Buyers and Cellars is a welcome, fresh face in the Centretown neighbourhood. Their sommeliers are…read moreincredibly knowledgeable, care deeply and work really hard (without breaking a sweat) to bring classy service. Since the Buzz disappeared mid-pandemic, there has been a wine bar sized hole in the heart of Centretown. My first introduction to Buyers and Cellars was a birthday celebration where my friend treated me to a tasting. It was every bit as girly and glamorous as you imagine. We were all dressed up and sampled 5 wines - 1 oz each and "travelled" from the Alps of Switzerland and Italy to Chile. My friend and I chatted happily in between tastings while the sommelier regaled us with stories of each winery, how long they had been in business, and how many of the wines they sell can only be found here. Imagine! These rich tasting wines not available anywhere else in the country. The wine from the Alps , for example, is only made in very small batches. I bought a bottle and I was hooked. I have since gone back twice - once when I was in a pinch and couldn't get to the LCBO or it was close to closing - and this evening. The second time I came away with two bottles and a free glass of wine. Tonight, I stopped in to pick up a nice bottle of wine for dinner on Friday, and asked if it wasn't too busy if I could sit and have a drink. The sommelier happily obliged and poured me three 1oz glasses, each of a rossa, carmeniere and a Croatian red wine. The Croatian, called Dika, was my favourite, so I bought two bottles ($60). The bartender comped my tasting, and I was happily on my way... but I'll be back!

Great place to explore rare varietals. Comfortable atmosphere to study wines. They carry phenomenal…read morewines from less popular regionsI picked up Jordanian Barbera and Mencia from Spain. Def coming back on my next visit to Ottawa. :)

"Soif: A Wine Bar That Forgets About Dinner" I understand…read morethat Soif is primarily a wine bar, but if food is on the menu, the portions should at least resemble a proper meal. Last night, I ordered the fish with vegetables. What arrived was honestly insulting: two tiny, sad slivers of fish perched on a bit of kale -- for $22. I'm not exaggerating when I say it couldn't have been more than 10 grams of fish. Imagine going out for dinner and your "main course" looks more like a garnish. My friend didn't fare any better. She ordered the crab guédille, which turned out to be served on what was essentially a hot dog bun. For the price and the setting, that choice felt lazy and downright ridiculous. Soif may be a place to enjoy wine, but the food should not feel like an afterthought or a joke at the customer's expense. Unless you plan to eat beforehand and only sip here, I cannot recommend Soif for dinner.

Was looking for a wine bar and wanted something different. What sets this spot apart from other…read morewine bars is that they specialize in organic wines. The selection is huge so getting recommendations is very important. I decided to go with a good wine pairing so I could try many different wines. I was not disappointed with the selections. The staff knew so much about every bottle and had a story to go along with it. Service was impressive. The food was good. The highlights were the charcuterie board, pork belly and Brussel sprouts. Ambience was casual and low key. It was a good experience especially having the opportunity to learn and try so much.

Honestly love this spot! GREAT edamame (still thinking about it) & love the pizza croissant rolls…read moreevery time. Would probably skip on the grilled cheese next time I go as it wasn't my favourite for the price. Cool atmosphere inside and quirky servers, which I love. Would definitely recommend stopping in for an appy and drinks.

Being a newcomer to Ottawa, my husband and I went into a few places on a Wednesday night to get to…read moreknow the area. When we went into 10Fourteen, the first thing I said was, "this is exactly how I would design a bar if I had one." The small venue was decorated in browns, grays, blacks and whites, with chalkboards, bubble lights, chunky mirrors, painted quotes on canvas ("Love is all you need" and others in that vein) and other funky, classy decor. It's a small place, with a long, two-piece bar, a few booths, a couple tables and a small lounge area. At 8PM on a Wednesday, there were a few other couples in there, and what looked like a larger group sitting on the couch in the "lounge." Everyone was middle aged or younger. Our helpful bartender immediately greeted us with a martini glass filled with delicious truffle, cinnamon popcorn. I ordered a Slap and Tickle, despite it being what seemed like a more wine-focused bar -- and only three beers on tap. The drink (gin, cucumber juice) was refreshing, but not strong at all. And maybe these stingy pours are just something I have to get used to up here in Canada, but there was 1 ounce of alcohol in the whole drink, despite it being served in a highball glass. Despite both of us ordering drinks, we were not given water, which is a bit of a bartender pet peeve of mine. The chalkboard menu is really hard to follow. An item example: "Glass of bacon/jack/lime/coke." Not exactly sure what that meant, but we saw "BACON" so we asked and ordered it. It was really, really good. Jack Daniels and Coke rubbed bacon (five pieces for $5), baked and served in a martini glass with a lime. Totally cool and funky (and yummy!) but wish the menu were more easily decipherable. Things were a little chaotic behind the bar, which totally contrasted with the more relaxed vibe intended at the bar. There seemed to be no POS system and the kitchen was right behind the bar with the bartenders. I'm talking people pulling food out of refrigerators, prepping it, microwaving -- the whole deal. The bright lights from the open refrigerator door made it all together too bright in the bar, killing the mood lighting, and it seemed nonsensical to set it up that way. I'm all for open-view kitchens, but maybe not as restricted as that, and not right with the bartenders trying to make drinks. All in all, I really liked the place. Cool vibe, good stuff on the menu (when you are told what it is), and really nice and helpful staff. I just wish they could live up to the potential a bit more. I'll definitely go back and adjust my rating accordingly.

