By all accounts, I am a foodie. I grew up in the Greater Toronto Area, which meant that cuisine from all sorts of diverse cultures and communities was available for me to try. When I moved to Ottawa, at first I felt disappointed because I thought that there weren’t enough food choices to satisfy me. However, after four years at Carleton, I found five restaurants that soon became my go-to’s!
Located in the heart of Chinatown at 870 Somerset Street, this restaurant has some of the best dim sum dishes I’ve ever tasted. What makes this place especially good is that their dumplings are not only juicy and flavourful, but they’re huge! I recommend trying the coriander shrimp dumplings or the pork shiu mai. Bonus tip: they often have really good deals on UberEats, like buy one, get one free offers on spring roll dishes!
Also in Chinatown at 832 Somerset Street, Koichi Ramen has truly authentic and delicious ramen. Not only is the service great, but the atmosphere is cozy and fun! I definitely recommend ordering the Koichi signature ramen and adding your own toppings, like a soft boiled egg or extra seaweed.
This Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant at 840 Bank Street serves flavourful dishes that I find myself craving on a regular basis. I’ll usually order the shish kebab house special, and it’s satisfying and delicious every time! What also makes this restaurant stand out is the beautiful decor – the interior doubles as an art gallery, and almost every wall is covered with incredible artwork. Walking distance from Carleton’s campus, this place is definitely a must-try.
This restaurant at 683 Bank Street has some of the most unique and tasty dishes you can find on Bank Street! Not only do they serve yummy cocktails, but they also serve dishes like jerk chicken tacos and tater tot poutine. Even better, they have a fun patio in the summer. It’s a great place to hang out with friends and grab a bite!
I love Vietnamese food, and nothing warms you up on a brutally cold Ottawa day quite like a hot bowl of pho. There are plenty of amazing Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa, but I’ve found myself at Pho 99 time and time again! Located at 120 Lebreton Street, Pho 99 serves huge portions of pho and other traditional Vietnamese dishes.
As my time in Ottawa comes to an end, I might be controversial and say that I’ll miss these restaurants the most (sorry friends and HC Carleton!). Know a good restaurant that should be on this list? Let us know @HCCarleton!