Ottawa food is one of the clearest mirrors of Canadian identity, because the city sits right on the seam between English and French culture. BeaverTails, the fried beaver-tail-shaped pastry, was born at the ByWard Market in 1978, and the original shop is still serving it today. Canadian flavours lean on fresh ingredients and a rounded, uncomplicated taste, but with a character you won't find anywhere else — especially in winter, when warm food by a fire or beside the skating canal means something extra.
#1 BeaverTails
The most famous Canadian pastry in the world, born in Ottawa in 1978. It's made from yeasted dough rolled out long in the shape of a beaver's tail, then fried in hot oil until crisp outside and soft inside, served hot with a range of toppings from cinnamon sugar and peanut butter to Nutella and fresh fruit. President Obama stopped by the original Ottawa shop in 2009. You can eat it in any season, but it tastes best when you're cold and hungry beside the skating canal.
- The original shop is in the ByWard Market — order the Killaloe Sunrise, the most classic version, with cinnamon sugar and lemon.
- In winter, the Rideau Canal branch sells all skating season; eating one with your skates still on is a genuine Ottawa experience.
- Eat it while it's hot — the dough hardens as it cools. If you grab one to eat on the go, watch out for falling sugar.
#2 Poutine
Canada's unofficial national dish, with origins in Quebec, but as a city straddling two cultures, Ottawa serves it on every corner. The original recipe is simple: crispy fries, fresh Quebec cheese curds, and hot beef gravy poured over until the cheese melts and turns fragrant. Many good spots in Ottawa make their own special gravy and use fresh cheese curds delivered straight from Quebec farms — a completely different thing from the frozen supermarket poutine.
- Recommended spots for travelers are Smoke's Poutinerie and The Works Burger in the ByWard area.
- Good cheese curds should squeak when you bite them; silence means the cheese isn't fresh.
- If you want true Quebec-style poutine, cross the river to Gatineau for the original taste.
#3 Maple Syrup
Canadian maple syrup isn't just something to pour over pancakes — it's a food culture rooted deep in Canadian life. Ottawa and the surrounding province of Ontario produce world-class maple syrup. Amber grade has the strongest fragrance and suits waffles, while the lighter Golden grade has a delicate taste better suited to cooking. The ByWard Market has several stalls offering free tastings before you buy. Spring (March-April) is Maple Season, when many farms open to visitors to watch the tapping and sugar-boiling process.
- Amber or Dark grade maple syrup makes the best gift because the flavour is more pronounced — a little goes a long way.
- Rideau Pines Farm on the outskirts of Ottawa opens its Sugar Shack in March-April, where you can taste syrup fresh from the kettle.
- Avoid buying maple syrup at the airport — it's 30-50% more expensive than at the ByWard Market.
#4 Butter tart
A traditional Canadian baked good with a history of more than 100 years, considered an unofficial national dessert. A thin, crisp pastry shell wraps a filling of brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla that turns into a thick, sticky caramel that melts in your mouth when warmed. Some recipes add raisins or pecans. The flavour is like fresh peanut butter mixed with sugar, never cloyingly sweet. Many Ottawa bakeries make their own recipe they're proud of.
- Art-Is-In Bakery in Vanier and The Glebe Bakery are the two shops Ottawa locals praise most.
- A tart with a filling that still oozes slightly is better than a dry, hard one; warm is when it tastes best.
- If you want to take some home, packed in a sturdy cardboard box they keep about 3-4 days at room temperature.
#5 Canadian cheese curds
The fresh cheese that's the main ingredient in poutine and a snack Canadians love. Good cheese curds have to come from Quebec and have to be very fresh to get that squeak when you bite. The ByWard Market has several stalls selling fresh cheese curds delivered straight from farms each morning. The flavour is like fresh mozzarella, but a little saltier and with a distinct fresh-milk smell. They're good eaten plain or with fresh vegetables and bread.
- Good fresh cheese curds should be eaten within 1-2 days; after that the flavour changes and the squeak disappears.
- At the ByWard Market, Jacobsons sells fresh cheese curds and a wide range of Canadian cheeses, open from early morning.
- If you buy some to take back to the hotel, refrigerate them right away and finish them by the next day.
#6 Ottawa Shawarma
Ottawa is famous across Canada as the Shawarma Capital, thanks to a large Arab community that settled here from the 1970s. Ottawa shawarma has a signature touch in its especially thick, creamy white garlic sauce (Toum) and grilled meat seasoned with Lebanese spices. It's very cheap for a filling meal in the capital. Ottawa's food scene considers its shawarma better than anywhere else in Canada, and locals are as proud of it as they are of BeaverTails.
- The spots Ottawa locals recommend most are Shawarma Palace and Aisha in the Somerset West area.
- Order the plate instead of the wrap if you want to try everything at once — meat, rice, salad and sauce on one plate.
- Eating late after 10pm at last call is the best atmosphere; Ottawa locals eat shawarma after leaving the bars.
Where to stay in Ottawa for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Ottawa — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
The Metcalfe Hotel by Gray Collection
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Le Germain Hotel Ottawa
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Fairmont Chateau Laurier
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
The Westin Ottawa
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Details
Tours, tickets & activities in Ottawa
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Ottawa — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Before You Pack
Ottawa's most memorable food is usually found at the ByWard Market and the small shops in the Glebe or Hintonburg areas that locals love. If you want truly good poutine, skip the airport and hotel spots and go find a local shop that uses fresh Quebec cheese curds — the difference is a whole other level.