Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Ottawa

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Ottawa? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Perch

5.0

5 (231)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Perch is an intimate fine dining restaurant focusing on Canadian ingredients, ethical and sustainable products.
Awarded as the 4th Best New Canadian Restaurant 2022 by Enroute, Three diamonds by AAA and placing on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants 2023 and 2025. With the dining room facing into the wide open kitchen offering a nine course tasting menu and a bar focusing on unique cocktails and natural wines.

Nine Course tasting menu is $145 for food menu
Beverage Pairing is $100 per person (optional)
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Pairing is $85 per person (optional)

We release reservations 60 days in advance.

Please be sure to specify any dietary restrictions when making a reservation.

Please note that for reservations of 5 or more people, please call us at 613-515-0535 or email amanda@perchottawa.ca

Top review

Kaia

Dined on Jun 19, 2025

Had an incredible experience, the staff are so welcoming and knowledgeable and the service was outstanding. The dishes were beautiful, unique and beyond delicious! The bespoke cocktail perfectly embodied the flavour profile I was looking for and was one of the best cocktails I’ve ever had! Above all, the pairings (alcoholic and non-alc) added a whole other dimension to each dish and complemented them perfectly. Will definitely keep coming back, thank you so much!

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Experience

Tasting Menu - 9 Course Meal

Stofa Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (143)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Hintonburg

About the restaurant

Stofa is built on a passion for food, traditional and modern cooking methods, and creativity. We look to the ingredients to bridge the gap between time-honoured techniques and modern progression, producing a comfortable, inventive, and evocative dining experience.

Stofa's name represents a place of warmth and comfort where people can gather to eat, drink and be with friends. We proudly support local and sustainable products, and participate in the farm and food community, all while providing guests with vibrant and engaging food presented in an approachable yet innovative dining setting.

Located in the vibrant Wellington West area of Ottawa, Stofa offers a 3 or 5 course table d'hote menu which changes regularly. We offer patio dining (weather dependent) and have a private room available for large groups or professional meetings.

Top review

Brenda

Dined on Jun 4, 2025

Fantastic birthday dinner - service was attentive and kind - food was hot, fresh and delicious - wine suggestions were fun and delicious. Loved the ambient music at just the right level for conversation.

Aiāna

4.9

4.9 (545)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Canadian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Driven to provide a dining experience unlike any other, Aiāna's cuisine reflects a harmonious balance between classic cooking techniques and contemporary recipes. Whether a memorable meal; handcrafted cocktail or a glass of carefully curated wine, Aiana delivers distinctly Canadian cuisine and impeccable hospitality – all from the pulse of Ottawa’s bustling downtown.

Top review

Adriana

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

We had an amazing experience and would definitely go again!

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Experience

A la Carte Reservation

Experience

Tasting Menu

Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine

4.9

4.9 (726)

CAN$51 and over

Peruvian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine brings Chef Lizardo Becerra and his team's Peruvian food to the heart of Ottawa.

Enjoy a seasonal menu that features bold ingredients from Peru, Ocean Wise-recommended seafood and locally sourced meats. Fresh cocktails, curated wines, local beers and traditional Peruvian drinks complement the thrilling food menu.

Top review

Randy

Dined 5 days ago

We were greeted by our very friendly and knowledgeable server “Raphaël” who provided us with very detailed descriptions of each dish that he recommended. We made a meal of several of the tapas/small plate selections and each one was delicious, inventive and beautifully presented - featuring squid, seviche, crab, scallop and mushroom dishes. There happened to be a private event in one half of the restaurant that night, so we benefitted from the fact that they had a live band playing, which provided a fun background to what was a lovely and delicious meal. We recommend Raphaël Peruvian Cuisine very highly. You won’t regret it.

Shinka Sushi Bar

4.9

4.9 (65)

CAN$51 and over

Sushi

Gloucester

About the restaurant

After too long Shinka Sushi Bar is finally back to a dine in service! Nestled in the heart of an industrial park come check out our hideaway.

Top review

Vibhas

Dined 1 day ago

Restaurant is a hidden small space in an industrial building, with the entrance through the kitchen. Once inside, it's a lovely little room in dark earth colours with just a few tables. We had the 2nd level (out of four), Omakase (chef's choice) menu for four. Very pricey, as any Omakase menu is, but some of the best sushi we have ever had.

Atelier - Ottawa

4.8

4.8 (1758)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Downtown

About the restaurant

The experience at Atelier has evolved. It now moves through a format we call Zyre—a new culinary journey shaped by creativity and design, where the boundaries between cuisine and art begin to blur. The menu unfolds in seven distinct expressions, each one an exploration of flavour, form, and feeling.
 
