50 Best Cafes in Ottawa

“Absolutely incredible experience at Corner Peach. The staff are very attentive and knowledgeable but this does not get in the way of good humour and natural charm. Every staff member we interacted with made the experience that much better and the food was perfectly portioned for a dinner for two. Really impressed with the service, especially navigating a gluten and dairy free menu“

“Great little place, super friendly staff, some electrical outlets, open late.

It was nice to work from a coffee shop at a time when most other coffee places are closed. Although, wifi is only available for guests of the hotel.

I do understand why, but I'd love to have access to the wifi as a client who purchases drinks.

It wasn't an issue for me because I used my phone for hotspot, but beware if you depend on wifi!

That's the only reason I didn't give 5 stars.“

“Amazing little place!! Very friendly and delicious waffles.“

“Geoff and his staff at Morning Owl Woodward prepared a delicious sandwich, veggie, fruit and pastry lunch for our staff at Halpenny Insurance. Morning Owl is a real gem in the Carlington community. Amazing service, exceptional coffee and food, and wonderful catering. Geoff and his staff always greet their customers with a smile and bend over backwards for anyone who visits. Many thanks!“

“I enjoyed a fantastic raspberry and Brie crepe with a delicious caramel macchiato. It was my first time trying Luna, and I’ll absolutely be back! ❤️“

“Visited while on a trip to Ottawa, so glad we did. Staff are super friendly and accommodating, lots of games to choose from (although we brought our own from a recent purchase at Imaginaire and they charge you less if you bring your own games so, bonus!). We didn't have any food but the cappucino I had was fabulous (and a great portion size). The nerd trivia upstairs on Monday seemed fun, although not our topic (Star Trek not being either of our forte). This is a great place, highly recommended.“

“Great and quiet place in the Heart of downtown Ottawa for you to enjoy a cup of coffee and that strawberry scone hmmmmmm Ok my favourite is their Moka“

“Dispute being full and having high ceilings w/ hard surfaces, it wasn't very loud, which is makes enjoying the food much more enjoyable.

The coffee is delicious, it's always such a treat when a restaurant has an actually good cup of coffee.“

“Very welcoming, great place to grab some fresh baked goods that taste amazing!“

“Wonderful, inclusive folks! Very nice staff, who were very helpful. This may seem like an odd thing to say, but it was really great that they made sure they rented an accessible portable washroom for their large market event. As I was sporting crutches (I recently broke my ankle), it was a total life saver that I didn’t need to take the stairs! Not sure if the port-a-potty is an “always” thing, but just the fact that they had it for their street market when so many folks wouldn’t even think of it made me grateful. Thank you for being the loveliest hosts! I’m not a coffee or tea drinker, but I’ll certainly tell all my friends about how kind the staff were!“

“service, quality, fresh to order, tasty, value“

“Wonderful place to have authentic experience and see all the First Nations, Métis and Inuit artwork and gifts. Fantastic selection of items to purchase. Miigwetch.“

“Best salads ever - authentic, creative and satisfying. Recommended!“

“If you are a tourist in Ottawa definitely walk to this cafe . The vibe here is amazing with a lots of bikes inside the cafe , and the place smells like a new bike shop with amazing coffee.

Thier desserts menu is also great . We tried a
Afagato which filled us with energy to continue our walk in streets of Ottowa.“

“Anabia has delicious cupcakes (even Vegan ones). Their sandwiches are fantastic and so is their coffee. The atmosphere is super friendly. Great place to hang out with friends or to make new friends.“

“Beautiful people excellent food. Worth every penny!!“

“Reddit calls this the most dangerous bar in Ottawa, and they're right-- a dangerously good time. The only bar that somehow has bussin' haired zoomers at night and a good hang of old fellas in the day and evening, it is truly a community center where generations bond on their love of the best iced coffee in the city“

