AUTHOR BIO: New York–born Mia Brown began reviewing restaurants in college and kept at it while traveling for a government job. She’s partial to poutine without cheese curds and La Fin Du Monde.
When the Michelin Guide finally crossed the border into Canada, it landed in just three cities: Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal. Fair enough—each has marquee chefs and the kind of big-ticket dining rooms that justify a star. But leaving Ottawa off the list was a mistake, as if the country’s capital were destined to be forever overshadowed by its flashier neighbors.
I should know better, because I’ve been in and out of the city so often on work trips that it feels like a second home. Over time, I learned which corner cafés could carry me through a deadline and which dining rooms were worth rearranging a flight to catch.
Which is why I set out to map Ottawa’s restaurants against the Michelin designations. For the uninitiated, stars go to restaurants with exceptional food, Bib Gourmand recognizes those serving great meals at a friendlier price point, and “recommended” is the Guide’s way of saying a place belongs in the conversation. With that in mind, I combed the city for places that deserve a place along with the best restaurants in Toronto.
Here then are the Michelin-worthy restaurants of Ottawa—15 places that prove the city is overdue for its own red book.
Aiana Restaurant Collective
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Aiāna is the rare downtown spot that feels polished without being stiff, the kind of room where chef Raghav Chaudhary sends out Canadian produce dressed like it’s headed to opening night. I’ve had pristine plates that lean seasonal and precise—think elegant fish, thoughtful veg, and sauces that actually matter. It’s a tasting-menu mindset even à la carte, with service that moves like a well-rehearsed orchestra.
What it deserves: Michelin Star
Atelier
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If you’re here, you’re surrendering to chef Marc Lepine—a modernist disciplined by craft, now staged as “Zyre,” a progression of seven “expressions.” It’s the most transportive dinner in town: whimsy that lands, technique that reads as delight, and a staff that lets the show breathe. This is where Ottawa proves it can play on the world stage.
What it deserves: Michelin Star
Beckta Dining & Wine
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Ottawa’s white-tablecloth standard still knows how to make a night memorable—quiet confidence, deep cellar, and a kitchen led on the ground by head chef Kyle Wilson. I come for dishes that balance familiarity and finesse, and for service that actually seems happy you showed up. If you’re celebrating, this is the safe bet that still feels special.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
Fauna
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Chef-owner Jon Svazas cooks the food I want to eat on a Friday night: seasonal, a little wild, built for sharing, and plated with just enough swagger. The raw bar leads, the small plates wander, and the room buzzes with fun vibes. Order broadly and let the table turn into a tasting menu.
What it deserves: Bib Gourmand
Gitanes
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Elgin Street gets its mood lighting from Gitanes, where executive chef Mitch Lacombe does modern French with a sense of occasion. One night it’s steak-frites with truffle, the next it’s a chef’s-table tasting that turns the kitchen into theater. Bring someone who appreciates a proper martini and a restaurant that knows how to surprise you.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
Les Fougères
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A six-mile drive north into Quebec, and you’re at a dining room wrapped in gardens, where chef Simon Beaudry cooks the Outaouais region’s bounty like he grew it himself. The plates are seasonal and clear-headed—the kind of cooking that doesn’t need bravado because the ingredients do the talking. Go early, wander the grounds, then sit down for a meal that feels anchored to this place.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
North & Navy
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Ottawa’s northern Italian daydream is steered by chef-owner Adam Vettorel, where the menu reads like it hit Venice and took a left toward the Ottawa Valley. Pastas like cacio-e-pepe are followed by big-hearted secondi, and the room has the easy charm of a neighborhood spot that secretly cooks like a destination. I come hungry and let the six-course tasting do the driving.
What it deserves: Michelin Star
Perch
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A tiny room with a nine-course tasting that punches well above its size, Perch is where chef-owner Justin Champagne-Lagarde cooks Canada in tight, elegant arcs. It’s the kind of dinner that turns quiet as everyone at the table pays attention. If you care about the details, you’ll notice they cared first.
What it deserves: Michelin Star
Restaurant e18hteen
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This ByWard Market stalwart still knows its lane—steak and seafood done with intent—under chef David Godsoe. I like the way the menu straddles classics (a serious ribeye) and composed plates (black cod, lobster tagliatelle) without losing the plot. It’s grown-up dining with a bar that knows its way around a nightcap.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
Riviera
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Housed in a former bank, Riviera gives Sparks Street the big-city glow, and chef Jordan Holley’s open kitchen delivers the sort of plates that make you sit up—tartares, crudos, pastas with actual swagger. Cocktails are as important as the food here; plan accordingly. If Parliament had a canteen this good, they’d never adjourn.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
Signatures Restaurant
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Within Le Cordon Bleu, Signatures is the culinary art school’s flagship dining room, and it’s back in the spotlight with executive chef Isabelle Alexandre at the helm. Expect classical technique folded into a refreshed fine-dining script. It’s where formality meets appetite: polished service, disciplined sauces, and a room that dresses you up a little.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
Soif Bar à vin
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This great wine hangout in Gatineau is also quietly a great restaurant, with master sommelier-owner Véronique Rivest pouring bottles you want to learn from and chef Erik Brooman sending out small plates built to flatter what’s in your glass. It’s unpretentious, smart, and the rare place where I linger because the next pour might be the best.
What it deserves: Bib Gourmand
Supply and Demand
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If I lived in Westboro, I’d be here weekly—chef Steve Wall runs a neighborhood bistro with a raw bar that actually earns its keep and pastas that make you reconsider sharing. The room is easygoing, the plates are dialed, and the hospitality feels personal. Order oysters, a vegetable starter, and whatever pasta the server can’t stop recommending.
What it deserves: Bib Gourmand
Tomo Restaurant
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ByWard’s sleek Japanese destination has leveled up under chef Daniel Ken Miyamoto, who threads omakase polish through a menu that still works for a casual sushi night. Fish quality leads, but so does balance—clean flavors, tight technique, and plates that don’t try too hard. It’s the sort of place that makes you consider a second round just to see what else the kitchen can do.
What it deserves: Michelin recommended
