Quiet Ottawa: Beyond the Tourist Core
Most visitors to Ottawa spend their time in a tight loop: Parliament Hill, the ByWard Market, the canal, maybe a museum. That is a fine way to spend a day. But the city has a lot more to offer once you step beyond the downtown core. The neighbourhoods where locals actually eat, drink, and spend their weekends are quieter, more interesting, and only a short bus or LRT ride from the tourist centre.
Westboro
Westboro sits along Richmond Road, roughly 5 kilometres west of Parliament Hill. Take the Confederation Line LRT to Tunney's Pasture station and walk north, or continue one more stop to Dominion station when the Trillium Line extension opens. The neighbourhood has a village-like feel, with independent shops, bakeries, and restaurants lining Richmond Road from Churchill Avenue to Island Park Drive.
Bread by Us at 307 Richmond Road bakes some of the best bread in the city. Get there early because they sell out. Ola Cocina on Richmond Road does inventive Mexican food with a long tequila list. For coffee, Happy Goat Coffee has a Westboro location that draws a loyal crowd.
The real draw of Westboro, though, is its proximity to the Ottawa River. Westboro Beach is a proper sandy beach on the river, swimmable in summer and popular with families. The pathway along the river here connects to a network of trails that run east toward downtown and west toward Andrew Haydon Park, which is one of the best sunset-watching spots in the city.
Hintonburg
Adjacent to Westboro and slightly closer to downtown, Hintonburg centres on Wellington Street West between Parkdale Avenue and Holland Avenue. This is Ottawa's most creative neighbourhood, with studios, galleries, vintage shops, and some of the city's best restaurants packed into a few blocks.
Supply and Demand at 1335 Wellington Street West is a consistently excellent restaurant with a seafood-forward menu. Tooth and Nail Brewing at 3 Irving Avenue is a small craft brewery with a tasting room that feels like a neighbourhood hangout. The Table on Wellington serves a vegetarian tasting menu that rivals anything downtown.
On Saturday mornings, the Parkdale Market on Parkdale Avenue has fresh produce, flowers, and baked goods from local vendors. It is smaller and less touristy than the ByWard Market, and the prices are generally lower. The vendors here know their regulars by name.
The Glebe
The Glebe stretches along Bank Street south of the Queensway, bordered by the Rideau Canal to the east and Bronson Avenue to the west. It is one of Ottawa's most walkable neighbourhoods, with a main street lined with independent boutiques, bookshops, and restaurants.
Lansdowne Park, at the corner of Bank and Holmwood, anchors the southern end. The former stadium grounds now house the Ottawa Atlético soccer team's field, a cinema, and a cluster of restaurants, including Craft Beer Market with its massive patio. The Ottawa Farmers' Market runs here on Sundays from May through October.
Rowan on Bank Street serves some of the best brunch in the city. Compact Music, one of the few surviving independent record stores in Ottawa, is worth a browse even if you do not buy anything. Walking the full length of Bank Street through the Glebe takes about 20 minutes and gives you a good sense of the neighbourhood's character.
From the Glebe, you can easily walk along the canal pathway in either direction. Head north and you are back at Parliament Hill in 25 minutes. Head south and you reach Dow's Lake and the Arboretum.
New Edinburgh and Rockcliffe
New Edinburgh is a small village tucked behind Rideau Hall, the Governor General's residence. It centres on Beechwood Avenue and the surrounding residential streets, which are lined with mature trees and stone houses that date to the 1800s.
Fraser Cafe at 7 Springfield Road is the anchor of the neighbourhood's food scene. The brunch is exceptional, and the dinner menu uses local ingredients in straightforward, well-executed dishes. Bread & Roses Bakery on Beechwood does excellent pastries and sandwiches.
Walk east from New Edinburgh and you reach Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa's wealthiest neighbourhood. The homes are grand and the streets are quiet, but the real reason to come here is the Rockcliffe Parkway, a scenic road that winds along the Ottawa River. It is popular with cyclists and runners, and the views across the river to Gatineau are wide open. The Rockeries, a series of rock gardens near the Aviation Museum, are a peaceful place to sit.
Old Ottawa South and the Rideau River
Old Ottawa South is a residential neighbourhood south of the Glebe, centred on Bank Street between the canal and Billings Bridge. It is quieter than the Glebe and less polished, but it has its own appeal.
The Rideau River runs through the eastern edge of the neighbourhood, and the Rideau River Nature Trail follows the bank south through wooded areas that feel surprisingly wild for a city. In spring, the river swells and the rapids near Billings Bridge are impressive. In summer, the trail is shaded and cool.
Brewer Park on Brewer Way hosts a farmers' market on Saturday mornings from June through October. It is smaller and more neighbourhood-focused than the Lansdowne market, but the quality of the produce is excellent.
Little Italy
Little Italy runs along Preston Street between Carling Avenue and the Queensway. The neighbourhood has evolved beyond its Italian roots, but the Italian influence is still visible in the trattorias, gelato shops, and espresso bars that line the street.
Giovanni's at 362 Preston is old-school Italian with red sauce, white tablecloths, and generous portions. Tennessy Willems across the street has one of the best patios in Ottawa. For a more modern take, North and Navy at 226 Nepean Street (a few blocks east) does refined Italian pasta and small plates in a stylish room.
Preston Street is easily reached by LRT (get off at Bayview or Carling stations and walk south). The Italian Week festival in June fills the street with outdoor dining, music, and events.
Why It Matters
The tourist core gives you the postcard version of Ottawa. The neighbourhoods give you the real city. You will eat better, spend less, and come away with a sense of Ottawa as a place where people actually live, not just a backdrop for school trips and political news.
Most of these areas are reachable by LRT, bus, or a 20- to 30-minute walk from downtown. For a weekend plan that mixes tourist highlights with neighbourhood exploration, see our 48-hour Ottawa itinerary. For more on choosing where to stay, our guide to the best neighbourhoods for a weekend goes into detail on what each area offers. And if you are looking for a broader sense of why Ottawa works as a weekend destination, read our take on why Ottawa is a better weekend city than you think.
For neighbourhood-specific restaurant picks and walking routes, check our food, parks, and easy exploring guide.