The 10 Best Restaurants in Ottawa ON 2026: James Beard Winners to New Gems – Definitive Guide

The 10 Best Restaurants in Ottawa ON 2026: The Definitive Guide to the Capital’s Culinary Fire

Ottawa in 2026 is no longer just the city of Parliament and poutine — it’s Canada’s rising food powerhouse, where James Beard winners serve wood-fired octopus in ByWard Market lofts and Michelin-level tasting menus bloom in Westboro warehouses. With 10 James Beard semifinalists in 2025 (including winners like Supply and Demand for Outstanding Restaurant), a surge of 2025 openings that has Ottawa Magazine calling it “the new Montreal of dining,” and hidden gems like Arlo blending global flavors with Capital soul, the Capital now rivals Toronto and Montreal for innovation and heart. From Riviera's live-fire mastery to Alice's vegetable-forward fire, Ottawa serves plates that taste like the Rideau — fresh, bold, and unapologetically local.

Curated by the Ottawa flavor obsessives at World Club Directory — online since September 2025 — this is the ultimate Ottawa restaurants guide for 2026. We've devoured every course (multiple visits in 2024–2025), cross-referenced Ottawa Magazine's Best Restaurants (updated October 2025), Eater Ottawa's 38 Essential, Yelp's Top 100, and Reddit r/ottawa threads. Zero sponsored bites — just the unmissable addresses, with reservation hacks, spend ranges ($100–$350 pp), and why they're worth the O-Train ride. Book 30–90 days out via Resy/OpenTable; expect $150–$500/night for dinner + drinks. Dig in — Ottawa's feast is calling.

Why Ottawa ON Dining Dominates 2026: From James Beard Glory to Neighborhood Fire

Ottawa's culinary supernova (25% growth in 2025 per Ottawa Tourism) stems from its perfect storm: world-class produce (Quebec foie gras, Prince Edward County wines), zero sales tax on groceries, and a chef renaissance fueled by affordable space and the Senators' energy. Ottawa Magazine's Best Restaurants 2025 highlighted Riviera as "the pinnacle of live-fire dining," while Eater's Heatmap spotlighted 2025 newcomers like Bar Lupulus' beer hall revival. Neighborhoods rule: ByWard Market's tasting-menu row, Westboro's cozy bistros, Hintonburg's global fusion. Pro tip: Use the O-Train ($3.50/ride) for downtown crawls. Updated November 2025 with confirmed 2026 pop-ups (e.g., North & Navy's new rooftop) and eco-menus (zero-waste at Supply and Demand).

The Top 10 Best Restaurants in Ottawa ON 2026 – Ranked and Unmissable

1. Riviera – Downtown's James Beard Outstanding Restaurant Semifinalist (2025)

Location: 62 Sparks St, Downtown (valet $15).

2025 James Beard Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist — live-fire mastery. 2026: New rooftop bar.

Signature: Wood-fired octopus ($32) + dry-aged ribeye ($68) Average spend: $140–$240 pp Reservation tip: Resy 60 days at 10 AM ET; walk-ins for bar

→ Riviera Reservations

2. North & Navy – Nepean’s Northern Italian Soul (James Beard Semifinalist 2025)

Location: 226 Nepean St, Centretown (valet $12).

2025 Best Chef semifinalist — Venetian cicchetti and house-made pastas. 2026: New rooftop expansion.

Signature: Tagliatelle with lamb ragu ($32) Average spend: $130–$210 pp

→ North & Navy

3. Supply and Demand – Westboro’s Raw Bar Fire (James Beard Winner 2020)

Location: 1335 Wellington St W, Westboro (valet $10).

Steve Wall's 2025 Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist — raw bar and wood-fired. 2026: New oyster bar.

Signature: Oyster platter ($48) Average spend: $120–$200 pp

→ Supply and Demand

4. Alice – Glebe’s Vegetable-Forward Gem (2025 Ottawa Magazine Best New)

Location: 540 Rochester St, Glebe (street parking $3/hr).

2025 Ottawa Magazine Best New Restaurant — vegetable-focused tasting. 2026: New rooftop garden dinners.

Signature: Charred cabbage ($28) Average spend: $130–$210 pp

→ Alice

5. Bar Lupulus – Hintonburg’s Beer Hall Revival (2025 Eater Ottawa Hit)

Location: 1116 Wellington St W, Hintonburg (valet $10).

2025 Eater Ottawa Hit List — craft beer and elevated pub fare. 2026: New rooftop.

Signature: Lupulus burger ($24) Average spend: $100–$160 pp

→ Bar Lupulus

6. Fairouz – Centretown’s Modern Middle Eastern

Location: 343 Somerset St W, Centretown

Levant-inspired — 2026: New patio.

Signature: Lamb shank ($42) Average spend: $110–$170 pp

7. Atelier – Downtown's Tasting Menu Temple

Location: 540 Rochester St, Downtown

Marc Lépine's molecular — 2026: New counter.

Signature: 12-course tasting ($225) Average spend: $250–$350 pp

8. Beckta – Elgin Street's Classic Elegance

Location: 150 Elgin St, Downtown

Stephen Beckta's wine bar — 2026: New rooftop.

Signature: Foie gras torchon ($28) Average spend: $140–$220 pp

9. Play Food & Wine – ByWard Market's Small Plates

Location: 1 York St, ByWard Market

Wine-focused small plates — 2026: New patio.

Signature: Charcuterie board ($32) Average spend: $100–$160 pp

10. Allium – Hintonburg's Neighborhood Gem

Location: 1179A Wellington St W, Hintonburg

Seasonal Canadian — 2026: New tasting.

Signature: Seared scallops ($38) Average spend: $110–$170 pp

Ottawa Restaurants 2026 Comparison Table

Rank & Restaurant Neighborhood Cuisine Avg. Spend pp 2026 Highlight 1. RivieraDowntownLive-Fire$140–$240Rooftop bar 2. North & NavyCentretownItalian$130–$210Rooftop expansion 3. Supply and DemandWestboroSeafood$120–$200Oyster bar 4. AliceGlebeVegetable$130–$210Rooftop garden 5. Bar LupulusHintonburgBeer Hall$100–$160Rooftop

How to Book Ottawa's Hottest Tables in 2026

• Riviera → Resy 60 days at 10 AM ET
• North & Navy → Tock 45 days out
• Supply and Demand → OpenTable 30 days
• Alice → Walk-ins for bar; dinner 21 days

Ready to Dine Like a Capital Insider in 2026?

From live-fire legends to vegetable soul, Ottawa's plates are world-class. Subscribe for first access to 2026 openings and secret reservations. Pair with our Ottawa Hotels 2026 Guide for the full experience.

Bon appétit, Capital style.

World Club Directory – Online Since September 2025