Whether you’re on a date, meeting friends or flying solo, you can easily find the perfect place to have drinks in Canada’s capital. And when local craft beer and refined wines aren’t cutting it, why not stir things up with a killer cocktail? From chic restaurants to trendy lounges and cozy pubs, check out our suggestions for great cocktail spots in Ottawa, grouped by neighbourhood and ordered roughly by distance from Parliament Hill.
Sparks Street
- Riviera (high-end creative drinks)
- Rabbit Hole (chic spot with craft cocktails)
- Jackalope (speakeasy in Rabbit Hole)
- Stolen Goods (low waste and unconventional cocktails)
ByWard Market
- Back to Brooklyn (New York inspired cocktails)
- Copper Spirits and Sights (indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge at the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market hotel)
- J’TM Restaurant Bar (elevated cocktail experience)
- The King Eddy (bright venue with craft beer and wine)
- Apothecary Lounge (speakeasy with a prohibition flair and craft-cocktails)
- Somewhere Dine Bar (refined French drinks in a sophisticated space)
- The Hyde (carefully curated stirred & shaken cocktails)
Downtown Rideau
- Zoe’s Lounge at the Fairmont Château Laurier (chandelier-bedecked spot for martinis)
Elgin Street
- The Standard (rustic-chic nightspot with elevated spirits)
- Charlotte (Buzzy lounge with midcentury decor serving craft cocktails)
Somerset Street
- Prohibition Public House (gastropub serving modern cocktails in a vintage space)
- Buyers + Cellars Tasting Room (destination for curated wine tasting)
- Union Local 613 (old-timey hangout with Southern-inspired & libations)
Just further down on Bank Steet:
- Fauna (seasonally driven and locally inspired drinks)
In between
Enjoy great drinks at these other cocktail spots throughout the area:
- Sidecar (speakeasy within Mati in Little Italy)
- Drip House Cocktail Bar (in Chinatown)
- Hintonburg Public House (on Wellington West)
If you prefer the amber nectar over killer cocktails, check out Ottawa’s Hopping Craft Beer Scene for all you need to know about local brews.
During the warmer months, discover the many great patios within the urban core, in the suburbs and in rural areas for countless streetside terraces, rooftop spots and quiet hidden gems.
