Search

Become an Ottawa insider

Get all the intel on dining, news, and things to do in Ottawa. Every weekday morning, for free.

Latest edition: Cat rescue investigated + Police plead poverty over bodycams

Best of Ottawa Awards 2023

RESTAURANTS, BREWERIES, & DISTILLERIES

Best Cheap Deal/Meal Under $10

πŸ₯‡ Kettlemans Bagel

πŸ₯ˆ Di Rienzo Deli

Best Place to Splurge on a Meal

πŸ₯‡ North & Navy

πŸ₯ˆ Beckta Dining & Wine

Best African Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Pili Pili Charcoal Grilled Chicken

πŸ₯ˆ Chez Fatima

Best Caribbean Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Island Grill

πŸ₯ˆ Run2Patty

Best Chinese Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Yangtze Dining Lounge

πŸ₯ˆ Golden Palace

Best French Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Restaurant Les Fougeres

πŸ₯ˆ Gitanes

Best German Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Wolf Down

πŸ₯ˆ Schnitzel Works

Best Greek Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ EVOO Greek Kitchen

πŸ₯ˆ The Greek Souvlaki House

Best Indian Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Coconut Lagoon

πŸ₯ˆ Thali

Best Italian Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Vittoria Trattoria

πŸ₯ˆ Cantina Gia

Best Japanese Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Koichi Ramen

πŸ₯ˆIzakaya Shingen

Best Korean Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Datsun

πŸ₯ˆ Table SODAM

Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Fairouz Cafe

πŸ₯ˆ 3 Brothers Shawarma & Poutine

Best Sri-Lankan Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Ceylonta

πŸ₯ˆ Kothu Rotti

Best Thai Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Green Papaya

πŸ₯ˆ Siam Bistro

Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant

πŸ₯‡ Green Door Restaurant & Bakery

πŸ₯ˆ Pure Kitchen

Best Wine List

πŸ₯‡ Soif Bar Γ  vin

πŸ₯ˆ Beckta Dining & Wine

Best Brunch

πŸ₯‡ The Manx Pub

πŸ₯ˆ Wilf & Ada's

Best Burger

πŸ₯‡ Pearson Street SmashBurgerS N’ Melts

πŸ₯ˆ The Works (Bank Street)

πŸ₯ˆ Chez Lucien

Best Gluten-free Meal

πŸ₯‡Pho Van Van

πŸ₯ˆ La Dolce Vita

Best Pizza

πŸ₯‡ Pizza Nerds

πŸ₯ˆ Heartbreakers

Best Shawarma

πŸ₯‡ Shawarma Palace

πŸ₯ˆ Shawarma King

Best Fish & Chips

πŸ₯‡ Cheshire Cat Pub

πŸ₯ˆ Pelican Seafood Market & Grill

Best Poutine

πŸ₯‡ Pearson Street SmashBurgerS N’ Melts

πŸ₯ˆ Elgin Street Diner

Best Taco

πŸ₯‡ El Camino

πŸ₯ˆ Yakko Takko

Best Food Truck

πŸ₯‡ Pearson Street SmashBurgerS N’ Melts

πŸ₯ˆ The Merry Dairy

Best Bakery

πŸ₯‡ Bread By Us

πŸ₯ˆ Black Walnut Bakery

Best Doughnuts

πŸ₯‡ SuzyQ Doughnuts

πŸ₯ˆ Maverick's Donuts

Best Bagels

πŸ₯‡ Kettlemans Bagel

πŸ₯ˆ Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli

Best Coffee Roastery

πŸ₯‡ Happy Goat Coffee Co.

πŸ₯ˆ Equator Coffee Roasters

Best Place to Grab a Coffee

πŸ₯‡ Happy Goat Coffee Co.

πŸ₯ˆ Morning Owl Coffeehouse

Best Ice-cream/Gelato

πŸ₯‡ Moo Shu Ice Cream & Kitchen

πŸ₯ˆ The Merry Dairy

Best Local Distillery

πŸ₯‡ Top Shelf Distillers

πŸ₯ˆ Dairy Distillery (Vodkow)

Best Local Beer

πŸ₯‡ Sunsplit IPA (Dominion City)

πŸ₯ˆ Amber Ale (Ashton Brewing Company)

Best Local Brewery

πŸ₯‡ Dominion City Brewing Co.

