Known only among the locals, Battures Green is a beach consisting of coarse sediments and and is located alongside Boulevard Hurtubise. This place is a hidden gem if you are looking for quiet and relaxing place with a beautiful view.
Ideal to visit during Summers, it’s a nice spot to have picnic with your friends or family. Parking is free however just be careful as some of the area alongside the beach is privately owned.
Battures Green Beach
I had to wear my jacket as it was quite windy when I went to checkout this place! You might see other families doing their picnics alongside the area as well sometimes however the place is relatively calm and barely attracts tourists.
You might end up seeing seaplanes around the area as well and if you are not familiar with the term, they are aircrafts that are capable of taking off/landing on water.
Also if you didn’t knew, you can see Ottawa over the other side of the River! Though I won’t say that the views are spectacular, they are definitely relaxing! 🙂
Ottawa River Map
If you don’t have much to do and are looking for something to do in Gatineau, it’s worth checking out Battures Green!
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
You might have often heard in the news how Toronto ranks as one of the most livable cities in the world! Things must be really up there right? But did you know that a lot of people don’t like Toronto once they move and a record number of people end up moving out of the city?
Here are some things about Toronto that might make you want to reconsider your decision about living in Toronto! –
Toronto is absurdly Expensive
Average salaries in Toronto have stayed pretty much stagnant over the last decade while the real estate prices have increased astronomically. If you are looking for a 1-bedroom apartment; you will end up paying more than $2000 per month!
Even after paying that much it might turn out to be a crappy apartment. When I was looking for an apartment after moving to Toronto, I had found an apartment which was marketed as new but smelled like smoke. It was just unbearable and I was shocked with housing situation was.
Many people in Toronto are living paycheck to paycheck as most of the salary ends up going towards housing and taxes. Canada has really high income and sales taxes.
The City is Noisy!
Toronto has construction going throughout the year! In a lot of areas, the construction starts up early around 6-7 am! Even if you file a complaint with 311, not much will be done about it as construction companies have a big influence over the government.
This can completely ruin your sleep and also affect your mental health.
Living in downtown Toronto, I personally experienced the construction noise issue while living in my apartment and could hear almost everything on a daily basis. You can use ear plugs and add insulation but they don’t help you get completely rid of the issue.
Homeless Epidemic
You will be surprised by the number of homeless people in Toronto. You will see tents setup by homeless people almost everywhere in the city. The city offers very limited resources to the homeless people.
Research data has shown that there is a relation between homeless and crime. It is no surprise that crime in Toronto has been increasing as more people become homeless.
Lack of affordable housing is one of the reasons why Toronto has a large homeless population.
Poor Public Transport
Even though you might hear in the news about T-dot having the best public transport in North America, it is certainly not true.
Breakdowns on public transport happen on a daily basis, and you can expect to be delayed anywhere between half-hour to a few hours on a regular basis as well. The public transport is not in a great shape, and you will have a much better life just avoiding it completely!
I remember that once I had to go somewhere and decided to take the subway. I was just shocked that almost every light rail that was arriving was full and what should have been 5 minutes became an hour long wait.
Horrible Traffic Situation
Toronto has consistently been ranked as one of the worst cities in the world for traffic.
With a lack of highways in the city, you are forced to use city roads and have to stop every few 100 meters due to signals. The highways can be slow as well most of the days with cars driving at snail pace.
Don’t be surprised if it took you a few hours to get your destination. In Toronto, it’s considered completely normal to be late. Many people leave an hour or two early for that reason.
Increasing Crime Rate
While crime is less compared to other American cities of similar population size, Toronto has much higher crime rate compared to other Canadian cities where you can live much safer.
More recently there has been a surge in auto thefts happening in Toronto which has led to high insurance rates besides paying for parking already in Toronto.
Living in Toronto you would get used to hearing about gangs and gun violence that has been increasing in the city in the recent years.
Cold Weather
While Toronto is relatively warmer compared to most Canadian cities, it can still get quite cold during winters. Temperatures plummet to -20 C which can be unbearably cold.
If you have been used to nice and warm weather all your life, you would need to be well-prepared for the Canadian winters. Get yourself a proper winter jacket, gloves and boots.
