Villa Cornelia

Beautiful Decor, great food, excellent service, free parking.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Beautiful food, atmosphere, and ambiance. Went here for my birthday and it was impeccable. The hostess/waitress was knowledgable on the food and wine and we were just in awe at how she and chef took care of us. They also gave a tour and took our photo at the photo booth. Great experience and highly recommend. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

We went to an afternoon tea at Villa Cornelia on September 7th and were extremely happy with it!! The Villa is the perfect place for a tea with its' beautiful architecture and furnishings. The tea menu was extensive and I selected the hot cinnamon spice-my husband had the earl grey and both were perfect! I will try another tea the next time we go.We each had our own teapot and the designs were different . The settings were beautiful too.We started with delicious scones with clotted cream and preserves. All homemade!!!!!The sweets and savories were delicious! We had egg salad sandwiches on homemade bread, quiche, pulled pork sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches as well as ham and cheese sandwiches.The sweets were amazing!! Chocolate dipped strawberries, mini cheesecakes, mini carrot cakes topped with butter cream icing and sugared pecans, brownies and specialty cookies in the shapes of flowers, teapots etc!!! Everything was homemade.The service was great. We were treated to a tour of the Villa and had our picture taken upstairs. We heard that the afternoon teas will be about once a month and can be booked for groups as well. The menu may be slightly different for different teas, but I'm sure the food and tea will be delicious every time and look forward to trying more things!! We will definitely be back and recommend it to everyone! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Had a very enjoyable evening. A few little things that could have been improved on but lovely ambiance, better than average food and reasonably priced.

Reviewed on Google Maps

We dined at Villa Cornelia for our anniversary and everything was amazing! The atmosphere was quiet and sophisticated, but not stuffy. The service was top notch. Food was incredible... I had the scallops and bruschetta  and my husband and I both had the beef tenderloin which was hands down the best steak I've ever had. The chef came out and gave us a tour of the home and took our photo which was a nice memento. I would definitely return on our next special occasion. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Delicious Food and Phenomenal Service

Reviewed on Google Maps

Very elegant place with fine dining. I like that they have private rooms for small and large groups because it certainly cuts down on the noise level when interacting with each. Excellent wait staff knowing how to offer the best dining experience we could have imagined. Included at our request was a personal tour of the heritage home. I love history and this did not disappoint More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

This was a great restaurant for dinner. The short ribs were delicious and done quite well. Not dry, but not fatty as well. The service was excellent and the waitress gave us a tour of the Victorian home that it was housed in since 1988. The interior was decorated for the early 1900's and there were many artifacts from that time period in the old house. Plenty to see and experience here. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Amazing food,amazing service would recommend to everyone to try

Reviewed on Google Maps

Just had our first meal at Villa Cornelia...it was fabulous. The Victorian decor creates a wonderful relaxing ambience, the menu is superb the service and preparation were first rate. It was our anniversary and they went out of their way to acknowledge it with mentions and special treats. The chef made several visits to our table to discuss the menu and was extraordinary in helping and accommodating with my garlic allergy. Our server ( I believe it was Allison) was so friendly and attentive and made us truly feel that we were special to be there on our anniversary. We never felt rushed. Highly recommend this hidden quiet gem. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Awesome meal and experience. Period home decor adds a beautiful ambiance.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Delicious food. On the pricey side. Parking was a nightmare. Others in the group said food was served too cold

Reviewed on Google Maps

We went to Villa Cornelia for a 70th birthday meal for our cousin from London. We loved it. Ryan, the chef, also waited on our table and recommended a really nice Chianti (which we hadn’t had for years) and we had specials - steak, pasta and fish. All excellent - perfectly cooked, not too much. We’ll be back! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Excellent food, had kangaroo meat, very interesting and delicious. We had an event there which went very well.

Reviewed on Google Maps

My sister and I had an exquisite luncheon here on July 4th. The lovely Victorian interior made us feel like we had arrived at grandma's house! Nick is an excellent Server and a gentleman. The service was impeccable, and the wine and food were absolutely delicious. We were so relaxed that we sat there for 2 1/2 hours, chatting and enjoying the experience. We'll be back!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Especially nice if Angus Sinclair is there entertaining.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Amazing place. Went tonight with my fiancée, we had the caesar salad and scallops to start, and the steak and kangaroo as our entreés. Everything cooked to our liking. Chef Ryan and FOH Filip did a great job and made our night memorable. Will definitely recommend to friends and family - and can't wait to return. Very good job. Thank you. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Excellent!!!