πŸ₯ˆ Beyond the Pale Brewing Company

Best Patio

πŸ₯‡ Tavern On The Falls

πŸ₯ˆ Banditos

Best Pub/Bar

πŸ₯‡ Cheshire Cat Pub

πŸ₯ˆ Bowman's Bar & Grill

Best Art Supply Shop

πŸ₯‡ Wallack's Art Supplies & Framing

πŸ₯ˆ Wool-Tyme


SHOPS + SERVICES

Best Bike Shop

πŸ₯‡ Bushtukah

πŸ₯ˆ Full Cycle Bike Shop

Best Bookstore

πŸ₯‡ Black Squirrel Books & Espresso Bar

πŸ₯ˆ Perfect Books

Best New Business

πŸ₯‡ Sharpfle Waffle

πŸ₯ˆ Torta Boyz

Best Cannabis Dispensary

πŸ₯‡ Stash & Co.

πŸ₯ˆ Spiritleaf Cannabis Dispensary

Best Eyewear Shop

πŸ₯‡ eyeDOCS

πŸ₯ˆ Nuvo Optometry

Best Farmers’ Market

πŸ₯‡ Lansdowne

πŸ₯ˆ Parkdale

πŸ₯ˆ Carp

Best Furniture / Decor Shop

πŸ₯‡ highjinx

πŸ₯ˆ The Modern Shop

Best Grocery Store

πŸ₯‡ Farm Boy

πŸ₯ˆ MarchΓ© Hintonburg

Best Organic Grocery Store

πŸ₯‡ Farm Boy

πŸ₯ˆ Herb & Spice Food & Wellness Shop

Best Piercing or Tattoo Shop

πŸ₯‡ New Moon Tattoo

πŸ₯ˆ Sorry Mum Tattoo Studio

Best Real Estate Agent

πŸ₯‡ Andy & Paddy McCarthy

πŸ₯ˆ Christine Hauschild

Best Women’s Apparel Shop

πŸ₯‡ Flock Boutique

πŸ₯ˆ Three Wild Women

Best Men’s Apparel Shop

πŸ₯‡ Stomping Ground

πŸ₯ˆ E.R. Fisher Menswear

Best Record/CD Shop

πŸ₯‡ Vertigo Records

πŸ₯ˆ The Record Centre

Best Spa

πŸ₯‡ Nordik Spa-Nature

πŸ₯ˆ Kōena Spa

Best Vintage Clothing Shop

πŸ₯‡ 613Flea

πŸ₯ˆ St. Vincent De Paul

Best Vintage Decor Shop

πŸ₯‡ 613Flea

πŸ₯ˆ St. Vincent De Paul



CULTURE

Best Local Band

πŸ₯‡ MonkeyJunk

πŸ₯ˆ Amos the Transparent

Best Local Solo Musician

πŸ₯‡ Kathleen Edwards

πŸ₯ˆSam Davs

Best Place to Discover Local Music

πŸ₯‡ House of TARG

πŸ₯ˆ Irene’s Pub & Restaurant

Best Large Music Venue

πŸ₯‡ National Arts Centre

πŸ₯ˆ Bronson Centre

Best Small Music Venue

πŸ₯‡ House of TARG

πŸ₯ˆ Irene’s Pub & Restaurant

Best Large Festival

πŸ₯‡ Bluesfest

πŸ₯ˆ City Folk

Best Small Festival

πŸ₯‡ Ottawa Greekfest

πŸ₯ˆ Ottawa Asian Fest

Best Local Film Festival

πŸ₯‡ International Film Festival of Ottawa

πŸ₯ˆ Ottawa International Animation Festival

Best Nightclub

πŸ₯‡ The Lookout

πŸ₯ˆ 27 Club

Best Art Gallery

πŸ₯‡ National Gallery of Canada

πŸ₯ˆ Ottawa Art Gallery

Best Museum

πŸ₯‡ Canadian Museum of Nature

πŸ₯ˆ Canadian Museum of History

Best Independent Cinema

πŸ₯‡ The Mayfair Theatre

πŸ₯ˆ Bytown Cinema