The Zyre experience is offered at $250 per guest. We kindly ask you to budget approximately 3 hours for the full experience.
While we do our best to accommodate mild allergies, please note that our kitchen is not allergen-free and we cannot guarantee zero cross-contamination.
 
Over the years, our evolving approach has garnered meaningful recognition. Atelier has been named to Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list ten times (2015–2025) and to the OAD Top Restaurants in North America seven times (2019–2025). Chef Marc Lepine was named Canada’s Most Innovative Chef in 2018, and Atelier is one of only six Canadian restaurants to receive an international award from The Best Chef Awards (2024).

Top review

Henry

Dined on Jun 7, 2025

Fantastic experience for the birthday celebration. Staff really nice, great service. Appreciate taking care of our diet restrictions.

4.8

4.8 (2285)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary Canadian

Kanata

About the restaurant

Our menu represents Chef Michael's Blackie’s best food memories, which span over his 35 plus international career Chef worked in Asia, Latin America and is an expat from the UK.
His food style can best be described as a balance between Canadian roots with a strong influence in both Asian, Latin and European cuisines.
We are currently open for Dinner weekly 7 days week from 5 to 9 pm. We are known for our blind tasting menu that features 8 dishes shared between minimum of 2 people. We are also open for Sunday Brunch from 10am to 1 pm and offer a sharing 5 course - 10 dish brunch tasting menu.
NeXT opened in 2009 and is consistently in the top drawer of established restaurants in the Ottawa / Gatineau region. NeXT has been awarded many accolades over these past 11 years.
Come and discover one of Ottawa's signature original stand-alone restaurants that represent the acumination of Chefs Blackie's global career.

Top review

Lorne

Dined 2 days ago

Absolutely fabulous place Food excellent Our server Dale was awesome Always a pleasure to go to NEXT

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Experience

SUNDAY BRUNCH | 10 DISH TASTING MENU

Experience

BLIND TASTING MENU | 2 to 6 GUESTS | WED to SAT

Experience

SATURDAY DINNER PARTY | 7-16 GUESTS

Stolen Goods Cocktail Bar

4.8

4.8 (280)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Cocktail Bar

Downtown

About the restaurant

Turning words into action.
An unconventional cocktail bar born from the desire that ideas are meant to be changed.
Amorphous in nature.

For all changes to reservations please contact us through instagram, email or message through OpenTable. We do not have a phone line during business hours.

A gratuity of 20% will be included on all groups of 5+.

Top review

JacquelineVIP

Dined on Jun 8, 2025

Drinks were good. Didn’t have any food. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Will go again whenever in Ottawa for a drink or two.

Vain In Versailles Bistro

4.6

4.6 (133)

CAN$30 and under

Contemporary French

Little Italy

About the restaurant

A new contemporary conscious French Bistro, serving a gluten free forward menu with imaginative cuisine.
We create a matrimony with local and seasonal ingredients and beautiful dishes, thoughtful cocktails and carefully chosen wines and to create stimulating experiences with creative gastronome approaches. Open now from Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm-10/11pm.

Private affairs, bookings and tastings also available.

Top review

Neal

Dined on May 17, 2025

What a treat it was to discover ViV! The menu is very creative and extremely well crafted, the cocktails are a revelation, the staff is very attentive and knowledgeable, and clearly enjoys seeing their guests enjoy what they present. And the fact that everything is gluten-free is just the icing on the cake! I'm almost afraid to rave about the place, though - it may become impossible to get a booking . . .

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Experience

Wine Club Wednesday's At Versailles

Experience

Bottomless Bubbles & Brunch

Experience

Monthly Gluten Free Boulangerie Pop Up!

Copper Spirits & Sights

4.0

4 (457)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Cocktail Bar

Downtown

About the restaurant

Located on the 16th floor of Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market, our premium cocktail lounge offers an unmatched ambiance, blending a loungy, modern vibe with the sophistication of a high-end cocktail bar. As the city's tallest rooftop patio, our lounge provides breathtaking views of Ottawa's iconic copper-topped buildings, creating a stunning backdrop for any occasion.
Indulge in our expertly crafted neo-classic cocktails, savor elegant wines, and enjoy a selection of delicious tapas-style dishes, all prepared with the freshest local ingredients. Whether you're looking for a place to unwind after work or a vibrant spot to kick off your weekend, our rooftop lounge is the perfect destination.

Rooftop Patio is Closed for the Season.

Please note: Currently, we are not accepting reservations of 6+ guests
For hosting events or buyouts, please contact us at copper@andaz.com
*A 20% automatic gratuity applies to groups larger than 6 people and will be charged on one final bill

Top review

aimee

Dined on Jun 8, 2025

Despite booking a reservation in advance they were not able to accommodate on a patio which was a big disappointment.

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Experience

Canada Day on the Rooftop

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