TL;DR/The Short Version: Delicious food at popular…read morerestaurant in the Byward Market. The beef cheek was melt-in-your-mouth. The Long Version: I was at Play Food and Wine Bar for a professional event that was sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. We were a group of about 30-40 people and had a section of the restaurant to ourselves. We had a set menu with a choice of mains (beef or vegetarian). We started off with a few hors d'oeuvres served on spoons. Servers were going around with them and I got to try two different types. One was a shrimp on a dollop of wasabi cream and the other was a gnocchi. Both were tasty and prepared us for the delicious meal to come. We all had the mixed salad, which was a spring mix with grapes, candied pecans, and whipped goat cheese, in a cucumber and mint vinaigrette. I loved the different textures and even though the salad came pre-dressed (I always prefer dressing on the side), the dressing wasn't heavy, so I didn't find it too overdressed for my tastes. For my main, I chose the beef cheek (the vegetarian option was gnocchi). The beef cheek was so tender and literally fall-apart. I didn't even need a knife. It was so flavourful too. It came with mushrooms and mashed potatoes. There was an olive and sun-dried tomato sauce on the beef that I found a too potent and overwhelming in flavour, but overall I still enjoyed the main. For dessert we had the chocolate tart. It had salted caramel on it and under the layer of chocolate was a layer of white chocolate fudge. It was very rich and decadent...overly so. I finished it nonetheless, lol. Service was excellent. We had several servers assigned to our group and they were attentive. They kept our water glasses and wine glasses full. Although I enjoyed the Pinot Grigio, I was driving, so had to limit myself to a glass and a half. Play Food and Wine Bar is owned by Stephen Beckta, who is a bit of a local celebrity, lol. His first restaurant is Beckta, which I have been to and while it's more upscale than Play, I actually enjoyed the food at Play more. His other restaurant is Gezellig, which is in my neighborhood (Westboro) and I've been to it a couple of times, and I definitely like Play better. I'm glad I was introduced to Play. The room we were in was lovely. It was long and narrow and had a bar. As with all restaurants in the Byward Market, parking is paid parkade parking or paid street parking only. Review #139 (2025)

Our server was awesome. In fact the staff here were so friendly and fun. She didn't rush us and…read moremade sure everything was to our liking. We had such a great experience here.

We recently had the pleasure of dining at 107 4th Avenue Wine Bar & Café, and it was wonderful. Our…read moremeal was outstanding -  you must try the steak frites that was cooked to perfection. Their wine selection is extensive and more importantly they have Bogle chardonnay on hand.   What truly elevated our visit was the exceptional service provided by Julia and Melanie. Their friendly demeanor made us feel at home, turning a great meal into a special occasion.   The atmosphere of the bar/bistro is cozy and inviting adding to the overall charm of the place. Delicious food and stellar service - what more can you ask for.

Awesome little spot for lunch with a diverse list of wines sold by the glass or bottle. We stopped…read morein here and it was very quaint and quiet mid afternoon. Intimate, the server was very attentive.

There were seven of us and we had a variety of appetizers and the steak. One person had the fish…read more The rest of us shared the appetizers, steak and four bottles of wine. Fortunately we all walked here. This was a memorable night. Great food and outstanding service. The restaurant is unique and very comfortable. I highly recommend this restaurant.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience at Arlo. I ordered the duck frites, which were tasty…read moreand cooked to perfection. My husband ordered the chicken, schnitzel and escargot. This was also delicious and had such an interesting combination of flavors - I was very pleasantly surprised. The restaurant is very quaint and cozy. Our server was also friendly and attentive. Definitely recommended.

Underwhelming. Service was nice but I've had better. Spaghetti & meatballs were okay, the pasta a…read more little too al-dente and meatballs were good but a little too dry. Their pannacotta was delicious though.

Classy Italian restaurant with some chic vibes. Low lights and hip music is the feel of this place…read more Service was very good with the waitress coming often to refill water and following up on the food. Focaccia with Buratta, pistachio and arugula pesto - Large portions and delicious bread. Fluffy inside and crispy outside. Buratta, pistachio and pesto was good, but a bit too steep on the wallet. Calamari - light batter with fresh calamari. Some bites were crispy and some were soggy. Overall the calamari was well seasoned. Some lemon pasta with broccolini and cheese - An item that I can no longer find on the menu. Even more intriguing now that I cannot find on the menu. Interesting dish that was light and well balanced. It was interesting to try, but not sure I would go for this again.

