Best Restaurants in Ottawa: Where to Eat by Neighbourhood

Ottawa's best restaurants are spread across a dozen neighbourhoods, and the right one usually depends on where you already are when you get hungry.

The best restaurants in Ottawa right now include Atelier and Antheia for a once-a-year tasting menu, Riviera on Sparks Street for a big downtown night out, Arlo on Somerset for seasonal plates and natural wine, Supply and Demand in Wellington West for handmade pasta and crudo, Thali for a Kerala-style thali downtown, and Rangoon in Chinatown for Burmese tea leaf salad under $15. Below, 32 places are grouped by neighbourhood, from the ByWard Market to Kanata, Orléans and Barrhaven, each opening with what to order and its price band, with a one-glance comparison table near the end.

Key Highlights

Most of Ottawa's best restaurants now cook for the middle of the table: small plates, handmade pasta and a short, local wine list.

TL;DR: For a special occasion, book Atelier, Perch or Antheia weeks ahead. For an all-round great dinner, book Riviera, Arlo, Beckta, Supply and Demand or Gezellig. For good food under $30 a person, go to Rangoon, Thali at lunch, Zak's Diner or Harir Kabab House. In the suburbs, Aperitivo (Kanata), Cucina Da Vito (Orléans) and Pinelopi's (Barrhaven) are worth the trip on their own.

This is a list of places worth crossing town for, not a ranking, and it skips national chains. Dish prices come from each restaurant's own menu, checked in October 2026, and are before 13% HST and tip; kitchens change dishes with the seasons. Play Food & Wine is missing because it closed at 1 York Street in January 2026 after 17 years.

To compare all 32 at once or start from a cuisine, jump to the best restaurants in Ottawa by cuisine and price table, which also links to our deeper guides for pizza, shawarma, sushi, brunch and more.

Best Restaurants in the ByWard Market

Several of the ByWard Market's best dinner tables sit on York and William streets, a short walk from Rideau station on the O-Train.

Most visitors start in the ByWard Market, where the strongest rooms sit a block or two off the busiest corner and fill up on weekends. Rideau station on O-Train Line 1 is a short walk away, which beats circling for parking on a Saturday night. Our ByWard Market guide covers the wider area.

Restaurant e18hteen

Order: East Coast oysters ($29 for six), potato-crusted cod ($54), Québec magret duck duo ($49) or a 14-ounce Alberta ribeye ($72) · Price: $$$

A polished York Street steak and seafood room for the dinners people plan around. Signature mains run $44 to $62, and premium steaks climb well past that.

Address: 18 York St · Book: OpenTable or (613) 244-1188 · Hours: daily from 4:30 pm · Best for: celebrations

Sidedoor

Order: bao ($24 for two), tempura fish tacos ($22), pork and shrimp dumplings ($19), braised short rib in Thai chili panang curry ($47) · Price: $$

Next door to e18hteen, Sidedoor is the louder, more casual option, with bold Asian-inspired plates built for sharing. Lunch runs Wednesday to Saturday, 11:30 am to 4 pm, with a $27 lunch box.

Address: 18b York St · Book: OpenTable · Hours: closed Sundays · Best for: groups who order the whole menu

Buvette Daphnée

Order: cretons croquettes ($18), marinated yellowfin tuna ($29), black trumpet casarecce ($32), then Cornish hen ($47) or red-wine-braised short rib with foie gras sauce ($60) · Price: $$–$$$

A small Québec-inspired wine bar on William Street whose sharing plates follow local producers through the seasons. Wine is the point here, so let the staff pour.

Address: 11 William St · Book: through the restaurant's website · Hours: dinner nightly from 5 pm · Best for: date night and wine lovers

Zak's Diner

Order: all-day breakfast (about $18 to $25 a plate), burgers, poutine and a milkshake ($9.99) · Price: $

Zak's has been flipping pancakes on the Market square since 1986 and turns 40 in 2026. Seniors get a $14.99 breakfast.

