From classical to modern, street food to award-winning chefs and their restaurants, Ottawa doesn’t fall short when it comes to its own food scene.
Of course, your trip to the country’s capital cannot be complete without brunch – a combination of breakfast, lunch, and drinks that you cannot say “no” to!
We’ve compiled the 13 best Ottawa brunch restaurants that are sure to satisfy any palate!
1. The Belmont
Located at the mouth of South Ottawa, The Belmont is an intimate spot with a brunch menu featuring a lot of items to crave. While the warm setting invites you inside, it is the wide-ranging food and drink choices and great brunch music selections that make you want to stay.
The dish to order at The Belmont is the Full Belmont. It is a nourishing and comforting collection of everything you would like on your brunch plate and can savour leisurely – a warm biscuit, two poached eggs, roast potatoes, sausage patty, bacon, and baked beans. This is as filling as it gets!
For those of you with a lighter appetite, their Huevos Rancheros would be perfect.
Did we tell you they serve diner coffee? So, all you need to do is settle down, relax, and enjoy your brunch.
What to order: Full Belmont, Huevos Rancheros, Classic Caesar
Address: 1169 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 3X7
2. Wilf & Ada’s
A local favourite, Wilf & Ada’s is a cosy diner that serves up all your brunch cravings. Almost all the menu items at the restaurant are made from scratch, from locally sourced ingredients, including their famous house-smoked bacon. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with friendly staff, and an open kitchen.
Their signature brunch dish is the Eggs in Purgatory. Two eggs are gently simmered in a spicy tomato sauce, topped with arugula and grana Padano cheese. The tomato sauce is very flavourful, and the eggs are cooked just right to maintain their softness. The slight spice kick from the sauce tastes delightful when you dunk your crispy toast in it.
Their Buttermilk French Toast can easily serve as your brunch dessert. These are buttermilk battered French toast, made with fresh house-made bread, served with stewed apple and berries, and real maple syrup.
The Blackstone benny is served with roasted tomato and mayo, on house-made English muffins, with an incredible hollandaise and crispy potatoes (homies).
What to order: Eggs in Purgatory, Buttermilk French Toast, Blackstone benny
Address: 510 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1Z4
3. Allô! Mon Coco
Allo Mon Coco is a family-friendly breakfast and lunch chain known for its hefty-sized breakfast/brunch dishes and some great lunch classics. Family brunches are served in a modern and trendy environment, a place that is designed to appeal to everyone, from kids to adults.
From their Signature Brunch menu, the Special Allô mon Coco deserves a mention. Your plate contains a fluffy banana pancake, 2 sunny side up eggs, ham, bacon, sausages, baked beans, and their popular cretons (pork spread). You also get toast and your choice of potatoes on the side.
Their Avocado and Swiss Cheese benedict comes like art on a plate, you almost do not want to mess with it! Covered in hollandaise sauce, everything on the plate tastes wonderful together.
The Vegetarian Casserole comes with a mouthwatering combination of different veggies, mushrooms, and cheese, and is served with an egg, English muffin, your choice of potatoes, and fresh fruit.
You cannot leave Allo Mon Coco without trying their Choco Coco De Luxe. The showstopper is the generous crepe that comes filled with fresh strawberries, chocolate-hazelnut spread, and English cream.
What to order: Special Allô mon Coco, Avocado and Swiss Cheese benedict, Vegetarian Casserole, Choco Coco De Luxe
Address:
-1377 Woodroffe Avenue, Ottawa, ON K2G 1V7
-2277 Riverside Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1H 7X6
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4. Mazarine
Mazarine is home to Mediterranean-inspired brunch made with local ingredients. Their menu is simple and sophisticated, featuring fresh, trendy, and creative dishes, and the overall ambience is simple and elegant as well. This is the kind of place where you can expect to enjoy a fusion of flavours.
Add some spice to your brunch with Mazarine’s own Shakshuka. The homemade shakshuka sauce is loaded with flavour from the roasted tomatoes and peppers and the earthy spices. The warm eggs on top make the dish absolutely enjoyable with the fresh sourdough bread.
If you prefer something vegetarian, their Avocado Salmon Toast will make you happy. With country sourdough bread as the base, there is olive oil, exotic and herby za’atar, and of course, creamy avocado.
Dessert anyone? The Ashta Pancakes are every inch decadent. You get two thick and fluffy pancakes topped with rich ashta, pistachio, and honey, with a side of homemade jam.
For a caffeine kick, go with the Turkish Coffee. Served with Turkish delight, the coffee has an intense coffee flavour along with a strong cardamom aroma – just what you need for brunch!
What to order: Shakshuka, Avocado Salmon Toast, Ashta Pancakes, Turkish Coffee
Address: 282 Kent Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 2A4
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5. Jax
A small cosy bistro in Centertown, Jax serves brunch and lunch made with local products from local farmers and distributors. From freshly baked bread to binge-worthy brunch classics, everything here looks and tastes delicious.
