Drapers Restaurant - Mattawa

This restaurant provides a great alternative to the two more well-known eateries in Mattawa, Myrts and Valois. It offers a simple taste of Canada with a waitress who is likely a no-nonsense working mom or grandma. The food is decent, the bathrooms are small, and they also sell delicious homemade pies to take on the road. The prices are very reasonable, as my family of four spent under $40.00 during our last visit.

This restaurant is not what it appears to be. The pies that you have been buying for the past five years can be found at Food Land for $2.99 each. The homemade jam actually comes from a large tub of strawberry jam, and the cream base soup comes from a bucket. The roast beef dinner is actually blade roast, and everything else is pre-frozen or ordered. The only thing that is truly homemade is your bill. It is clear that the food and service are not good, as none of the employees have ever received a tip. Many customers have stopped coming because the owner tends to engage in awkward conversations with patrons, causing them to feel uncomfortable and leave. Additionally, the owner often pays for the breakfast of regulars, leaving the waitress without a tip. Speaking of the waitress, she also serves as the cook, dishwasher, cleaner, flower gardener, rent collector, phone answerer, garbage taker-outer, and so much more. Dealing with two bosses with conflicting opinions only adds to the tension in the atmosphere. I do not recommend this restaurant, as I feel that the quality of food does not justify the high prices.

I used to love eating at this restaurant, but unfortunately, it has now shut down. As a loyal customer, it was disappointing to see them go because our town of Mattawa didn't have much better homemade food options, in my opinion, than Drapers. Mary, in particular, always made us feel so welcome and her soups were especially delicious.

This is the second time for me and multiple for the husband. Every fishing trip up in Canada he goes. They have fresh soup, sandwiches, Mac n cheese and oh those butter tarts! If you're up there, gotta stop!

We didn't go to the restaurant, but the attached Bakery became a must stop on a number of occassions during our recent trip to the Mattawa area. What a surprise to come across wonderful raisin and pecan buttertarts in this neck of the woods. We would make a special trip into town to get tarts to have by our campfire with some icewine after a long day of paddling on the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers. I know everything tastes better under the stars, but these buttertarts were really good. We bought a dozen to bring home to Toronto! The cookies were good, and the date squares were just all right. OOO-but those tarts!!!!!