It is advised to check weather updates to make sure there are no storm advisories.
Do you still want to move to Toronto? I would love to hear back on what your thoughts are about Toronto if you are either living here already or planning to move here.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Many people outside Canada, don’t really realize that Canada is actually a bilingual country where both French and English are official languages. If you are an English speaker and are thinking about living in Canada, I have laid out when it might make sense for you to learn French.
Does an English speaker need to learn French to live in Canada?
While it’s not a requirement for English speakers to learn French, it can be very beneficial for you to be able to speak French if you plan to live in Canada for long-term. Also, certain regions in Canada only speak French so your life is going to be a lot easier if you are able to converse in French.
Benefits of learning French –
Pathway to Permanent Residence in Canada – Canada follows a points based immigration system and being able to speak both French and English can help you get more points, making you eligible to be invited to apply for Permanent Residence in Canada.
You want to live in Quebec or New Brunswick – While a lot of folks in Quebec and New Brunswick are bilingual in French and English, there is still a significant number of people who do not speak English and it can be really hard for you to have any conversation.
You plan to travel to Quebec / New Brunswick – It will be much easier for you to get by if you speak French in Quebec and New Brunswick.
You want to work for the Federal Government – If you can speak both English and French, you will have to access to more opportunities to work in the Federal Government.
You want to work for Provincial Government (Quebec/New Brunswick) – To be eligible for Provincial Government jobs in Quebec, you must be able to speak French (some exceptions apply)
Access to bilingual opportunities in Private sector – There is a huge demand for bilingual speakers (French and English) and if you speak both languages, Canadian employers would be more willing to hire you.
Learning French to acquire Permanent Residence
To be able to acquire Permanent Residence in Canada, you would need to be fluent in either English or French. The required minimum level can vary depending on the pathway that you have chosen.
Under the current points based system, demonstrating skills in both languages gives you a higher score than those who demonstrate fluency in just a single language.
Living in Quebec or New Brunswick as an English Speaker
While it is definitely possible to live in certain parts of Quebec and New Brunswick as an English speaker, things would go a lot easier if you spoke French as well.
Most importantly learning the language can help you get yourself more immersed within the Francophone culture of Quebec – help you enjoy Canadian French music, movies as well as interact with unilingual French speakers.
My own experience living in Gatineau, Quebec has been that while almost everyone in my region speaks English besides French, things change once I am outside the city where many people might not be able to converse with you in English. It can be very beneficial for you to learn French from that standpoint if you like to explore.
Opportunities For Bilingual Speakers
Being bilingual in Canada has its advantage as there are many opportunities within both private and government sectors where being bilingual in both French and English would be a requirement.
To find bilingual opportunities in the private sector you can use Indeed or Linkedin. Both are popular job search platforms and they also list jobs in the government sector though the list might not be as comprehensive.
Learning French in Canada
There are a ton of programs offered by provincial governments in Canada to help you learn French. These programs are usually FREE or are heavily subsidized! You may also choose to self-study French by watching YouTube videos or using French learning apps.
If you are a newcomer then you can actual access a number of resources by the regional governments that will help you with learning French. Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and other provinces as well have a variety of French second language programs.
In my case, I took French classes offered by the College in my region. However, many people also go for online apps like Duolingo that offer Free French courses.
It would be important to ask yourself question if you have the time and effort to learn the language. Only by spending a lot of time would you be able to gain proficiency in French.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Close your eyes and imagine the sizzle of Suya skewers charring over an open flame, the intoxicating aroma of ginger and garlic wafting through the air, the vibrant hues of red peppers and emerald greens dancing on your plate. This is Nigerian cuisine in Ottawa—a symphony of flavors and textures.
Here are some Nigerian restaurants in Ottawa that will awaken your senses and transport you to another world. Be warned that Nigerian Food is hot and spicy!!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Suya Palace is a Nigerian/African Charcoal Grill and is located on Somerset. Among the locals, this one is usually referred to as the Best Nigerian Restaurant in the Ottawa region and I agree.