Address: 14 ByWard Market Sq · Hours: 7 am to 11 pm Sunday to Wednesday, to midnight Thursday, 24 hours Friday and Saturday · Best for: families and night owls

Browse more places in the area on the ByWard Market restaurant directory.

Best Restaurants in Downtown Ottawa and Centretown

Downtown Ottawa does the big-night-out dinner well, from Sparks Street to Elgin and Somerset.

The downtown core and Centretown, roughly from Sparks Street south to Somerset and west to Bank, hold many of the city's polished dinner rooms, the ones you book for a birthday, a client or visiting parents. They are walkable from Parliament, Lyon and Rideau stations on the O-Train, and underground parking at Ottawa City Hall (110 Laurier Ave. W.) is a handy fallback.

Riviera

Order: oysters or a seafood tower ($160 or $275), lobster spaghetti ($60) or spaghetti alla chitarra ($36), 12-ounce dry-aged striploin ($90) · Price: $$$

A large, buzzy Sparks Street room with a raw bar, freshly extruded pasta, steaks and a serious cocktail list. The house burger ($38) is the lighter route in.

Address: 62 Sparks St · Book: OpenTable · Hours: nightly from 5 pm · Best for: a celebratory dinner downtown

Beckta

Order: the five-course omnivore tasting menu ($140, wine pairing $65), or à la carte mains from roasted cauliflower ($40) to bavette steak ($58) · Price: $$$

The fine-dining anchor on Elgin Street, cooking modern Canadian food. The tasting menu is served blind and suggested for the whole table, and every $7 community focaccia sends a portion to the Parkdale Food Centre.

Address: 150 Elgin St · Book: online or (613) 238-7063 · Hours: Monday to Saturday from 5 pm · Best for: anniversaries and a first taste of Ottawa fine dining

North & Navy

Order: polpette ($15) or cicheti ($15 or $28) at the bar, then spaghetti alla chitarra with Le Coprin mushrooms ($34) and coniglio alla Ligure ($46); six-course tasting menu $150 ($60 drinks pairing) · Price: $$$

A Northern Italian kitchen on Nepean Street, with a Venetian-style bacaro bar at the back of the room for a glass and a small bite.

Address: 226 Nepean St · Book: OpenTable or (613) 232-6289 · Hours: Monday to Saturday, 5 to 10 pm (bacaro bar-only 5 to 7 pm and 9 to 10 pm) · Best for: pasta lovers and wine-led dinners

Arlo

Order: raw oysters ($24 for six), Arctic char tartare ($27), duck frites ($46) or the porcini-crusted ribeye for two ($125) · Price: $$$

One of three Ottawa restaurants on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants in 2026 (No. 77). The kitchen calls its food local, fresh and fun, built to pair with natural wine; prices above are from the September 2026 menu.

Address: 340 Somerset St W · Book: through the website or (613) 421-1424 · Best for: natural-wine fans and a relaxed special dinner

Thali

Order: the Traditional Thali ($28 lunch, $31 dinner) or the larger Maha Thali ($33 and $36); à la carte, butter chicken ($24) or lobster masala ($35) · Price: $$

Chef Joe Thottungal's downtown room serves Kerala cooking as thali, a full meal of small dishes on one tray.

Address: 136 O'Connor St · Book: online or (613) 594-4545 · Hours: daily, 11 am to 3 pm and 4:30 to 9:30 pm · Best for: lunch, vegetarians and first-timers to South Indian food

See more options on the Centretown restaurant directory.

Best Restaurants in Little Italy and Chinatown

Little Italy and Chinatown sit side by side, so a pasta dinner and a bowl of Burmese noodles are only a few blocks apart.

Preston Street (Little Italy) and Somerset Street West (Chinatown) meet just west of downtown and span the widest price range in the city, from $15 noodle soups to $250 tasting menus. Our Little Italy guide and Chinatown guide cover the shops, bakeries and festivals around them.

Atelier

Order: the seven-course modernist tasting menu, about three hours, $250 a guest before drinks · Price: $$$

Chef Marc Lepine's Atelier has been named to Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 11 times between 2015 and 2026 and ranked No. 54 on the 2026 list, the highest of any Ottawa restaurant.

