I don’t care about the view — I care about the food
Astoria, located in Gatineau, is one of our favourite vegan restaurants in the area. From the moment you walk in, you notice how nice the space looks, with a modern and comfortable atmosphere. The staff are very friendly, and service comes with the added bonus of being highly attentive to allergies, which shows real care for their patrons.
Located on Merivale Road, Red Lobster is a chain that many are familiar with, though in recent years there has been talk about the company facing financial troubles. With that in mind, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when we walked in.
The first impression was positive: the restaurant has a large dining room with plenty of seating. It wasn’t overly busy when we visited, and service was friendly and attentive. Our server made the experience enjoyable and ensured dishes arrived fairly quickly. Lots of free parking in the large parking lot of the plaza.
Located on Merivale Road in a small plaza, Meet Noodle is one of those places you might easily drive past without noticing. That’s exactly how we stumbled across it — with little expectation going in. To our surprise, it turned out to be a fantastic little spot serving high-quality noodle soups with the kind of care and attention that make you want to come back.
Located on Merivale Road in Ottawa, Gyubee is a Japanese BBQ (yakiniku) restaurant where you order unlimited plates of raw meat, grill them yourself at the table, and enjoy as much as you can within the two-hour limit.
Golden 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 already feels like a nice addition to the neighbourhood.
Located 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 trails. It has become a kind of community hub — a place where you can relax, chat with friends, and enjoy food that is a notch above what you might expect from a typical pub.
Located 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.
Wise 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 laptop, enjoy a slice of cake with coffee, or meet a friend for a quick drink.
Sammi 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 we arrived, it was already quite busy inside, and it stayed that way throughout our meal.
Heart 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. When we visited, the restaurant wasn’t very busy, which made it easy to grab a table and settle in without feeling rushed.