“The atmosphere was lively, and there was no wait time. Classical piano music filled the air as we were greeted by the owner. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee was inviting. We decided to order toasted deli sandwiches and freshly made smoothies. It’s a great place to catch up on some work while enjoying delicious food. I would rate the Green Bean Cafe a 6.9 out of 10.“

“Pleasant experience. The energy bites were a nice surprise.“

“The coffee and especially the espresso-based drinks, are absolutely fantastic, and some of the best I've ever had! Aside from the drinks being top-shelf, the staff are wonderful. Very friendly, helpful, and genuine. Thanks for making my day, see you soon.“

“We have been to Chef Ric’s a few times. It is located in our daughter’s neighbourhood. The staff is lovely, the food is fresh and very good and the value is amazing. Love how welcoming and inclusive it is. Congratulations to the entire Chef Ric’s team! Keep making yourselves proud!“

“Pleasant experience. The energy bites were a nice surprise.“

“I really enjoyed the environment, very quiet on Sunday afternoon, the food was okay: my ice mocha was a little sweet and the croissant felt fresh and crunchy.
My concern is the cleaning, I understand is Sunday and is a busy day but looked a little neglected, even so the workers are very friendly.“

“We were tired from walking so much in Parliament Hill area so we decided to come back to the hotel and ordered dinner from Cafe 1274. The soup of the day is cream of tomato. It's absolutely delicious and it tastes like home made. The large garden salad was of good portion and very fresh and crisp. The balsamic dressing is delicious and not overly sour. Baked penne has a good sourness to it which makes it refreshing and balances the cheese flavor. (The pasta is a bit too soft but kids like it) it was a very good meal! We ordered take out and ate in the room so I can't comment on the restaurant. The food was wrapped nicely and included all the cutlery and condiments we needed. The server was friendly and helpful.“

“💞Thank you guys ,for your hospitality, attentive attitude and kind atmosphere that you create with love for your work.
Here every guest feels welcome and special. Your service is at the highest level.

Sincerely, Olga.“

“best bubbletea and awesome drink“

“Great atmosphere, lots to do for the whole family.“

“This is the greatest little coffee shop. I made a mistake this morning in thinking that they opened at 8:30 when it is written 9:30, so I walked over from the Saint Paul's Library (been here since 6am) to get a really tasty americano. When I got there the door was locked, however, a very nice gentleman opened the door and I mentioned that Facebook said it was open at 8:30 (which was the mistake). No problem, a little frustrated I walk away but he calls me back in and makes me a very nice coffee to take back. Service like this is hard to find nowadays, so I am very grateful for the coffee and the kindness. Thank you!!“

“A quiet little hole in the wall place that makes you want to just bring a book and hang out in one of their recliners with a chai latte (theirs are amazing!). Their cookies are what Crumbl wish they could be. They are well cooked but still soft. Exactly what you want in a meal sized cookie.“

“I'm going through some health issues and have a small baby, so I'd ordered a weeks worth of flash frozen meals. They are so, so good! They're healthy, tasty, and best of all no cooking involved. The portions are generous and I can feed myself, my Mom and my 16 month old loves them too. I'll be a returning weekly customer for sure.“

“Great location and patio at the Bank street location! Tasty coffees, treats and snacks! Friendly staff and lots of variety of places to sit at and work or read. Overall atmosphere and calm could be much improved for working, reading -!3 conversation with less distracting music choices. There’s lots of cool stuff out there that is softer and makes for easier listening. Just a thought, I like the spot anyway and visit regularly.“

“The staff were polite and cheery and the food was generally great. My one complaint is that they didn't seem to know how to steam milk too well but I didn't really mind. I was more interested in the tarts. Love that they had vegan and gf options. Vegetarian options for lunch as well.“