Reviewed on Google Maps

Was just passing by London, came at about 3pm and it was quiet, which was really nice. Dude was nice. Soup was good. Caesar salad was awesome :D

Reviewed on Yelp

Had a great time celebrating my brother's wedding with some excellent food and service!
Next time we are in London, we will definitely be coming back.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Had our wedding dinner 2 days ago and it was the best idea ever. The atmosphere of the place was great, the servers were very professional yet humorous. The best of all, the food was top-notch; everyone complimented the food throughout the dinner and even on the following day. We had such a wonderful time at Villa Cornelia. Thank you so much. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Absolutely amazing! What a little green of a restaurant. It's in an old Victorian house - we toured around it, the original wallpaper is still on the walls, what an amazing venue! Food was amazing, staff were friendly and engaged. They seemed quite proud of the restaurant and the work they're doing there. Absolutely recommended. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and the food was amazing! They were even able to accommodate my restrictive diet which made my experience that much better! For anyone looking for a quality fine dining restaurant, Villa Cornelia is for you! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I loved this place. I tried their feature soup and feature catch of the day, and my boyfriend tried their feature game. The server and chef both were so friendly, and we were lucky to have gone at a time when it was a little quieter, so we got a whole room to ourselves and had the lights dimmed for us! I can't wait to go back again. The food was so delicious and I loved the atmosphere. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Excellent service and wonderful food. Will absolutely be stopping by again. They even have a photo booth upstairs.

Reviewed on Google Maps

A wonderful dining experience! My birthday dinner of seared scallops and glazed salmon didn't disappoint. Can't wait to come back. Congrats to the new team!

Reviewed on Facebook

The food was amazing! I had the seafood gnocchi that was perfectly done with excellent shrimp. The service was great. Would recommend and I will be back again.

Reviewed on Facebook

Food was delicious

Service was a bit slow... arrival to departure for a 2 course lunch was 2 hours (luckily we had time and weren't on a lunch break)

Nice atmosphere and decor... was expecting the staff to be a bit more polished like in a fine dining atmosphere

Overall we were happy with the food and the experience More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Had our wedding dinner there 13 years ago this coming March. Have recommended to many. Amazing place for dinner. Will return.

Reviewed on Facebook

The mansion is hauntingly beautiful and has such a wonderful Victorian feel. We sat in the parlor, one of the many beautiful seating areas for guests. The esthetic was very pleasing and the service was incredible (thank you to our server, Anita!) I had the gourmet grilled cheese with apple chutney and red onions paired with chicken corn chowder soup. Both were to die for! We finished with creme brulee, which was also heavenly. Chef Shawna is definitely the best the Villa has seen, and manager Mike was more than welcoming. The staff really make this place come alive. The photobooth upstairs was also a nice touch. This is definitely our new go-to place! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Wow! Great evening at Villa Cornelia . Party of 8 - so among us, the entire Londonlicious menu was sampled, and all agreed the food was excellent. Vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, love that. I'll spare you the details and just say, you must check it out. Staff were welcoming, professional and helpful. To top it off, a laughfest while having a photo session in their upstairs photo studio. Way too much fun. Can't wait to come back and sit on their patio. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Let me begin by saying that as of August First, 2017 the Villa Cornelia is open with new owners and readers might disregard any comments before that date. My wife and I were visiting London Ontario and as a disclaimer, the house was built by my uncle in 1892 and was where my Aunt lived until her death in 1986. I spend summers and an occasional Christmas there, so there is a fond connection for me.
We were greeted graciously, attended to attentively, fed almost extravagantly, this is not a microbrewery or German Restaurant, it is fine dining with a Canadian cuisine that uses locally sourced produce, bread, meats and fish. The building is an authentic 1892 Victorian town house appointed for entertaining. The owners have restored to the period.

