One fine day, you’ll be free to snag a table and enjoy these hot spots. Peak Ottawa pleasure awaits you.
It doesn’t get much better than spending a leisurely afternoon or evening on one of the area’s top patios. While you’re staying put now, it’s fine to make future plans to venture beyond your neighbourhood and experience the many pleasures of these inviting outdoor venues.
Copper Spirits & Sights at the Andaz
Experience the amazing view from the 16th floor of the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market at 325 Dalhousie Street. They call Copper Spirits & Sights the city’s tallest rooftop bar for a reason. Not only is the skyline spectacular from this vantage point, the patio itself is spacious, upmarket and inviting. Nosh on potted duck confit, smoked salmon or charcuterie and cheese, and enjoy a range of appealing cocktails and libations.
Joe’s Italian Kitchen in Almonte
The view is quite different but every bit as dramatic on the patio at Joe’s Italian Kitchen in Almonte. Mother Nature is the outdoor attraction here, since the rustic chic eatery at 7 Mill Street overlooks the Mississippi River’s Grand Falls. At a table outside, you’ll be able to savour one of the amazing pizzas and a glass of white wine or a pint of craft beer, with the picturesque falls as your backdrop.
1 Elgin
At 1 Elgin, the National Arts Centre’s renovated and renamed dining venue, you’ll appreciate the contemporary Canadian cuisine and iconic Canadian setting along the Rideau Canal. Perfect for a romantic dinner, a relaxing meal or a bite to eat before a show, this canal-side terrace has an appealing, unhurried ambience. It has been described as a local gem.
La Terrasse
Alongside the Fairmont Château Laurier at 1 Rideau Street, you’ll find an outdoor setting with serious panache and even better sight lines: La Terrasse. Offering lovely views of the Parliament Buildings, the canal locks and the Ottawa River, La Terrasse is an attraction in itself, as it’s located at Ottawa’s “castle” with all the history, architecture and grandeur that go along with it. Besides? You’ll want to sample some of the items on the summer menu.
Tavern on the Hill and Tavern on the Falls
Two of the city’s most buzzed-about patios are Tavern on the Hill and Tavern on the Falls. Location is the main attraction at both these casual-chic venues. Haute hotdogs star on the menus, kids are welcome and you serve yourself. Summer treats, cocktails, craft beer and wine are offered, but the most captivating offerings are vibe and vistas. Since Tavern on the Hill is situated at the bottom of Major’s Hill Park, the National Gallery of Canada, the Fairmont Château Laurier, the Parliament Buildings and the Ottawa River are some of the attractions in view. Tavern on the Falls, at 1 John Street, looks over the Rideau Falls. There are amazing water views along with a chill vibe that is distinctly its own.
