OT: Ottawa food thread!

[GCK]

I've been to Giovanni's a couple times and it seemed good, but it was for Banquet events so idk about them as a restaurant.

Giovanni’s is excellent. Great spot for lunch as well.

 

[GCK]

Big bone bbq on Eagleson is good, not great but their smoked wings are fantastic and the prices are quite good.

bigbonebbq.ca

 

[Bileur]

Anybody ever try this place, I've been meaning too

Home | Meatings Barbecue - Ottawa, ON

Also curious about Red swan Pizza, apparently they are opening a bunch here soon

Red Swan Pizza

Meatings is quite good. My sister in law hired them to cater a pig roast a few years back. It was great.


Some others of my favourites

Sansotei Ramen
Light of India
Anthony’s pizza
Farinella pizza
I’ll second the North and Navy vote
Whalesbone (the one on Bank not the one on Elgin)

I loved Bar Laurel. Too bad it’s gone.

 

[DrEasy]

Meatings is quite good. My sister in law hired them to cater a pig roast a few years back. It was great.


Some others of my favourites

Sansotei Ramen
Light of India
Anthony’s pizza
Farinella pizza
I’ll second the North and Navy vote
Whalesbone (the one on Bank not the one on Elgin)

I loved Bar Laurel. Too bad it’s gone.

Seconding Light of India, Farinella and Whalesbone. Have been to North and Navy but a while ago and can't remember much honestly. Will have to check out the others, as I don't know them.

 

[Senovision]

Romeos on Merivale Road is a great place for donnairs with garlic sauce. I think most of their food is good, but the donnairs are really tasty.

 

[DrEasy]

Romeos on Merivale Road is a great place for donnairs with garlic sauce. I think most of their food is good, but the donnairs are really tasty.

Speaking of which, what's the consensus on best shawarma (or donair, or gyro)? Shawarma Palace? The one on Rideau? Carling?

 

[Masked]

Romeos on Merivale Road is a great place for donnairs with garlic sauce. I think most of their food is good, but the donnairs are really tasty.

It used to be really good. Then it changed ownership sometime around the turn of the century, I think. Turned into a pale comparison of what it used to be.

Assen na yo.

 

[OD99]

Romeos on Merivale Road is a great place for donnairs with garlic sauce. I think most of their food is good, but the donnairs are really tasty.

I was eating there 35 years ago and they were know for Donair as well but their sweet sauce was killer.

 

[GCK]

Speaking of which, what's the consensus on best shawarma (or donair, or gyro)? Shawarma Palace? The one on Rideau? Carling?

Maroush in Hull, yes I still call it Hull.

 

[GCK]

Best poutine in the region

La Pataterie Hulloise - Accueil

 

[Sun God Nika]

O - Frangos chip truck near ottawa u is amazing if u like a bunch of sauces and fried chicken on your fries

 

[Sun God Nika]

Also Pizza Nerds / City Goose on bank st is the best pizza spot in the city

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

Big bone bbq on Eagleson is good, not great but their smoked wings are fantastic and the prices are quite good.

bigbonebbq.ca

Seconded! Love their pulled pork and brisket.

 

[aragorn]

I've lived in Ottawa for decades now & never tried poutine.

 

[Masked]

I've lived in Ottawa for decades now & never tried poutine.

Then you haven't really lived in Ottawa!

Assen na yo!

 

[aragorn]

Then you haven't really lived in Ottawa!

Assen na yo!

hahaha ... and I haven't had a heart yet ... knock on wood.