After a cocktail on the patio, an appetizer of gnocchi with bay scallop and shrimp, we were seated inside for dinner. I chose the Sous Vide Pork Ribs on goat cheese garlic mashed potato, honey carrot with cumin and pumpkin seed. My wife had the wilted spinach and goat cheese stuffed chicken breast served on garlic mashed with a duo of carrot and asparagus. Both were superb. For dessert, we had the blueberry sorbet, freshly made with an abundance of extra blueberries. The Villa Cornelia is modestly priced for the quality and service. The wine and beer selections are complete with something for each entree. The bar is well managed and stocked with some local rye, vodka and a selection of good whiskeys.

I would highly recommend you try it and see if you share my sentiment. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We had a wonderful catering experience with Villa Cornelia. We had them cater our work Christmas party for Regent Granite and the whole experience from ordering to the food to delivery was fantastic. We ordered several appetizers and an antipasto tray. The beef tenderloin was fantastic and the antipasto tray was phenomenal. It had an assortment of gourmet cheese and deli meats. We heard nothing but positive things from our guests who loved the food. I am sure you have gained a few more customers! Keep up the great work! thank you again from myself and the rest of the Regent Granite Team. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I would highly recommend. The items on the menu were varied and unique. The atmosphere, food and service was excellent. This is my new go to restaurant to entertain Clients and special occasions.

Reviewed on Facebook

Fantastic meal from start to finish. The mixed green salad was a perfect blend of greens and a light dressing. The chef was kind enough to make the mushroom risotto (from last weeks menu) and it was amazing! My husband had the featured game, alligator and thoroughly enjoyed such a unique dish. The creme brûlée and apple crumble were delicious! Our server Michelle was attentive, engaging and a pleasure to talk to. We are from out of town and will make a point to come back to the Villa Cornelia to enjoy such a lovely atmosphere and wonderful dining experience. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

WOW!!! My husband and I went to Villa Cornelia on Saturday, March 31st to celebrate our 15 year anniversary. Going to Villa Cornelia was a family tradition in his household for years for birthdays, anniversaries and other special events. We hadn't been there for years as our last couple of visits, about 10 years previously, weren't that great. Lovely location but the meal was very so-so. I thought that we would revive the tradition as I had been seeing a number of ads recently for the restaurant and my husband thought it would be a great idea. Well, we are so glad that we did as I honestly don't recall having a meal that I enjoyed as much from start to finish. I knew I was in love with this place the moment I tasted one of the freshly baked buns by their Pastry Chef. Even before that I figured that meal would be grand as Chef Ryan came out to get us settled and take our orders. Unfortunately, their waiter for the evening had an emergency and so he became a Jack of all Trades! The menu, while it fit on one page, was very interesting and there were a number of fine dishes listed. But it was the various specials that really interested us. Soups of the day, Fish, Pasta and Beef Specials along with a Game Special. After devouring my bun and wishing for more I got my yummy cold Raspberry Merlot Soup - heaven! My husband had the Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry top - at first we thought it would be a soup version of this dish but it was truly Chicken Pot Pie which he said was very good tasting. Next came his dish of Sweet and Sour Alligator with Basmati rice and veggies. The alligator wasn't strong or chewy at all - it was very tasty with a light coating on the outside. I had the Boar Sausage Pasta - small pieces of sausage that was surprisingly sweet which Ryan had said it would be when I asked my questions - not strong tasting at all. The pasta had a light lemon, garlic cream sauce and helped make the dish that much more enjoyable. For dessert I went for the Creme Brûlée which is my go to dessert in a restaurant and I wasn't disappointed. It was lovely and creamy. Paul had the cherry pie and was very pleased. It was great to be able to chat to the chef and know the ins and outs of our meal and the wonderful way that this restaurant is shaping up. Kudos to the new owners in their choices of location, chef, staff and direction. We will be back, again and again. Oh, and I mentioned that I have a friend that is a gluten-free Vegan so I couldn't bring her here and Chef Ryan said that wouldn't be a problem at all. Let him know in advance and he would ensure that she had a lovely meal as well. He was very happy to say that they would certainly try to make anyone's dining wishes happen wherever possible. Now we will be bringing her for her birthday and she can't wait - but has to for 3 months. Please, go here and give a try as I honestly don't believe you would be disappointed. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Very pleased with our meals on a recent lunch date. Prices were fair & reflected the quality of food. I enjoyed the difficult decision of choosing between very differently flavored dishes. Staff were welcoming & very friendly. Will certainly return More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Wonderful setting, elegant and comfortable dining areas. Loved the dinner entrees and the service was outstanding. Would highly recommend this restaurant for a lovely evening and delicious food.