“Having just landed in Ottawa during lunch time, I was craving a bite. I came across this beautiful café in Downtown Ottawa - Jackson Café (10 Daly Ave, Ottawa, ON, KIN 6E2) after visiting the Art Gallery next door.
At the café, I had ordered a roasted beef sandwich and my all-time favourite drink which was an iced matcha latte. I was in awe with the beautiful, sophisticated decoration of this café. The place was quite cozy and it was clearly the perfect place for studying as I spotted a few students from the University of Ottawa sipping their beverages while staring at their laptop screens.
The roasted beef sandwich was excellent it has the perfect ratio of meat and arugula salad piled on fresh bread. The combination of flavors was out of this world, and the beef was well cooked and tender. Every bite was a savory delight.
Then, I received my iced matcha latte, and I was in love!
As a matcha lover, this drink struck the perfect balance of matcha and milk-not too strong, not too weak.
Perfection!
This was the perfect place for a little pick me up before heading out and exploring more the city. I definitely recommend checking out this café, it also has some delicious pasteries and healthy vegetarian options as well. Recommended!

To hear more about this review, follow us @eatinontario on Instagram, TikTok, & Facebook. ✨??“

“My new favourite hangout! The live music scene is top notch! Great that they are supporting local music! Amazing Scotch menus as well as fab cocktails! Love the ambience! The lighting is perfect. Great service! The music in between sets is perfect. Come out and show some love ❤️“

“Amazing Italian food from pasta, salad, panni to desserts - all incredibly delicious! This cafe style restaurant with its friendly and wonderful service has become a favorite lunch spot for our office. They also offer a gluten free pasta option.“

“Overpriced Sysco food, cocktail prices as high as a 5 star restaurant, cluttered interior, nasty kitchen with dirty dishes on food prep area.“

“The most beautiful view from the window. You can see the Parliament buildings, the National War memorial, and Chateau Laurier.“

“Hubby and I's fave lunch spot :) We bring our two young kids here too from time to time and they love it too. Large portions, tons of nutritious options, and we love the bright and airy space too. Highly recommend!“

“On September 9at 2:40pm, I left my purse at Cafe Cristal, it had all my ID in it. To the person who toke it please send my ID by mail because I have a national board exam to write in 1 week. Please.“

“good and healthy food.“

“Great atmosphere! Great Argentinian cookie… so soft and sweet with a hint of orange. The barista at this local is exceptional. And they have classical music playing great local vibe and pleasantly of happy customers on a Wednesday mod morning.“

“We went tonight for our friend’s birthday. Food was amazing, drinks were good, service was excellent. 10/10 recommend. Note it is small inside, very quaint. As a person with a young baby, I won’t be bringing her (my daughter) there; we’ll keep it for a date night 😅“

“We ordered philly steak and chicken fajita requested to make it spicy and they nailed it delicious corn and tea..keep it.up“

“Always good food. They never let me down“

“What an incredible and hospitable couple that runs this restaurant. Food and coffee are fantastic!“

“This is my go-to-spot for any of my coffee needs. I love their centro house blend and the smiles of the baristas. They really make the place inviting! But recently, I have noticed the lack of chalkboards and makes the place really dull. The vibe without it is really impersonal and sad. Bring back the chalk board!“

“This cafe is a hidden gem in Ottawa! The smash burger was delicious and juicy plus they had a great selection of beverages and snacks. Great place to grab & go or to sit down for a while and do some work. I would recommend as a great place for working + to grab a bite to eat ! They also have art from local artist which is a nice touch.“

“Tiny takeout spot that serves an amazing breakfast sandwich. Seriously this sandwich is so good! Le Monde Sandwich: English muffin with ham, tomato, avocado, egg and cheese. The perfect blend of mayo and mustard. And a great price, too. If I lived in Ottawa I'd get it everyday.“

“Just had lunch at Bar Robo today and it was great! I ordered the mushroom melt and my friend got an iced coffee. Everything was delicious and prepared well. Super friendly staff. Attentive and cheerful. I’d recommend this spot for a nice, quick, and easy lunch or if you need an afternoon coffee hit.“