Best Restaurants in Ottawa 2025: From Splurge Nights to Low-Key Gems

Oct 8

Ottawa’s restaurant scene in 2025 is confident and full of personality. Think chef-driven rooms with tasting menus, candlelit wine bars, lively neighborhood staples, and scrappy late-night legends. Use this as your evening playbook — you can do it all in one ambitious crawl, or break it into a weekend of great meals.

How to Use This Guide

Vibes first, price second. Each section has three options that share a similar mood, with a rough price tier.
Must-orders. I call out a signature so you don’t waste a plate.
Neighborhood notes. Ottawa is wonderfully walkable — string a few of these together.

1) Special-Occasion Splurge ( $$$$ )

When you want the room to hush a little and the food to do the talking.

Riviera (Downtown / Sparks St.)

Set in a soaring former bank, Riviera is where Ottawa dresses up: classic cocktails, tuxedo-sharp service, and the kind of lobster spaghetti that turns first-timers into regulars.
Must-order: Lobster spaghetti or whatever crudo/tartare they’re running that night.
Good to know: The bar is a destination in its own right; counter seats are prime.

Atelier (Little Italy)

A modernist tasting menu experience that treats dinner like theater: a progression of courses that play with texture, temperature, and surprise — all in an intimate, minimalist room.
Must-order: You don’t choose — surrender to the tasting.
Good to know: Plan ahead; this is a “book first, brag later” kind of night.

Beckta Dining & Wine (Elgin St.)

White-tablecloth polish without the stiffness. Beckta balances tasting menu focus with à la carte comfort, plus a wine program that quietly flexes.
Must-order: Tasting menu + pairings if it’s a celebration.
Good to know: The wine bar is a lower-key way in if you’re testing the waters.

2) Chef-Driven, Trendy & Date-Night Friendly ( $$$ )

High craft, low pretense. Dim lights, confident cooking, and a great glass of wine.

Arlo (Centretown / Somerset)

An effortlessly cool wine-and-food room: chalkboard menus, deeply seasonal dishes, and a list that ranges from crushable to collectible.
Must-order: Whatever veg dish the kitchen is excited about that day, plus a server-guided wine pick.
Good to know: Feels buzzy but never fussy — great for lingering.

North & Navy (Centretown / Nepean St.)

Northern-Italian inspiration filtered through Ottawa terroir: cicchetti, handmade pasta, and that softly glowing, date-night hum.
Must-order: Bigoli (or the seasonal pasta) and something from the raw/antipasti side.
Good to know: Portions lean refined; sharing a few plates is the move.

Supply & Demand (Wellington West)

A neighborhood hit with a raw bar heart and playful, vegetable-forward cooking.
Must-order: Squid-ink rigatoni, brussels sprouts, oysters to open.
Good to know: It’s small and beloved — reservations are your friend.

3) Neighborhood Favourites ( $$ )

Comfortable rooms where locals actually eat — and you’ll wish you lived nearby.

Town (Elgin St.)

A warm, lived-in dining room with Italian soul and Ottawa charm: house pastas, big salads, and mains that read comforting but land with finesse.
Must-order: Ricotta-stuffed meatballs and a seasonal pasta.
Good to know: Their sister spot Citizen is around the corner for nightcaps.

Gitanes (Elgin St.)

A modern French bistro with natural-wine energy — butter, brass, and a low-lit soundtrack of clinking glasses.
Must-order: Steak frites, seafood special, or any dish slung from the raw bar.
Good to know: Late-night bar hours on weekends keep the vibe going.

Absinthe (Hintonburg / Wellington St. W.)

A long-loved staple: smart bistro cooking, kitchen craft, and a neighborhood feel.
Must-order: Beef Wellington when it’s on, or the prix-fixe for two.
Good to know: Happy-hour menus are a stealth value.

4) Seafood & Oyster Rooms ( $$–$$$ )

Because sometimes the right answer is “oysters first.”

The Whalesbone — Bank Street (Centretown)

The original, intimate oyster house: tight room, loud joy, and impeccably shucked bivalves.
Must-order: A dozen to start, fish of the day to follow.
Good to know: Old-school charm; book if you can.

The Whalesbone — Elgin Street (Downtown)

The big sibling with room to breathe — and to celebrate.
Must-order: Platters, chowders, and grilled fish; ask what’s pristine.
Good to know: Lunch on select days; check hours.

Fauna (Bank St.)

Not an oyster bar per se, but seafood and small plates shine alongside cocktails and a moody, brick-and-zinc interior.
Must-order: Whatever crudo they’re running; share a spread and stay late.
Good to know: Open seven nights; it’s a reliable “last-minute but still special” option.

5) Bars With Seriously Good Food ( $–$$ )

Come for a drink, stay for a full meal — on purpose.

Rabbit Hole (Sparks St.)

Two floors, a rooftop tiki bar, and a speakeasy hidden downstairs — plus a kitchen that holds its own.
Must-order: Wagyu burger or shrimp fra diavolo early; pizzas after 9pm.
Good to know: Tell the bartender your flavor lane and let them riff.

Citizen (Elgin/Gilmour)

Low-lit, vinyl-spun, and effortlessly cozy. A killer place to slide into a banquette, order small plates, and let the night drift.
Must-order: Seasonal snacks + a stirred drink.
Good to know: It’s Town’s sibling, which tells you everything about care and craft.

Cocotte Bistro (Downtown / Metcalfe Hotel)

French comfort with a polished hotel shine — perfect for a pre-theatre glass of bubbles and a plate of oysters or tartare.
Must-order: Steak frites, oysters, or the house “Ottawa-Brest” for dessert.
Good to know: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch — use it as a hub.

6) Pubs, Dive-Bars & Character Spots ( $–$$ )

Sticky floors optional; great stories guaranteed.

Dominion Tavern (ByWard Market)

A true Ottawa institution: pool tables, loud music, late hours, and surprisingly solid bar eats when you need them.
Must-order: Wings or a burger; the point is the vibe.
Good to know: Check the events calendar if you want live music.

Château Lafayette — “The Laff” (ByWard Market)

Ottawa’s oldest tavern with a new-old soul: simple, in-house bar food and nightly entertainment.
Must-order: Wings, burgers, or classic Canadian pub snacks.
Good to know: Open late; the kitchen runs daily.

House of Targ (Old Ottawa South)

Pinball, perogies, bands. If that sentence makes you smile, you’re already there.
Must-order: Perogy combo and a beer.
Good to know: Family free-play hours on weekends; check those quirky schedules.

7) Budget Legends & Late-Night Heroes ( $ )

Zero frills. Maximum happiness.

Shawarma Palace (Multiple)

The city’s shawarma icon: saucy, garlicky, generously stacked plates and wraps.
Must-order: Chicken plate with extra garlic and pickles; split the fries if you must.
Good to know: Several locations, long hours; perfect last stop.

Kettleman’s Bagel Co. (Glebe + others)

Montreal-style bagels, made round-the-clock. Come hungry; leave carrying a dozen.
Must-order: An everything bagel sandwich and a warm sesame to go.
Good to know: Open 24/7 — a beautiful thing.

La Bottega Nicastro (ByWard Market)

A tiny Italian market with a mighty sandwich counter.
Must-order: Custom deli sandwich on herbed focaccia; grab cannoli for later.
Good to know: Lunchtime lines move fast — worth the wait.

Practical Tips

Reserve for the splurge and chef-driven picks; they fill fast on weekends.
Walk the grid. Centretown, Elgin, Sparks, Bank, and the Market let you stack stops without cars.
Seasonality rules. Don’t fear changing menus — it’s a sign the kitchen is awake.