7 classic Ottawa restaurants that local chefs keep going back to over and over
The pros love these spots!
Left: Someone dining at North & Navy. Right: A meal at North & Navy.
Ever wonder where the city's chefs unwind and indulge when they're off-duty? We’ve got the inside scoop on seven longstanding Ottawa restaurants the pros swear by.
These spots have withstood the test of time, dishing out top-notch food that has earned them high praise among local foodies and industry insiders alike. Which is an impressive feat, to say the least.
So without further ado, here are some of the best longstanding or classic Ottawa restaurants local chefs and other hospitality professionals can't get enough of.
The Pelican Seafood Market and Grill
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Seafood
Address: 1500 Bank St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Pelican hits all the marks when it comes to a classic and then some. It's been around since 1978, with the restaurant portion added to its current location in 1996.
For decades Pelican has been serving up fresh seafood bites to Ottawans, including the chef of the Beyond the Pale (BTP) ByWard taproom, Rich Wilson.
Wilson chose Pelican as his favourite classic in Ottawa, and BTP's co-founder Rob McIsaac agreed.
The Whalesbone
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Seafood
Address: 231 Elgin St., 430 Bank St., 504A Kent St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: The Whalesbone is a fun classic in Ottawa that has been making magic happen all over Centertown for as long as anyone can remember.
From their original location on Bank Street to the new and modernized Elgin Street location, to the fish market on Kent, the Whalesbone has earned its stripes as seafood legends in the city.
This is probably why Rachel, one of the co-owners and bakers at Bread By Us, chose it as her go-to spot.
North & Navy
Price: 💸💸💸💸
Cuisine: Northern Italian
Address: 226 Nepean St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: North & Navy, or NoNa, is a northern Italian restaurant inside of what is basically a renovated house. The innovation, execution, and level of service are some of the best in the city of Ottawa.
All of these amazing qualities landed NoNa a spot on this year's Canada's 100 best list, but more importantly, has landed it squarely in the hearts of Ottawans everywhere.
This includes another co-owner and baker at Bread By Us, Jess, who chose this spot as her favourite in Ottawa.
This is the type of place that will be mentioned in the city's hospitality lore for decades to come.
Al Noor Bakery
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Lebanese bakery
Address: 70 Wylie Ave., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Al Noor Bakery has been in business for over a decade, serving up Lebanese pies that have kept local Ottawans coming back year after year. Which includes Simon Bell, co-head chef at the Parkdale Food Centre.
Bell has a love for Al Noor, not only for its quality but its affordability and service.
Al's Steakhouse
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Classic steakhouse
Address: 327 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Al's Steakhouse may very well be the king of all classics in Ottawa. It has been around for over 50 years. This beloved steakhouse has been mentioned as the favourite of many Ottawa hospitality professionals, including the head chef and owner of one of the hottest tasting menus in town.
Chef Sarath Teegavarapu of Katha, the Indian-inspired restaurant with an 8-course tasting menu, chose Al's without hesitation.
Moonroom
Price: 💸💸💸💸
Cuisine: Cocktail Bar
Address: 442 Preston St., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Moonroom is a certified classic. Its gorgeous atmosphere, upscale cocktails, and friendly staff have kept it kickin' around in Ottawa's Little Italy for a long time.
The place is legendary, and that was surely factored in when Justin Champagne-Lagarde, head chef and owner of Perch shouted Moonroom out as his favourite Ottawa classic.
Petit Bills
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Newfoundland-influenced French fare
Address: 1293 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: In April of 2007, Petit Bills opened as an homage to the owner's parents. People who embraced the idea of east coast hospitality in everything they did.
Petit Bills was founded on the idea that taking care of others and making them feel at home was one of the most admirable aspirations you could have in your day-to-day life. Now, 17 years later Petit Bills continues to uphold this level of pride in what they do.
This is exactly why Sal, Manager and menu curator at Ventuno and Il Negozio Nicastro on Wellington Street claimed Petit Bills as his best Ottawa classic.
Classics only come around so often. A new concept is born regularly, but one that can withstand the test of time in the hospitality industry is about as rare as it gets.