Guidebook for Ottawa
Food Scene
Here are some of my favourite restaurants, cafés and drinkeries in the city.
Das Lokal
190 Dalhousie StreetOne of our favourites. Great atmosphere. Tasty food. Attentive staff.
Their brunches are super popular. Not far from the house by bus or car. Delish!
90 locals recommend
Fraser
7 Springfield RdTheir brunches are super popular. Not far from the house by bus or car. Delish!
Host India
622 Montréal RdOne of my favourite places for take-out. The chicken korma is a must.
Coconut Lagoon
853 St. Laurent BlvdUn incontournable!
Datsun
380 Elgin StA modern take on Japanese in a trendy and friendly environment. おいしい!!!
One of my favourite places to mark papers. Great place to wile away a couple of hours after exploring New Edinburgh and Rockcliffe!
210 locals recommend
Bridgehead
131 Beechwood Ave.One of my favourite places to mark papers. Great place to wile away a couple of hours after exploring New Edinburgh and Rockcliffe!
These Japanese women are serious about their baked goods. I'm all about their croissants aux amandes!
Ichiban Bakery
825 Bank StThese Japanese women are serious about their baked goods. I'm all about their croissants aux amandes!
In hip Hintonburg, this café is a great place to sit down and read, or socialize, or grab a local craft beer.
31 locals recommend
The Ministry of Coffee and Social Affairs
1013 Wellington St. WIn hip Hintonburg, this café is a great place to sit down and read, or socialize, or grab a local craft beer.
Edgar
60 Rue BéginUn des meilleurs brunchs en ville!
Chinese family-run business featuring with drag karaoke. An Ottawa institution.
11 locals recommend
Shanghai Restaurant
651 Somerset St WChinese family-run business featuring with drag karaoke. An Ottawa institution.
Fun space in Centretown which specializes in as much locally grown deliciousness as it can.
56 locals recommend
Fauna
425 Bank StFun space in Centretown which specializes in as much locally grown deliciousness as it can.
No nonsense. I have fish taco craving just writing this. One location on Elgin too.
168 locals recommend
El Camino
380 Elgin StNo nonsense. I have fish taco craving just writing this. One location on Elgin too.
A great resto/pub on Elgin. Brunches on a snowy day are great Ottawa moments.
95 locals recommend
The Manx Pub
370 Elgin StA great resto/pub on Elgin. Brunches on a snowy day are great Ottawa moments.
The Hintonburg Public House
1020 Wellington St. WGreat pub food with nice selection of local brews.
Leurs tartes à la citrouille sont tellement bonnes.
16 locals recommend
Boulanger Francais-French Baker
119 Murray StLeurs tartes à la citrouille sont tellement bonnes.
Les Moulins La Fayette
1000 Wellington St. WDu bon café et des belles pâtisseries à H'burg.
Great place in a great neighbourhood to buy preserves, bread, desserts, cheeses. Friendly and helpful staff.
23 locals recommend
Jacobson’s Gourmet Concepts
103 Beechwood Ave.Great place in a great neighbourhood to buy preserves, bread, desserts, cheeses. Friendly and helpful staff.
One of the best terrasses in town on a pedestrian alley in the market.
32 locals recommend
Planet Coffee, ByWard Market, Ottawa
24a York StOne of the best terrasses in town on a pedestrian alley in the market.
Norca Restaurant & Bar
30 Daly AveResto et bar très cool dans le Hôtel Le Germain
Jasper Ottawa
18 Beechwood Ave.Looove this place. It's close by. It's intimate. It's casual.
A great place to start or end your evening. Nice charcuterie boards. I've bumped into NHL stars here!
13 locals recommend
The Albion Rooms - Craft Cocktails & Farm to Table Food
33 Nicholas StreetA great place to start or end your evening. Nice charcuterie boards. I've bumped into NHL stars here!
It has become one of our favourite Indian restaurants in town. Friendly staff. Very central.