Suya Beef and Goat meat combo at Suya Palace
The restaurant is located not too far from downtown and has usually been my go to spot for Nigerian Food! Here are their most popular menu items –
Suya Beef – Beef infused with aromatic Nigerian spices!
Suya Goat – Goat meat (has a more chewy texture)
Suya Chicken – Chicken infused with aromatic Nigerian spices!
Besides that they also have a variety of Nigerian soups which are served with meat and fish, something that you would not find at other restaurants in Ottawa.
If you do not enjoy meat, try their fried plantains and jollof rice, both of which are yummy!
Located in Nepean, Suya Joint is another place that offers a casual atmosphere to explore Nigerian Food. They also have vegetarian options like veggie skewers with Tofu and Bell Pepper.
While there are dining options available at the location, the restaurant mainly caters to people who are looking to grab and go with their meals.
Nigerian restaurant
Takeout oriented
Casual atmosphere
Dining options available
Bit of a drive from downtown ottawa
How has your experience been visiting Nigerian restaurants in Ottawa? Do you know of any other place that offers Nigerian food in the Ottawa region? Let us know!
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
While normally it can take weeks for the Canadian Passport to be issued, you can actually get it faster if you have legitimate reason for urgent travel.
Here is a quick guide that will help you get your Canadian passport FAST!
How to qualify for priority processing?
To be prioritized for your Canadian Passport to be processed faster than normal timelines; you will need to have evidence that you will be traveling soon!
Evidence for your upcoming travel plans could be
Travel tickets (air / bus / cruise) – Agent might ask for proof of payment.
In case you are traveling by car, you can use your hotel bookings as evidence as well.
Illness or recent death of family member.
In certain cases such as recent employment requiring travel you might not have tickets booked already (since employer might ask for passport before booking). In such cases, you can ask your Employer to provide you with a letter showing your intent to travel for business/employment purposes.
How to apply for urgent or emergency processing?
Do NOT apply for urgent/emergency processing by MAIL.
The recommendation is to go to the Passport Service Center (Service Canada) near you and apply for your Canadian passport in-person. An appointment for urgent/emergency passport is NOT required.
What documents are required for passport application?
For most passport applications you would need to make sure you have the following –
Adult application form
Proof of citizenship
Passport photos
References/Guarantor
It is recommended that you evaluate your situation using ircc service as depending on your exact situation, certain requirements can change.
You will need to take all the documents required for your passport application AS well as proof of urgent travel. If you don’t have the evidence, your request for priority processing might get rejected.
How fast can you get your Canadian passport?
Your case agent will determine if you need urgent or emergency processing based on your travel plans and advice you to apply accordingly. Usually they will let you know the date when you would be able to pick up your passport.
Here is the expected processing times for each
Urgent pickup : next business day
Express pickup: 2 to 9 business days
In certain situations, you might be able to get it processed even on a statutory holiday.
Example – When I went to apply for my passport, I had to travel in the next 2-3 weeks. So I informed the agent at the desk that I needed priority processing. They reviewed my evidence and informed me that I could go for express pickup and gave me a date on when I would be able to pickup my passport.
Additional fees $50 for express pick-up and $110 for urgent pick-up apply.
Hopefully this guide will help you get your Canadian passport processed faster than the usual timeline. Feel free to share your experience if you have had any issues while getting your passport and would like to share that with others.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Not all photo businesses take baby passport photos which can make it a little tricky to find a business that does. There are many locations in Ottawa where you get baby passport photos.
Here are some places where you can get baby passport photos done in the Ottawa region –
Your best bet to have affordable prices for baby photos would be try Walmart. Some Walmart Locations might run promotions sometimes where they give additional discount on passport photos.
The Walmart Photo Center offers photo printing services and can also do photo gifts and film processing. You even have the ability to upload the photos and get them delivered which is something many small shops might not offer!
Pricing starts at $16.97 for passport photos. Address: 2277 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X6 Address: 500 Earl Grey Dr, Kanata, ON K2T 1B9 Address: 1980 Ogilvie Rd, Gloucester, ON K1J 9L3
Superior Photo is located in the Westgate Shopping Centre on Carling Avenue. Their business appears to be highly recommended on social media websites and also has good ratings on Google Maps.
