Gone are the days of having to sacrifice flavour to accommodate a dietary choice, allergy or intolerance. Canada’s capital is proof. Whatever your culinary needs, from plant-based to gluten-free, Ottawa’s got options as heavenly as they are healthy. Let’s dig in.
Vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Ottawa
Ottawa’s vegan and vegetarian restaurants include staples like The Green Door, an organic, self-serve buffet with a seasonal focus, and newcomers like St. Elsewhere, a Chinatown wine bar and eatery that’s pushing boundaries with its plant-based menu.
Each restaurant takes its meatless mandate seriously. Just try the cauliflower “wings” at Pure Kitchen and see for yourself. (There’s a reason they’ve opened locations in Westboro and Kanata, in addition to their flagship spot on Elgin Street.)
Other delicious vegetarian and vegan spots include Astoria Bistro Botanique in Gatineau (even carnivores salivate over their brunch); Peace-Garden Vegetarian, an unassuming gem nestled in the Time Square building in the ByWard Market; and Govinda’s, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Ottawa. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Ottawa restaurants with gluten-free options
Ottawa’s got you covered with a range of gluten-free options.
Chilling in Centretown? Grab a Berlin-style döner at Wolf Down on Bank Street. Loving Little Italy? Love it more with a reso at La Dolce Vita, a restaurant known for its impressive GF menu (the biggest in the city, it claims), with everything from pasta to pizza to dessert.
Other great spots for gluten-free eats include Fairouz Café in the ByWard Market (view their GF menu here) as well as Thali in downtown Ottawa, which serves up flavours of South India via award-winning chef Joe Thottungal. (The few items with gluten on their menu are clearly marked.)
Or, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, head to the Wellington West, Little Jo Berry’s and, five minutes west, Strawberry Blonde have devilishly good gluten-free treats.
The best Ottawa restaurants for mocktails
With non-alcoholic drinks growing in popularity, Ottawa restaurants are setting the bar for creativity, pouring their passion into some of the tastiest mocktails around.
At Union 613, the All Bark, No Bite features house-crafted root beer. At Riviera, the No-Groni has the bitters you want without the booze. And at El Camino, one of the city’s cocktail hotspots, you can grab a masterfully crafted virgin margarita, pina colada or mojito.
Other spots for good non-alcoholic drinks include Starling, Manor Lounge, The Belmont, Thr33’s Co. Snack Bar and others on this list.
Healthy quick bites
In a hurry? Canada’s capital is teeming with restaurants that make healthy dining a dash.
Founded in Ottawa, Mad Radish has six locations across the city and serves up hearty bowls, burritos and salads that taste as good as they make you feel.
Paradise Poké on Bank Street and Holland Avenue is a local favourite. Their bowls are colourfully vibrant and bursting with tropical flavours. If raw fish isn’t your thing, they’ve got excellent tofu options, too.
Other spots for a fresh, quick meal include Freshii, Green Rebel, PI·RHO Grill (Greek bowls and pitas) and Chickpeas, Ottawa’s first and only falafel and hummus eatery. For healthy drinks, check out one of Juice Dudez’s four locations across the city.
Ready, set, eat
Wherever you are in the city, you won’t have to go far to fuel up on something both tasty and nutritious. These restaurants are just the tip of the iceberg. And while not every restaurant in Ottawa is 100% calorically conscious, or vegan, or gluten-, nut- or dairy-free, many can accommodate with a diverse array of options. Bon appétit!