The service was absolutely amazing! I was cold in the restaurant and not only were they able to get…read moremy jacket but also brought a heater out. We got a bottle of wine and our service was kind enough to have a selection for us to choose from and helped us pair it well with our meal. The charcuterie was great, we loved pairing things and mixing. The pastas were also great, no complaints!

overall a nice place. tho a few things to note. Obv understaffed as it was slow service and waiter…read moreseemed frazzled. Aps were great. Main course; had bison. I really could've used a steak knife . It was tasty but overall too salty and a little tough. Waited 20 min for more wine. wine by the glass is annoying when the waiters are too busy bussing tables to take your order. I asked if they were always so busy and they said "yes". So they are purposely understaffed. we would've consumed more had the service been more timely.

I came in a party of five and had a great server. They helped us pick out a lovely wine for the…read moretable. The oysters were delicious and I was happy with deal! Don't tempt with a dollar oysters! I ordered the lobster risotto and absolutely loved it. Dessert was also delicious and super rich. Thank you to the Le Poisson Bleu team!

The atmosphere was amazing. The food was seriously some of the best combinations I've ever had…read more There was no plate that fell short they were all delicious. Our service was fantastic, and to Brendan who brought most of our plates and prepped them... you literally made our whole experience special. Will be coming back 100%!!

Grow theirs own cocktails herb and flowers…read more The patio is charming and so is the interior. The staff is very knowledgeable it's very pleasant to know more about the dishes.

I was SO stoked to finally visit the Moonroom after seven or so years of wanting to go!…read more After a Saturday night at Bluesfest, we waited somewhere else for about half an hour before they told us the kitchen was backed up, so we walked down Preston and I was so glad the Moonroom was still open. We didn't get there until about 12:30am and it was pretty full. We didn't leave until maybe 2:30am and it was still pretty full considering the time. They're not normally open this late, but it seems like a lot of the businesses on Preston decided to stay open later to catch the post-Bluesfest crowd. Good call! We decided to sit inside since there was an empty table, otherwise I would've liked to sit out on their back patio, which looked really pretty with the lights. Inside was a nice vibe though, too. It's small/narrow, dimly lit, with sheets covering the different coloured ceiling lights, and candles on the table. It's very intimate and pretty romantic. We sat close to the bar and there was another party of two beside us. The music was a bit louder so we couldn't really hear the other table's conversations, but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other. They were playing the Bee Gees when we walked (danced) in, so we were really about the jams. My husband got a rotating draught IPA by Daft Brewing, can't remember which one it was. I got the Jill Collins, which had Tanqueray Gin, Affino Limone, fresh lemon and mint, cane syrup, and a Moon soda top. It was super refreshing, bright, and not too sweet, which is exactly what I wanted. We shared/I mostly ate the "OG Grilled Cheese" and "Panzanella-esque Salad". The grilled cheese had aged Balderson and cream cheeses in a crunchy baguette smothered in toasted garlic butter, served with Moon ketchup. It was exactly as described, with very crunchy, buttery garlic bread and creamy cheese. The Moon ketchup is made in-house, thinner and chunkier than processed, store-bought ketchup, with stronger flavours. It was okay, but I didn't need to dip much in the ketchup because I really enjoyed the sandwich and it was on the saltier side itself. Because it was a lot creamier than gooey, I'd say it was more of a sandwich than a grilled cheese, but still very tasty. I really am not a huge fan of salad in general, but I can't complain when it was burrata on top. It also had salty bread, arugula, roasted tomatoes, fresh peaches, herbs, and honey. The peaches were more firm than ripe and juicy, which was good for a salad, though I wish they were a bit sweeter. The burrata wasn't creamy inside like I expected, but I love cheese in any form. I really don't know what possessed me to get salad, especially after a bunch of drinks in the wee hours of the night, but my body thanked me later. Salty, bitter, a little sweet, fresh, and not heavy, even with (more) bread and cheese. It was great. They unfortunately ran out of the affogato, which probably would've convinced my husband to stay longer. Too bad. The vegan dark chocolate gelato from Farinella that they put in it sounded amazing. The beer was $10.50, my cocktail was $19, grilled cheese $16, and salad $17, which was pricey. BUT, the fresh herbs are from their garden on the back patio, they make their own soda and ketchup (among other things), everything was delicious, and even late at night the cocktails and dishes were still well put together and tasted great, plus I finally came here after so long. No regrets! Our server was super nice, same with owner and one of the bartenders, who even popped over and sat with us for a bit to chat. And not in a weird/creepy/in-your-face way lol she was cool. She was the one who greeted us when we came in and said bye to us on our way out. There's no flash photography (I forgot to turn my auto flash off for my salad, sorry!). They're open all week from 5pm to 2am, no reservations, no large groups, and no phone (just stop by). I wasn't sure if it would meet the high expectations and hype I had built up in my head after waiting so long to visit, but it totally did. It's such a nice spot, we had an amazing time, and we will definitely be back!