Where to eat in Ottawa
Starling Restaurant | Ottawa Tourism
Ottawa’s food scene is a meeting place of cultures and seasons. Time-honoured techniques from around the world utilize ingredients fresh from nearby farms, rivers and fields. The result is a culinary landscape that feels both global and deeply grounded.
Led by some of the country’s most exciting chefs, the city’s restaurants, cafes and diners reflect the character of the neighbourhoods they call home. From the lively stalls and patios of the ByWard Market and creative kitchens of Centretown, Hintonburg and Wellington West to the leafy charm of The Glebe and community favourites in Orléans and Kanata, each pocket of the city tells its own delicious story.
Discover Ottawa one bite at a time with Ottawa Food Tours and uncover the flavours that make this capital so dynamic. From weekend brunch to unforgettable tasting menus, late-night shawarma and warm, sugary BeaverTails, here’s where to begin.
Breakfast and brunch
Dukes Ottawa
Ease into your day at this cheerful, dinner-style brunch and lunch spot with a modern twist on nostalgic design and a relaxing back patio.
Location: 40 Adeline Street, Ottawa
Wilf & Ada’s
This charming diner serves classic favourites such as buttermilk French toast, eggs benny, burgers and shakshuka. Or opt for a baked pastry and a hot cup of coffee for the perfect start to your morning.
Visit Wilf & Ada on Facebook for more about the menu.
Location: 510 Bank Street, Ottawa
Mazarine Restaurant
The bright and airy dining space and simple blue and white décor, reminiscent of the Mediterranean seascape, set the mood for the Mediterranean-inspired menu.
Breakfast and brunch options include shakshuka and shawarma eggs Benedict.
Location: 282 Kent Street, Ottawa
Feast + Revel
Located in the Andaz Hotel, brunch at Feast + Revel is a treat. Large windows let in plenty of natural light, illuminating the sleek, modern design. Lunch and dinner dishes are also available.
Location: 325 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa
Cocotte Bistro
Savour authentic, modern French cuisine, steps away from the Rideau Canal and ByWard Market. Created with locally sourced ingredients and prepared in a French oven, a “cocotte,” the open-concept dining room is inspired by classic bistros.
Location: 123 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa
Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner
The cozy diner atmosphere and signature brunch classics has made this a popular neighbourhood spot.
Location: 1300 Wellington Street West, Ottawa
Italian food
Cantina Gia
Warm lighting, brick walls, bottle-lined cabinets and seasonal Italian comfort dishes feels like you’ve stepped into a restaurant in Tuscany.
Location: 749 Bank Street, Ottawa
Retro Gusto
Located in Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood, this 70s-inspired pizzeria and cocktail bar is perfect for date night or catching up with friends. Roman-style pizza is the house specialty.
Location: 122 Preston Street, Ottawa
North and Navy
With a focus on the food traditions of Northern Italy and a commitment to working with local farmers for fresh, quality ingredients, the chef’s pick six-course tasting menu is a great dining option.
Location: 226 Nepean Street, Ottawa
DreamLand Pasta Cafe
This intimate pasta-focused restaurant in Little Italy serves traditional handmade dishes with a modern twist, that would meet Nonna’s approval. A large selection of the menu is vegan-friendly. Make reservations well in advance.
Location: 262 Preston Street, Ottawa
Heartbreakers Pizza
With artisanal pizza, thoughtfully curated natural wines and a warm, relaxed atmosphere, this pizza and wine bar is a neighbourhood spot you’ll find yourself coming back to.
Locations:
Asian eateries
Golden Palace
This third-generation, family-owned business has become an Ottawa institution.
From fried rice and chow mein to chicken balls and General Tao, Golden Palace serves all the crowd pleasers. But what puts this restaurant on the map is its egg rolls. They are so popular, the restaurant ships them across Ontario—a must-try while in Ottawa.
Location: 2195 Carling Avenue, Ottawa
Gongfu
Inspired by Hong Kong street food, Gongfu’s specializes in handcrafted steamed buns, or bao. In addition, sample other fun creations like wonton chips and dip or the congee. As this is a small restaurant, reservations are recommended.
Location: 365 Bank Street, Ottawa
Kuma Takumi
For a comforting bowl of ramen, head to Kuma Takumi in Ottawa’s west end.
Serving handcrafted, traditional Japanese ramen, the signature broth is slowly simmered using fresh local ingredients.
Location: 484 Hazeldean Road, Unit 6A, Kanata
Khao Street Food Thailand and Bar
This restaurant is a newer addition to Ottawa’s dining scene. Choose from an array of classic Thai dishes, from tom yum soup and fresh spring rolls to pad thai and green curry.
Location: 205 Richmond Road, Ottawa
Nagi Sushi
Located in Orleans, this intimate dining space offers guests a selection of maki, nigiri and sashimi as well as an assortment of appetizers. Reservations are recommended.
Location: 2208 St Joseph Boulevard, #104, Ottawa
Plant-based options
The Green Door Restaurant & Bakery
This vegetarian buffet uses only fresh, organic ingredients and offers a diverse selection of vegetable-based meals and gluten-free food options.
Location: 198 Main Street, Ottawa
Chickpeas
Enjoy a falafel-based dish at this quick-serve vegan restaurant, serving made-from-scratch, plant-based Palestinian cuisine. Choose from an array of different flavours of hummus and savour with a cup of Turkish coffee.
