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Hundreds of nominations, thousands of votes by our readers, and 96 winners. Here are the people’s picks for the Best of Ottawa 2023.

Psst: for our purposes, the nomination area was anywhere in the Ottawa Valley or the Outaouais.
πŸ₯‡ denotes first in category πŸ₯ˆ is the runner-up


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 β€“ 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