Longtime Ottawa restaurant Monte’s to close

Monte’s Riverside Inn in Ottawa is closing next month.

Brad Hughes, owner of the Ottawa steakhouse along the Fox River, announced the closure on the business’ Facebook page Tuesday night.

”Thank you for supporting my small business. It was a great run,” he posted.

Monte’s will serve Fridays and Saturdays the next three weekends. Staff also will serve to-go turkey dinners on Thanksgiving Day.

Monte’s has a long history in Ottawa. It is named after Jules Monterastelli. In the 1950s and ‘60s, it was originally called The Riverside Inn. It was owned by Joe and Lillian Svoboda. In 1963, Monterastelli purchased the restaurant after having a restaurant for many years in Naplate, which became Anne’s Hideaway. When he purchased it, he added his nickname to the restaurant name, Monte. After he died in 1967, the restaurant continued to be owned and operated by his sons and wife, who sold it in 1981. The restaurant changed hands a few more time before Hughes purchased it in 1998.

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