Address: 540 Rochester St · Book: online through the restaurant's website or 613-321-3537, well ahead · Hours: Wednesday to Saturday · Best for: food lovers marking a milestone

Perch

Order: the single nine-course menu ($180 a person), with a $100 beverage pairing or a $100 house-made beverage pairing · Price: $$$

An intimate Preston Street fine-dining room focused on Canadian ingredients. Note any allergies when you book, as the restaurant asks.

Address: 300 Preston St · Book: online form for one to four guests, or 613-515-0535 for larger groups · Hours: evenings Wednesday to Saturday · Best for: a special-occasion tasting menu

DreamLand Pasta Cafe & Bar

Order: Rosey & Spicy rigatoni in spicy vodka sauce with brown butter, L'Amatriciana bucatini, beet gnocchi with goat cheese and pistachio, or pistachio e pepe · Price: $$ (OpenTable lists $31 to $50 a person)

The easy weeknight answer on Preston: fresh pasta in a lively room.

Address: 262 Preston St · Book: online or (613) 422-4200 · Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 5 to 10 pm, Friday from 4 pm, Saturday lunch; closed Sunday and Monday · Best for: casual dates and pasta cravings

Antheia

Order: the vegetarian tasting menu, sold only as prepaid tickets on Tock (check the current price there) · Price: $$$

Chef Briana Kim, gold medallist at the 2023 Canadian Culinary Championship, runs Antheia as an intimate, fermentation-forward chef's counter on Somerset. Its nine-course vegetarian menu ranked No. 76 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants in 2026.

Address: 861 Somerset St W · Book: prepaid tickets on Tock · Best for: adventurous eaters and vegetarians who want the full tasting-menu experience

Rangoon

Order: green tea leaf salad ($13.95), mohinga fish noodle soup ($14.95), Shan noodles ($21.95) or chicken curry ($19.95) · Price: $–$$

Rangoon has served Burmese food on Somerset since 2010. The tea leaf salad, fermented tea leaves tossed with tomatoes and a crunchy peanut, sesame and bean mix, is its signature.

Address: 634 Somerset St W · Book: walk-ins welcome; phone (613) 680-8821 for five or more or for weekend evenings, because the room is small · Best for: budget dinners and anyone new to Burmese food

Find more on the West Centretown restaurant directory, which covers Little Italy and Chinatown.

Best Restaurants in the Glebe and Lansdowne

The Glebe's best tables are small, neighbourly rooms along and just off Bank Street.

The Glebe runs along Bank Street from the Queensway down to Lansdowne and TD Place, and it eats like a neighbourhood: brunch spots, wine bars and pasta rooms that locals walk to. On Redblacks game nights and big TD Place concerts, book early or eat before the crowd arrives. More ideas are in our Glebe guide and Lansdowne guide.

Erling's Variety

Order: half a dozen oysters ($24), Brussels sprout Caesar ($22), duck tartare with 'nduja ($24), gnocchi with cheek and tail ragù ($35), seared scallops with celery root and caponata ($36) · Price: $$ (OpenTable lists $31 to $50 a person)

A small, casual room just off Bank Street with an ever-changing menu of sharing plates, wine and classic cocktails. Chef-owner Liam Vainola takes questions at (613) 854-7796 before 5 pm, Tuesday to Friday.

Address: 225 Strathcona Ave · Book: online · Hours: evenings Tuesday to Saturday · Best for: a lingering dinner for two

The Rowan

Order: bacon cheeseburger ($20), fried halloumi with burnt honey harissa ($18), pappardelle with braised lamb ragù ($33), roasted salmon ($39) or flat iron steak ($41) · Price: $$

A Glebe gastropub from the Fraser brothers, with weekday lunch, weekend brunch and dinner every night. The dinner menu changes often, so treat the dishes above as a recent sample.

