The capital city of Canada is well known for its delectable cuisines and luscious delights among locals and tourists from all over the world. Ottawa offers a wide variety of culinary experiences ranging from the world-famous BeaverTails to local specialty smoked meat served with their signature maple syrup. It’s hard to find the perfect restaurant which will offer you the best of everything in terms of quality and experience. But do not worry, as I have here the top restaurants for you hungry foodies to visit!
1. Absinthe Café
Absinthe is top-rated as a phenomenal dining restaurant with charming, classy decor and a romantic ambience. It is a great place to spend some quality time with your loved ones while trying on some impeccable, locally sourced cuisines.
The café offers a limited menu, which they prepare in the best way possible. Their food is a great combination of amazing flavours, freshness, presentation and quality. Plus, you will find vegetarian and limited gluten-free options here as well.
Enjoy their three-course meal with wine pairings and begin with their fresh seafood appetizers along with a variety of soups. Then head to the main course and try their mouthwatering signature dish, steak frites which are cooked to perfection. Apart from that, their tuna carpaccio, beef tartare, duck breast and arctic char are to die for! They also serve an amazing selection of cocktails and beers you can pair your food with. Finally, end your meal with their infamous Crème Brûlée that will satisfy all your sweet tooth cravings!
The overall atmosphere is very lively, with impeccable service and staff who pay attention to all your needs. It is a great spot to hang out with friends and family and even have business dinners. The place is also perfect for special occasions like birthdays and engagements, and they will serve you complimentary drinks on these occasions!
Address: 1208 Wellington St W, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 2Z7 Canada
2. Beckta Dining and Wine
Beckta Dining and Wine has all the elegant feels of the heritage building, and here, you can have a fine dining experience with a a 5-course tasting menu and fantastic wine pairings.
At Beckta dining, an eclectic set of ingredients is creatively put together to create a mouth-watering culinary experience. They offer a wide variety of delicacies, including their famous smoked duck breast, steak tartare, braised beef short ribs, Beverly Creek Striploin and buttery sablefish served with roasted spaghetti squash, string beans and cauliflower doilies.
You must also choose the perfect wine accompaniment that could range from sparkling wine like the Blanc de Beckta to in-house cocktails like the Beckta Manhattan. For desserts, try their chocolate brownies, blue cheese ice cream and maple dessert that will blow your mind.
It is a great place to spend some quality time experiencing some luscious delights with impeccable service that makes you come back for more. The staff at Beckta are very friendly and attentive to your orders. You can mention all your dietary restrictions and they will make sure to accommodate all your needs.
Address: 150 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1L4 Canada
3. Whalesbone Oyster House
The Whalesbone Oyster House located on Elgin Street is a stretched-out version of the original which is located on Bank Street. This restaurant has huge seating and accommodates up to 140 people, making it a great spot to host events and parties on special occasions.
The restaurant chain is scattered over multiple locations, and their popular starters on the menu include bay scallop ceviche, seafood chowder and steamed green gable mussels. The seafood dishes are freshly sourced from local fishermen and their menu changes according to availability.
The restaurant at Elgin Street has fine dining cuisine with an extensive range of lunch and dinner options including steak frites, lobster rolls, oyster bars, scallops with pork belly and their infamous seafood platter. You must not leave the restaurant without trying their signature dish, freshly shucked oysters. Whalesbone Oyster House is known to be the best place to serve oysters!
For the icing on the cake, their dessert options include scrumptious triple chocolate mousse cake and lemon-vanilla cheesecake, along with their signature crispy churros dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with sweet caramel sauce.
You must visit this restaurant for its beautiful decor and outdoor patio. They have an excellent set of staff with impeccable service catering to all your needs with perfection. The service, the quality of food and wine, and the overall lively ambience of this place make it one of the best restaurants. Not to mention their flavorful dishes that tempt you to ask for more!
