Travel the World Through Ottawa Restaurants

Whenever I go to a new destination I always want to try the local food. It’s such a great way to experience a new culture. It’s also an opportunity to find your new favourite dish. Whether you recreate it for yourself back home or dine out, enjoying that dish again will transport you back to the spot you visited. Before trips, my friends and I will meet at Ottawa restaurants with a cuisine similar to the place we’re about to visit. When I return, it’s a great opportunity to meet up and reminisce about the destination, or maybe introduce someone to the culture that hasn’t been there before. This mentality has fuelled a new blog series about travelling the world through Ottawa. We have such an incredible mix of international restaurants that make it easy to have breakfast in Spain, lunch in Japan, and dinner in India. 

If you’re craving a new adventure or missing a previous destination, here are some Ottawa restaurants you can visit. Get ready to do a food tour around the world in Ottawa. Pick a country or part of the world and then see where your next adventure lies. 

Europe

You’ll find lots of European delis and grocery shops throughout Ottawa. This is a great way to find favourite snacks, ingredients, and specialty items. A few include Baltyk Delicatessen, Continental Delicatessen, Stolichni Deli European Delicatessen, Wedel, and more. 

Germany 

On Sparks Street you’ll find German fare at Bier Markt.

Vienna

No visit to Vienna is complete without a visit to the historic Sacher Cafe. Enjoy the famous Sacher Torte at Stubbe Chocolates in the Byward Market. This famous torte is a chocolate cake with jam inside. While you’re in the Byward Market, enjoy a Viennese Pork Schnitzel at Das Lokal. 

Switzerland

Meule et Caquelon in Gatineau specializes in Swiss-inspired cuisine. Here you can enjoy raclette among other popular specialties. 

England

You’ll find the Cheshire Cat , a popular British pub in an old schoolhouse in Carp. Here you’ll find British classics like Yorkshire pudding, bangers and mash, fish and chips, and more.

Ireland

Transport to Ireland at Ottawa restaurant, Heart and Crown. Not only will you find popular Irish pub fare but they also host the best St. Patrick’s Day festivities in town. It’s the perfect spot to be Irish for the day. Did you know they have a countdown clock for St. Patrick’s Day?

Scotland

Deacon Brodies Pub serves up traditional Scottish pub fare. You can also find UK goodies at the Scottish and Irish Store. You’ll find everything from Scottish pastries to classic chocolate bars, chips and more. 

Portugal

Enjoy Portuguese pastries from Portuguese Bakery. Here you’ll find items like pastel de nata, a delicious Portuguese custard tart. 

Italy 

Missing Italy? There are plenty of Ottawa restaurants that offer Italian food. A few highlights are North and Navy, Town, and La Roma. If Pizza’s what you’re after, head to Pizza at Anthony’s or Roberto Pizza. 

La Bottega is a cafe and a grocery store where you’ll find many Italian classics. Get a taste of Italy with one of their cooking classes to learn how to make classic dishes yourself. For more cooking classes in the capital click here. 

Di Rienzo’s Grocery is another popular spot in Little Italy. You can get huge sandwiches from their deli and homemade cannoli. 

Greece

Enjoy authentic Greek cuisine at Ottawa restaurant, EVOO Greek Kitchen. They have lots of great appetizers, sharing plates or platters. Go as a group so you can get a taste of everything. My first time ever trying Octopus was in Greece and EVOO Greek Kitchen serves a great dish of it. They also have a sister restaurant, Mati, that specializes in Mediterranean seafood dishes.

Other popular restaurant serving Mediteranean specialties is Trofi. I’ve heard great things.

Turkey

You’ll find Turkish Village Restaurant in Orleans specializing in traditional dishes. Try one of their platters for a mix of everything. I really enjoyed the Turkish cuisine when I visited Turkey. It has lots of flavour to it and I still think about meals I had there. Make sure to get baklava. 

France

Missing France? Head to Ottawa restaurant, Metropolitan Brasserie, a Parisian-style restaurant. In the summer they have a stunning patio with lots of seating. Le Baccara inside Casino Lac Leamy where you can enjoy elevated french cuisine. You can also enjoy French fare at The Savoy Brasserie, Sur-Lie, Le Cellier.

Spain

Soca Kitchen is Spanish and Latin fusion. Enjoy a variety of classic Spanish tapas and more. Bar Laurel specializes in Spanish-style small plates. 

Poland 

Every time I hear about House of Targ their handmade perogies are also mentioned too! You can enjoy this polish favourite while you play old school arcade games. You can also get perogies for takeout at Ottawa Pierogi. 

Asia

Kowloon Market is your go-to-market for Asian specialties. I love browsing through and seeing cool snacks from abroad and finding new ones. This is where you can find those hard to find ingredients when re-creating your favourite meals. I head here before attempting any Thai dishes. 

