ottawa foodies

Hi All,

Excited to have found this site!

I just moved to Ottawa at the end of 2014 and have spent my time since then being spoiled (renting) in the Glebe. Easy walk to all the restaurants downtown. My favourite Korean grocer just down the street. 3 minutes away from the Glebe Meat Market and Kettleman's. And yes, I will say it, feeling like a local at Local when I walk over on a Wednesday night (until all the games start at Lansdowne and I can't get a table to save my life...but I have a hankering for a half plate of nachos so I wait and wait and wait.... and the hanger sets in!!!! Sorry, I digress).

The new house is near Merivale/Meadowlands and I am hoping, desperately hoping, that I will not be lost in suburban oblivion. Obviously, I will still jump in the car and drive out to our favourites like Supply and Demand or Pho Tuan. But we are still hoping to find a few good restaurants, for eat in and take out in the area. As well as a place to get a drink in the evening that is walking distance.

So the question is: What are some good places to try in that area... a pub with some great craft beer? An incredible under the radar restaurant? Can I get some Pho? Some Korean? Some Caribbean food? Is there a grocer or butcher shop that is amazing?

I am open! Please share any interesting spots you know of that I could wander over to and check out!

Thanks!

Sarah

Surprisingly there is some good food in that area.

-36 Pho is quite good
-Prince Gourmet makes a great fattoush with chicken (great if you're on low carb)
-Brampton Meats on Woodroffe and Meadowlands is great, especially for buying meat to cook at home
-168 Sushi is the best AYCE sushi place I've been to. Also, they've added crab legs to their dinner menu which is a bonus. They must have done this in response to the mandarin coming to town.
-World Burger is on my to-try list, haven't been there myself but I've heard good things.

Whatever you do, stay away from the Chinese Buffet. It looks like it's re-branded but last time I went everything there was practically inedible. Easily the worst food I've ever had a restaurant.

Farm Boy is really good for fresh meat and produce. They also have a lot of store branded condiment type things that are excellent and a decent cheese department.

I would second World Burger and Brampton Meats makes really good pizza.

You'll be close to Nicastros and the Merivale Fish Market, which is good.

Thirding World Burger and 36 Pho.... but a pub... I think there is a place somewhere on Meadowlands...

Really good thai (taste/portion) plus AYCE lunch buffet at Thai Coconut
Excellent curry at Shaan curry house and Brampton meat
Fried chicken at Crispys and Zaki
The "other" Mellos for throwback diner breakfast and lunch
Pho at Merivale Noodle House, Pho Thi
The Carribean Cruiser food truck is stationed in the parking lot beside Menchie's
Cozmos on woodroffe for souvlaki and gyro, yorgos is good too
Merivale pizza is solid
World burger is great as noted, also JPs crispy chips on baseline for poutine
Prince gourmet, shawarma prince are good, shawarma da roza not far either
Maryenda filipino snack truck at meadowlands and PoW
Burrito gringo is fresh and great value
Da Santino restaurant for really good italian, Tavola is good too
Ghana House for african
Farmers pick is like a mini farm boy
Pub scene is not so nice. Dunns has a couple crafts on tap. St Louis wings does not, but it is open late.

Karara (in the same mall as Living Lighting) is awesome. (They serve Indian food...)

If you are looking for food shops to buy groceries there is Nicastros and European Deli in the area. Dutch Imports is a little further north on Clyde. There is also the Farm Boy a little further south on Merivale near Colonnade.

La Tiendita (for groceries) and La Cabana (restaurant) have been getting good reviews on this site.

I second agree- World Burger and Crispy's are both delicious. Another favourite is Asian Stars. Their pho is delicious and they also offer an extensive vegan/vegetarian menu.

Lots of good suggestions here! My faves in that area are @36 Phở, Crispy's, and Brampton.

And for Korean food, you're not toooo far from Raon Kitchen (weekday lunch takeout). The only other option I know outside of the downtown area is Hanahana but that's in Kanata...

Yup, the other Mellos

Mellos Coffee Shop

Been 15 years since I used to frequent it, but it probably has not changed :-)

Had a pretty good greasy spoon breakfast.

Thanks so much guys!! I can't wait to start trying all these places!

We have been to the ayce sushi and it was good. I didn't know about the crab legs though, I would have definitely ordered that!

Merivale Fish Market is always good.

Romeo's pizza- has been there 40+ years-good classic pizza, very similar to Colonade.
The baklava if you can get a piece is so good, but they make only a small tray every day-it is walnut baklava. (or used to be.
Their Ceasar salad was good too,nothing too exiting.
The Romeo's donair was always super-good. I will prob take the bus out there just to get food there soon.

Merivale pizza still has their Mexican pizza on the menu-I used to like that years ago.
It is a pizza with nacho chips on it, meat, hot peppers.

There is also a Cathay take-out on Baseline-I think it is the last of the cathay restaurants.

Red Lobster is pretty good for snacks and drinks-I always get the pick your own appetizer and the chicken strips in it were always good,not sure if they still have breaded zucchini as a choice, but they do have the stuffed mushrooms. Then those biscuits you can eat a ton of...
-I never get a full meal here, there are better places for getting nice fish.

My sister and BIL lives near there and some of my BIL (he is the foodie) favourites are:

Store:
* Farm Boy and
* Nicastro

Restaurants:
* Ng's cuisine now that the old owners are back.
* Sea King beside the Nicastro..
* the original Lone Star for Fajita.

i like hao sushi for all you can eat better than 168

I've had a mixed bag at Hao Sushi. Last time I went it took an hour to get our first order and I haven't been back since. I've had good (as in fast) service at 168. Their rolls also have much larger pieces of fish, however sashimi at Hao is pretty damn good, probably better than 168.

Farm Boy is really good for fresh meat and produce. They also have a lot of store branded condiment type things that are excellent and a decent cheese department.

I would second World Burger and Brampton Meats makes really good pizza.

Whoa! That's just weird...weird gremlins.