Superior Photo has been in business for more than 35 years.
Pricing: Starts at around $20.00 for two photos. Address: Westgate Shopping Centre, 1309 Carling Ave Unit 22, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7L3
Sooter’s Photography has been in business for more than 30 years. They do have multiple locations and don’t require reservations so can walk-in anytime for your photos.
Pricing: Around $19.99 and you have to pay extra if you want digital. Address: 2277 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 8K2 Address: 1430 Prince of Wales Dr., Ottawa, ON K2C 1N6 Address: 129 Bank St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5N7
There are two shoppers drug mart on Richmond Road that you can try for photos.
Pricing: Around $19.99 for two pictures. Address: 1460 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, ON K2B 6S1 Address: 410 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, ON K2A 4C4
Multiple locations
Upload and delivery option
No appointment required.
Please note that pricing is subject to change.
If you had a great experience with a photo center, feel free to share your experience with us through the comments section! Please do add their name, address and pricing as well.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
I have found a place in Ottawa that ticks all of the boxes that you might be looking for when visiting a pub for a meal and drink! The place is called Pub Italia and is located in Little Italy.
They have a really nice patio during summers, and the indoors remind you that you might be in a Church! Combine that with great food and service and you get the perfect hangout spot!
Once you get your table, you don’t get a drinks menu but instead you get their ‘Beer Bible’ which has a large variety of drinks that they offer! You are probably going to find so many options that you might not have tried before!
Pub Italia Ottawa
I ended up ordering one of their pizzas which turned out to be great! The portion size for one person is more than enough! You might want to share it with someone if possible! Also the drink was served chilled! Service times were reasonable despite having a big group and I didn’t really have anything to complain about!
While Pub Italia is more popular to have drinks, their food is great as well. There is ample space at the place for really big groups, and you can even arrange private space for events at the pub.
Popular Menu Items
Wondering what to order at Pub Italia? Here are some of their popular menu items –
Lasagna
Abruzzi Pizza
Dante Pizza
Bread Basket
Coffee
Sangria
Delerium Blonde
Pesto Pasta
About Pub Italia
Established in 1994, Pub Italia has become a popular destination for beer drinkers and pizza lovers. The Pub is known for its church-themed decor featuring glass windows and statues.
Italian gastro pub
Church themed decor
Casual upscale dining
Large beer collection
Known for pizza
Great for dates and large groups
Large patio
Contact Pub Italia
Address: 434 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1S 4N4, Canada Phone: +1 613-232-2326 Business website: https://pubitalia.ca/
How has your experience been so far with Pub Italia? Do you think there is another great themed restaurant in Ottawa that does it better? Please let us know!
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Unlike other restaurants where you get a cooked meal served to you, at a HotPot restaurant you choose what vegetables/meat you want and then you have to cook them in the broth provided. With the option to customize the dipping sauce, it actually makes a great experience for everyone involved!
As a person who does hotpot almost on a weekly basis, and have been disappointed by some restaurants who do hotpot, my expectations were quite low when I went to have HotPot At Liuyishou Hotpot (Chinese Hotpot) in Nepean.
Photo: Liuyishou Hotpot
Hotpot Experience at Liuyishou
At Liuyishou You can either go with a la carte or all-you-can-eat option for your hot pot. If you are really hungry and eat a lot, I recommend that you go with all-you-can-eat option. Otherwise a la carte. It might be good to do some math as well as if you eat a lot then a la carte might turn out to be a bit pricey.
You start off by deciding what type of broth you want. Liuyishou offers a bit more variety in terms of broths as previously I had only seen Chicken or Beef broth at other hotpot restaurants. They also had Pork Bone Broth if you prefer to have non-spicy versions of the broth.
