Yellow Canoe Cafe

My original post gave the Yellow Canoe 5 stars. We were lucky to get a seat the first time we went. As far as the food went, for a soup and sandwich place, it is great. Our second time was a disaster! Reservations were made for the day of the Christmas parade. When the call was made to make reservations, we were directed to call back after 2 and we did so. Confident that reservations were made, we drove from Kingston and my cousin drove from Ottawa. After shopping in the village, we arrived at the restaurant to find that the staff had made the reservations for the wrong Saturday. The owner of the restaurant said she had no idea how the error was made ... like many businesses these days, the business is never to blame and the customer is rarely right. In an attempt to make things right, we were told we were moved to the top of the wait list ... totally understandable, as the ripple effect of giving us the next table for 4 would only upset other customers. We were told that the wait would be 30 minutes or longer. So we were prepared to wait there, ready to take any table offered. Within 5 minutes of the beginning of our wait, customers whose reservation was correctly taken were told to come back in half an hour. We were then told by the owner that we could not wait there and needed to leave. We headed back to Kingston and my cousin headed back to Ottawa. Clearly the Yellow Canoe is too busy for business and I will not work that hard to do business with anyone! Not worth the effort!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 1

Recently visited after not a good visit last summer...good improvements to service given have been made...I would go back

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Soup, Carrot Cake, Half Sandwich

Just loved this little spot for lunch!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Half Sandwiches are a great idea for a quick lunch while strolling through town.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Waited for 15 minutes with my wife and we weren't acknowledged. Thought we were ghosts. On the way out, was told to have a great day. Not a ghost. Made me sad because I was ready to get my eat on.

Service: 1

A very cute shop, friendly staff and good eats! We got two sandwiches + 1 soup to share and it was the perfect amount for the 2 of us, and the iced chai latte was delicious! only note on the service just because several tables who were sat after us got their orders taken after us but served first, but not annoyed enough to actually rate the place overall as less than 5 stars! The vibes of the place make up for the oopsies. Lol.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Nice, friendly neighborhood cafe. Reasonable prices, friendly service.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

The Yellow Canoe Café in Merrickville is a true gem and easily one of the best spots in town for a meal. The space itself is charming, warm, and cozy, with a welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to linger over lunch or coffee. It has that perfect small-town charm paired with food that feels fresh, thoughtful, and elevated.
The menu is creative without being overwhelming, with plenty of options that highlight fresh, local ingredients. Everything we tried was delicious, beautifully presented, and clearly made with care. Portion sizes were just right—hearty enough to be satisfying but still balanced so you can enjoy every bite. Their soups, sandwiches, and daily specials are especially worth trying.
Service was excellent from start to finish. The staff are friendly, attentive, and quick to answer questions or make recommendations. You can tell they take pride in the café and in making sure guests have a wonderful experience.
One tip: I highly recommend making a reservation, as the café is popular and the seating area is on the smaller side. It’s well worth the planning ahead, though—every visit feels special.
Overall, Yellow Canoe Café is a must-visit in Merrickville for anyone who loves great food, warm service, and a cozy atmosphere.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Soup, Carrot Cake, Half Sandwich

Roast beef and coffee and scone took 40 minutes. 8 staff members ignored us. Locals served first. Don’t recommend if your from out of town. Food not worth the wait.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 1

Service: 1

Excellent place !! We had the soup and sandwich combo and it was delicious 😋
Our waitress was very friendly, attentive and the service was quick.
Can’t wait to go again next time we are down that way.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Soup, Half Sandwich

Cute little spot. Adorable patio. But the sandwiches are downright bad. The bread is very dull and plain. It’s too bad.

It is worth driving some distance to experience this. We had a most relaxing late morning and early afternoon here. We even sat out on the patio on a cool day and the food actually warmed us up. People are so polite. Highly recommended.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Awesome little cafe. We just went for tea and desserts. There was a lovely selection of gluten free desserts. Highly recommend.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Cozy atmosphere, bare minimum service.
Waited almost an hour and a half for a sandwich only to be disappointed:
The bread was stale and the sandwich was very lopsided, with one side having double the meat portion of the other, and vice-versa for the other toppings.

Over the 2 hours we were seated on the patio in 30+ degree weather, refills were served only once.

I do recommend the lemonade, but can't in good conscience suggest visiting for the food.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 1

So cute! Great service, great food! I enjoyed my experience thoroughly

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5