Address: 915 Bank St · Book: online or 613-780-9292 · Hours: dinner daily 5 to 9 pm, weekend brunch 10 am to 2 pm · Best for: a step-up pub dinner and weekend brunch

Cantina Gia

Order: quadratti cacio e pepe ($24), rigatoni carbonara ($26), spaghetti and meatballs ($29), chicken diavola ($32 half, $48 whole) or filetto di manzo ($57), then tiramisu ($15) · Price: $$

A southern Italian kitchen with a wine list and a small Italian grocery, open every day for lunch and dinner; prices are from the September 2026 menu.

Address: 749 Bank St · Book: online or (613) 569-0464 · Hours: takeout 11:30 am to 10 pm daily · Best for: families and pasta before a Lansdowne game

Browse the Glebe and Dow's Lake restaurant directory for more.

Best Restaurants in Westboro, Wellington West and Hintonburg

Wellington Street West and Richmond Road form one long dining strip, from Hintonburg pubs to Westboro's polished rooms.

Wellington Street West turns into Richmond Road as it heads west, and the strip from Hintonburg through Westboro Village is worth the trip on its own. Tunney's Pasture station on O-Train Line 1 is a few blocks north, and there is metered and side-street parking along most of the strip. Our Westboro guide covers the shops and beach nearby.

Supply and Demand

Order: albacore tuna crudo with truffle oil and puffed rice ($25), squid ink rigatoni with tuna and prosciutto meatballs ($32), bucatini alla gricia ($30), cod and scallop Kyiv ($45) · Price: $$–$$$

A raw bar and handmade-pasta kitchen built on sustainable ingredients, with a menu that changes with what local suppliers bring in. There is no gluten-free pasta substitute.

Address: 1335 Wellington St W · Book: Resy · Hours: Monday to Saturday 5 to 10 pm; closed Sundays and holiday Mondays · Best for: pasta and crudo lovers

Gezellig

Order: beef tartare ($25), PEI mussels and fries ($18), grilled branzino ($45), pan-seared game hen ($39) or a 10-ounce striploin ($56) · Price: $$–$$$

Beckta's sister restaurant fills a converted 1950s bank building in Westboro Village; the name is Dutch for cosy and convivial. Chef Brent Henderson's October menu has mains from $29 (sunchoke and potato rösti) to $56.

Address: 337 Richmond Rd · Book: OpenTable or 613-680-9086 · Hours: dinner nightly, weekday lunch, weekend brunch 10 am to 2 pm · Best for: family celebrations and brunch

Bar Lupulus

Order: something from the raw bar, tuna tartare ($26), ravioli doppio ($33), coho salmon ($42) or lamb ($45), with Quebec and Ontario cheeses to finish · Price: $$–$$$

Part craft-beer bar, part natural-wine bar, with a seasonal menu that leans on fermentation, putting miso, dashi and shoyu next to Italian pasta.

Address: 1242 Wellington St W · Book: online through the restaurant's website · Best for: beer geeks and adventurous eaters

Stofa

Order: the three-course ($95) or five-course ($115) table d'hôte, plus the $25 cheese plate (or $12 in place of dessert) · Price: $$$

Contemporary Canadian cooking, served as table d'hôte only, in a dining room and patio open Wednesday to Saturday; a takeaway menu runs Friday and Saturday.

Address: 1356 Wellington St W · Book: online or (613) 722-6555 · Hours: closed Sunday to Tuesday · Best for: a tasting-style dinner for less than the downtown tasting rooms

Hintonburg Public House

Order: HPH poutine with St-Albert curds ($12), the house burger ($22), the black bean and sunflower seed veggie burger ($19) or fish and chips in Manor Park Lager batter · Price: $–$$

The neighbourhood pub of the strip, with craft beer, comfort food, weekend brunch, vegetarian options and a kids' menu.

Address: 1020 Wellington St W · Book: online up to an hour ahead, 90-minute seatings · Hours: open daily, from 10 am on weekends · Best for: families, groups and a casual Friday

More choices are on the Westboro and Hintonburg and Mechanicsville restaurant directories.

Best Restaurants in New Edinburgh, Beechwood and Vanier

East of the Rideau River, Beechwood Avenue and St. Laurent Boulevard hide some very personal neighbourhood restaurants.

