%20Imagotipo%20Horizontal.png)
Ottawa's Most Unique Patio Experience: Dark Fork’s ASL Patio in ByWard Market
- Miranda Caley
- Jul 31
- 5 min read
Due to major rehabilitation works by the National Capital Commission, Dark Fork's ASL patio experience will be temporarily closing as of August 11, 2025. We encourage you to get out and try it while you can so you can support this wonderful initiative!
If you've been following Places To Go Ottawa, you'll already know Dark Fork is one of our favourite restaurants in the city. Famous for its immersive Dining in the Dark experience, Dark Fork offers guests a two or three-course meal in a pitch-black room served by visually-impaired staff who are recruited through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
But now, there is a brand new experience you need to try this summer: an American Sign Language (ASL) patio in Ottawa.
What is an ASL patio?
As of June 2025, Dark Fork has introduced a new way to dine: an ASL patio designed to celebrate Deaf culture and offer a meaningful, accessible, and interactive Ottawa patio experience. It’s a concept that’s rare not only in Canada but globally. Dark Fork is one of the only restaurants in the world employing both blind and Deaf servers.
Naturally, we were exstatic about the concept and had to check it out.
The ASL patio experience: what to expect
We arrived at Dark Fork's ASL patio tucked into a cozy courtyard right in the middle of ByWard Market, near its main entrance. The space immediately sets the tone with a large "WELCOME" sign, written in both English letters and sign language. The ambiance is relatively quiet, with no music playing, aside from the echo of some tunes playing from a patio across the courtyard, which flagged to me that we were in for an evening of connection.
We were greeted by Mariah (the same welcoming hostess from our previous visit!), then by our server, Simon. He gave us some time to review the menu, which slightly deviates from Dark Fork's indoor options; it's more casual, with options like mac and cheese, poutine, various types of burgers, and different pasta dishes. The menu's refined while providing you with enough options to ensure you will enjoy something on it.
How to order using sign language
I was curious to see how ordering from the menu would be like as someone who doesn't know ASL. I brought my partner with me whom also has little knowledge of the language.
What stood out to us first and foremost was that each dish was labelled with a different letter of the ASL alphabet. My partner and I both found this to be an effective and easy way of learning a little bit of sign language without being too stressed about getting the exact translations right. Along with this, the table came with sign translation cards for general dinner cues, such as how to ask where to wash your hands and how to say "thank you."
They also provided small sheets of paper and a pencil if you would prefer writing down your order, but we strongly encourage you to give signing a try if you're able to.
Must-try drinks and appetizers
The four course meal I enjoyed in their Dark Dining Room was phenomenal, so I was excited to try some new menu items.
Once it was time to order our appetizers, my partner signed the letter assigned to the Truffle Mac and Cheese, while I went for the Fattoush Salad. This salad was actually part of my meal during my first Dark Fork visit, and I had been thinking about it ever since. I was excited to order it and get the chance to actually see what it looked like this time.
In addition to our appetizers, we also each ordered a drink. My partner went for a beer, while I opted for one of their specialty mocktails, the Orange Blossom Lemonade. If you're feeling adventurous, they also offer a Surprise Mocktail.
We received our starters and drinks quite quickly, and the lemonade was unlike anything I've tried before! I've never had anything with orange blossom in it, and this drink was so fragrant. I'm not usually one to enjoy cocktails with floral notes, but this was so light and refreshing. It had just enough tang in it to balance out the sweetness of the orange blossom, too.
Once again, the Fattoush Salad blew me away. The veggies were fresh and light and coated in a gorgeous pomegranate dressing. Crunchy pita chips provided some great contrast to the cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. As for the Truffle Mac and Cheese... oh my goodness. This was honestly the best mac and cheese I've had in my life. It was very creamy, balanced by the breadcrumbs and truffle oil, and overall just phenomenal. If you're going to try anything from Dark Fork, we highly recommend that.
A European fantasy
The atmosphere of the Dark Fork's patio was relaxed and beautiful, quite perfect for the summer. The space is shared with two other restaurant's patios, so it's definitely a popular spot. Plenty of fairy lights are dangled around the area, illuminating the cobblestone and sparkling off of dishes on tables.
I think it would be fair to say that it almost felt a bit European in a way, since it is set in a courtyard and you are surrounded by bricks and archways.
The perfect summer dishes
Next up were our mains: I ordered the Fettuccine Boscaiola, and my partner got the Baked Atlantic Salmon. My dish came coated in a beautiful rosé, complemented by some fresh red peppers, onion, parmesan, and plenty of chicken. It tasted phenomenal and so many flavours were bouncing around with each bite. From the basil to the sauce, it was truly an immaculate dish (for a decent price, too).
I had a few bites of my partner's salmon dish and it was also fantastic! It was accompanied by some broccoli, cauliflower, and potatoes, all covered in a buttery herb blend. The salmon was nice and flaky, and it was seasoned well.
Why you should visit Dark Fork's ASL patio in Ottawa
Though it may seem intimidating at first if you have no knowledge of sign language, Dark Fork makes it incredibly accessible. The way they have laid out both the food and drink menus is simple and refined; you will either sign a letter of the alphabet or a combination of a letter with a number, and the servers are very patient. The ingredients used in each dish are absolutely delicious and you can tell they are fresh. Each plate is clearly made with a lot of intent and you can taste it with every bite.
I would be a fool to not mention one of the best parts, too—you can get a free cup or cone of Madagascar Vanilla ice cream at the end of your meal, which is equally as yummy as the appetizers and mains.
Comments