Gentle Annie's aka Baker Street [Food/Vendor]

2009 May 16
So, as you may or may not know I just moved to Parkdale Ave (right across from the government offices)

This was my ultimate excited, as I have been dying to live in Hintonburg/Westboro area since I first moved to Ottawa when I was 17 (almost 6 years ago!)

SO the BF and I took our first exploration walk of Wellington/Richmond Rd on Tuesday - it was beautiful outside. We were doing for the pleasure, then decided we would like a drink on a patio. As we wandered west down Wellington/Richmond - I remembered this place I used to drink - Gentle Annie's.

I could not remember if it had a patio or not, but I remember they had the best fries - they were really soft chips!

But, as we wandered we never saw the place - I figured it must be much further down Richmond rd.

We ended up going for drinks on the Carleton's patio! (Where are all the pub patio's in this area?!!!!)

When I got home I did a quick Ottawa Foodies search for Gentle Annie's and it brought nothing up, so I then did a google search and found that it must have been closed awhile ago because Baker Street now stands in its place!

Does anyone know what happened and when this place closed? I loved that place, it was a college drinking hole for me!

2009 May 16
There are not a lot of patios around, but there are some.

Carleton, the "Irish" pub next to Fil's Diner whose name escapes me, right across from there is the Royal Oak. I think down near you Cottage and Kitchen has one if you can ever figure out when they are open. The Bagel Shop looks like they are in the process of building a new patio I just noticed this morning.

That's probably about it, though I'm sure someone will correct me.

2009 May 16
Yeah I think you are speaking about O'Connell's?

Everytime I walk by the Cottage and a Kitchen it seems closed. And if it is open, it never looks open!

2009 May 16
If memory serves, I think Gentle Annie's was a victim of the smoking ban, at least that's what the owners were saying publicly. Anyone with a better memory than mine?

Baker Street is nice but it's a bit of shame they don't have a liquor license. Especially with their plans to open for dinner.


2009 May 16
Ollie - that would make sense - I remember smoking up a storm there when I was a young one! It was very smokey and very busy whenever I went. I can imagine that being the death! Shame...

2009 May 16
Wasn't Gentle Annie's at one point just off Bronson somewhere? I have a vague recollection of a place by that name or awfully similar, that was just off Bronson.

2009 May 16
The C (Carleton) gets my vote. If you go there enough, they just bring your regular drink to your table without even asking.

2009 May 16
Yeah I definitely love the Carleton! I will be enjoying it a lot more over the summer, although it doesn't get much sun - it will be perfect on those hot days where you need a little shade!

2009 May 18
Yes Gentle Annie's blamed the smoking ban, but I believe what killed them off entirely was the road work that went on there a couple years ago.

I miss 10yrs + going in there week after week and baiting owner when he was into his cups by putting my beer up and pretending to put it on the pool table while his son sang songs with that amazing voice of his, if my name wasn't already an homage to a great Ottawa hang out it'd be to gentle annie's.

Saddest of all is that terrible baker street nightmare they have going in there now, I can't wait till the Westboro BIA sets their seedy devious eyes on them after they finally kill of Puzzles.

In answer to your question on Patios, I think really your only legit option is Whisper's (the food is only acceptable when you go on a 2 for 1 personal pizza night or stuff like that because honestly it's two steps removed from McCain's microwave quality on everything they have there)