Dining in the Ottawa Region
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide for Ottawa Region, Ontario.
Home to Canada's capital city, the Ottawa region of Ontario offers a vast array of historic sites, cultural gems, rolling rural landscapes and vibrant urban streets. Visitors to this region will have no problem finding something to do and somewhere to stay, so it's not surprising that they'll also find a wide range of dining options, too. Ottawa is a diverse city, encompassing not just the anglophone and francophone cultures of Canada but ethnicities from around the globe; food lovers will be pleased to know that the mixture of restaurants in Ottawa's neighbourhoods and suburbs reflects this with gusto.
THE URBAN EXPERIENCE – CENTRAL OTTAWA
Food connoisseurs and hungry travellers will be enchanted by the dazzling spectrum of dining options available in Ottawa's city centre. Funky, independent eateries abound at the popular Byward Market, while the stylish Glebe area is home to both casual diners and elegant restaurants. Ethnic delights can be found in the city's Chinatown and Little Italy neighbourhoods, while well-known Rideau Street has the city's best selection of pubs and bars. But visitors needn't brave the heavy traffic and crowds of the downtown region to get a quality meal—the suburbs and towns of the Ottawa region also offer dining delights that are slightly off the beaten path.
A LITTLE FARTHER OUT – THE SUBURBS
Situated just outside the central region of Ottawa, Nepean is a vibrant area that specializes in ethnic culture and cuisines. Adventurous tastebuds will enjoy sampling flavours from Mongolia, Thailand, India and China, while those who prefer to stick to what they know will have no problem finding a chain restaurant, pizza joint or fast-food establishment to satisfy their cravings.
Heading south of downtown Ottawa leads visitors to the neighbourhood of Gloucester, where restaurants and pubs dominate the landscape on Bank Street. Discerning palates will be treated to a generous selection of elegant, award-winning restaurants, while those in search of more casual fare will enjoy choosing from cafes, diners, pubs and chain establishments. Gloucester is also known for its ethnic offerings—cuisine from far-away places like Malaysia, Vietnam, the Middle East and the Mediterranean is easy to find on both the main drag and side streets.
East of the City of Ottawa is Kanata, a vibrant suburb of the metropolitan region. Kanata has a generous mix of both chain restaurants and independent eateries centred around the Kanata Avenue area. Kanata offers several Italian restaurants as well as a selection of Mexican, Mediterranean and other ethnic cuisines. Numerous pubs also populate the area, so there's no need to trek to Ottawa for a good night out.
Orleans, another suburb located west of Ottawa City along the banks of the Ottawa River, is a largely francophone area but the restaurant selection more reflects the multicultural heritage of Canada. Greece, Lebanon, Mexico and Turkey are just some of the nations represented in Orleans, with the majority of restaurants operating along the vibrant St. Joseph Boulevard. Several contemporary bar-and-grill-type restaurants also operate here, as well as a few big-name chain eateries.
ACROSS THE RIVER - GATINEAU
On the other side of the Ottawa River sits the Quebec city of Gatineau. This vibrant area offers a unique mix of both French and English culinary experiences, with most of the mainstream eateries located along Boulevard Gréber and Boulevard Maloney Est. But for those looking for an authentic taste of Quebec, the Island of Hull is the place to be. Situated just across the bridge from downtown Ottawa, Hull provides a dazzling variety of eclectic, independent eateries and bars that serve mainly French and Quebecois cuisine. If French food isn't to one's taste, there are also several sushi and Italian restaurants in the area. A little bit east of Hull, the Boulevard St. Joseph caters to ethnic tastes with restaurants that represent most corners of the globe. And for a rural dining experience without leaving the city, the district of Old Chelsea in north Gatineau has several popular restaurants in a park-like setting.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH – RURAL DESTINATIONS
Ottawa is surrounded by sweeping rural landscapes and friendly small towns. One nearby destination that's known for its dining delights is Carleton Place, located 46 km (29 mi) west of downtown Ottawa. The historic streets and picturesque brick buildings of this charming town are home to several renowned and independently owned restaurants, making this destination worth the trek from the city.
Located south of Ottawa, Kemptville is a pleasant historic town with several fine restaurants. Traditional bar-and-grill-style establishments rule the roost here, but there's also a selection of locally owned cafes, family restaurants and fine-dining choices.
