Alice is a newly opened vegan restaurant in Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood. This is just one of the most recent new openings in the area that’s making Little Italy the new foodie neighbourhood of Ottawa. Alice does an eight course blind tasting menu that changes seasonally. We visited a few weeks after they opened to try the inaugural menu.
August is probably the best month in Ottawa to buy all your fruits and veg at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. Literally everything in season and there is so much choice it can be hard to decide what to buy. Sunday mornings from 9am-3pm in Aberdeen Square at Lansdowne Park is where my favourite market in Ottawa takes place.
Ottawa’s newest pizza joint Farinella is an instant favourite and perfect for summer. Occupying an industrial space in Little Italy on Rochester St., Farinella is just one of the many new additions this year making it Ottawa’s up and coming foodie neighbourhood.
El Camino is one of my go-to restaurant in Ottawa and they probably make the best damn tacos in the city. You really can’t go wrong here. Most tacos are a bit pricey but at El Camino I feel like it’s totally worth it since you actually get a lot of food and it’s of course delicious.
Gongfu Bao is one of my favourite little bites in Ottawa and if you haven’t been you really should. Gongfu Bao started as a food truck but recently opened up a restaurant on Bank St. in downtown Ottawa. I’ve been a few times now and it’s always great. The bao steam buns are delicious with great flavours.
I have to admit that before Moo Shu Ice Cream I wasn’t really into ice cream but since they opened in summer 2016 on Bank Street I’ve become obsessed! Moo Shu’s ice cream flavours are so unique and unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. They use fresh and local ingredients and strive to be dietary friendly for people with those gluten or vegan concerns. This food post is less of a review and more of a rave about this little ice cream spot.
Apple picking is one of my favourite fall traditions since I love everything apple and baking apple pies. It’s so fun to get out on a beautiful, crisp autumn day and pick some apples. Mountain Orchards is located in Mountain, Ontario, just outside of Kemptville about 45 minutes south of Ottawa.
Anyone who knows me knows I have a big sweet tooth and I’m also on the hunt for new treats. While walking through the Rideau Centre I saw free chocolate so of course I went over for a sample and discovered that Alicja Confections, an Ottawa based chocolate maker/shop now has a pop-up at the Rideau Centre through the holiday season. I’ve seen Alicja Confections before on Bank St. while walking through the Glebe but I’ve never actually stopped in before. I love supporting local brands and Alicja Confections is now one of my new favourite places for a sweet treat in the city.
There are so many restaurants in Ottawa that I’ve been wanting to try for a long time and North & Navy (226 Nepean St.) has always been near to top of that list. On Saturday night we made a last minute reservation for seats at the bar to finally try this modern Northern Italian restaurant. Spoiler alert, it was amazing! Also please note that I have no skill for taking food photos in a dark restaurant, so sorry about that!
Rachel Neilson 