The next step for you is to decide on what meat, seafood and vegetables you want to have. They have a lot of options on their menu to choose from! For my Hotpot, I decided to go with
House Special Marinated Beef
Chinese Cabbage
House Special Green Been Noodle
Daikon Radish
Signature Tofu Skin
Enoki Mushroom
Layered Beef Tripes
While I waited for my food items to be served at my table, I went to the Sauce Bar that they have to make my own dipping sauce. You pick up a variety of different ingredients from the sauce bar into your bowl and then stir it all together. Since the sauce turned out quite good, I am sharing my recipe here as well –
Peanut Sauce – 1 tablespoon
Chili Oil – 1 tablespoon
Garlic – 1 tablespoon
Green Onions – 1 tablespoon
Cumin Sauce – 1 tablespoon
Beef Sauce – 1 tablespoon
Once the items that I ordered came at the table, I put them some of them in small portions into the hotpot to cook for a few minutes and then took them out to cool down for a few seconds before dipping into the sauce and eating it.
Liuyishou Hotpot Review
I must say that this was one of the best experiences I have had with the hotpot so far. The service at Liuyishou Hotpot Ottawa is good and they have a variety of sauces available to get that perfect dipping sauce that you want for your hotpot. I actually got to try some new combinations that I have never before and they all turned out great.
If you have never been at a Hotpot place before I definitely recommend you to try out this place! Also it would be worth asking the servers on their recommendations if it’s your first time as a lot of things might be unfamiliar to you.
Other Items at Liuyishou Hotpot
Besides the whole hotpot experience, they do have some other options but those are a bit limited. If you are not into hotpot then you can order the following items at the Restaurant.
Egg Fried Rice
Rice Noodle with Vegetables
Pan Fried Vegetables and Beef on Rice
Rice Noodle with Sliced Beef
Rice with Stewed Beef Brisket
About Liuyishou Hotpot
Liuyishou Hotpot specializes in Chongqing-style hotpot and offers a variety of broths, fresh and quality ingredients with a social atmosphere.
Chinese restaurant
Meat/Seafood/Vegan options available
Casual upscale dining
Pricier than other casual restaurants
Best hotpot in Ottawa
Beer/Wine/Snacks available
Expect waiting during peak hours
Delivery option available
Contact Liuyishou Hotpot Ottawa
Address: 10-1568 Merivale Rd, Nepean, ON K2G 3J9 Phone: +1 613-680-0188 Business website: https://www.liuyishouna.com/
How has your experience been so far at Liuyishou? Feel free to share your feedback or if you know any dipping sauce recipes that other readers could benefit from.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
A lot of places in Ottawa ask you to put a deposit; and sometimes even ask you to pay in advance for the room but not this one! Pub 101 located in the Byward Market area actually has a large room upstairs that can be used for private events and you can easily fit 50 people!
The room is equipped with all the basic stuff that you would need for your party, there is a lot of seating space as well as standing space. A small bar to order drinks and food. Also there are party lights and large TV screen that could be possibly used for your event.
Photo: Private Party Room at Restaurant Pub 101 In Ottawa
There is a small stage as well with a large TV screen and speakers that sometimes people setup for music performance or Karaoke events! You could even use that for teaching dancing maybe!
Photo: Pub 101 stage
Reserving Your Room
To reserve the space you would need to contact them through their website, call them or send them out an email. You should get a confirmation same-day as well. There are no charges and no deposit is required! Isn’t that wonderful? Just make sure that you do your reservation at least a few days in advance as sometimes they have other events being hosted there.
Also Pub 101 serves their own food and drinks so if you are planning to bring something other than a cake, you might need their permission.
Benefits of booking with Pub 101
Reservation is free (unlike other places that charge or have deposits)
Large space can easily have 20-80 people
Cheap drinks
Affordable food options
Meat and vegan options (wings, salads, burger)
TVs and Large Sound Speakers
Room fitted with strobe lights
Private Bar with stools
Lots of seating capacity and standing floor space
About Pub 101
Pub 101 is an easygoing bar with a patio and is located in the byward market which makes it a great spot for bar hoppers. Pub 101 hosts occasional Karaoke and Comedy nights and their most popular food item is their Wings.
Contact Pub 101
Address: 101 York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8Y3 Phone: +1 613-562-4665 Business website: https://pub101.com/
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
Ottawa boasts a variety of pho restaurants but only a few of them stand out for their authentic and flavorful dishes. I ended up going to a number of them to share my experience and reveal the places to enjoy a bowl of pho in Ottawa!
