The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Hintonburg and Wellington West are two of the most exciting neighbourhoods in Ottawa, especially if you're a foodie.
The iconic Ottawa restaurant strip is home to endless restaurants of all cuisines, price points and vibes that will satisfy your every desire. If you can dream it, you can likely find it in the Wellington West/Hintonburg area.
For those of you who love this area as much as I do — and perhaps more importantly, for those of you who may not be so familiar with it — this article is for you!
These are just a few of the best restaurants along Wellington Street West.
The Third
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Comfort Food Faves
Address: 1017 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: The Third is one of the most beloved spots in the whole city. Its reputation of value to quality is unmatched, possibly by any other place in Ottawa.
This is a community hang that always seems to be bumping. Whether it be a weekend night drinking beers at the bar, a weekday lunch on their patio, or their oh-so-special brunch, you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else like The Third.
Suzy Q Doughnuts
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Donuts
Address: 1015 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: There is a queen of donuts, and her royal majesty's name is Suzy Q. For those of you who don't know — which I can strongly assume is very few of you — Suzy Q is an artisan scratch-made donut shop that first opened in Hintonburg in 2012. These donuts turn heads everywhere they go and have built a reputation for being among the best in the city.
They have offerings for the masses, even cracking into the vegan donut market without sacrificing an ounce of quality.
This is a true neighbourhood success story that has since expanded across the city, and for good reason!
Suzy Q Menu
Elmdale Oyster House and Tavern
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Seafood & Upscale Tavern Bites
Address: 1084 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: The Elmdale is a frequented neighbourhood hang of mine, so if you ever want to have a beer together, there's a good chance you'll catch me here.
This place is amazing. The atmosphere is akin to an old-style beer hall, with wood accents covering the entirety of the dining room. The menu is rampant with delicious bites that lean heavily into — but are not limited to — seafood and can make even the pickiest of fish eaters happy. Of course, being an oyster house, they're known for their wide selection of oysters as well!
The Elmdale isn't just its food, atmosphere and great service; it's a home! There's nothing more enjoyable after a long day than walking in, grabbing a seat at the bar and shooting the breeze with whoever happens to be around you.
Long Live The Elmdale!
Bar Lupulus
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Modern Indigenous-Inspired
Address: 1242 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Elite natural wine selection: Check. Arguably the most unique beer list in the city: Check. Constantly rotating food menu that pushes boundaries and promotes locality: CHECK!
Bar Lupulus is what other gastropubs aspire to be. Whether you're in their sleek dining room or enjoying their hidden backyard patio, this is one of the coolest spots in Ottawa to get a bite or a bev.
Braumiester Bierhalle
Price: 💸
Cuisine: Bavarian Brew Hall
Address: 175 Carruthers Ave., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: While not directly on Wellington Street West, Braumiester is still tucked away just off the strip in Hintonburg. This Austrian-inspired brewpub brings Central Europe to the centre stage with its wide variety of beers on tap, which they brew themselves.
This is European right down to its core, to the point where they don't even accept tips! If you're looking for a unique experience in the area, this is it.
Anthony's
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Neapolitan-Style Pizza
Address: 1218 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: This is one of my picks for the best pizza in Ottawa, so it's safe to say this is definitely the best pizza on Wellington Street West.
Anthony's has perfected the hardest part of pizza making: the dough! This is by far the closest thing I've had in Ottawa to the pizza I ate in Naples, and with a wide variety of flavour combinations, there's something on this menu for everyone.
Petit Bill's
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Local & Sustainability-Focused Comfort Food
Address: 1293 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Petit Bill's is a classic. It has been around for a very long time and was ahead of the game in its focus on sustainability and the use of locally sourced ingredients.
This is the type of place that deserves to be declared a heritage site because of how much it's done for the city of Ottawa's hospitality scene, and it's time y'all gave it another go.
Ventuno
Price: 💸💸
Cuisine: Italian Apercina Bar
Address: 1355 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: It's no secret that I absolutely adore this place. It's a true Italian staple right in the heart of Ottawa that understands both the tradition and the quality that goes into Italian cooking.
Its small shareable-plate food menu and amaro-centric cocktail list sing to me every time I walk by the Il Negozio Nicastro that it lives inside, often altering my plans for the day so that I can pop in and say hi to the wonderful people who own and run the space.
If I had a friend visiting Ottawa for the first time, this is the first place I'd send them, without a doubt.
Supply and Demand
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Pasta & Raw Bar
Address: 1335 Wellington St. W., Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: You couldn't have possibly thought I was going to leave Supply and Demand off this list, right? It's one of the city's top restaurants across the board — firmly sitting on Canada's 100 best list, and for good reason.
Of course, they are famous for their pasta dishes, but Supply and Demand is so much more than that! A wonderful cocktail and wine selection paired with a cleverly thought-out menu makes this a winner every time.
I couldn't possibly fit every amazing spot in this one article, and there are definitely some deserving restaurants and bars that would be on here if I could write this list as a novel, but I guess I'll have to save them for a potential part two!
Please don't yell at me if your favourite place wasn't listed — I promise they're in my heart and on my mind.
