Ottawa - Post Report Question and Answers
What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Food delivery doesn’t seem as prevalent as in other countries; even the US has better food delivery than Ottawa. Lots of great restaurants, though. - Sep 2023
All the American chains are available. There are some really good restaurants, lots of pub-style burger places, and lots of touristy restaurants in the market. Prices are very high, but the Canadian dollar has dropped, making things more affordable for Americans. - Aug 2015
Same as in the USA, but why would you go? - May 2014
Canada is about 30% more expensive for everything but it is all available. - Jul 2013
Most U.S. chains are present. Subway, McDonald's, Burger King, etc. They even have a Five Guys now. There are also several Canadian chains. Generally restaurants are pretty good, but expect to pay 10-30% more than in the U.S. - Jan 2013
Everything you would find in the States except Arby's. Maybe a little pricier than in the US. - Dec 2010
All the usual suspects that you'd find in the U.S. except Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme. Tim Hortons is fine, though don't say that to Canadians --who have an almost religious-like fervor for their coffee and donut holes ("Tim Bits"). One of my Canadian work contacts looked like he was going to cry when I mentioned that I missed Dunkin' Donuts' coffee."What's wrong with Tim Horton's coffee?" he bleated. - Aug 2010
The particular Mexican, Lebanese, North Indian, Persian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Carribean, and African restaurants I frequent are just as good as the best restaurants of this variety I've been to abroad (in those same countries!). Most of them are sadly not advertised in any touristy brochures so it is not surprising people could be woefully dissappointed with Ottawa's culinary offerings. Again, we don't have the quanity of restaurants you'll see in Montreal/Toronto...but given the diverse base of people in the city, you can find good quality cuisine of any type once you know where to find it. This is one of biggest misconceptions about this city!Fast food is readily available. Cost is probably more than what's available in equivalent sized US cities but I would imagine cheaper than Manhattan and on-par with DC. - Nov 2009
