The city’s capital, Ottawa, is well-known as a cosmopolitan hotspot with many international eateries begging to be visited by hungry foodies. There’s always something delicious to eat in Ottawa, thanks to the city’s vast array of restaurants serving anything from comfort food to experimental fare. Choosing from hundreds of eateries competing for your attention might be difficult and time-consuming. We’ve compiled a list of the best 20 restaurants in Ottawa so that you don’t have to settle for a bad meal in a subpar setting.
1. Atelier
Atelier has been one of Canada’s most unusual eating places for almost a decade. Blind tasting menus of 12 courses were the only option available at the restaurant. Ten meals are delivered every hour during this four-hour marathon. Customers are encouraged to dine at the restaurant to record this unique gourmet adventure.
2. Allium
Allium, a long-time favorite in Ottawa’s West Wellington/Hintonburg neighborhood, was designed to offer residents a chic, modern restaurant in a cozy setting. Chef Arupa Jana uses French techniques to modernize traditional Canadian meals for the restaurant’s menu. Customers return to Allium repeatedly because of the friendly atmosphere and the seasonal menu that changes each month.
3. Gezellig
In Gezellig’s high ceilings, blue walls, and colorful paintings, the space maintains a bright and airy character while maintaining a calming ambiance. Find a variety of international cuisines like pickled mushroom rillette, Québec chicken, and beet purée on the menu, as well as pig gnocchi. Gezellig is a beautiful place to eat in every way, from the Food to the atmosphere.
4. Aiana Restaurant Collective
Fine dining at its finest, Aiana serves seasonal fare inspired by the rich ethnic diversity of Canada and its people. In addition to lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, the eatery is open solely for dinner on Saturdays. Ontario Lamb, Brome Lake Duck, Digby Scallops, Eastern Passage Halibut, and more may be found on the menu. Elegant and aesthetically pleasing, the restaurant’s decor features gray, teal, black, and gold accents.
5. North And Navy
Traditional Italian cuisine and local ingredients are the basis for North and Navy’s dishes, which are based on the weather patterns of Eastern Ontario and Northeast Italy. Consider yourself an Italian and enjoy an aperitivo at the bar before a filling meal. Polpette (meatballs) are great with prosecco or basil-orange-basil-basil fried smelts. Each family member gets a free meal on Sundays, and your grandmother is always welcome to join in. Trust us when we say that you must have tiramisu for dessert.
6. Carben Food + Drink
Carben follows as the next best restaurant in Ottawa. The name “Carben” is a play on the element’ Carbon,’ which can be found in everything and is a source of inspiration for the proprietors, Caroline Ngo and Kevin Benes. Unique, contemporary dishes like gin-cured fish and tomato panna cotta are on the menu, incorporating both local and international flavors.
7. Cheshire Cat Pub
The Cheshire Cat Pub has been serving fish and chips, cheesy plowman’s platters, and Yorkshire puddings stuffed with beef for 13 years. The proprietors and their loyal consumers were unabated, not even after a devastating fire in 2013. The Cheshire Cat’s beer selection includes brews across the USA, Europe, and the United Kingdom.
8. Brassica
It’s hard to find a better restaurant in Ottawa than Brassica.The dishes on the menu are full of brilliant flavors and inventive pairings that use locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. The restaurant’s goal is to create a warm and inviting environment for its patrons by serving hearty foods meant to be shared with loved ones. Patagonian Shrimp Cavatelli, Octopus and Pork Belly, and Sea Bream in Corn and Coconut Milk Chowder are some of the favorites on the menu.
9. Riviera
In the heart of Canada’s capital, Riviera is a high-end, imaginative Canadian restaurant that serves excellent food at its finest. These dishes, along with others like Lobster Spaghetti and Lacquered Cornish Hen, are sure to please. The restaurant is housed in an old bank building, which provides a pleasant atmosphere and beautiful interior design.
10. Fairouz
It’s a beautiful setting with delectable modern Middle Eastern cuisine. Chef Walid El-Tawel leads his staff to provide Fairouz’s refined Food in an elegant haven on Somerset Street. For starters, try fresh pita bread or falafel, then move on to more substantial dishes like the za’atar crusted lamb sirloin. If you still have room, try any of pastry chef Marta Caferra’s delectable creations, such as the spiced date cake or ice cream with tahini.