The top sweet brunch option here is the Banana Bread French Toast. Made with house banana bread, the French toast is thick and filling, and the cinnamon apple compote neutralises the sweetness from the local maple syrup. Beware, your plate will be packed with this deliciousness, so order your other dishes wisely.
The Smoked Salmon Bagel comes with house-smoked salmon – salty and smoky, fried eggs, pickled onions, and capers. It is the garlic and herb cream cheese that brings all the elements tastefully together.
What to order: Banana Bread French Toast, Smoked Salmon Bagel
Address: 479 Bronson Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1N 8N8
6. Sunset Grill
Founded in 1985, Sunset Grill is one of the go-to spots in Ottawa for all day breakfast/brunch. With Fresh is Tastiest as their philosophy, everything here is prepped and cooked fresh every day, and even their 100% fresh juices are flown in daily from Florida. The atmosphere is calm, comfortable, and friendly to enjoy a quiet mid-day brunch.
Sunset Grill is known for its Classic Omelettes. This particular menu has a wide selection for everyone, including meat lovers and vegetarians.
You can either go for the Canadian classic with the Great Canadian omelette, containing bacon, mushrooms, and cheddar, or take a diversion to the Mediterranean Omelette, with fresh baby spinach, tomato, and feta cheese.
Not impressed with anything on the menu? Create your own omelette by choosing from a long list of ingredients.
The Sunset Pancakes come done just right – nice and fluffy and are served with pancake syrup and butter. You could also add other toppings like strawberry preserve or chocolate hazelnut syrup to your pancakes.
When you know that their 100% fresh juices are flown in daily, how can you not try them? Orange or Grapefruit, the choice is yours!
What to order: Great Canadian omelette, Mediterranean Omelette, Sunset Pancakes, Orange Juice, Grapefruit Juice
Address: 100 Marché Way, Ottawa, ON K1S 5J3
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7. Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner
“A Not So Greasy Spoon” is the tagline of Chesterfield’s Gastro Diner. Standing by it, what you get here is a menu focused on catering to your health-conscious lifestyle, incorporating different twists to classic diner dishes. The space is rather chill, where you can have a nice time with your group of friends or family.
The Foghorn Leghorn Benny comes with air-fried chicken, which is one of the most popular dishes in the diner. The chicken comes out perfect – nice and crispy, and still juicy on the inside. The challah loaf is rich and spongy, with a little bit of sweetness, and you get an enjoyable creaminess from the hollandaise.
The Apple Cinnamon French Toast Crunch is a crowd pleaser. Served with real Ontario maple syrup, apple cinnamon compote, cereal crunch and fresh berries, this dish is definitely on the sweeter side, which means your sweet tooth will be satisfied.
At Chesterfield’s, you get numerous sides to choose from, some of which you shouldn’t miss, like their ever-favourite cornbread, chipotle mac & cheese, and brussel sprouts.
What to order: Foghorn Leghorn Benny, Apple Cinnamon French Toast Crunch, Cornbread, Chipotle Mac & Cheese, Brussel Sprouts
Address: 1433 Wellington Street W #111, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2X2
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8. The SconeWitch
The SconeWitch, as the name suggests, is the one-stop scone destination where you not only get freshly prepared buttery scones but also frozen bake-at-home versions. Available only for take-out, this place is likely to become your pilgrimage whenever you crave pastries.
If you thought scone and salmon don’t go well together, you should try the Herb & Onion Scones here. Made with chopped fresh parsley, dill, and red onions, you can definitely taste the freshness of each element, and of course, the buttery scone just melts in your mouth.
Their Lemon Poppyseed scones go amazingly well with the Rhubarb Ginger Jam.
Everything here is really a mix-and-match play. You can choose a scone flavour of your choice and pair it with your favourite jam, or try something adventurous.
They also have some low-gluten scones, which tend to sell out fast.
And when you head out, don’t forget to grab a jar or two of their famous jams.
What to order: Herb & Onion Scones, Lemon Poppyseed with Rhubarb Ginger Jam
Address:
-150 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4
-35 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, ON
-393 Winston Avenue, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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9. SemSem
SemSem is a relatively new concept café that incorporates a modern twist on traditional dishes. This Middle Eastern breakfast/brunch place has an extensive menu featuring some of the best homemade recipes, and the ambience here is cosy and lovely.
While the Fatteh by itself is a party in your mouth, SemSem has different variations of the dish, like Fatteh Tahini with Meat and Fatteh Yogurt. Each of these dishes has a distinct taste except for the Fatteh base.
The vegan and gluten-free Falafel Plate comes perfectly fried, with a nice crunch on the outside, which is immediately followed by a melt-in-your-mouth inside.
Note – all their breads are made fresh in-house, and there are a plethora of options for you to choose from. From simple plain breads like the SemSem Twist Plain to meat-filled Eggcellent with Sojok (Arabic spicy sausage), the selection is really mouthwatering!
