I consider myself a pretty big foodie, and eating out has always been one of my top (and most expensive) hobbies. <\/p>\n
Growing up in Ottawa<\/a> meant that I got to try a lot of incredible restaurants, and one of the things I love most about the city is how many different cuisines you can find.<\/p>\n Since moving to Japan, I’ve eaten tons of amazing food and even tried some of the iconic chains we have back home<\/a>. But even surrounded by these great eats, I find myself craving the best restaurants<\/a> in Ottawa<\/a> now and again.<\/p>\n I definitely haven’t eaten everywhere in the capital \u2014 tragic, I know \u2014 and these picks aren’t in any particular order. They\u2019re just some of Ottawa’s best restaurants (in my opinion) that I still catch myself daydreaming about whenever I want a taste of home.<\/p>\n And of course, there are plenty of other great spots<\/a> that didn’t make this list!<\/p>\n Le Mien Craft Noodle<\/p>\n I\u2019m a sucker for a good soup, so there had to be a noodle spot on this list.<\/p>\n I remember the first time I walked by Le Mein in the ByWard Market and saw them hand-pulling noodles right in the window. Between that and the smell drifting outside, I knew I had to try it.<\/p>\n Let’s just say I was hooked, and there have definitely been periods where I grabbed a soup there three (or more) days in a row.<\/p>\n They specialize in hand-pulled Chinese noodle soups, and they\u2019re absolutely incredible. It’s also so fun to watch them make the noodles right in front of you while you wait \u2014 I love anything made from scratch, so it kind of feels like dinner and a show.<\/p>\n If you’re not sure what to order, I\u2019d recommend the traditional hand-pulled noodle soup with beef. I always get it spicy and usually go with the two xi noodles, though honestly, you can\u2019t go wrong with any of the noodle styles there.<\/p>\n I already know I\u2019ll be stopping in as soon as I\u2019m back in Ottawa.<\/p>\n S\u00ed Se\u00f1or Mexican Street Food<\/p>\n I love Mexican food, and burritos have been in my top five favourite foods since I was a kid. So naturally, there had to be at least one or two Mexican spots on this list.<\/p>\n When I lived in downtown Ottawa, I remember walking down Rideau Street and being drawn in by S\u00ed Se\u00f1or\u2019s fun, colourful exterior, but the food always kept me coming back.<\/p>\n I’ve had my fair share of Mexican dishes, but S\u00ed Se\u00f1or won me over with its fresh, traditional flavours \u2014 and the menu has plenty of great options to choose from, too.<\/p>\n Of course, I\u2019m a big fan of the burritos, but I also always recommend the beef quesabirrias. <\/p>\n Anything cheesy and birria-based is pretty much guaranteed to get me every time, so S\u00ed Se\u00f1or is definitely a spot I’m looking forward to visiting when I’m back home again.<\/p>\n Kettleman\u2019s Bagel Co.<\/p>\n This is one I\u2019ve been thinking about a lot since leaving Ottawa<\/a>.<\/p>\n I love a good bagel sandwich, and Kettleman’s always delivered. I’ve tried a few different sandwiches<\/a> there over the years, but the one living in my head since I moved away is the BLT.<\/p>\n A classic BLT is hard to beat, and I love that you can choose what kind of bagel you want it on. I usually go for sesame or garlic.<\/p>\n And when the pickle spear on top is nice and crunchy, everything hits.<\/p>\n I’ve also grabbed bags of their bagels to take home more times than I can count. Between the sandwiches and the other baked goods they offer, I think it’s always worth stopping in.<\/p>\n Maybe I’m not looking in the right places, but I haven’t really found bagel sandwiches like theirs in Japan, so a Kettleman’s BLT has been on my mind more than I want to admit lately.<\/p>\n The Whalesbone<\/p>\n The Whalesbone is all about seafood<\/a> \u2014 fresh oysters, shrimp, platters, you name it.<\/p>\n But here’s the funny thing: I’m not even a huge seafood person. I’ve never really gotten into the raw stuff, but if it’s baked or fried, send it my way.<\/p>\n Instead, I keep going back for their dry-aged steaks and lobster bucatini. I’m genuinely a little obsessed with that pasta\u2026<\/p>\n I’ve been to Whalesbone many times now. In fact, right after my university graduation ceremony, I went straight there for a full-on feast.<\/p>\n Their menu changes from time to time, but they used to have these amazing little roasted potatoes that I loved, too.<\/p>\n Just writing about their menu is making my mouth water. Seriously. <\/p>\n After Hours<\/p>\n I first discovered After Hours when I was living downtown and stopped by Cadman’s in Vanier.<\/p>\n As I said before, I love Mexican food, but After Hours is where I got absolutely hooked on birria tacos.<\/p>\n For a while, I ate them multiple days in a row and ordered them on Uber Eats whenever there was a BOGO deal.<\/p>\n The menu has lots of great options like different mac and cheeses, loaded fries, and other snacks, but the tacos are the main event<\/a> for me.<\/p>\n I’ve tried both the beef and chicken versions, and the chicken birria totally won me over. It’s incredibly juicy and packed with flavour, especially dipped in the consomm\u00e9.<\/p>\n Perkins<\/p>\n I’ve been loyal to Perkins since I was a kid.<\/p>\n My family used to go there for breakfast relatively often, and back then, I’d always get the kids’ sprinkle pancakes with a chocolate milkshake.<\/p>\n As an adult, not much has changed. Now I add a little protein to my plate, though.<\/p>\n I mentioned earlier that burritos are in my top five favourite foods, and pancakes are too. A restaurant breakfast just doesn\u2019t feel complete to me without them.<\/p>\n Perkins makes some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had. They\u2019re buttery, super fluffy and consistently delicious.<\/p>\n I’ve had great pancakes elsewhere, both in Ottawa and here in Japan, but I still find myself thinking about Perkins pancakes all the time.<\/p>\n My go-to order is the Tremendous Twelve, because if you’re going all the way there \u2014 you might as well go all in with three eggs, four pancakes, some hash browns, and bacon.<\/p>\n And if you’re getting the hash browns, my tip is to go with the shredded ones. Always.<\/p>\n Corner Peach<\/p>\n My aunt took me to Corner Peach for the first time, and many parts of the experience have stuck with me ever since.<\/p>\n First of all, it’s such a cute space. You know what they say: look good, feel good, eat good \u2014 and here, it\u2019s all three.<\/p>\n Choosing what to order is no easy task. From what I’ve tried, the smash burger<\/a> is great, the fries are excellent, and the salads are really good, too.<\/p>\n What really secured Corner Peach a spot on this list, though, is their Peach Corner Store next door.<\/p>\n They sell takeaway food, local beer and wine, plus prepared items. But the real highlight for me was the from-scratch bakery section.<\/p>\n That’s where I tried a cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e donut.<\/p>\n I already love anything cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e style, so seeing it in donut form felt like fate. It was so ridiculously good that I still catch myself thinking about it all the time \u2014 and no donut has topped it ever since (sorry, Timmy\u2019s<\/a>).<\/p>\n The next time I’m back in Ottawa, getting another one of those donuts is an absolute must.<\/p>\n