Location: 500 Terminal Avenue, A-05, Ottawa
Upscale establishments
Starling Restaurant and Bar
One of Ottawa’s oldest buildings is home to this stylish and modern restaurant at the corner of York and William Streets.
The ever-changing menu features bold flavours, fresh ingredients and handcrafted cocktails. Starling’s stylish dining room is the perfect place to indulge in a sophisticated night out.
Location: 54 York Street, Ottawa
Riviera Ottawa
Situated inside a former bank building with a modern and elegant interior, Riviera features an elevated, seasonal menu and serves some of the best cocktails in town.
Location: 62 Sparks Street, Ottawa
Antheia
Among the best new restaurants in Ottawa, Antheia has quickly become one of the city’s most sought-after reservations.
Chef Briana Kim, winner of the 2023 Canadian Culinary Championship, offers a tasting menu showcasing her signature style, a mixture of her Korean-Canadian heritage and classical French training.
Prepaid tickets are required for this multi-course dining experience. Subscribe to the mailing list for exclusive information and the chance to book tickets.
Visit Antheia on Instagram to admire the beautiful creations.
Location: 861 Somerset Street West, Ottawa
Global cuisine
Baguette Brochette
This Montreal-based sandwich shop recently expanded to Ottawa. Inspired by the founder’s African roots, Baguette Brochette combines components of West African street food with classic French sandwiches.
Location: 222 Bank Street, Ottawa
Gooney’s
Located in Centretown, Gooney’s is a fast-casual Latin American spot focused on arepas—grilled cornmeal stuffed pockets.
Location: 294 Albert Street, Suite 102, Ottawa
Thali
While the menu here includes a variety of Kerala-inspired dishes, the main attraction is the thali. Thali is a complete meal served on one platter with multiple small dishes, or khatoris, that can contain a variety of offerings: curries, rice, bread, chutneys, salads and desserts.
Location: 136 O'Connor Street, Ottawa
Shawarma Al Mouna
Al Mouna is known for generous portions, authentically good food and consistently warm service.
Location: 1266 Wellington Street West, Ottawa
Sweet treats
BeaverTails ByWard Market
An iconic Canadian treat, beavertails were created in 1978 when a family recipe for fried dough was turned into a business. The first BeaverTails stand opened in ByWard Market.
No visit to Ottawa is complete without trying these hand-stretched, whole-wheat pastries and countless toppings, including chocolate hazelnut, apple pie, vanilla icing, maple or the original with cinnamon and sugar.
Location: 69 George Street, Ottawa
Strawberry Blonde Bakery
Circular chandeliers and pastel blue and yellow décor give this bakery a whimsical ambiance. All products are nut-free, gluten-free, vegan and kosher. Enjoy apple fritters, brownies, cupcakes, Nanaimo bars, lemon squares and much more.
Location: 111 Richmond Road, Ottawa
Milky Way Cosmic Creamery
Milky Way Cosmic Creamery serves ice cream sandwiches on wheels! Look out for a pink bike at farmers’ markets and festivals around Ottawa, serving handcrafted cookies stuffed with creative flavours of ice cream.
Location: Various locations
Elina Patisserie
Treat yourself to Instagram-worthy, European-inspired desserts. From eclairs and macarons to Basque cheesecakes and Sacher tortes, Elina turns dessert into delicious art.
Location: 443a Sussex Drive, Ottawa
MooShu Ice Cream
Savour Asian-inspired ice cream flavours like Hong Kong milk tea and Vietnamese coffee.
Location: 1130 Wellington Street West, Unit 1, Ottawa
Holey Confections
After a TV appearance on Dragon’s Den, demand for the over-the-top pastry-inspired donut creations skyrocketed.
Locations:
Late-night spots
Zak’s Diner
Zak’s Diner is a go-to Ottawa spot for classic Canadian diner food. The retro design features red booth seats, checkered flooring and a Mustang car counter with a licence plate reading “Zak’s Diner.” The Byward Market location is open 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
Locations:
Rabbit Hole
Creative cocktails and bistro dishes await you at this vibrant bar in a historic building in the heart of Ottawa’s Centretown. Enjoy the downstairs dining room for sit-down meals and a seasonal tropical rooftop bar that overlooks the cobblestone Sparks Street with live music and dancing.
Location: 208 Sparks Street, Ottawa
Stolen Goods Cocktail Bar
Located on Sparks Street, this speakeasy-style cocktail bar is focused on craft, cocktails, oysters and small plates. Dim lighting creates an intimate space, making it perfect for date night or catching up with an old friend.
Location: 106 Sparks Street, Ottawa
Wolf Down
Experience delicious German-Turkish döners at Wolf Down. In addition to tasty, choose from sandwiches and rice bowls featuring chicken, beef or tofu with secret or spicy sauce.
Location: 380 Bank Street, Ottawa
Arlo
Arlo is a stylish neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar, serving a short menu of seasonal, shareable plates with a strong emphasis on natural and low-intervention wine options.
Location: 340 Somerset Street West, Ottawa
From can’t-miss iconic sweets such as beavertails to avant-garde tasting menus, Ottawa’s dining scene reflects the city’s authentic and welcoming vibe.
Last updated: May 13, 2026