For drinks, we recommend their Mint Tea and the SemSem Drink (Karak Tea) because picking one over the other is impossible.
What to order: Fatteh, Fatteh Yogurt, Fatteh Tahini with Meat, Falafel Plate, SemSem Twist Plain, Eggcellent with Sojok, Mint Tea, SemSem Drink
Address: 2430 Bank Street, Ottawa, ON K2V 0T7
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10. The King Eddy
Located in the city’s historical Byward Market, The King Eddy offers a wide range of classic diner-type fare, all of which is made fresh in-house with quality ingredients. Though the restaurant is known to be “home to Ottawa’s best burger”, they do offer some appealing brunch selections.
From their All Day Breakfast menu, you got to try the Morning Glory Sandwich, which was voted Ottawa’s Best Breakfast Sandwich. This is an English muffin sandwich with a house-made spicy maple and herb sausage patty, topped with fried egg, cheese, and garlic mayo. Well, let’s just say that the voters weren’t wrong!
Choose The King Eddy Omelette and you get a bunch of yummy items that the restaurant is known for. While the omelette contains mushrooms, a couple of veggies, and cheese, you also get a side of their signature KE beef chili, which bursts with flavour. Scoop up the chili with your choice of toast.
A special mention to their mildly salty and sweet Peameal Bacon, which you can add as a side to any brunch dish you choose to have.
What to order: Morning Glory Sandwich, The King Eddy Omelette, Peameal Bacon
Address: 47 Clarence Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 5P9
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11. Art-Is-In Bakery
A bakery-turned-restaurant/cafe offering freshly made artisanal breads, best morning pastries, sandwiches, and a lot more. Located in a converted warehouse, the interior of Art-Is-In Bakery is modern and stylish, with an outdoor terrace where everyone loves to dine in.
Their Sweet French Toast Stack is quite popular, and there is a sweet and savoury version. What would we recommend? The Savoury French Toast Stack. You can start off with the savoury bacon, fried eggs, cheddar, and hollandaise, and eventually drizzle the maple syrup to finish off your plate with a sweet note. Now, that’s what we call innovation!
The Brunch Burger is enormous! It comes with two beef patties – perfectly browned and juicy, topped with cheese, crispy bacon, hollandaise, and sunny egg. The house potato bun used for the burger elevates this simple dish to another level.
When you visit Art-Is-In Bakery, you HAVE TO take home some of their fresh, warm, and flaky pastries. One favourite is the Chocolate Almond Croissant. This is a chocolate croissant soaked in rum syrup, with an almond cream filling and sliced almonds on top – heavenly!
What to order: Savoury French Toast Stack, Brunch Burger, Chocolate Almond Croissant
Address: 250 City Centre Avenue Unit 112, Ottawa, ON K1R 6K7
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12. Manx Pub
Literally a hidden gem, Manx Pub is a small space located in a basement, and really quite easy to miss. But, visit the place once and you will forever become a devotee! This watering hole offers a globally-inspired menu, which can be devoured with occasional live music.
Yes, people come here specifically for their Eggs Benedict, credits to the cheddar buttermilk biscuit, perfectly poached eggs, and lemony hollandaise. But, we would like to bring to your attention the Banana Bread French Toast.
Thick slices of moist banana bread are transformed into golden French toast perfection. Topped with fresh berries, whipped cream, and a drizzle of maple syrup, each bite is a harmonious blend of sweet and indulgent flavours. This brunch toast is to die for, and a one-of-a-kind brunch item that will have you come back to Manx over and over again.
The Fried Egg Sandwich has all things fresh and delightful – guacamole, lettuce, and tomato, with cheddar and garlic mayo sandwiched between fresh house-made bread.
What to order: Eggs Benedict, Banana Bread French Toast, Fried Egg Sandwich
Address: 370 Elgin Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1N1
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13. The Third
The Third is a simple and affordable eatery and gathering spot loved by the locals. This casual, family-friendly spot serves satisfying comfort food that can be enjoyed with the pleasure of good company.
We’ve all had breakfast sandwiches but how about Breakfast Nachos? The Third offers some bomb breakfast nachos – tortilla chips, sunny side eggs, salsa, tomatillo, bacon, and cheese. Each element adds a different flavour to the dish; a little bit of spiciness from the salsa, meaty and crispy bacon, slight acidity from the tomatillo, creamy eggs, and crispy tortillas.
Their homemade Scone with homemade jam and whipped butter comes to the table warm, crumbly, and buttery with a hint of sweetness.
What to order: Breakfast Nachos, Scone
Address: 1017 Wellington Street W, Ottawa, ON K1Y 2Y1
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While you are already spending a relaxing weekend in Ottawa, let us also take you on a quick tour of some of the best Ottawa restaurants. Whether you are in the mood for casual classics or unique luxuries, our list has all the details.