City: Ottawa
Top Restaurants in Ottawa
Top Things to do in Ottawa
- 1. Canadian War MuseumOttawa TourismNational Museums
- 2. Parliament Hill
- 3. Parliament Hill and Buildings
- 4. Rideau CanalOttawa TourismOttawa’s Top Natural Wonders
- 5. National War Memorial
- 6. Peace Tower
- 7. National Gallery of CanadaOttawa TourismNational Museums
- 8. Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War MuseumOttawa TourismNational Museums
- 9. Notre Dame Basilica
- 10. Major's Hill Park
Ottawa Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Ottawa
Canada's capital is a compact, clean, cleverly planned center of culture and politics and a destination for every season. Start downtown at the architecturally stunning National Gallery of Canada, and don't miss the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Rideau Canal offers boating in the summer and turns into the world’s largest skating rink when frozen in the winter. Gatineau Park attracts cyclists and walkers, while Byward Market blends old and new Ottawa.
Things to do in Ottawa
1. Absinthe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 574 reviews
Absinthe is a Restaurant where you can eat too much, drink too much, put your elbows on the table and laugh out loud... all at the same time and nobody cares. Absinthe is a restaurant of the people for the people.
Reviewed By Mystic Realm C
Absinthe is a favourite but I seem to get there only once a year so I was glad that the quality of the atmosphere, service and food met my recollections and expectations. My friend had duck tartare to start (excellent and she orders tartare everywhere we go). I had been looking forward to a ceviche (no longer on the menu) but the escargot was very good. The steak and fries was excellent! My friend ordered the vegetable pasta but when the very attentive and p,easing waiter passed by to check on the first few bites, he could see, despite her hesitation to say, that she was not finding it to her liking. Withought hesitation he offered to bring back the menu for her to order something else “We want you to enjoy everything you eat here”. She di order the trout dish and it thouroughky enjoyed it. The bill was appropriately adjusted. They had our preferred IPA and the waiter recommended a very nice red. I room for desert but we stayed lingering over the food and drink and good conversation for 3 hours without feeling like we had overstayed our welcome. A terrific end to a long week. I will be back!
2. Le Baccara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 329 reviews
Reviewed By CharlesSeems - Ottawa, Canada
It is rare that a restaurant experience is as refined as it is at Le Baccara. The menu is varied, the cuisine is out of this world and the service is 6 stars (at least).
We were a family of ten seated at a long table on a Saturday night. We did not feeled rushed. In fact, one person in our group held up service by not closing her menu. Upon seeing her indecisiveness, a waiter offered information and details to help her make a decision.
There were a few surprises (extras offered by management). Not sure if this was because of past visits, however, it was noticed and appreciated.
The decor in the restaurant is interesting but could use some sprucing up. The noise level was a bit high. We would have been better in a closed room but the person responsible for the reservation had not asked therefore we sat in the main room.
One of the down sides is having to walk through the Casino to get the dining room. This is standard and we accept this. It was fascinating to see the people in the Casino. As we are not Casino goers, we took the opportunity to look around. We noticed that many young people go the Casino to take advantage of the live music and dance floor. It appears to be a great venue for them.
Parking is not an issue nor is wheelchair access. Everything is well thought out.
Would go again in a year or so.
3. Fraser Cafe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 600 reviews
Reviewed By paulmichott - Ottawa, Canada
we go regularly to Fraser Cafe for weekend brunch or dinner. it is always of an exceptional standard. warm atmosphere, attention to detail and high quality ingredients. need to reserve well in advance though because there are many people who have the same opinion.
4. Aroma Meze
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 665 reviews
Welcome to Aroma Small Plates and Wine. The first of its kind in Canada! Come and enjoy "Meze" the food that reflects the way of life in Greek culture. Meze...an eating style, ancient in origin, favored in Greece and the Mediterranean. It is where eating is a hospitality and a celebration.
