50 Best Italian Restaurants in Ottawa

“Omg how did I not know about this place before today. The food was amazing. The wine was affordable. The desert was to die for and the check was decent priced. I don’t remember the last time I finished my main and dessert and the wine. :) loved it and the server Deb was amazing. 10 stars out of 5“

“Went here for our 2nd wedding anniversary. A very delicious widespread of food! We were not disappointed. Amazing customer service, cute drinks, and yummy food. What more could we ask for?! One of our favourites was their unique dinner for two, fried chicken pizza and salad! Very filling, a good contrast, and not greasy! We will definitely be back!“

“Opening day in Old Ottawa South -- delicious sandwiches and the best cannoli I have had in years... welcome to the neighbourhood Roberto's Corner!“

“As always, a fabulous experience from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave. Love supporting this family run business that has been a fixture in my hometown for over 30 years. Basil and family - you never disappoint! A great place to celebrate my last birthday of my 40’s (shhh, I kept that quiet). Cheers to you all! ❤️🥂“

“Retro Gusto was such a cute restaurant. I went with my friends back in September. And our server Ema was amazing! Definitely the best service we experienced in Ottawa. The food was delicious, I recommend trying the caesar salad, it was so good! Such a great atmosphere and cool vibe. Lots of different things to try.“

“Amazing sandwiches, bought many frozen meals especially lasagna different sizes, ALL amazing. Just tried the beef barley soup…best ever had! Top notch customer service as well!“

“We enjoyed our dining experience very much! The ambiance and service was fantastic! The food was fresh and delicious with excellent size portions! Highly recommend!“

“Last nights outing (2 couples) was a real treat. Excellent food and cocktails at very reasonable prices given the quality. Highly recommended for good value and great service.“

“Absolutely exceptional! I tried the Bank Mushroom pizza, and it was absolutely delicious. I’ve lived in Ottawa for over 10 years, and I can honestly say I’ve never had pizza this good here. Everything was perfect — the sourdough crust, the fresh ingredients, the flavours, and the balance of every topping. You can really taste the quality and care that goes into each pizza. Definitely one of the best pizza experiences I’ve had. Highly recommended! 🍕🔥“

“We go here often. It is so yummy and the service is always top notch and the place is always very clean and nice atmosphere“

“Great food! Atmosphere was great, and the waitress was very accommodating. Only thing I can suggest was the tables are too small.“

“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 were looking for authentic Italian and this is it!! We highly recommend you make time to stop here!!!“

“We had a wonderful Anniversary Dinner last night, and will ABSOLUTELY return! Thank you for you attention and for a FANTASTIC meal. Thanks again“

“First time trying the pizza here at Giovanni’s Snack Bar and Pizzeria. Absolutely delicious!! Ordered the Margarita Pizza. Giovanni was extremely kind from the moment I walked in until I left today. I would highly recommend choosing Giovanni’s the next time you are craving pizza or when you’re in the area!“

“was a great experience 10 outta 10“

“We visited Napoli’s on a quiet Wednesday evening and had such a fantastic experience. The atmosphere was calm and relaxing, the perfect way to unwind after a full day. The food was absolutely phenomenal. You can truly taste the attention to detail and the quality of the ingredients in every dish. The pizza was hands down some of the best I’ve ever had, fresh, flavorful, perfectly prepared, and very generously portioned. The meatball subs were incredibly delicious, and the poutine was smothered in a generous amount of rich gravy and cheese. Nothing was skimpy, everything felt thoughtfully made. The service was just as impressive as the food. Friendly, welcoming, attentive, and quick, they made us feel completely relaxed and genuinely appreciated as guests. For the quality and portion sizes, the prices are very reasonable. Highly recommend Napoli’s to anyone looking for authentic Italian food in Ottawa. Thank you for such a wonderful dining experience. We will definitely be back.“

“Super nice service and very delicious food. The carbonara was a bit of a surprise for me, as I lived for a while in Italy, but never had a Carbonara with onions before,... but maybe it's a variaty of a specific Italian region 😅😎 which I haven't heard of 🤔 Overall : it's a five star experience with brilliant staff and atmosphere 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 👍🎉❤️“

“Just yesterday I had the pleasure of throwing my mother a surprise 70th birthday party here. Sarah and her staff pulled off an evening we won’t soon forget! Thank you everything. 🙏 We’ll be back!“

“Had a wonderful time at the new Barrhaven location. Food was good, staff was friendly and overall it was a great experience.“

“We celebrated my mother's 85th birthday at Mr. B's last night and it was fantastic. The food was amazing, our server was amazing and really seemed to genuinely enjoy being there. The owner was very accommodating and attentive and came by several times. We will be back for sure.“

“La Strada is, without question, our favourite Italian restaurant. It’s one of those rare places that feels like so much more than just going out for dinner — it feels like coming back to a place you know, love and can always count on. We love it so much, we had our wedding reception there :)

We’ve been coming here since 1992, and the food is consistently outstanding. There are so many favourites that it’s almost impossible to choose, but the zucchini appetizer, burrata, and wings are always at the top of our list. And when they have the smelts, you absolutely have to order it — it’s fantastic.