 

[KnockHobbler]

For Italian;
supply and demand
North and navy
Cantina Gia

for pizza:
Pizza Nerds
Heartbreaker’s
Anthony’s Pizza

for Indian:
Thali
Coconut lagoon whenever they reopen
Host India was surprisingly good, very big portions too

for Asian:
sidedoor
Maht Korean restaurant
The Belmont do good wontons, not sure if they’re still on the menu

 

[KnockHobbler]

For Italian;
supply and demand
North and navy
Cantina Gia

for pizza:
Pizza Nerds
Heartbreaker’s
Anthony’s Pizza

for Indian:
Thali
Coconut lagoon whenever they reopen
Host India was surprisingly good, very big portions too

for other stuff:
sidedoor
Maht Korean Restaurant
The Belmont
Fairouz

the best meals I’ve had were at (in this order):
1. North and Navy
2. Fairouz
3. Cantina Gia
4. Thali

gia and North and navy do pasta from scratch, bake their own bread. Afaik literally everything on their menus is from scratch, even their breadcrumbs and shit. Most of the butchering of their meats happens in house, North and navy cures their own meats as well and are one of like two restaurants in Ontario that actually bothered to get certified to do so. Good wine selections at both places.

Fairouz cook their rice to order, they don’t make it in advance and just heat it up like most places. They also fry their pita breads to order too.
Thali are led by the same owner as coconut lagoon, I had their takeout for a Valentine’s Day during lockdown and it blew me away. Absolutely incredible stuff. Takeout had no right to be that good.

also; most, not all, but most of the restaurants in little Italy are dog shit.

 

[Raze The Stray]

I think Da Santino's is closed now, but that was my regular stop for the Italian cravings. Napoli's is worth a few return trips too. Pinelopi's is about the only thing that can get me to go to barrhaven, their arancini is awesome. Cosmo's souvlaki doesn't look like much from the outside, but, f*** is it good.

Random Indian food vote for Blue Diamond's in Richmond. The family that owns it are amazing people too.

Speaking of which, what's the consensus on best shawarma (or donair, or gyro)? Shawarma Palace? The one on Rideau? Carling?

Shawarma palace on Rideau gets my vote. When I first met the wife she lived like 50 steps away, I'm not sure if it was harder on the wallet or the body. In the west end Classic Shawarma on carp rd. is probably my fave.

 

[The Waffler]

I've lived in Ottawa for decades now & never tried poutine.

This explains so much.

 

[StoicSensFan]

I miss parking at the school on Elgin and Gilmour, putting our name on the waiting list at El Camino, grabbing a pint or two at Manx or Lieutenant's Pump, then eating a bajillion fish tacos with pineapple jalapeno sauce.

Ten Fish and Table Sodam on Bank are also some of my favorites.

 

[God Says No]

Meatings is quite good. My sister in law hired them to cater a pig roast a few years back. It was great.


Some others of my favourites

Sansotei Ramen
Light of India
Anthony’s pizza
Farinella pizza
I’ll second the North and Navy vote
Whalesbone (the one on Bank not the one on Elgin)

I loved Bar Laurel. Too bad it’s gone.

This man knows what's up.

 

[stempniaksen]

Pizza: Heartbreakers and OG Colonnade on Metcalfe/Gilmour (heard it's gone downhill though)
Indian: Light of India (I order 75% of my takeout from here) and East India Company
Tacos: El Camino and OCCO (Orleans location, not downtown, makes all the difference)
Shawarma: Palace (on Rideau, the other locations are trash by comparison) and Maroush (Gatineau)

Not sure where to categorize it, but The Belmont was probably the most surprising meal I've had in Ottawa. Went with an array of stuff and it was all amazing. The trini doubles were one of the best things thing I've ever eaten. Haven't had anything comparable before or since.

EDIT: Best fries/poutine is Fritomania and I will absolutely die on this hill.

 

[DrEasy]

For all of those who recommended Light of India: what do you usually order there? I like their tandoori chicken, and I've had a couple of curries, but haven't ventured into other things much.

 

[stempniaksen]

For all of those who recommended Light of India: what do you usually order there? I like their tandoori chicken, and I've had a couple of curries, but haven't ventured into other things much.

Butter chicken, side of basmati rice, samosas (order comes with 2) and a garlic naan is the go to for me. Could easily feed two, but in my house it...does not.

I like the tandoori chicken as well and the onion bhajis are my girlfriends fave. I wouldn't recommend the vindaloo as an every time thing because it lit me up pretty good, but I'd say it's worth the trade off every once in a while. I can vouch for the biryani as well even though it doesn't make the rotation all that often.