Best Comedian

πŸ₯‡ Tom Green

πŸ₯ˆ Sophie Hayes

Best Comedy Club

πŸ₯‡ Absolute Comedy

πŸ₯ˆ Yuk Yuks

Best Live Theatre Venue

πŸ₯‡ National Arts Centre

πŸ₯ˆ The Gladstone

πŸ₯ˆ Ottawa Little Theatre

Best Local Theatre Group

πŸ₯‡ Ottawa Little Theatre

πŸ₯ˆ GCTC

Best Karaoke Night

πŸ₯‡ Irene’s Pub & Restaurant Live Band Karaoke

πŸ₯ˆ Lowertown Brewery Full Band Karaoke

πŸ₯ˆ Minotaure

Best Open Mic Night

πŸ₯‡ LIVE on Elgin

πŸ₯ˆ The Laff

Best Trivia Night

πŸ₯‡ Lieutenant's Pump

πŸ₯ˆ Ward 14

MEDIA

Best Local Podcast

πŸ₯‡ Maker House

πŸ₯ˆ Bad + Bitchy

Best Local Instagram Account

πŸ₯‡ @pearsonstreet1

πŸ₯ˆ @explore.613

πŸ₯ˆ @whatthehull_

Best Local Twitter Account

πŸ₯‡ @thatwalkingguy

πŸ₯ˆ @dylanblackradio

Best Local TikTok Account

πŸ₯‡ @stittsvilleonpatrol

πŸ₯ˆ @msconduct

Best Local News Website

πŸ₯‡ Ottawa Reddit

πŸ₯ˆ Apt 613

Best Local Newsletter

πŸ₯‡ Ottawa Road Trips

πŸ₯ˆ CBC Ottawa

Best Local Morning Radio Host(s)

πŸ₯‡ Robyn Bresnahan – CBC Radio One

πŸ₯ˆ Mauler, Rush, Jenni, and Brady – Morning Hot Tub The New Hot 89.9

Best Local Afternoon Radio Host

πŸ₯‡ Alan Neal – CBC Radio One

πŸ₯ˆ Chelsea Miller – Live 88.5

Best Local Media Personality

πŸ₯‡ Stuntman Stu

πŸ₯ˆ Matt Skube

Best Local Campus / Community Radio Station

πŸ₯‡ CKCU Carleton University

πŸ₯ˆ CHUO University of Ottawa

Best Large Radio Station

πŸ₯‡ CBC Radio One FM 91.5

πŸ₯ˆ Live FM 88.5



PEOPLE + PLACES

Local Activist / Activist Group of the year

πŸ₯‡ Catherine McKenney

πŸ₯ˆ Bike Ottawa

Local Activist Campaign of the year

πŸ₯‡ A Better Lansdowne

πŸ₯ˆ Critical Mass

Local Community Hero of the year

πŸ₯‡ Catherine McKenna

πŸ₯ˆ Dr. Nili Kaplan Myrth

Favourite Local Who is Now Big Time Famous

πŸ₯‡ Ryan Reynolds

πŸ₯ˆ Sandra Oh

Best City Councillor

πŸ₯‡ Shawn Menard – Capital Ward

πŸ₯ˆ Jeff Leiper – Kitchissippi Ward

Best Member of Provincial Parliament

πŸ₯‡ Joel Harden – Ottawa Centre

πŸ₯ˆ John Fraser – Ottawa South

Best Member of Parliament

πŸ₯‡ Yasir Naqvi – Ottawa Centre

πŸ₯ˆ Pierre Poilievre – Carleton

Best Neighbourhood

πŸ₯‡ Centretown

πŸ₯ˆ The Glebe

Best Transit Route

πŸ₯‡ 7

πŸ₯ˆ 11

Best Worst Transit Route

πŸ₯‡ O Train Line 1

πŸ₯ˆ 6

πŸ₯ˆ 11

Best Hike

πŸ₯‡ Gatineau Park

πŸ₯ˆ Luskville Falls