11. Signatures Restaurant, Le Cordon Bleu
The only location outside of Europe of the renowned French cooking school’s restaurant In Ottawa, this is the place to go if you’re looking for high-end French Food. Located in a lovely old mansion, the cooking school and restaurant are well worth a visit in and of themselves. The five-course gastronomic menu costs $95 per person, and it’s a beautiful deal: you get to experience Canadian products cooked with French competence in mind.
12. Belmont
In a warm and welcoming setting, you’ll find delectable small appetizers, fantastic cocktails, and lovely natural wines at Belmont. At Belmont, you’ll savor every last piece of your meal, performed to the most satisfactory possible standard. The BBQ pig biscuit made with brown sugar braised pork and Caroline BBQ served on a handmade buttermilk biscuit are popular brunch items. They serve Dim Sum on Sundays, which includes BBQ Pork Bao, Seafood Dumplings, Shrimp & Turnip Cake, and Shrimp & Coriander Shumai.
13. Edgar
Baked goods, lunches, and breakfasts are on the menu at Marysol Foucault’s bakery in Gatineau, located on a quiet residential street. On the surface, a crowd gathers around her soufflé, but flan in the inside Dutch baby with slow-cooked pig belly, aged cheese, and apple. Her Food is both homey and inventive. Due to the modest size of the restaurant, be prepared to wait unless you arrive early or late, which is in keeping with its philosophy of Foucault.
14. City Goose
City Goose has swiftly become one of the city’s most popular eateries, a relatively new restaurant in the Ottawa dining scene. When you step into City Goose, you immediately feel at home and look forward to spending time with family and friends. It’s impossible not to fall in love with the Food at City Goose. They make most of their sauces and dressings, as well as their bread, pizzas, soups, and other dishes. The Food at City Goose is prepared with great care and passion and shows.
15. Next
Restaurant Next, owned and operated by Michelin-starred chef Michael Blackie, serves home-style fare in Ottawa’s West End. Traditional Canadian dishes are fused with Asian and European flavors in Blackie’s creations. Each dish is cooked and done to perfection and is meant to be shared with others. Order the steak tartare with Kozlik’s mustard, shallots, chives, and thin baguette slices, which is the restaurant’s hallmark dish.
16. Tomo
Tomo is a funky, laid-back eatery that serves some of Ottawa’s most extraordinary Pan-Asian cuisine. Take a bite out of the Mohawk Roll, a tasty combination of tempura-fried shrimp, masago, avocado, cucumber, and tangy, spicy mayo. The Yaki Ika, a grilled squid dish coated with a house-made sauce, is also on the menu. A wide variety of classic cocktails, wines, and beers, as well as sake, are available to complement the meal.
17. Restaurant Les Fougeres
Head north of Ottawa-Gatineau to Chelsea to check out Les Fougères, where owners Charles Part and Jennifer Warren-Part have served delicious Food for 30 years. Traditional fare like veal sweetbread, duck confit, and locally sourced seafood keep this Ottawa institution at the top of the list of must-try dining destinations. A Canadian experience that’s all it’s own.
18. Play Food And Wine
Modern, small-plates eatery Play Food & Wine serves dishes crafted with locally sourced, sustainable, and seasonal ingredients. This is a great place to sample various small dishes if you’re in a group. These dishes include Patagonia Prawns with a mango and pineapple salsa, Crispy Quail with barbeque sauce, Scallops with double smoked bacon, and more. It’s also possible to order vegan dishes like Tempeh with herb-roasted cauliflower and mushrooms; Foglio d’Ulivo with olives, gremolata, and spinach; and so on.
19. Absinthe
The Absinthe Café took its cues from Parisian cafes of the late 1800s and early 1900s when the fabled “green fairy” became a popular aperitif. Absinthe Steak Frites, a popular choice, is a marinated and grilled AAA steak served with green beans, fries, and horseradish aioli. Finish your dinner with a decadent dessert on the menu, such as the much-loved Crème Brûlée. Absinthe Steak Frites, a marinated and grilled AAA steak, served with green beans, fries, and horseradish aioli, is one of our favorites.
20. Hunter’s Public House Restaurant
Modern suburban pub Hunter’s Public House Restaurant, located in Findlay Creek Center, delivers high-quality Food and beverages in a welcoming and hospitable ambiance. We recommend the fan favorite Gung Chung Chicken Sammy, a chicken burger with grilled chicken breast, bacon, hothouse tomato, cucumber, mixed greens, and mayo (mayo, ginger, onion) on Ace Bakery butter-toasted baguette. It has a generous serving size, is flavorful, and goes perfectly with a fantastic lager.