Then there’s the pasta. All of it. Seriously, we’ve never had a pasta here that we didn’t love. The veal dishes are exceptional, as are the sole and salmon. But if we had to pick one dish that stands above everything else, it would be the rack of lamb. It is simply the best. Tender, flavourful and cooked perfectly — it’s a must-order every time.

What makes La Strada even more special, though, is the people.

Rick is an incredible front-of-house presence. He makes you feel welcome the moment you walk through the door and has that rare ability to make a restaurant feel both professional and completely comfortable at the same time. His warmth, personality and attention to detail are a huge part of what makes coming to La Strada such a great experience.

And then there’s the team in the kitchen — Carlos and Leo — who consistently turn out incredible food. You can taste the care and experience that goes into every dish. The consistency coming out of that kitchen is remarkable, and they deserve enormous credit for making the food at La Strada so special.

There are lots of Italian restaurants out there, but La Strada has something that is increasingly hard to find: great food, genuine hospitality, consistency and a real sense of tradition. It’s the kind of restaurant where you leave already thinking about when you’re going back.

For us, La Strada isn't just a favourite Italian restaurant — it's one of our favourite restaurants, period.

If you’re in Ottawa and haven’t been, do yourself a favour and go. Start with the zucchini and burrata, order some smelts and wings, enjoy the pasta, and whatever you do…

ORDER THE RACK OF LAMB. You can thank us later. ❤

La Strada — our favourite, and for very good reason.“

“Great little spot for some pasta or pizza. Fabulous service, lovely indoor area and patio!
They perfected the thin crust pizza, so many good pizzas in the city but they all fall apart in the middle, just soggy, this one has a crispy crust that isn't overcooked. Excellent desserts too!

Note that the bathrooms are downstairs (like most in the city) so not super accessible if you need that.“

“Great pizza with lots of toppings! Got the 2 small 3 topping special with onion green pepper and chicken. Lots of peppers and big pieces of chicken. The dough was fantastic too. Will definitely be going back, can’t wait to try some other menu items.“

“My experience was amazing. The food and service was genuinely outstanding. I was blown away by the customer service and friendliness of the staff. The server had impeccable knowledge of the menu and the food was to die for. I would definitely 10/10 recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants to be blown away by a local restaurant with unique interior and delicious one of kind cuisine.“

“This was our third year in a row hosting a large dinner (13 people) in the private room downstairs, and each and every time it's been the perfect experience. The AV equipment is a breeze to set up, we control the volume of the music and the temperature in the room. That space, the team, the set menu they offer- just the best!“

“We came here for our friend’s birthday 🎉 and Houda did an amazing job with everything!! She also brought a surprise birthday cake for our friend and made it special with her singing too!! We all love her vibe. 10+ service, above and beyond. The chef is also super cool and chill person! Would totally come back for cheerful atmosphere :)“

“I had not seen my brother from another mother in almost 3 years so when he visited Ottawa this past weekend I made a dinner reservation for Sunday night. I made this reservation, partly on some reviews I had seen and having eaten the lobster ravioli previously as a takeout menu option. The restaurant is in a beautiful century home with photos adjoining the walls of all the famous politicians, musicians, and other stars from Ottawa or having eaten there while visiting the capital that have eaten there. The service was exceptional, the waiter stopped by every few minutes to top up our water or ask if we needed anything. Onto the food… We found the food to be pedestrian at Best. I would’ve rated it at 3.8 and my dinner companion at 3.4 but we do not have those options here. My lobster ravioli had a sauce that was heavy enough to anchor a boat although it offered a nice flavour pallet. His veal was similar, tender with a nice mushroom sauce however it was overly salted. I recommend this place as long as you know what you’re getting ahead of time. The prices are on the high side, but certainly not the most expensive in the Ottawa region.“

“My husband and I just ate the BEST burger we have ever had!! And we eat a lot of burgers. This burger has ruined all other burgers for me. It was SO delicious!!“