Ottawa has a great mix of Asian restaurants in Chinatown and throughout the city. Roku is a spot that specializes in asian street food. Below you’ll find specifics for different countries.

Sri Lanka

I stumbled upon Karuna Cafe in Chinatown. They serve up South Indian and Sri Lankan flavours at great prices. Enjoy items like ulundu vadhai (Sri Lankan doughnuts), Sri Lankan patties and more. 

Philippines

Head to Lola’s Kitchen and you can enjoy plenty of specialties. Try one of their platters and you can try a mix of dishes served on banana leaves.

Thailand 

Thai food is one of my favourite cuisines! After visiting I picked up a lot of favourite dishes and even did a cooking class in Chang Mai to learn how to make some dishes at home. You can find a lot of the ingredients at Kowloon Market mentioned above.

Did you know that Ottawa has two Thai Select restaurants? It’s a certification granted by the Thai government to Thai restaurants worldwide that meet high standards for authenticity and quality. Khao Thai Restaurant and Thai Lanna are Ottawa’s Thai Select restaurants. Some of my favourite Thai dishes that I recommend trying are pad thai, red curry, massaman curry, khao soi, and mango sticky rice.

Malaysia

Craving some popular Malaysian dishes? Head to Ottawa restaurant, Chahaya Malaysia in the east end. My favourite Malaysian dish is Laksa so I can’t wait to head here and try it.

Korea 

Korean Palace offers old-fashioned, Korean BBQ with tabletop grills and hot pot dishes. There is also an all-you-can eat option. Table Sodam has Korean classics like bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, fried chicken dishes and more. You can get Korean ingredients and snacks at Seoul Mart in centretown. 

Vietnam

Vietnam is high on my list the next time I’m in Southeast Asia. Pho is a Vietnamese soup and you’ll find plenty of spots to enjoy it in Ottawa. My friends that have been to Vietnam recommend going to Mee Yung Restaurant in Chinatown. 

Japan 

No trip to Japan would be complete without sushi. Some sushi spots in Ottawa include Hokkaido Sushi, Sushi Village, C’est Japon à Suisha, 168 Sushi Buffet and more. Enjoy ramen at Sansotei Ramen on Bank Street. Go early because this spot always has a lineup. I always go for their spicy ramen. 

Kuidaore Izakaya will transport you to Japan during cherry blossom season with their beautiful atmosphere and menu to match! They have a mix of specialties, you can’t go wrong with anything!

Taiwan

This is where the very popular bubble tea comes from. You can grab some at Meow Tea, Chatime, and more. You can enjoy bubble tea and traditional Taiwanese dishes at Wang’s Noodle House.

China

Enjoy bao buns at Gong Fu Bao on Bank Street. Golden Palace is famous in Ottawa for their egg rolls.  In high school, we went to visit my family that had moved to BC and their only request was egg rolls from Golden Palace. Throughout Chinatown, you’ll find a wide range of restaurants offering traditional cuisine. I recommend taking a walk through and seeing what catches your eye. 

India 

If you want to visit India or you’re missing your trip, you need to visit Ottawa restaurant, Taj Indian Cuisine. This family restaurant has delicious and authentic Indian food. You need to try their butter chicken and garlic naan. Visit their lunchtime buffet so you can try a bit of everything. 

Middle East

There is no shortage of Shawarma spots in Ottawa. A few favourites include Shawarma King and Shawarma Palace. Nothing beats that garlic sauce. Get a pita or platter to share with friends. 

Fairouz specializes in middle eastern cuisine. Their menu features traditional herbs and spices of the Middle East. Enjoy specialties like eggplant mahshi, lamb kebab, flavours of tahini including tahini ice cream, and more.

Craving hummus and falafel? Chickpeas specializes in serving a variety of delicious, and unique falafel, and hummus options. 

There are multiple middle eastern groceries in the capital including where you can find specialty items to recreate dishes at home or you can find your favourite treats from your travels. A few include Mid-East Foods, Barakat Market, and more.

Afghanistan

Head to Ottawa restaurant, Mezbaan Restaurant to enjoy traditional Afghani dishes like bolani (stuffed flatbread) or Afghan lamb kebab. 

Iran

Check out Iranian restaurants I Cook and Persis to enjoy some traditional dishes.

Latin America

Soca Kitchen is a Spanish/Latin America fusion restaurant. Enjoy a taste across Latin America with items like yucca fries, enchiladas, tacos and more. Head to coffee shop, Happy Goat, for coffee with origins across Central/South America like Guatemala, Brazil, Peru and more. 

