Two days of eating in Canada’s capital, built from public sources: the three Ottawa restaurants on Canada’s 100 Best 2026, the ByWard Market (established in 1827, per its district authority), and the places Ottawa Tourism points visitors to. Hours and prices come from each business’s own site; check them before you go.
Updated Oct. 31, 2026 · 9 places
Quick picks
| Place | Why it’s here | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Atelier | C100 #54 · $250 seven-course tasting menu | Rochester St. |
| Antheia | C100 #76 · vegetarian fermentation tasting menu | Somerset St. W. |
| Arlo | C100 #77 · natural-wine dining room | Centretown |
| ByWard Market | Public market since 1827 | ByWard Market |
| La Bottega Nicastro | Italian market, café and sandwiches | ByWard Market |
| Zak’s Diner | All-day breakfast since 1986 | ByWard Market |
| Zoe’s | Afternoon tea at the Château Laurier | Rideau St. |
| Restaurant e18hteen | Steak and seafood | ByWard Market |
| Beyond the Pale | Ottawa brewery since 2012 | ByWard Market |
Day 1
1. Breakfast: Zak’s Diner
An Ottawa diner since 1986 serving all-day breakfast, burgers and milkshakes, per its site. The ByWard Market location at 14 ByWard Market Square opens at 7 a.m. daily and runs 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays (Google listing).
Order: Pancakes or the works, then a milkshake · Area: ByWard Market
2. Morning: the ByWard Market
Established by Lt-Col. John By in 1827, the ByWard Market calls itself one of Canada’s oldest and largest public markets. The indoor Heritage Hall at 55 ByWard Market Square is open year-round; the outdoor market on York Street runs May to October and over the holidays, and the ByWard Winter Market festival runs from November to early January.
Order: Graze the Heritage Hall vendors · Area: ByWard Market
3. Lunch: La Bottega Nicastro
Ottawa Tourism singles out its “famous sandwiches.” The Italian market, café and restaurant at 64 George Street describes itself as “where Ottawa shops like Italy.”
Order: A sandwich, then stock up on pasta and olive oil · Area: ByWard Market
4. Afternoon: tea at Zoe’s
At the Fairmont Château Laurier, Zoe’s serves an afternoon tea that the hotel describes as a modern twist on high tea, with English scones, open-faced sandwiches and sweets.
Order: Afternoon tea (book ahead through the hotel) · Area: Rideau Street
5. Dinner: Arlo
Canada’s 100 Best (No. 77 for 2026) calls Arlo “one of Centretown’s busiest dining rooms.” The Canadian menu changes constantly and follows the ingredients; the wine list leans natural. Open seven days from 5:30 p.m., per the restaurant.
Order: Whatever fish is on (Canada’s 100 Best cites paprika-roasted cod with white beans and ajo blanco) · Price: Canada’s 100 Best price band $$ · Area: Centretown
Day 2
6. Afternoon pint: Beyond the Pale
Brewing in Ottawa since 2012, with a ByWard Taproom alongside its City Centre taproom and brewery, per the brewery’s site. Ottawa Tourism lists the taproom in the ByWard Market’s Clarendon Courtyard.
Order: A flight from the taps · Area: ByWard Market
7. Dinner option: Restaurant e18hteen
A steak-and-seafood room at 18 York Street led by executive chef Matty Allen. Open daily, 4:30 to 10:30 p.m., per its Google listing. Ottawa Tourism lists it among the Clarendon Courtyard’s restaurants.
Order: Miso-glazed black cod, which the restaurant features · Area: ByWard Market
8. Splurge: Atelier
Seven courses, about three hours, $250 a guest. That is the deal at chef Marc Lepine’s modernist room, open Wednesday to Saturday per its site. No. 54 on Canada’s 100 Best 2026.
Order: The blind tasting menu · Price: $250 per guest (official site) · Area: Rochester Street
9. Or: Antheia
Chef-owner Briana Kim serves a nine-course vegetarian tasting menu built on fermentation, in what the restaurant calls a sixteen-seat fermentation lab and chef’s counter. It entered Canada’s 100 Best this year at No. 76. Book on Tock.
Order: The seasonal tasting menu, with the house non-alcoholic pairing · Price: $250 plus 18% service charge and tax (Tock) · Area: Somerset Street West
FAQ
What are the best restaurants in Ottawa right now?
Canada’s 100 Best 2026 lists three in Ottawa: Atelier (No. 54), Antheia (No. 76) and Arlo (No. 77).
Is the ByWard Market open in winter?
Yes. The indoor Heritage Hall is open year-round, and the ByWard Winter Market festival runs from November to early January, per the ByWard Market District Authority.
Where can I eat late in the ByWard Market?
Zak’s Diner on ByWard Market Square is open 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays, per its Google listing.
Related on YumYak
Sources
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Hours and prices were checked against these sources on Oct. 31, 2026. Hours may change, so call ahead to confirm.
- Canada's 100 Best 2026: Ottawa (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Canada's 100 Best 2026: Atelier (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Canada's 100 Best 2026: Antheia (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Canada's 100 Best 2026: Arlo (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Atelier (official) (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Antheia on Tock (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Arlo: About (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- ByWard Market District Authority (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Ottawa Tourism: ByWard Market and Rideau Street (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- La Bottega Nicastro (official) (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Zak's Diner (official) (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Fairmont Château Laurier: dining (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Restaurant e18hteen (official) (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
- Beyond the Pale Brewing (official) (accessed Oct. 31, 2026)
YumYak curates from public sources, press releases and community reviews. We haven’t visited these spots ourselves — always check the restaurant’s own channels for hours and prices.