“What an amazing little spot! I had the prosciutto primo (I think that’s the name) and it was DELISH, SOOOOO WORTH IT I’m gonna come back here every time I’m visiting Ottawa. Sam was so incredibly helpful and kind and recommended the sandwhich I got which I will remember until I die, it was so delicious. I want to have the baby of the bread they use, it’s that good. There is a gorgeous patio in the back, and the atmosphere inside is super cute and is the perfect indie cafe/sandwich shop, but also very clean. Thank you guys for such a wonderful experience!!“

“My boss recommended a sandwich from here today and I am glad he did! I had the turkey sandwich on a focaccia bun and it was amazing! Highly recommend!“

“I recently celebrated my 50th birthday at Mezzanotte and it was a very nice experience. Not only is the restaurant aesthetically pleasing, the ambiance was amazing. I can’t say enough about our server Sue, she was attentive, personable, funny and made my first experience here a memorable one. We were a bigger group so I got to taste quite a few appetizers and everything was delicious. Main course was also to perfection! I can’t wait to pay them another visit soon.“

“We came for dinner right after my boyfriend proposed and we were having a great time. I took a facetime from my mom, congratulating us, and within a minute I was hanging up the call, as I know that can be irritating in a restaurant. Right before I had the chance to hang up, the women at the table next to us (that had been complaining all night to the servers about everything) began barking at me louder than I was ever speaking on the phone. I was stunned and so off-put. I decided I didn’t want their bad vibe to bring us down and when I asked the staff to move tables, they were incredibly accommodating and kind. They made us feel so much better and gave us dessert to celebrate. The food and service was fabulous, on top of everything. We will definitely be back!!“

“Excellent food!!!! Nice place!“

“Fantastic First Visit – We’ll Be Back! We had a great first experience at this lovely Italian restaurant. The atmosphere was classy yet comfortable, and the food was excellent. We shared a tasty calamari appetizer, I had a huge gourmet personal pizza, and my husband enjoyed the shrimp linguine—everything was delicious. Despite a busy restaurant and patio, the two servers handled it all with speed and care. Service was attentive, and the prices were very reasonable for the generous portions. We’ll definitely be returning!“

“We were visiting Ottawa from Nova Scotia over the holidays and my mom was looking for a good pasta meal. A good friend said his chef friends highly recommended Parma Ravioli. I called ahead to make sure they were going to be open and have product on the 27th. A lovely young lady took my order and was very professional in all manners of the phone call. About 5-10 minutes later she called back to confirm details on the lasagna. When we arrived to pick it up on the 27th they young lady behind the cash had the same voice and style when she talked and I asked her if she had taken our order initially. She replied that she had as her father I believe was from the Maritimes, so she remembered our conversation. I thanked her for how she had handled our initial order in todays age of lack of good service, and thanked her again once we had our order and headed out. Amazing how a small interaction which was so well done, sits with you a long time and we have been in hospitality for over 30 years. Thank you to her - I forgot to get her name - but outstanding service.“

“We had Canneloni and the Chicken Alfredo and both were really good! And service was super firendly and attentive! Definitely coming back!“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The food is great and the staff is amazing!“

“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.“

“Been living in Westboro for a few years and we wanted to try this new place that our neighbours told us about. What a lovely atmosphere! The service is very friendly, and they were accomodating for us to send one of their employees outside to our car to give us the pizza!! And the food is delicious!! We ordered a large pizza and the club sandwich and it was served with fries and a delicious salad on the side. Great stuff. Can't wait to come here in the summer!!“

“I absolutely recommend Dalmoro’s Fresh Pasta To Go.. the freshest pasta that one can ever find in Toronto. their pesto is my all time favourite. Their housemade classic Tiramisu and Nutella Tiramisu deserves a special mention !!!“

“Great food and fantastic service Highly recommended“

“cortese gentile professionale“

“Yessss very good , me and my wife is are best restaurant now and very nice people“

“Strolling through the Glebe while visiting from Yellowknife, we found this gem. We had such a lovely conversation about cheeses, truffles and even a tasting. It is so nice to have such a warm experience and support local shops. We look forward to enjoying our cheese selections and coming back the next time we visit. ❤️ If you are in the area, stop by for incredible Italian treasures and warm, heartfelt service, and a perfect Americano!“

“Highly recommend this place.The original authentic taste of food.“

“Strolling through the Glebe while visiting from Yellowknife, we found this gem. We had such a lovely conversation about cheeses, truffles and even a tasting. It is so nice to have such a warm experience and support local shops. We look forward to enjoying our cheese selections and coming back the next time we visit. ❤️ If you are in the area, stop by for incredible Italian treasures and warm, heartfelt service, and a perfect Americano!“

“Awesome food great staff !!!“

“Excellent location, atmosphere, service and food.“