Across the Rideau River from Lowertown, New Edinburgh and Beechwood Avenue are quiet, residential and easy to overlook. Vanier and St. Laurent Boulevard are a few minutes further east; our Vanier guide has more on the area.

Dante Cucina Italiana

Order: house focaccia ($8), burrata ($28), lasagna alla Bolognese ($35), handmade tonnarelli with prawns, calamari and mussels ($39), risotto Nerano ($40) or pan-seared halibut ($48) · Price: $$–$$$

A seasonal Italian room on Springfield Road; prices are from the June 2026 dinner menu, which changes through the year, and the steak of the day comes from Dumouchel Meats. Cooking classes run the last Tuesday and Wednesday of each month.

Address: 7 Springfield Rd · Book: online or 613-842-7277 · Hours: Tuesday to Saturday · Best for: a neighbourhood Italian dinner that feels like an occasion

Junior and the Kid BBQ

Order: brisket by the pound ($36, or $19 a half pound), a brisket sandwich ($21.50), a full rack of ribs ($48) or the two-meat sampler ($32) · Price: $–$$

Pitmaster Chris Villeneuve started Junior and the Kid in 2018, named it for his grandfather, and smokes over hardwood in a 1,000-gallon offset smoker on Beechwood. A $20 lunch combo (plus tax) runs Wednesday to Friday, 11 am to 2 pm, and the kids' menu is $10.

Address: 117 Beechwood Ave · Call: 613-741-7282 · Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 11 am to 9 pm, Sunday to 8 pm · Best for: barbecue fans and families

Coconut Lagoon

Order: Kerala fried chicken ($16), Tellicherry lamb chops ($21), Thrissur salmon curry ($29) or shrimp moilee ($30); or Thottungal's Table, a seven-course tasting menu ($90, wine pairing $50, spirit-free $35) · Price: $$

Chef Joe Thottungal's Kerala restaurant on St. Laurent Boulevard is the place to go deeper than butter chicken. The $30 lunch buffet runs every day except Tuesday.

Address: 853 St. Laurent Blvd · Book: online · Hours: 11:30 am to 2 pm and 4:30 to 9:30 pm; closed Tuesdays · Best for: South Indian food lovers and a good-value tasting menu

See the New Edinburgh and Lindenlea restaurant directory for more nearby.

Best Restaurants in Kanata

Kanata's best independent kitchens lean on sharing plates and good wine, without the downtown drive.

Kanata's big roads are lined with chains, which makes these three independents worth booking, whether you live in the west end, work in the Kanata North tech park or are heading to the Canadian Tire Centre. For a wider net, browse the Kanata Lakes, Glen Cairn and Kanata South and Katimavik-Hazeldean restaurant directories.

Aperitivo

Order: oysters ($24 for six), gambas al ajillo ($32), patatas bravas ($16), steak tartare ($28), lamb shank ($36) or bavette steak ($38); three or four plates feed two · Price: $$

Aperitivo, which turns 14 this October, cooks Mediterranean sharing plates that draw on Italy, Spain and Greece, in Kanata Centrum across from the Landmark Cinemas. Prices are from the September 2026 menu.

Address: 655 Kanata Ave, Unit L2 · Book: online through the restaurant's website · Hours: closed Sunday and Monday · Best for: date night in the west end

Amuse Kitchen & Wine

Order: burrata ($35), salmon ceviche ($33), bison carpaccio ($33), venison tartare ($34) or seared duck breast ($32), plus a charcuterie board ($30 or $43) · Price: $$–$$$

A stylish Eagleson Road room with an "eat, drink, share" menu that suggests at least two plates a person; prices are from the spring 2026 menu. Daily lunch specials make it a business-lunch option too.

Address: 500 Eagleson Rd · Book: online or 613-880-8883 · Best for: business lunches and small celebrations

NeXT

Order: the Sunday brunch, 10 dishes served in five waves for $59 a person · Price: $$

Chef Michael Blackie's NeXT, at Westridge Drive and Hazeldean Road in Stittsville, mixes Canadian roots with Asian and European influences in a casual room built around sharing. It is closed until October 14, 2026 for a QuickStart Autism fundraiser and reopens October 15.

