You’d better arrive early for lunch at Ori, the beloved breakfast-and-lunch spot in north-end Dartmouth. There are only eight seats inside (more on the outside patio). There’s no table service: “Menu subject to change. Walk in only, order at the counter” — those are the directives on the website. It might sound regimented, but the vibe is the exact opposite. All are welcome, all will be fed the most exquisite dishes, and there’s no pretension or fine-dining pricing.

“This is food we like to cook and eat,” says Zoë Bartel, half of the ownership and cooking team. “We pull from our backgrounds in fine dining, but make it accessible for the neighbourhood. Price point and service style [are] very casual.” Her business partner and co-chef is Lachlan Culjak. He generally handles the savoury dishes, while she does pastry — she especially loves making tarts with fresh local berries. The duo — both from the area — met in local kitchens and, motivated by shared values and a strong desire to feed the people in their neighbourhood the best possible food, they decided to open Ori together in 2022.

The dishes they serve are modest and belie the intricate techniques that make fresh, locally sourced ingredients sing — both chefs worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in cities around the world, including London and Copenhagen. Bartel and Culjak work closely with local suppliers and farmers, and they will soon have their own supply of farm-to-Ori ingredients: this year, they’re starting to grow their own berries and vegetables. It’s all about community for these two, an ethos that encompasses their customers and suppliers.

There is no dinner service, but you can grab and go from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Sunday. And, while you wait, take in an outstanding soundtrack that, like their food, reflects exactly who they are... so you’d better be down for some Joy Division.