Ottawa's food scene continues to make a name for itself, with Ottawa restaurants offering an incredible variety of delicious options around the clock. Whether you're looking for a unique breakfast, satisfying lunch, creative dinner, out-of-the-box snacks or even to satisfy a sweet tooth, the capital has you covered.
It's got me thinking: What if I only had 48 hours in the city and wanted the perfect weekend food tour? Where would I go? What would that look like?
First, I need to set some parameters. One spot per category per day is a must. It also needs to be accessible; if Friday night's dinner is expensive, then Saturday's dinner needs to be more affordable. Finally, I want to fit in as much variety as possible. There are a million sandwiches in this city, but for the sake of this tour, we can only have one!
From some of the best brunch in Ottawa to new and even secret-menu spots, this weekend foodie itinerary will guide you to the best places to eat in Ottawa.
Friday breakfast: Black Squirrel Books & Espresso Bar
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Café
Address: 1073 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Saturday morning feels like the better day for a fancier breakfast, so for our Friday morning, we'll keep it simple. Located in the heart of Old Ottawa South, Black Squirrel Books & Espresso Bar is an ideal spot for a laid-back but quick and easy breakfast. For me, grabbing an oat milk cortado and a warm croissant and perusing the café's expertly displayed collection of new and used books is the perfect way to start the morning.
Friday lunch: The Greek Souvlaki Shack
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Greek
Address: 258 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: A busy Friday afternoon calls for a grab-and-go item for lunch, and the Greek Souvlaki Shack is just the place. I found it by accident one afternoon — I was late to a meeting, hadn't eaten yet and just needed something quick. I walked into the unassuming location on Bank Street and was met with the most delicious, flavourful, mind-blowing pork gyro I've ever had. This is a happy accident that I will share with anyone who will listen.
The Greek Souvlaki Shack Yelp page
Friday dinner: North & Navy
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Northern Italian
Address: 226 Nepean St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Friday night is going to be our fancier dinner, only because we're saving cocktails, snacks and dessert for Saturday. This Ottawa classic has found its long-term home in Centretown — serving up innovative twists on northern Italian staples, North & Navy excels at making the familiar distinctly unfamiliar.
From their house-cured cold cuts to their mind-blowing pasta, pairing anything on the NoNa menu with a glass of wine or a cocktail is a winning recipe for a Friday night dinner.
Saturday breakfast: Mazarine
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Address: 282 Kent St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Brunch in Ottawa has become INCREDIBLE. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There are different atmospheres, price points and concepts all throughout the city. Today, for a bigger brunch, I'm hitting you with a taste of the Mediterranean. Mazarine offers central European brunch fare and beverages that earned it the title of the best breakfast restaurant in Ottawa from Top Choice Awards. Who said you need to fly to Greece for a tasty brunch?
Saturday lunch: Skinny George's
Price: 💸
Cuisine: American
Address: Inside Milano Pizzeria, 2241 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: We'll follow our breakfast up with a secret menu lunch that's brand new to the Ottawa scene. Located inside the Milano at Walkley and St. Laurent, Skinny George's is a secret menu serving up Miami-style smash burgers, house-made poutine and loaded fries. Their daily ground brisket patties, secret sauce and even more secret seasoning make for a smashingly good burger experience.
Saturday sweet snack: Moo Shu
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Ice cream
Address: 477 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Next, we're going to fit in a stop for those of you with a sweet tooth. Moo Shu is a legen-dairy ice cream spot for Ottawans (get it?). From the innovative flavours to the dairy-free options, Moo Shu has pushed boundaries and found inclusivity in the ice cream world, making it a longtime favourite of the locals.
Saturday dinner: Ventuno
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Italian
Address: Inside Il Negozio Nicastro, 1355 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Since last night was more "upscale," tonight's dinner will be more sharing-style and budget-friendly, but with a great atmosphere. It's about 8 p.m. on Saturday and you've already had a pretty hefty breakfast, a substantial but simple lunch and some ice cream to boot. You need to find a way to digest, but also set your base for a Saturday night of indulging in adult beverages. So where do you go?
Ventuno, an apercina bar in Wellington West that specializes in amaro-based cocktails and small Italian bites is the answer to all you need. The menu is built for sharing, and it's also built to adapt to your level of hunger! If you're really hungry, just order more small bites. Not so hungry? Just one or two. Either way, the menu is incredibly affordable and super fresh and pairs amazingly with all of their amaro cocktails that will help you digest all of your food from the day.
Saturday cocktails: Bar Guapo
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Cocktails
Address: 324 Somerset W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: We'll end our night at a cocktail bar that won't make us feel too bad about spending just a LITTLE bit more money. With Ottawa's cocktail bar scene constantly evolving — from staples like Stolen Goods to new blood like Bar Ocelli — there is a ton of elevation in the capital's cocktails lately. However, we all need a spot that's accessible, affordable and still elevated.
Cue Bar Guapo: a 16-seater cocktail bar with no sign outside that brings a new spin to classic cocktails. This is an industry bar — for industry people, by industry people. Guapo is intimate and beautifully designed, and it pumps out incredible cocktails that won't break the bank.
In my humble opinion, this is the best Negroni in town, and it's only $14. Bar Guapo is a hidden gem that I don't want to hide anymore.
Sunday brunch: Le Poisson Bleu
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: French, seafood
Address: 610 Somerset St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Alright. Your weekend in Ottawa has come to an end. You've worked your way through the city, and now it's time to prepare yourself for the realities of Monday being closer than ever. But not before you enjoy one more incredible restaurant. Not before you blast your taste buds with something you've never had before. So I'm taking you to the most unique brunch in the city before setting you free, back to the land of responsibility.
Chef Alex Bimm at Le Poisson Bleu is pushing the boundaries of what a seafood dish can be. His techniques on dry aging fish are something Ottawans aren't used to but are absolutely loving. Lucky for you, he's made his masterful skills available for Sunday brunch, and before you finish your food-fuelled weekend, you HAVE to make this your last stop.
Between turning tuna into bacon and turning trout into sausage, the folks over at LPB will make sure to serve you up a culinary memory you'll never forget.
So, there you have it! Trying to narrow down how to spend a weekend eating in Ottawa proved to be a huge challenge because realistically, you'd need a lifetime of weekends to hit all the good spots.
This is just one example of how to work your way through the city in a short amount of time, but don't take my word for it! Next time you're in Ottawa — or if you live here already — give this itinerary a go and make that call for yourself. I'm pretty confident you'll find many ways to agree.
The Narcity Foodie Itinerary: How to spend an epic weekend eating in Ottawa
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