Ottawa Food Reviews Focused on Taste and Value
Ottawa’s food scene continues to grow, with everything from casual takeout spots to higher-end dining and a wide range of international cuisine. Tastes of Ottawa is dedicated to reviewing restaurants across the city with a focus on what actually matters: the food itself.
Each review breaks down individual dishes based on flavour, execution, and whether the price feels justified. Instead of relying on vague star ratings, every dish is evaluated using the EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value), giving a clearer and more consistent way to understand if something is truly worth ordering.
All reviews are based on firsthand visits. I personally visit each restaurant, pay for every meal, and take all photos myself. The goal is to provide honest, independent opinions with no outside influence.
Below, you’ll find my most recent reviews — a mix of new restaurant visits, popular spots, and dishes that stood out, for better or worse. Whether you’re deciding where to eat or just curious about what’s worth trying, these reviews are meant to give you a straightforward and reliable perspective.
What You’ll Find on Tastes of Ottawa
- Detailed dish-by-dish reviews focused on taste and value
- Honest opinions based on real visits
- Original photos taken at each restaurant
- A consistent rating system through the EV Score
Recent Reviews
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Golden Ox Noodles Ottawa Review – Tender Pork Belly and Bold Coconut Broth – Average EV Score: 6.4/10
Read more: Golden Ox Noodles Ottawa Review – Tender Pork Belly and Bold Coconut Broth – Average EV Score: 6.4/10Golden Ox Noodles is a relatively new addition to Ottawa’s dining scene, having only opened a few months ago. It is located right in the heart of Little Italy on Preston Street, an area already known for its concentration of restaurants. The space replaced an Indian restaurant, and while it hasn’t been around long, it…
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Chelsea Pub Review – Relaxed Vibe, Friendly Service, and a Standout Burger – Average EV Score: 6.2/10
Read more: Chelsea Pub Review – Relaxed Vibe, Friendly Service, and a Standout Burger – Average EV Score: 6.2/10Located in the heart of Chelsea, Quebec, the Chelsea Pub has long been a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors alike. Situated just a short distance from Gatineau Park, it naturally attracts a steady stream of runners, bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts who stop in for a drink and a meal after enjoying the park’s…
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Datsun Ottawa Review – Honest Look at Trendy Décor and Disappointing Flavours – Average EV Score: 5.4/10
Read more: Datsun Ottawa Review – Honest Look at Trendy Décor and Disappointing Flavours – Average EV Score: 5.4/10Located on Elgin Street in Ottawa, Datsun is one of the city’s well-known restaurants that attracts crowds for its trendy décor and creative spin on Asian-inspired dishes. The space has lots of seating, and the decor is modern and stylish, making it feel like one of the more polished dining rooms in the area.
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Wise Town Cafe Ottawa Review – Overpriced Desserts and Underwhelming Experience – Average EV Score: 4.6/10
Read more: Wise Town Cafe Ottawa Review – Overpriced Desserts and Underwhelming Experience – Average EV Score: 4.6/10Wise Town Cafe positions itself as a modern coffee and dessert spot where you can sit down for drinks, cakes, and casual conversation. At first glance, the Wise Town Cafe looks inviting enough, with decent décor and a reasonable amount of seating inside. It’s a place that seems designed for people to linger with a…
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Sammi and Soupe Dumpling Ottawa Review – Authentic Soup Dumplings in the ByWard Market – Average EV Score: 5.7/10
Read more: Sammi and Soupe Dumpling Ottawa Review – Authentic Soup Dumplings in the ByWard Market – Average EV Score: 5.7/10Sammi and Soupe Dumpling is located in Ottawa’s ByWard Market, a busy area with plenty of dining options but very limited parking. On a weekend evening, it can be a challenge to find a spot close by. When we visited, we ended up parking several blocks over and walking to the restaurant. By the time…