Reviewed on Facebook

Attended a retirement dinner. Felipe our server was attentive, professional and very funny. Made us feel at home. The food was impeccable. Would recommend this place for small to medium parties any day of the week. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

We took advantage of Londonlicious and tried Villa Cornelia for the first time. The staff and food exceeded all of our expectations! Our server Filip was professional and attentive and went above and beyond to ensure that my special dietary needs were met. The kitchen staff came out three times to discuss gluten free options and see that we were happy with our food. We were! Beautiful presentation and absolutely delicious! An excellent experience from start to finish. We will be back! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I was at an event held at Villa Cornelia a couple weeks ago. The service, food and atmosphere are comparable to what can be found at the London Club. I definitely recommend.

Reviewed on Facebook

Beautiful , unique decor in the heart of downtown London. Excellent Fine Dining dishes as well . Perfect place for an anniversary or special night

Reviewed on Facebook

We had a catered dinner that was amazing. Thankyou Todd the food was great. It is definitely worth checking out if you enjoy fine food.

Reviewed on Facebook

NOTE: this is a somewhat biased review as it is of my own restaurant, however, since Facebook asked me to write this review via a pop-up, I will oblige.

You absolutely must try our fresh made desserts. The sorbet is by far my favourite, and seeing as I am frequent flyer at Villa Cornelia, the changing dessert selection and daily flavours are a huge plus. The gourmet grilled cheese with soup and sorbet is definitely my lunchtime favourite pick. With so many lunch meetings, it's great to have a destination close by that I can never get tired of! Executive Chef Shawna Butineau has done a fantastic job with the menu! Restaurant Manager Mike Saunders has certainly made his mark with the bar selection, wine list and stellar service! Coming from the tech-industry, it's great to know I have a superb team in place. Special thanks to long-time Campus Creative client and Executive Chef Joan Brennan who consulted with us during the re-opening of the Villa Cornelia, thanks for coming out of retirement to make sure the re-birth of the restaurant was a success!

Make sure to try the instant-printing photo-booth in the historic bedroom of Alfred Smart, a nice treat to remember a fantastic night with family and friends!

Hope to see you soon!
You know where to find me, on the re-opened patio! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Oddly we had never been to this downtown dining icon and since we were not away for much better half's birthday this year I needed someplace special. Now to be clear if you are putting "Villa" in your name...it sets a high expectation for me. We had a 6pm rezo and were greeted warmly by front of house (Sandra & Phillip) and seated at a nice window seat in a small and intimate front dining room (this is a very nicely preserved old residence turned restaurant in downtown London). The table setting and ambiance were spot on for a birthday celebration and we were sure we had made a good choice. Phillip took us through the specials for the evening and since it was Londonlicious winter edition they had a nicely chosen separate menu for that (which included some things from their regular menu). There were some excellent choices on both menu's and we opted to try the Londonlicious offerings (a good choice it turns out) and Philip was very helpful with our wine choice (a nice bottle of French red). A starter of an amuse bouche appeared to table followed shortly by some nice warm bread and the timings were spot on. Unusually we both picked the same first course (pork belly) and again, excellent choice in one of the best servings I have had in a while. Next up was duck confit for myself and a nicely prepared fish special (Barramundi) for much better half with nicely done sides and portion sizing was perfect. During this course the chef came out to visit our table and see how things were going (something he did with all the tables whilst we were there) and Ryan Hancock is someone who is both passionate about food and making sure you (the diner) enjoy your stay with him and his staff. It was a pleasure to talk to him and have him explain much of what goes into the meal (and subsequently our mouths) and his offer of a complimentary glass of port to finish our meal was of course well received). Upon his advice we both chose the creme brûlée for dessert and as promised it was spot on. As mentioned at the outset we would normally be travelling south or to Europe at this time of year (lots of special occasions to celebrate) and since we did not go away we have been dining out a little more than usual, and Villa Cornelia was definitely the highlight of these local culinary travels. More...

Reviewed on Yelp