Reviewed By bestfamilyadventures - Ottawa, Canada
Always consistent food and service. Great wine selection. Make a reservation to avoid disappointment. Lunch or dinner are both fantastic dining experiences.
5. Chez Fatima
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 339 reviews
Family owned and operated, Chez Fatima is a place where you can discover the delicate seasonings of Moroccan cuisine. During lunch hours we serve a buffet featuring a wide variety of Moroccan salads and warm dishes. As of summer 2015, we are expanding our menu to include more Mediterranean food. This expansion includes a revamped lunch menu, buffet and the addition of Frank Bartha in the kitchen.
Reviewed By HerbtheThird - Kingston, Canada
My wife and I attended this restaurant based on the trip advisor rating, and we were not disappointed.
We showed up a half hour before they opened, but they still seated us, with bread, olives, and drinks. The bread was incredible! Warm and sooo crispy! The mint tea was fantastic.
The service was great. The food was excellent. It is a warm and cozy restaurant. Authentic home style cooking.
6. Allium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 343 reviews
Reviewed By norphano - Ottawa
I work right down the street so I have lunch here every so often. It has always been consistently good and priced fairly well. The service is always good and the menu has a good variety. The steak frites are a good staple on the menu.
7. Cumberland Pizza
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 265 reviews
A family owned and operated since 1973 .
Reviewed By Cyprian C
We stopped here to grab a pizza to go for our long drive back, and after Reading the reviews and this place being so highly rates, I was not disappointed. The pizza was loaded.. and I mean loaded with toppings - we ordered the signature Cumberland pizza. The staff was friendly and helpful and energetic when we walked in to order - rare thing to see form a pizza place.
The pizza was delicious, the crust (outer edge) was a little drier and crispier than I like but I didn't get dipping sauce as that would have made it great.
8. Fairouz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 158 reviews
Fairouz is a Middle East inspired upscale casual restaurant that showcases the ingredients, flavours, and recipes of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine in a service-focused environment with modern touches. With the addition of our Urban Cultivator, we grow all of our herbs and micro-greens in-house. The pita bread is also made fresh to order. We pride ourself on our relationship with local farms and purveyors.
Reviewed By Kristina H - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
We went for dinner and ordered the muhammara , kebabs, halloumi, and scallops. The service in the restaurant was on point. The muhammara was good- the pitas were warm and fresh. The kebabs were mediocre and tasted like something you would get at Lonestar. The halloumi was excellent. The low point of the whole meal was the $40 scallops. They tasted like scallops you would buy in brine at the grocery store, you know, the salty fishy taste. We were presented with 5 small scallops that were cooked just fine, they just tasted bad. Don’t order the scallops.
9. Atelier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 298 reviews
Reviewed By GroovieGurlie - Alberta
Being a huge fan of molecular gastronomy, I had to come to Atelier when I was in Ottawa. My chef friend warned me, but said that his visit was a couple years ago, and so things might have improved since then. The dishes are wonderfully presented and pleasing to the eye, and the creativity from the kitchen is something that I must applaud: I have never had an edible balloon brought to my table, nor puzzle pieces that I could eat. That being said, my chef friend was right. Some of the dishes in the tasting menu were disappointing: the flavors either didn't go well together (as in they were trying to do too much with one dish and threw in a bunch of components together that didn't really mesh), or it was just flat out blah. Maybe I went in with too high expectations; either way, it wasn't a meal that I would rave over. Excellent service though, which, when you are paying $125 per person, you should expect no less.
10. Play Food & Wine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By cdj9995 - Ottawa, Canada
This was my first visit to Play Food and Wine after hearing positive reviews for years. We enjoyed the halloumi, steak, trout, and fusilli. The trout was definitely my favourite of them all. We seem to have chosen the most filling items, so by the third dish we were getting full. Unfortunately we did not have room for dessert, but the menu looked very appealing. Our waitress was super friendly and knowledgeable about the food and wine menus.