Mexico

Mexican food is one of my favourite types of cuisines. I haven’t made it to Mexico yet so I love trying traditional meals at restaurants in Ottawa. Enjoy authentic dishes at Ottawa restaurants like Ahora’s, La Taqueria Bonita, Burrito Borracho, Ola Cocina, Feleena’s and more. La Catrina Churros specializes in churros, a delicious Mexican dessert. El Camino offers contemporary Mexican dishes with their own spin on favourites like tacos. 

Venezuela

Soca Kitchen has a traditional Venezuelan breakfast, pabellon criollo, It includes roasted citrus pulled pork, black beans & queso blanco, scrambled eggs, arepa & toston. 

Colombia

One thing Colombia is known for is its coffee. I did a coffee tour when I visited and we learned how their climate and technique produces some of the best beans in the world. You can taste Colombia coffee at Little Victories. 

Head to Toasty Arepas for traditional Colombian cuisine.

Peru 

Petit Peru Resto specializes in Peruvian cuisine including Papas a la Huancaina (Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce), Causa (Potato Casserole) and more. You can also have specialties like ceviche at Petit Peru as well as Whalesbone and Soca Kitchen. 

El Savador

Enjoy Salvadoran specialties at Ottawa restaurant, La Cabaña. They have my personal favourite from El Savador, pupusas. It’s a corn flatbread filled with ingredients like cheese, squash or refried beans. You can also get a classic breakfast here or appetizers like fried sweet plantain, popular across Central America.

Africa

Morocco

Craving food from Morocco? Head to Ottawa restaurant, Kasbah Village. Get the Table D’hote for $39/person and enjoy a mix of Moroccan specialties.  

Cote d’Ivoire and Congo

BBQ Golden Grill is an African BBQ restaurant that serves up cuisine inspired by the traditional cuisine of Cote d’Ivoire and Congo. Try popular barbeque chicken dishes all cooked on real-wood charcoal.

West Africa 

Head to Laterange Restaurant for traditional Sengalese cuisine. 

East Africa

Alhuda Restaurant focuses on east Africa cuisine. 

Jambo Restaurant is an African restaurant inspired by the traditional foods of Eastern and Central Africa.

Ethiopia

D’Afrique Restaurant & Bar focuses on Ethiopian dishes like Kik Alicha, Kay Wat, and Yebeg Tibs.

South Africa

Enjoy South African flamed-grilled chicken at Nando’s. I love their peri-peri sauce. You can even buy it in a lot of local grocery stores and at it to your meals at home.

Australia 

Keep an eye out in the cookie section of grocery store for Tim Tams. These popular cookies in Australia are used for Tim Tam slams. You bite one corner of the cookie and then the other corner diagonal to that one. Then you dip the cookie in a warm drink and suck the liquid through it and eat it quickly before it totally melts. This was such a big thing the school gifted us and taught us about it at international orientation when I was on exchange.

I also remember how much they love their meat pies and they would throw an egg on everything from pizza to hamburgers. You also can’t forget vegemite. 

US & Canada

United States

Enjoy some classic southern dishes at Ottawa restaurant, Fatboys Southern Smokehouse. I recommend going to their all you can eat brunch on the weekends so you can try a bit of everything. Their mac n cheese is so good! You can also head to Lexington Smokehouse & Bar in Hintonburg that serves up some delicious dishes. 

You can also visit some American-style diners like King Eddy or Zak’s Diner. 

Hawaii 

Missing Hawaii? There’s a good chance you had a poke bowl while you were there. Head to Paradise Poke or Burrito Sensei on Bank Street. 

Canada 

Here are some spots you can go for some very Canadian dishes. Ottawa restaurants Feast and Revel and Fauna both focus on Canadian-inspired dishes with local ingredients. Whalesbone is a great spot to enjoy east coast seafood. Flapjacks Pancake Shack has lots of Canadian-styler offerings like their panwiches (pancake sandwich).

Beavertails are a popular pastry topped with sweet or savoury ingredients that are especially popular after skating on the canal. Poutine is a popular Canadian comfort food made with fries, cheese and gravy that you can get at spots like the Great Canadian Poutinerie. 

Canada is known for its maple syrup. Head to a spot like Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush and learn about the process of maple syrup and try it on everything from pancakes, bacon, beans and more. 

You can check out this post for a burger and beer tour through Ontario Highlands. It will bring you to some great spots and you can enjoy some beautiful sights along the way. 

Buffet des Continents in Gatineau will take your across the world under one roof. Enjoy all you can eat dishes from Asia, Greece, Italy and more. 

Carribean

Looking for flavours of the Caribbean? Head to Ottawa restaurants Island Flava, Ocho Rios Caribbean, and Island Grill Restaurant. Creole Sensations focuses on Haitian dishes. 

Have a country you’d like to add? Let me know here. 

Looking for more ways to travel the world through Ottawa? Check out this guide to cooking classes in the capital. 

Happy Exploring, 

Julia