East of Ottawa is the francophone town of Hawkesbury. Placed on the scenic shore of the Ottawa River, this town marks the halfway point between Ottawa and Montreal, and the town's restaurants reflect the strong cultural influences from both provinces. English-style tea rooms sit alongside French cafes and the town's restaurants provide a mixture of both traditional Quebecois meals and popular mainstream eats.
THE URBAN EXPERIENCE – CENTRAL OTTAWA
Food connoisseurs and hungry travellers will be enchanted by the dazzling spectrum of dining options available in Ottawa's city centre. Funky, independent eateries abound at the popular Byward Market, while the stylish Glebe area is home to both casual diners and elegant restaurants. Ethnic delights can be found in the city's Chinatown and Little Italy neighbourhoods, while well-known Rideau Street has the city's best selection of pubs and bars. But visitors needn't brave the heavy traffic and crowds of the downtown region to get a quality meal—the suburbs and towns of the Ottawa region also offer dining delights that are slightly off the beaten path.
A LITTLE FARTHER OUT – THE SUBURBS
Situated just outside the central region of Ottawa, Nepean is a vibrant area that specializes in ethnic culture and cuisines. Adventurous tastebuds will enjoy sampling flavours from Mongolia, Thailand, India and China, while those who prefer to stick to what they know will have no problem finding a chain restaurant, pizza joint or fast-food establishment to satisfy their cravings.
Heading south of downtown Ottawa leads visitors to the neighbourhood of Gloucester, where restaurants and pubs dominate the landscape on Bank Street. Discerning palates will be treated to a generous selection of elegant, award-winning restaurants, while those in search of more casual fare will enjoy choosing from cafes, diners, pubs and chain establishments. Gloucester is also known for its ethnic offerings—cuisine from far-away places like Malaysia, Vietnam, the Middle East and the Mediterranean is easy to find on both the main drag and side streets.
East of the City of Ottawa is Kanata, a vibrant suburb of the metropolitan region. Kanata has a generous mix of both chain restaurants and independent eateries centred around the Kanata Avenue area. Kanata offers several Italian restaurants as well as a selection of Mexican, Mediterranean and other ethnic cuisines. Numerous pubs also populate the area, so there's no need to trek to Ottawa for a good night out.
Orleans, another suburb located west of Ottawa City along the banks of the Ottawa River, is a largely francophone area but the restaurant selection more reflects the multicultural heritage of Canada. Greece, Lebanon, Mexico and Turkey are just some of the nations represented in Orleans, with the majority of restaurants operating along the vibrant St. Joseph Boulevard. Several contemporary bar-and-grill-type restaurants also operate here, as well as a few big-name chain eateries.
ACROSS THE RIVER - GATINEAU
On the other side of the Ottawa River sits the Quebec city of Gatineau. This vibrant area offers a unique mix of both French and English culinary experiences, with most of the mainstream eateries located along Boulevard Gréber and Boulevard Maloney Est. But for those looking for an authentic taste of Quebec, the Island of Hull is the place to be. Situated just across the bridge from downtown Ottawa, Hull provides a dazzling variety of eclectic, independent eateries and bars that serve mainly French and Quebecois cuisine. If French food isn't to one's taste, there are also several sushi and Italian restaurants in the area. A little bit east of Hull, the Boulevard St. Joseph caters to ethnic tastes with restaurants that represent most corners of the globe. And for a rural dining experience without leaving the city, the district of Old Chelsea in north Gatineau has several popular restaurants in a park-like setting.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH – RURAL DESTINATIONS
Ottawa is surrounded by sweeping rural landscapes and friendly small towns. One nearby destination that's known for its dining delights is Carleton Place, located 46 km (29 mi) west of downtown Ottawa. The historic streets and picturesque brick buildings of this charming town are home to several renowned and independently owned restaurants, making this destination worth the trek from the city.
Located south of Ottawa, Kemptville is a pleasant historic town with several fine restaurants. Traditional bar-and-grill-style establishments rule the roost here, but there's also a selection of locally owned cafes, family restaurants and fine-dining choices.
East of Ottawa is the francophone town of Hawkesbury. Placed on the scenic shore of the Ottawa River, this town marks the halfway point between Ottawa and Montreal, and the town's restaurants reflect the strong cultural influences from both provinces. English-style tea rooms sit alongside French cafes and the town's restaurants provide a mixture of both traditional Quebecois meals and popular mainstream eats.
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