Address: 231 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L6, Canada
4. North and Navy
North and Navy is perfect for special occasions and date nights as it offers the best of both worlds, a fine dining experience as well as the homely ambience of local restaurants. The restaurant has classy and elegant decor with a cute outdoor patio. They also stand true to their standards by providing high-quality, incredibly tasty dishes with utmost care and attentiveness. And if you are a vegan, do not worry, as they have vegan and gluten-free options as well, along with takeout facilities.
They serve Italian and Canadian cuisines that will satisfy all your expectations. Some of the popular items on their menu are smoked tuna anolini, duck breast, short rib ravioli, oysters, Bistecca All Fiorentina and their signature dish, polpette a.k.a the ricotta stuffed meatballs. End your meal by ordering their lip-smacking tiramisu and calling it a day. In addition to that, North and Navy provide a wide range of cocktails and beers. The staff will help you with their best wine pairings.
The relaxed atmosphere and ambience of the restaurant make it a great place to enjoy small plates and cocktails! Plus, they provide a private dining experience that can accommodate up to 40 guests, which is ideal for conducting intimate parties, business meetings, or presentations.
Address: 226 Nepean St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0B8, Canada
5. Play Food and Wine
Play Food and Wine is a phenomenal restaurant with fine dining cuisine and a magnificent ambience. It is one of the best restaurants in terms of its uniquely crafted dishes. The aesthetically pleasing presentation of all their foods is to be given special credit. Every dish on their menu has something unique and amazing to offer. Their food is full of flavours and it just feels like the chef has put his heart and soul into bringing the best food to your table!
They offer the best lunch on small plates that are worth the price! Some of the must-try items on their menu include their signature soy marinated hanger steak, and flavorful dishes like Parisian gnocchi, Pan seared rainbow trout, Patagonia prawns, beef tartare, charcuterie board, steak frites and grilled sourdough.
Play Food and Wine is one of those Ottawa restaurants that create a sense of belonging for all the customers who go there due to their high-end quality service and top-notch food. The staff at Play are undoubtedly very attentive and passionate about giving customers the best culinary experience.
Address: 1 York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5S7, Canada
6. Supply and Demand
Supply and Demand is one of those fancy popular restaurants consisting of an open kitchen, an amazing raw bar, and a unique set of dishes made from local ingredients. The restaurant has a very cosy and stylish decor that adds to the quality of the food they offer. They are popularly known for their seafood and have a long list of exquisite dishes, starting from appetizers to desserts.
You must try their delicious kale Caesar salad and their special salad made with heirloom tomato demi-glace. They are unbelievingly amazing and worth every penny. Once you move to their main dishes, some of the must-haves on their menu are Canadian oysters with mignonettes, Albacore tuna crudo with lemon truffle oil puffed rice and cilantro, squid ink rigatoni, pasta with goat cheese, grilled Brussels sprouts and charred potatoes. Plus, their oysters are available on Sundays at just $1.50 each! For desserts, you must not miss their exquisite Baked Alaska, Eton Mess and chocolate orange. These are some of the best and most loved desserts by everyone!
The restaurant is vegetarian friendly having vegan and gluten-free options too. Due to their popularity, it is always busy so don’t forget to make reservations!
Address: 1335 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 3B7, Canada
7. Sansotei Ramen
Sansotei Ramen is a great place to experience the richness of traditional Japanese ramen and a variety of other exquisite dishes. Their interior decor is beautiful, with dark wood ceilings and dark tiled flooring. Though their seating accommodations are relatively small, it’s not necessary to make reservations as their service is very quick.
They dominate the noodle soup market as they use authentic Japanese local produce, attracting a huge number of locals to try their mouth-watering noodle soup dishes and sides at a reasonable price.
Some of their popular dishes are Tonkotsu Black, gyoza dumplings, shoyu ramen, Asian-inspired seafood broth, seaweed salad, and deep-fried chicken wings. You can choose between thick or thin noodles with poached eggs in distinct varieties, and the staff will bring them to you with perfection.
Address: 153 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5N7, Canada
8. Heartbreakers Pizza
For all the pizza lovers out there, this is your one-stop shop to enjoy some of the best pizzas in town. Heartbreakers Pizza has a cute exterior look with a patio and wine bar. If you are a fan of New York-style style crust pizzas, this is the place you are looking for!
