Ottawa is a fantastic magical place full of joy and adventure—don’t let any stupid jerks tell you otherwise.
Maybe it’s my small-town roots, maybe I’m just easily impressed, but the knowledge that I can step on a bus and go anywhere in the city still delights me to no end. All you need to do is walk around aimlessly and get yourself lost a few times and you’ll stumble upon all manner of small wonderful places. Let me help you find a few of my favourites:
Pressed Café
Just the thought of a smoked trout sandwich from Pressed Café is enough to get me through any mediocre meal. Fish and avocado might not be your thing, but it doesn’t have to be—there’s a whole smorgasbord of sandwiches here and most of them will give you a serious food-gasm.
The café also features regular live music and spoken word performances—and it has a liquor license. Keep in mind it’s usually pretty hard to find a seat on performance nights though, so get there early!
Directions: Take the 4 Rideau and get off at Bronson and Gladstone.
All Books
Dare I say this is the best bookstore in Ottawa? All Books is tiny, so tiny that if you jerk violently you might send stacks of Vonnegut and Jules Verne crashing down on your head.
This might seem dangerous and uncomfortable, but walking in this place on a cold Ottawa night is like stepping into
the embrace of thousands of warm, loving pages.
You might not find what you’re looking for but you’ll always find something, and this place is also conveniently located right beside the ByTowne Theatre.
The ByTowne
The ByTowne has a huge selection of foreign and independent films. These are movies you might not otherwise get to see on the big screen, and it’s cheaper than any Cineplex.
The theatre opened back in 1947—it was called The Nelson back then—and it has all the charm and grandeur that comes with age. Plus, you can browse the selection in All Books before or after you see a movie.
Directions: Take the 7 St. Laurent to Rideau and Nelson.
Umi Cafe
Life without a piano can be rough, especially if you use your instrument to channel your young adult angst.
Well cry no more, there’s a piano at Umi, and regular open mics on Friday nights. It’s a chill, welcoming environment, and a great place to go if you want to venture off campus to perform.
Directions: Take the 4 Rideau to Bronson and Somerset.
Monopolatte
So some people actually like board games. I despise them because I’m soulless and hate fun, but I have many gentler, more
loving friends for whom a coffee shop full of board games is paradise.
You can go on the website to check out all the different games they offer, and then gather up some friends to go enjoy a game and a meal together.
Or order a couple drinks, grab “Cards Against Humanity” and have fun laughing loudly at horrible things in a public place.
Directions: Take the 4 Rideau to Bronson and Somerset.