Address: 6400 Hazeldean Rd, Stittsville · Book: online through the restaurant's website · Best for: a long Sunday brunch with family

Best Restaurants in Orléans and Barrhaven

Orléans and Barrhaven reward a short drive with Italian, Indian, Greek and Afghan cooking.

The east and south ends have grown fast, and many of their strongest restaurants are independent rooms in plazas along St. Joseph Boulevard in Orléans and along Strandherd Drive and Woodroffe Avenue in Barrhaven. In Orléans, Nagi Sushi (2208 St. Joseph Blvd) is also worth knowing for lunch or dinner Tuesday to Saturday; book ahead for Friday and Saturday, because the room is small. Our Orléans guide has more on the area.

Cucina Da Vito (Orléans)

Order: linguine ai frutti di mare ($39), porcini risotto for two ($59) or the 12-ounce milk-fed veal chop ($68; porcini or gorgonzola sauce $8 more) · Price: $$–$$$

Chef Vito DiBrizzi has run this Italian restaurant on St. Joseph Boulevard since 2016, and it asks for bookings at least four days ahead.

Address: 2701 St. Joseph Blvd · Book: online or 613-834-8486 · Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10 pm · Best for: anniversaries and family celebrations in the east end

Rangoli (Orléans)

Order: the four-item lunch special with naan, rice, a side curry and raita ($20), or an express butter chicken with rice to go ($13) · Price: $–$$

A dependable Indian dining room on St. Joseph Boulevard, open for lunch and dinner every day.

Address: 2491 St. Joseph Blvd · Book: (613) 834-4549 · Hours: lunch 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, dinner from 5 pm · Best for: weekday lunches and family takeout

Pinelopi's Greek Kitchen (Barrhaven)

Order: tzatziki ($15.75), saganaki ($19.95), spanakopita ($17.95) or ouzo shrimp ($23.95), then kalamari ($24.95) and a main to share · Price: $$

A Greek kitchen on Strandherd Drive with a long list of dips and sharing plates.

Address: 4100 Strandherd Dr · Book: online or 613-843-1111 · Hours: Tuesday to Thursday 3:30 to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 4 to 9:30 pm; closed Sunday and Monday · Best for: family dinners and groups

Harir Kabab House (Barrhaven)

Order: barg kabab of beef tenderloin ($25.99), torsh kabab with walnut and pomegranate ($25.99) or chapli kabab ($22.99), plus mantu dumplings ($14.99); mahicha pulao, lamb shank with Qabuli rice ($29.99), feeds a big appetite · Price: $–$$

An Afghan kabab house on Woodroffe Avenue where kababs and Qabuli rice anchor the menu.

Address: 2900 Woodroffe Ave, Unit 9 · Book: 613-440-5788 · Best for: hearty, good-value dinners

More places are listed on the Orléans Village, Convent Glen, Barrhaven and Chapman Mills restaurant directories.

Best Restaurants in Ottawa by Cuisine and Price

If you know what you are craving, start with the cuisine, then pick the neighbourhood.

Use this table to compare all 32 restaurants at a glance. Price bands are per person for food, before 13% HST, tip and drinks.

Craving something specific? ViaOttawa has deeper, single-cuisine guides. Pizza people should start with the best pizza in Ottawa, and late-night eaters with the best shawarma in Ottawa or our guide to late-night food in Ottawa. For Japanese food, compare the best sushi in Ottawa and the best ramen in Ottawa; for Chinese, read the best Chinese restaurants in Ottawa and the best dim sum in Ottawa, and for Vietnamese, the best pho in Ottawa.

More of the city's range: the best Indian food in Ottawa, Thai food in Ottawa, Korean BBQ in Ottawa, the best Greek restaurants in Ottawa, the best Mediterranean restaurants in Ottawa, the best Mexican restaurants in Ottawa and the Ottawa vegan guide. For occasions, see fine dining in Ottawa, the best date night restaurants in Ottawa, Ottawa steakhouses and the best patios in Ottawa. On a budget, the best cheap eats in Ottawa, best burgers in Ottawa and best chicken wings in Ottawa have you covered, and mornings belong to the best brunch in Ottawa, the best breakfast in Ottawa and the best coffee shops in Ottawa.

