Co Oi Kitchen Ottawa Review – Overpriced Vietnamese Food That Doesn’t Deliver on Quality – Average EV Score: 5.2/10
Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa
Each dish is rated using our EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value Score), based on enjoyment, price paid, and benchmark pricing.
Table of Contents
Co Oi Kitchen Restaurant Overview
103 Fourth Ave, Ottawa, ON K1S 2L1
Co Oi Kitchen is a recently opened Vietnamese restaurant in the fall of 2025 located on Fourth Avenue in the Glebe, an area already known for higher rents and, unsurprisingly, higher menu prices. From the start, it’s clear this restaurant is positioning itself as a more upscale take on Vietnamese cuisine.
When I saw that a new Vietnamese restaurant opened up, I was excited to go and try it. When we were there, not very many tables were taken. Maybe it was due to it being fairly new.
The dining room itself is small and fairly minimal, with limited seating. There’s no dedicated parking, which isn’t unexpected given the neighbourhood, so if you’re driving, you’ll need to rely on street parking, which can be frustrating depending on the time of day.
Service was fine and polite, but nothing about the experience stood out enough to offset the biggest issue here: price versus value. Vietnamese food is traditionally known for being affordable, comforting, and flavourful. At Co Oi Kitchen’s price point, I expected the food to be noticeably better than other Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa — either through portion size, ingredient quality, or execution. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
There are many Vietnamese restaurants across the city that offer the same or better quality food at significantly lower prices. Because of that, Co Oi Kitchen struggles to justify its premium positioning.
Would return? No.
Spring Rolls
Menu description: Fried rolls with pork, shrimp, mushroom, wood ear, carrot, vermicelli, cilantro.
Enjoyment: 8/10
Price Paid: $10
Benchmark Price: $8
EV Score: 6.4/10
Order Again? No.
The spring rolls were genuinely good. They were nicely fried, with a crisp exterior that wasn’t greasy, and the filling of pork, shrimp, mushroom, wood ear, carrot, vermicelli, and cilantro tasted fresh and well-balanced. The accompanying fish sauce was also solid and paired well with the rolls.
From a flavour and texture standpoint, these were well executed and enjoyable to eat. The problem, once again, comes down to price. For what is essentially a classic Vietnamese appetizer, the cost felt too high, especially when comparable spring rolls can be found all over Ottawa for much less.
Good dish, but overpriced for what it is.
Red Wine Beef Stew Pho
Menu description: Tender braised beef in Cabernet Sauvignon, potatoes, carrots, and Pho spices – a French twist in Viet cuisine. Served with flat rice noodle and herbs.
Enjoyment: 5.5/10
Price Paid: $25
Benchmark Price: $18
EV Score: 4/10
Order Again? No.
This dish sounded promising on paper. The menu describes it as tender braised beef in Cabernet Sauvignon with potatoes, carrots, and pho spices, framing it as a French twist on Vietnamese cuisine. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t live up to the description.
The most immediate issue was the portion size of the beef, which was surprisingly small given the premium price. The beef itself also wasn’t as tender as expected for a braised stew. Some pieces required effort to chew, which is disappointing for a dish that should be rich and comforting.
The broth leaned more toward being mild and underwhelming than complex or deeply flavoured. While the idea of incorporating red wine into pho is interesting, the end result didn’t feel particularly elevated or memorable. The flat rice noodles were fine, and the herbs were fresh, but nothing about the dish justified its cost.
At this price point, I expected either a much larger portion, significantly better beef quality, or a broth that truly stood out from standard pho. Instead, it felt like a dish that costs more simply because it’s located in the Glebe.
Final Thoughts
Co Oi Kitchen enters the Ottawa food scene with ambition and high prices, but unfortunately, the food doesn’t back it up. While the spring rolls were well made, and the concept of dishes like the red wine beef stew pho is interesting, the overall execution falls short of what’s expected at this price level.
Vietnamese cuisine thrives on bold flavours, comfort, and value. At Co Oi Kitchen, the flavours are fine but not exceptional, and the portions — especially for mains — feel too small for the cost. When there are so many other Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa offering better value and equal or better quality, it becomes difficult to recommend this spot.
Between the limited seating, street parking challenges, and pricing that doesn’t align with the food, Co Oi Kitchen doesn’t currently offer a compelling reason to return. Unless prices are adjusted or the food quality improves significantly, this is a restaurant I’d skip in favour of more established Vietnamese spots around the city.