This hidden gem of a place offers a variety of pizzas using local ingredients such as Sweetheart Pizza, pepperoni pizza, hot shot pizza, cheese pizza, fennel and sausage pizza. You must order their garlic dip sauce and watch all the flavours explode in your mouth. The quality of the dough, the thin crust and the mouth-watering flavours all together make it one of the best restaurants to get pizza!
You must pair your pizza with their popular chicken wings, chilli oil and garlic dip. Your taste buds will thank us later! They also offer some of the best pies and celebration cakes in Ottawa, so don’t forget to try them out.
Address: 465 Parkdale Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Y 1H5, Canada
9. Rangoon
If you are interested in unique and exciting flavours, you must visit Rangoon and try their authentic Burmese cuisine, which will surely steal your heart. It is family-owned and situated in a fairly old building in a simple and cosy environment. They are vegetarian-friendly and offer a variety of gluten-free options, too.
The most hyped-up items on the menu are the tangy tea leaf salad, green papaya salad, rich and delicious fish noodle soup, chicken coconut, squash and eggplant curries, coconut milk shrimp, coconut noodle soup, Shan noodles and coconut ginger. For desserts, try out their coconut cream cakes.
At Rangoon, you have the advantage of bringing your own wine, which is charged with a decent corkage fee. Plus, their staff is very warm and comforting, and they make sure to provide impeccable and efficient services to their customers.
Address: 634 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 5K4, Canada
10. Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner
Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner is a popular brunch spot known among locals in terms of the quality of food and standards along with their affordability. All the great dishes they offer are made with love at a reasonable price in a cosy and casual ambience.
Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner is famous for breakfast, brunch and lunch. They provide a variety of healthy, vegetarian options and have great choices for tea selection. Some of their must-haves include the air-fried jerk chicken and waffles, steak hash with roasted seasonal veggies, pita chips and baba ghanouj, breakfast poutine, blueberry pancake and the Israeli breakfast with shakshuka eggs.
Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner provides limited seating, and it’s always filled up due to the high demand for their delicious dishes at pocket-friendly rates. So you must book a reservation before visiting.
Address: 1433 Wellington St. W #111, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X2, Canada
11. Gezellig
Gezellig has a lovely ambience and warm atmosphere popularly known for its brunch specialities. It is a trendy upmarket bistro having aesthetic decor with blue walls and a high ceiling.
Some of the best items on their menu are duck confit, grilled octopus, banana bread, french toast, gnocchi, grilled sirloin, eggs Benedict, huevos, butterfinger, fish cake and poached eggs.
Do ake note that the restaurant offers dine-in and takeout options but does not have any delivery options.
Address: 337 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, ON K2A 0E7, Canada
12. Fraser Cafe
Fraser Cafe has an eccentric venue with brick walls and a cosy ambience providing communal seating. They use local produce to bring out globally inspired dishes that burst with flavours. Their presentation of those incredibly tasty dishes is what makes them stand out. T
heir menu is creative and also changes often, so it is difficult to pick out dishes that stand out as each and every dish is prepared with so much love and attention and brought to you with perfection. Their staff are also very enthusiastic about offering you excellent service to the best of their abilities.
Some of their best items on the menu include confit pork belly, okonomiyaki, huevos rancheros, smoked trout salad, popcorn shrimp, tuna sashimi, green salads with pork belly and sun-dried tomato, House focaccia, East Coast oysters and shrimp croquette.
Overall, it’s the perfect restaurant to hang out with your friends, family or your special date. The overall cosy and romantic ambience with small tables and candles makes it a perfect spot for date nights.
Address: 7 Springfield Rd, Ottawa, ON K1M 1C8, Canada
The unique combination of bursting flavours, quality of service and preparation, phenomenal presentation of dishes, and the overall cosy and extra-ordinary ambience of the above-listed restaurants make them stand out as some of the best restaurants in Ottawa. These restaurants offer a wide variety of culinary experiences to people all around the world.
Here is a map to make your search easier –
Last Updated on March 22, 2024 by Ananya Sreen