To search every listed restaurant by neighbourhood, open the Ottawa restaurant directory.

FAQ

Q: What is the best restaurant in Ottawa?

By national recognition, it is Atelier on Rochester Street: chef Marc Lepine's seven-course tasting menu ($250 a person) has been named to Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 11 times and ranked No. 54 in 2026. For a less formal night that still feels special, Arlo, Riviera and Beckta are strong downtown choices.

Q: Where should I eat in the ByWard Market?

Book Restaurant e18hteen on York Street for steak and seafood, or Buvette Daphnée on William Street for Québec-inspired sharing plates and wine. Sidedoor suits a group that wants bold Asian flavours, and Zak's Diner on the Market square serves breakfast all day and stays open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday.

Q: What are the best restaurants in Kanata?

Aperitivo at 655 Kanata Avenue serves Mediterranean sharing plates and is closed Sunday and Monday. Amuse Kitchen & Wine on Eagleson Road does an eat-drink-share menu with daily lunch specials, and NeXT on Hazeldean Road, at the Stittsville edge, is best known for its $59 five-wave Sunday brunch.

Q: Where can I eat well in Ottawa for under $30?

Rangoon in Chinatown (tea leaf salad $13.95, mohinga $14.95), Thali's $28 lunch thali, Harir Kabab House in Barrhaven, the Hintonburg Public House and Zak's Diner all come in under $30 a person before drinks. Junior and the Kid BBQ on Beechwood runs a $20 lunch combo, plus tax, Wednesday to Friday.

Q: Do I need a reservation at Ottawa restaurants?

For tasting menus, yes, and early: Atelier and Perch book through their websites, and Antheia sells prepaid tickets on Tock. Cucina Da Vito in Orléans asks for at least four days' notice. Neighbourhood spots are easier, but small rooms like Rangoon and Nagi Sushi ask you to book ahead for weekends.

Q: Are there good restaurants across the river in Quebec?

Yes. One standout is Les Fougères at 783 route 105 in Chelsea, Quebec, a few minutes north of Ottawa and Gatineau. It cooks seasonal, farm-inspired food from local ingredients, serves lunch Wednesday to Friday, and sells a weekly take-home menu for pickup on Thursdays and Fridays. Check its website for current hours.

Final Thoughts

The best restaurants in Ottawa are no longer concentrated in the ByWard Market. Some of the city's most rewarding meals now happen on Wellington Street West, Somerset Street, Beechwood Avenue and in Kanata and Barrhaven plazas, often for less than a downtown dinner. Pick the neighbourhood you are already in, choose by price band from the table above, and book ahead for anything with a tasting menu. Menus and hours change with the seasons, so check each restaurant's website before you go, and remember that every price above is before 13% HST and tip.

Source: Canada's 100 Best Restaurants

Source: CTV News Ottawa, "Three Ottawa restaurants crack Canada's 100 Best list" (May 5, 2026)

Source: Destination Ontario, "Où manger à Ottawa" (updated June 4, 2026)

Source: Ottawa Business Journal, "Play Food & Wine to end 17-year run in ByWard Market in January"

Source: restaurant websites and menus, checked October 2026: Atelier, Perch, Arlo, Riviera, Beckta, North & Navy, Thali, Restaurant e18hteen, Sidedoor, Buvette Daphnée, Zak's Diner, DreamLand, Rangoon, Erling's Variety, The Rowan, Cantina Gia, Supply and Demand, Gezellig, Bar Lupulus, Stofa, Hintonburg Public House, Dante, Junior and the Kid BBQ, Coconut Lagoon, Aperitivo, Amuse, NeXT, Cucina Da Vito, Rangoli, Nagi Sushi, Pinelopi's, Harir Kabab House, Les Fougères