Updated August 10th 2025
Published February 20, 2025
Chateau Laurier's Zoe's Lounge reopens after much needed renovations.
Zoe’s Lounge
1 Rideau Street
Open from 11AM to 2AM
The Château Laurier needs no introduction. Opened in 1912, the castle-like hotel is a central character in Ottawa’s urban story. Named for Sir Wilfrid Laurier, it embodies the romance of the railway era when grand hotels served as both waypoints and destinations. Within those walls, Zoe’s has long paid tribute to Laurier’s wife, Zoé. The bar, along with the hotel’s restaurant Wilfrid’s, has been part of a thematic pairing — a nod to the couple whose names anchor Canadian political lore.
Fairmont hotels worldwide are celebrated for their bars as much as for their rooms. Each property has its signature lounge, most of which maintain an almost mythic status. Victoria has the Q Bar, Quebec City has the refined 1608, Montreal has the gleaming Nacarat, Toronto has the iconic Library Bar, and Vancouver has the lush Botanist. Ottawa, by contrast, has long lagged behind. For years, Zoe’s at the Château Laurier was handsome enough but rarely lived up to the company of its siblings. It felt like a grand room without a fully realized soul.
That shortcoming may finally have been resolved. Following an ambitious renovation led by interior design firm Frank, Zoe’s has repositioned itself as the city’s most striking cocktail bar, a venue that takes its history seriously while confidently embracing modern mixology.
The recent extensive renovations can be best described as Zoe’s rebirth, in which the only thing that hasn’t changed is the name. The transformation, which relocated the bar into what was once the “Reading Lounge,” has changed everything. By doing this, Zoe’s bar and restaurant have been physically and conceptually separated into two entities: Zoe’s Lounge and Zoe’s Restaurant.
During the renovation, a huge dark marble bar counter was added, boxing in the bartender’s work area at the heart of the lounge. This new layout allows the bartenders to work from centre stage.
Although the renovations were significant, certain elements from the reading lounge stayed the same. For example, we still find here the hand-carved dark wood panels and moulding more than 10 feet in height that wrap around the lounge. Against this backdrop, designers added low lighting from brass sconces and marble table lamps, soft velvet sofas, and a new fireplace whose floating chimney draws the eye skyward. Photographs by Yousuf Karsh line the walls, including his famous portrait of Winston Churchill — the “Roaring Lion”
I’ve visited Zoe’s Lounge four times since the renovations. Upon entering the bar, we were always greeted and invited to take a seat wherever we liked. The vibe at Zoe’s Lounge is elegant yet comfortable, with velvety sofas and banquettes found in every corner of the lounge. Every seating option seemed better than the next. Somehow, I always chose to sit at the bar, keen to watch the choreography of the bartenders.
The bartenders and the servers are polite, attentive, and welcoming. During one visit, there was a delay in service. To alleviate the wait, the server offered a bowl of complimentary nuts.
During most visits, the bartenders proved to be knowledgeable, passionate about their craft and attentive to the customers. One spoke at length with a guest about Scotch flavour profiles, guiding him toward the right dram for his palate. Another offered to adapt one of Zoe’s signature cocktails to better suit my taste, dialing down sweetness and recalibrating balance.
We asked the bartender to make us two different classic cocktails that were not on the menu, which he executed without any difficulty. The bartenders even free-poured at times, a practice that, while risky in lesser hands, here conveyed mastery and efficiency. And between all this, despite how busy they were, the bartenders found time to chat with us and the other guests.
Zoe’s new cocktail menu, launched in November of 2024, comprises 16 entries, of which 12 are signatures and 4 non-alcoholic. The average cocktail price is slightly more than 21$; a few dollars above the Ottawa average. It is built on a foundation of house-made ingredients — hibiscus syrup, cinnamon-apple syrup, jalapeño-infused tequila, strawberry and pepper-infused gins — and anchored by proprietary spirits created with Dunrobin Distilleries. These include Wilfrid’s Whisky (a single malt), The Lion’s Roar (a rye), Emilie’s Vodka (infused with honey harvested from hives on the Château’s roof), and Lady Zoe’s Gin, a hibiscus-forward expression that nods to the bar’s namesake. The bar kept certain signature cocktails from its old menu, such as Cory Contini’s “The Statesman”. Otherwise, the cocktails on the menu were new.
Glassware is functional rather than flashy. Tumblers and highballs are the generic kind found in many hotels, though presentation is lifted by thoughtful garnishes: orange peels, various dehydrated citrus wheels, even hibiscus blossoms. Cocktails arrive on branded cotton coasters, a detail that reinforces the bar’s identity. Over the course of four visits, we tried many cocktails:
The Statesman (22$): Ottawa’s most iconic cocktail has retained its spot on Zoe’s menu for years. It can be described as a cold-smoked Boston sour with a touch of Islay. The libation is served in a cedar smoke-filled glass box and proved to be more than smoke in mirrors. The smoke and the Laphroaig (an Islay scotch whisky) made for a cocktail that was smoky on the nose and with every sip. It was spirit-forward yet a perfect balance between the sweet and sour elements. The sweetness in this drink comes from the hotel’s signature maple syrup.
From the November 2024 – July 2025 cocktail menu:
For the Record (21$): This cocktail was perfectly balanced to our taste; however, the bartender said it’s typically sweeter. He toned down the syrup ratio for me.
Smoldering Ember (21$): An interesting cocktail in concept, promising sweet, spicy, and smoky notes thanks to the pineapple, ginger, jalapeno, and mezcal. I ordered this drink in November 2024 and again in May 2025. In both instances, the bar was out of mezcal. The bartender substituted it with tequila. The result was a delicious, refreshing, spicy, well-balanced cocktail, not too different from a spicy margarita, but deprived it of the intended smokiness. A cocktail bar of this stature should avoid such shortages.
Laurier’s Legacy (23$): This libation uses the bar’s exclusive Wilfred’s Whisky. It’s a spirit-forward beverage served on the rocks. It was well-balanced: strong but smooth. Flavour-wise, the ginger liqueur wasn’t very present but the house-made honey syrup was. Wilfred’s Whisky played well in this cocktail.
There is also a dedicated lounge dining menu, although we have not tried it mainly due to the hefty pricetag on food menu items.
All in all, the reborn Zoe’s Lounge is a triumph for Ottawa’s cocktail scene. Where once the space felt underpowered compared to its Fairmont siblings, it now holds its own as a destination bar. The new Zoe’s Lounge is a great cocktail bar that meets the level of excellence that you would expect from Fairmont. The majestic entrance of the Chateau certainly adds something to the experience. The layout, design and historic character of the lounge provide the perfect atmosphere for the cocktail enthusiast.