Marilynne - Markdale, Ontario

Megane L. B.

Quick and great stop on our way to Tobermory! We loved the authentic vibe and the warm atmosphere. For the food, we recommend the very tasteful meatball (the sauce was so yummy) and the harvest pumpkin salad. The beef tartar was good but nothing crazy. The only disappointing thing was the French fries which were very small and with a very oily taste. However the aïoli sauce was one of the best we’ve tried! For desert, we had the carrot cake and the rice pudding, both were very comforting! Conclusion: we highly recommend Marilynne!

Kyle R.

I have been here about five times now over the last two months and can honestly say this is my favourite spot to eat.

The ambiance and vibe is like going over to your grandmothers where there is a warmth with all the oddities from her younger days surrounding you, where the forks and knives never match but that’s part of the charm. You’re greeted by a very friendly staff who will in my time, go above and beyond to answer questions or figure out any questions about the menu.

Most of my visits have been during brunch. The quality is excellent. The classic breakfast is a great value with a great mix of variety on the plate and some of the best bacon. The French toast, with preserved peach and bacon is a personal favourite. But its the creativity of adding specials to the menu like the lemon meringue blueberry ricotta oat pancakes that keep you excited.

6/5 stars if I could ⭐️

The only outlier in all my trips has been the 19-18$ French onion soup for special. I order the soup without knowing the price as a starter (my mistake more than anything) I love French onion, and soup is usually a low cost option for a starter to go with our meal. The taste and quality was great as always, however the portion and price did not match in my opinion for what was provided.

rachel T.

The Marilynne exceeded any expectation that I may have had about a small town brunch place.
Just opened in November and no sign of slowing down, this spot is certainly a gem!

The decor was so charming, very rustic country farmhouse, exactly the feeling you want to get from Markdale. Fresh homemade cheddar/ lemon blueberry scones coming out of the oven as we walked into the dining room.

The side salad was exceptional! So thoughtful to have kale, cabbage, romaine with pickled fennel & red onion, toasted pumpkin seeds and a honey mustard vinaigrette! Not just your average dressed greens. Showcasing local suppliers as highlighted on their blackboard and a hidden but oh so elegant wine cellar the small details of the Marilynne were noticed and appreciated!
The hollandaise was rich but vibrant and the breakfast sando was generously cheesy and delicious!
Well worth a trip out of the way (hear that Michelin) 👏 will certainly be back!

Cindy B.

Went for my birthday, and back 2 weeks later with guests. Food was incredible. Onion soup, steak, duck, then family style ribeye. Everything cooked and seasoned perfectly. Price is worth the quality of meals.

jesse M.

The vibes at this restaurant are incredible. So nice to see a place like this thriving in Markdale and in the old Fire Station my Dad used to firefight out of. I remember going to school with Chuck and him dreaming about a place like this one day. The dream came true and it’s inspiring to have a place like this in Markdale. Chuck and his team were at the top of their game when we went for dinner last weekend and the food is comforting and delicious. Bravo!

Dianne M.

We opted for a few items on their small plates to get a taste of different items. It was decent enough; nothing too out of the ordinary. The chicken bites were a bit too crunchy, it seemed overly fried.

We had reservations and ended up arriving a bit earlier than anticipated. We were told our table wouldn’t be ready until our actual reservation time so we had to sit at the bar and wait. Mind you, there were 3 empty tables upon our arrival. Between the time of our early arrival and being seated at the bar for about 10 minutes, said 3 empty tables remained unoccupied. Essentially, we could have been seated at our proper table at the time of our arrival and did not have to sit at the bar. It was not the level of hospitality we were expecting and were sorely disappointed at the attitude received from the hostess who was outwardly annoyed of our early arrival. She didn’t try to accommodate, clearly seeing tables were not in use.

While seated at the bar, we saw 50% of the restaurant clear out, so all standard seating was now available. We were left sitting at the bar and just ordered our food there. We weren’t offered to move to standard seating. Not really attended to as new patrons to this establishment. Not the ideal evening we had wanted.

We would have returned if service was better; but with that kind of experience and lack of hospitality, wouldn’t recommend and wouldn’t return.

Lydia J.

Looking for a great authentic eating experience, this is the place to visit. Very friendly staff and tasty food. I had the Sunday Dinner and it was the bomb 10 out of 10 minus nothing😊really from the farm to the kitchen indeed. I live far away but I found a good place to come back and dine.

Tyler V.

How do you give a 6? We are so lucky to have stumbled upon this amazing spot. Beautiful, creative, and delicious food. Amazing service with personality. Just like the atmosphere, plenty of personality and the effort to decorate the space is easy to see. I can't wait to go back.