Not only is it one of the more affordable pho places but one of the best places in Ottawa for Pho. Their broth is really flavorful and it won’t be necessary to add any additional spice to your meal! Also there is a decent amount of meat for your order.
While Crazy Pho You is a Vietnamese restaurant, you will find a variety of Chinese/Thai dishes available on their menu as well. The place is quite small and is suitable for small groups though I haven’t had any issues with seating whenever I have arrived.
Best spicy pho experience
Vietnamese restaurant
Extensive menu
Offers Chinese/Thai dishes as well
Suitable for small groups
Top Menu Items – Banh Mi, Beef Pho, Pad Thai
Pho Tuan
Address: 300 Booth St, Ottawa, ON K1R 6N6 Business website: https://photuan.com/
Bun Bo Hue at Pho Tuan
Pho Tuan has one of the most delicious broths I have had. Just go with any of their chef’s specials and you will be realize why I consider it as one of the best places for Pho in Ottawa! Their portions are huge and the broth was very flavorful.
They do have limited dining space so you might need to wait outside during their peak hours.
Vietnamese cuisine
Suitable for small groups
Delicious broth
Huge portions
Top Menu Items – Bun Bo Hue, Pho DAC Biet, Bun Chai Ha Noi
Saigon Boy Noodle House
Address: 648 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K1R 5K4
Rice Noodles at Saigon Boy Noodle House
Just another ordinary Vietnamese restaurant but their rice noodles are just amazing. One thing I noticed different from other pho places about this is that they had all the condiments at my table with my order and I didn’t have to ask for anything.
There was even a chili pepper something that I haven’t seen other pho restaurants provide me with. I was able to spice up my pho exactly how I wanted.
Vietnamese pho restaurant
Small pho place
Upscale casual dining
Suitable for family dinner
Best pho on somerset
Top Menu Items – Pho Dac Biet, Chicken And Pork with Rice, Beef Pho
Some other good pho restaurants in Ottawa to consider –
Pho Viet Taste (Address: 1395 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X1) Good portion sizes and price appears to be on the reasonable side as well. It didn’t have the wow factor that I had with the other places but I felt this pho restaurant was good enough. Their most popular item is Rare Beef with Spicy Thai Soup and Rice Noodles.
Springroll House Restaurant (Address: 1093 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y4) A nice and quite place to have pho. The meat portions at this Vietnamese restaurant were quite good though I think the broth was lacking a bit of flavor for me. I would be more likely to go to this place for lunch if I was working around the area. Also as their name suggests, I think this place is best known for their spring rolls so I would like to try those sometime.
Pho Van Van (Address: 127 Holland Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Y 0Y2) Out of all the pho places I have been so far I think Pho Van Van has the best looking interiors that I have seen in the city. I think this might be a good spot for dates or family. However I don’t think their pho is the best and I think I found their chicken broth a bit too salty for my taste.
Pho Lady (Address: 280 Elgin St #5, Ottawa, ON K2P 1M2) They have a slightly upscale casual dining experience than most other pho places that I have been to in Ottawa. While their Pho is decent, I think they are more known for their Sushi and Ramen, so if you are headed out to Pho Lady I would recommend that you try out their Tonkatsu Spicy Ramen.
New Pho Bo Ga La (Address: 763 Somerset St W, Ottawa, ON K1R 6R1) They do have a very extensive menu and also have bubble teas. This restaurant might be easily able to accommodate large groups compared to some of the other places that I have been to.
Parle By Viet Fresh (Address: 313 Dalhousie St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5T4) This restaurant initially marketed itself as the best pho in Ottawa however didn’t meet my expectations in that sense. They do have a relatively nicer interior compared to the usual pho places and you are very likely to take pictures with your friends once you enter this restaurant.
Do you know of a pho place that is not on this list? Let us know how was your experience and why you think it deserves to be on the top list.
Tom Mehra, an Ottawa-based Software Engineer with a Masters in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas, shares insights on local food spots and top attractions in Canada and the US. He’s also a former resident of the US, UK, and India, and in 2023, his blog was nominated for an Ottawa Award by Faces Magazine. He is also a cat sitter.
