return to Canada Ian worked at Absinthe Café and part-time as a Culinary Instructor with Algonquin College while working from Sous Chef to Executive Chef of KW Catering at the National Gallery of Canada. Ian assumes Chef/Owner responsibility with undying love and support of family: wife Tessa, daughter Faye, son Alistair, and dog Gravy.
about our amazing team
With a blend of professionalism, warmth, and genuine care, our entire team goes above and beyond to ensure every guest feels welcome. Our kitchen crew’s dedication to crafting exceptional dishes pairs beautifully with the warm, small town hospitality and courteous service provided by our front-of-house team.
Together, they create a seamless dining experience where attention to detail and personalized service make every visit feel special. We still cook for our community, not our egos, and love the relationships we have built over each and every return visit. We are a family run business and consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have such a lovely, tight knit group of professionals working alongside us. Ultimately, when you dine with us, you dine with family.
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Antonio Mirizzi
Carly England
Joshua Eyamie
Sylvia Lewis-Havard
Paolo Villa
Katie Foran
Cora Villaizan Torrejon
Serena McIntyre
Paolo DiBello
Nargiza Soucy
Sarah Kistler
Jessica McWilliams
Kyle Wicharuk
Grandpa
Paolo Villa
Antonio Mirizzi
Carly England
Joshua Eyamie
Sylvia Lewis-Havard
about us
From day one, we have wanted this little restaurant to be a space where everyone can feel comfortable and welcomed. Classic French cuisine is the root of this ethos - consistent, familiar and even nostalgic flavours from the tried and true feel good classics, yet slightly elevated with a touch of whimsy. Our menus are composed entirely to showcase the best local products in Lanark County & the Ottawa Valley and are tailored monthly to best celebrate the tastes of the season.
Whether you are up for a curated culinary experience with our 4 & 7 Course tasting menus (Fri & Sat evenings), or prefer to choose your own adventure with our 3-course Table D’hote menu (Wed & Thurs evenings), or are in search of an upscale lunch à la carte menu (Thur - Sat); we have you covered! Our front of house team is second to none for providing some of the best small town, friendly, warm and courteous service around. Like a good friend's house, this is a great place to feel cared for.
how it works
Our tasting menus are designed to take your tastebuds through an incredible journey with the absolute best flavours of the current season. Our inspiration is driven by some of the best products Lanark County and the Ottawa Valley have to offer. The entire meal is designed to be more than just food to fill your gut; it's an experience. We focus on the details. A LOT of details. Even some details that you may not notice but still, details that you will most certainly experience. Still, nothing about the meal is pretentious. You won't be uncomfortable choosing which fork to use, lectured on how to eat a certain dish or scolded for licking the plate (bonus points awarded for actually licking the plate).
We try to keep our ingredients recognizable and familiar with a touch of wonder. That being said, if there is something you absolutely detest, or more importantly can't eat due to dietary intolerances or the unfortunate circumstance that you may die upon contact, please let us know in advance (when you make the reservation) and we won't feed you those things. We are pretty good at finding solutions to most dietary restrictions and prefer our customers leave the restaurant alive.
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Wednesday and Thursday: 3 course
table d'hôte
Enjoy a relaxed evening Wednesday or Thursday with our 3-course table d’hôte, served from 5:00pm until close.
And for those looking to make their dining experience extra special, we are now happy to offer 5 or 7 course tasting menus, at any time on Wednesday or Thursday evenings.
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all about family
black tartan kitchen is more than just a business - it's a labor of love that wouldn't be possible without the unwavering support of my family. From the countless hours spent designing menus, marketing, bookkeeping, dishwashing, or straight up putting up with me, my family is and always has been there to help out.
I honestly don’t know how some folks can run a business without such an incredible family by their side, and I’m deeply grateful for their love, enthusiasm, and belief in this venture.
Their contributions and support have elevated black tartan from a place to eat, to an extension of our home, where guests are welcomed like family, and every dish carries the warmth of that hospitality.
about the restaurant
cozy & comfortable
When booking a reservation with us, you will be presented with the option to choose between two separate dining areas. Tucked away behind the classic brick facade and half moon windows of our 1920's building is our cozy & comfortable dining room, adorned with re-touched, vintage photographs of historic downtown Carleton Place.
outdoor patio
A recent renovation of our kitchen space has also created a covered interlock patio, complete with a lovely garden, heaters, warm lighting and featuring a gorgeous, edgy and colourful mural by the insanely talented artist: Francis Pratt. You can even sneak a glimpse into our beautiful new kitchen from here.
our auberge-inn
We have spent the last decade opening our doors and hearts to ensure our guests feel at home in a dining room where they can comfortably share their life’s milestones, momentous occasions, laughter, tears and special memories with us. We find it is only fitting that the next chapter in our story together should bring us even closer by extending your stay beyond the dining room and into the rest of our home.
With that, we are proud to announce that we are (quite literally) taking our small-town hospitality to the next level! On the 2nd floor of our cozy little restaurant, sits a gorgeous, newly renovated two bedroom apartment that is ready to welcome you and your guests for an overnight stay, and possibly an exclusive culinary adventure.
With a cozy sitting room, full kitchen, private bathroom and spacious dining room, this beautiful suite can be rented out on a nightly basis with options for a privately catered meal for up to twenty guests! Whether you are looking to host life’s next milestone, a family gathering, corporate event, or even just an intimate dinner for two, we would be absolutely delighted to help make your event more spectacular than you ever imagined, in a space that feels as warm and inviting as an extension of our home.
Katie Foran
MJ Roy
Serena McIntyre
Paolo DiBello
Roman Kentfield
Nargiza Soucy
Sarah Kistler
Jessica McWilliams
Kyle Wicharuk
Grandpa
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black tartan kitchen
Wednesday - Thursday
5:00pm - close
Lunch:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Dinner:
5:00pm and
7:30pm seatings