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Heart and Crown Preston Ottawa Review – A Classic Irish Pub Experience in Little Italy – Average EV Score: 4.8/10
Read more: Heart and Crown Preston Ottawa Review – A Classic Irish Pub Experience in Little Italy – Average EV Score: 4.8/10Heart and Crown is a well-known name in Ottawa, with several locations spread across the city. This review focuses on their Preston Street location, right in the heart of Little Italy. Unlike the bustling ByWard Market branch, which is famous for its nightlife scene, this spot feels a bit more low-key, at least on weeknights.…
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La Roma Restaurant Ottawa Review – Classic and Flavourful Italian Cuisine in Little Italy – Average EV Score: 5.9/10
Read more: La Roma Restaurant Ottawa Review – Classic and Flavourful Italian Cuisine in Little Italy – Average EV Score: 5.9/10La Roma is located right in the heart of Ottawa’s Little Italy. It’s an area lined with Italian restaurants and cafés, which makes it a competitive spot for any restaurant to stand out. We decided to stop in for lunch on a Friday, and surprisingly, the place wasn’t very busy at all. Including our table,…
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Sona The Indian Kitchen Ottawa Review – Authentic Indian Flavours and Generous Portions – Average EV Score: 6.4/10
Read more: Sona The Indian Kitchen Ottawa Review – Authentic Indian Flavours and Generous Portions – Average EV Score: 6.4/10Sona The Indian Kitchen is tucked away in a plaza on Hunt Club Road — the kind of place you wouldn’t stumble upon unless someone told you about it. Despite being a little hard to find, it’s clearly well known in the community because the restaurant was very busy when we visited. The space itself…
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Schoolhouse Pizza Ottawa Review – Flavourful Buffalo NY Pizza but Disappointing Crust – Average EV Score: 6.5/10
Read more: Schoolhouse Pizza Ottawa Review – Flavourful Buffalo NY Pizza but Disappointing Crust – Average EV Score: 6.5/10Schoolhouse Pizza serves up generously topped pies with creative flavour combinations. The Buffalo NY sounded promising with its mix of tomato sauce, mozzarella, chicken, jalapeño, shallots, Frank’s buffalo hot sauce, crème fraîche, and cilantro. While the flavour was solid, the crust let it down.
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Farinella Snack Bar Ottawa Review – Smooth Pistachio Gelato with Room for More Flavour – Average EV Score: 5.5/10
Read more: Farinella Snack Bar Ottawa Review – Smooth Pistachio Gelato with Room for More Flavour – Average EV Score: 5.5/10Located in Ottawa’s Little Italy, Farinella Snack Bar is a small offshoot of the Farinella brand. While their other locations on Rochester Street and March Road are well known for serving up some of Ottawa’s most talked-about pizza, this particular spot specializes exclusively in gelato. It’s a compact place, more of a quick stop than…
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Umbrella Burger Ottawa Review – Solid Cheeseburger and Surprisingly Great Curly Fries – Average EV Score: 8/10
Read more: Umbrella Burger Ottawa Review – Solid Cheeseburger and Surprisingly Great Curly Fries – Average EV Score: 8/10Located in Ottawa’s Little Italy, Umbrella Burger is a very casual spot that specializes in keeping things simple: burgers, fries, and drinks. The restaurant isn’t very large, with just a few tables inside and a small patio out front for warmer days. It’s clearly designed more for quick bites or casual hangs rather than a…
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Cha Kee Restaurant Markham Review – Honest Look at a Modern HK Café with Hits and Misses – Average EV Score: 6.6/10
Read more: Cha Kee Restaurant Markham Review – Honest Look at a Modern HK Café with Hits and Misses – Average EV Score: 6.6/10Cha Kee Restaurant offers a modern take on Hong Kong-style café fare with a stylish space and broad menu. While some dishes hit the mark—especially the pork chop noodles and creative twist on French toast—others suffered from inconsistency, particularly the curry beef brisket.