13 locals recommend
Kochin Kitchen
271 Dalhousie StIt has become one of our favourite Indian restaurants in town. Friendly staff. Very central.
Chez Lucien
137 Murray StAwesome burgers. Casual pub atmosphere in The Market.
Soif Bar à vin
88 Rue MontcalmLa propriétaire : deuxième meilleur sommelier du monde.
Bar Lupulus
1242 Wellington St. WNew popular place in Hintonburg
Tennessy Willems
1082 Wellington St. WGreat place with DELICIOUS pizza in hipster H'burg!
Arts & Culture
The Moshe Safde designed building is reason enough to go.
552 locals recommend
National Gallery of Canada
380 Sussex DrThe Moshe Safde designed building is reason enough to go.
Ottawa Art Gallery
50 Mackenzie King BridgeA fantastic new space!
Shopping
Yup, every city's got its mall. As shopping centres go, it's good; The Bay, Simons, Nordstrom are its anchors.
589 locals recommend
Rideau Centre
Yup, every city's got its mall. As shopping centres go, it's good; The Bay, Simons, Nordstrom are its anchors.
Chapters
50 Rideau StBooks books books
Librairie du soleil
53 Bd Saint-RaymondLa librairie francophone d'Ottawa
Essentials
Farm Boy
830 Belfast RdBest for fresh produce. It's just a few minutes down the road by foot.
Hess' Your Independent Grocer
596 Montréal RdYour standard grocery store, right up the road.
Rexall Drugstore
200 Rideau StJust a two-minute walk away!
Parks & Nature
Downtown park with some of the best views of the parliament buildings, the canal, and the river. Take a walk across the Alexandra Bridge for some more sightseeing.
90 locals recommend
Major's Hill Park
Mackenzie AvenueDowntown park with some of the best views of the parliament buildings, the canal, and the river. Take a walk across the Alexandra Bridge for some more sightseeing.
Walk along the Rideau Canal. Better yet, skate ON it during the winter.
215 locals recommend
Rideau Canal
Walk along the Rideau Canal. Better yet, skate ON it during the winter.
Sightseeing
An urbane hood with gorgeous homes, shops, and cafés. Not far from the GG's house, and the PM's. Maybe you'll run into Justin Trudeau while you're there.
8 locals recommend
New Edinburgh
An urbane hood with gorgeous homes, shops, and cafés. Not far from the GG's house, and the PM's. Maybe you'll run into Justin Trudeau while you're there.
A gentrified hipster haven: craft beer bars, cafés, cool restos, yoga, vegetarian places. All in all, a great urban vibe.
38 locals recommend
Hintonburg
A gentrified hipster haven: craft beer bars, cafés, cool restos, yoga, vegetarian places. All in all, a great urban vibe.
Ottawa's real downtown surrounds the By Ward Market. Tonnes of restaurants, bars, and places of interest.
585 locals recommend
ByWard Market
Ottawa's real downtown surrounds the By Ward Market. Tonnes of restaurants, bars, and places of interest.
A charming neighbourhood with Victorian homes, a bustling main street (Bank St.) and nice shops, cafés, restaurants, etc.
86 locals recommend
The Glebe
A charming neighbourhood with Victorian homes, a bustling main street (Bank St.) and nice shops, cafés, restaurants, etc.
An obv. choice. Ottawa's the capital after all. Best views to be found from Major's Hill Park, across the river in Hull, and from the Portage Bridge.
116 locals recommend
Parliament of Canada Free Tour Ticket
111 Wellington StAn obv. choice. Ottawa's the capital after all. Best views to be found from Major's Hill Park, across the river in Hull, and from the Portage Bridge.
Between Centretown and Little Italy lies our own historic Chinese neighbourhood. The annual Remixed Festival actually makes you forget that preconception of boring bureaucrats that people have of this town.
71 locals recommend
Chinatown Ottawa
675 Somerset St WBetween Centretown and Little Italy lies our own historic Chinese neighbourhood. The annual Remixed Festival actually makes you forget that preconception of boring bureaucrats that people have of this town.
From Hintonburg, follow the street all the way to Westboro. Fine food shops, bakeries, cafés, restaurants, bars, boutiques, etc.
8 locals recommend
Wellington Street West
Wellington Street WestFrom Hintonburg, follow the street all the way to Westboro. Fine food shops, bakeries, cafés, restaurants, bars, boutiques, etc.