There is no shortage of places to get food and drink along the strip of Beechwood Ave. that is New Edinburgh. Upscale take-out and fine dining establishments sit alongside diners and Mom and Pop groceries that have been there for donkey's years. It's got everything you need and is a very livable neighbourhood, as evidenced by the crowd of locals hauling their carts and shopping bags along the sidewalks on a Saturday morning.

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There’s a section of Murray Street in the Byward Market, between Dalhousie and Parent that is teeming with epicurean delights these days. New restaurants have opened up alongside places that have been on the city’s “Best of” lists for years. Paddy Whalen of the newly-opened Murray Street, (where Bistro 115 used to be) has coined a name for the area—‘Gastro Alley’ (a play on ‘Gasoline Alley’ the old comic strip, or Rod Stewart album--whichever fits into your frame of reference).
“We’re kind of on the edge of the market here”, says Whalen, adding that as far as tourist traffic goes, visitors tend to get no further than Clarence Street. “Murray St. sees more local customers rather than tourists”, he says and hopes to encourage the idea of Murray St. as a dining destination rather than relying on walk-by traffic. Whalen is partnered with Chef Steven Mitton. Both partners were formerly at Social on Sussex. Serving upscale Canadian comfort food, Murray Street’s centerpiece is the Charcuterie bar, featuring locally- and in-house-produced meats, cheeses, terrines, pâtés, chutneys and breads. The décor is very warm and inviting—what Whalen calls “Canadian organic” and features a very cool woodblock wall. Large Plates: $18-$25.