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Linh Anh Vietnamese Cuisine Markham Review – Incredible Bone Marrow and Steamed Rice Rolls Worth the Hype – Average EV Score: 8.7/10
Read more: Linh Anh Vietnamese Cuisine Markham Review – Incredible Bone Marrow and Steamed Rice Rolls Worth the Hype – Average EV Score: 8.7/10Linh Anh Vietnamese Cuisine is a bustling spot in Unionville with all tables full during our visit—a great sign. Despite the crowd, service was efficient and the kitchen delivered a range of standout dishes. While pho may be the go-to here, their expanded menu includes items not commonly found at similar restaurants, and they do…
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Panash Bakery Markham Review – Hit-or-Miss Buns with Great Texture but Disappointing Cakes – Average EV Score: 5.8/10
Read more: Panash Bakery Markham Review – Hit-or-Miss Buns with Great Texture but Disappointing Cakes – Average EV Score: 5.8/10Panash Bakery offers a variety of Chinese and Asian-style baked goods in a modern, clean setting. While some items delivered on expected textures and flavours, others fell flat either due to dryness or misleading presentation. It’s a decent stop if you’re nearby, but not everything is worth a try.
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Kingsfield Chinese Cuisine Markham Review – Great Service, Mixed Dim Sum Results – Average EV Score: 6.7/10
Read more: Kingsfield Chinese Cuisine Markham Review – Great Service, Mixed Dim Sum Results – Average EV Score: 6.7/10Kingsfield Chinese Cuisine is a slightly upscale dim sum spot in Markham with attentive service and a modern setting. The experience overall was pleasant, and the service stood out as one of the stronger aspects. While several dim sum staples were well-executed, others missed the mark in flavour or presentation.
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Good Taste Casserole Rice Markham Review – Flavour-Packed Clay Pot Rice Worth the Trip – Average EV Score: 8.3/10
Read more: Good Taste Casserole Rice Markham Review – Flavour-Packed Clay Pot Rice Worth the Trip – Average EV Score: 8.3/10Good Taste Casserole Rice sits in a plaza with lots of parking. The plaza setting makes it convenient to visit compared to downtown Toronto restaurants where parking is often a headache. You can usually pull right into a spot without much hassle, which is especially helpful if you’re arriving in the evening or on weekends.
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Moo Shu Ice Cream Ottawa Review – Incredible Waffle Cone but Disappointing Black Sesame Flavour – Average EV Score: 5.6/10
Read more: Moo Shu Ice Cream Ottawa Review – Incredible Waffle Cone but Disappointing Black Sesame Flavour – Average EV Score: 5.6/10Moo Shu is known for its creative Asian-inspired ice cream flavours and small-batch production. The shop is stylish and popular with locals, especially in summer months. While the waffle cone was a highlight, the flavour of the ice cream missed the mark this time.
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Pho Viet Noodle Ottawa Review – Truth About Slow Service and Dry Beef in Hintonburg – Average EV Score: 5.8/10
Read more: Pho Viet Noodle Ottawa Review – Truth About Slow Service and Dry Beef in Hintonburg – Average EV Score: 5.8/10Pho Viet Noodle is located in Hintonburg, an area known for its vibrant mix of cafés, restaurants, and shops. Like most businesses in this neighbourhood, there’s no dedicated parking lot, so you’ll need to rely on street parking. It’s manageable, but depending on the time of day, you may find yourself circling a bit before…
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Amazonas Peruvian Restaurant Review – Vibrant Celebration of Peruvian Cuisine in Gatineau – Overall EV Score: 6/10
Read more: Amazonas Peruvian Restaurant Review – Vibrant Celebration of Peruvian Cuisine in Gatineau – Overall EV Score: 6/10Amazonas Peruvian Restaurant is a well-known spot in Gatineau, popular among the local Peruvian community for offering authentic dishes that remind many of home. It’s regarded as one of the few reliable places in the area for Peruvian cuisine, and it has built up a strong reputation over the years.
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Dumpling Bliss Ottawa Review – Decent Dumplings and a Surprisingly Great Dessert – Average EV Score: 6.8/10
Read more: Dumpling Bliss Ottawa Review – Decent Dumplings and a Surprisingly Great Dessert – Average EV Score: 6.8/10Dumpling Bliss is located in Centretown, but the restaurant is a little hidden away. It’s not in a main area where you’d naturally expect to find a restaurant, so it almost feels like a spot you’d only know about if someone told you. That said, once you do find it, the space is quite nice.…