Looking for exotic snacks? Things you don't see at regular grocery stores, drug stores or…read moreconvenience stores? Exotic Bottega has you covered. They had lots of imported items from places like the UK, Poland, and Japan. They also have some American items that are harder to find in Canada. It's fun to poke around. Prices are a bit on the higher end, but that's the premium for rarer items. The place is bright and clean. Staff are laid back and friendly. Like every other store in the Byward Market, there's no parking, so you have to park on the street or in one of the lots/parkades.

Cool little market that carries hard to find food, snacks and drinks…read more I'm really not sure what to make of it but they carry a lot of interesting and cool snacks. Sweet, savoury and possibly things in between! There's a good selection of chips and candies. There's also a lot of drinks and limited edition cereals. What a blast to be in here. I think my rating is more on the nostalgia as I won't have a chance to try most of the snacks in here. Let me know what you end up trying!

Great little store with European flavours. Has some hard to find products from across the pond.read more

Just an amazing little store with excellent service!! A lot…read moreof products from Europe and Africa those products are hard to find in the bigger grocery stores Thanks Henry!!

The service behind the fish counter is very poor. The fishmonger IS VERY RUDE! He YELLED VERY LOUD…read moreat me in Chinese and I had no idea what he was saying. I merely asked to keep the eggs in the fish. I would NOT recommend shopping at this establishment until they replace the RUDE man with someone who values loyal customers. My family and I had been shopping here for decades. Never have we ever had such bad experience!

I was getting the full tour of Chinatown on a hot day earlier this month. It was so hot that we…read morepopped into Kowloon Market for some relief from the heat! Kowloon Market is the largest supermarket in Chinatown. It serves to be a one-stop shop for your groceries, barbequed meats, bakery, and more. The bakery looked good. Sadly, someone decided to eat the top of one of the pineapple buns. The dome covering these buns was also wide open, so you need to be aware of the cleanliness, or lack thereof. I did my good deed of the day by closing it. No, I didn't eat the imperfect pineapple bun! It has a good selection of snacks and tea. I learned that you can get do-it-yourself candies. It was eye-opening for me, as I seem to be missing out on these trends. I chatted with a 69-year-old woman in a wheelchair while we were browsing. This supermarket seems to be a social area for some, which is nice. I appreciated dropping by this supermarket to cool off while sipping my bubble tea. If you live in the area and don't have a car to get groceries, this supermarket takes care of your food needs and more. (264)

This review has been posted after about 5 visits to Divisoria (2 of them were in one day - one for…read morefood and later in the evening for Halo Halo) So, I have to say..... they may have taken the Yelp review to heart because they have significantly stepped up their game. On the days that I went it was all around noon and they have been able to pile the hot bar up with food. The prices aren't as steep as I expected BUT the purple desert soup thing is a little on the expensive side. A meal with a Turon (plantain fried in a crispy wrapper and drizzled with molasses) would run you about $12 and you will be FULL. They have all the usual Filipino fare but I was quite surprised to see that they never had any adobo pork or chicken on the days that I went. They have the rice and pancit everyday and occasionally put out the palabok. Now for the HaloHalo .....yes yes and YES. It missing the leche flan but is really REALLY good and certainly hits the spot. If you're craving some Filipino and are in the carling area ....give this place a try. Parking is a little scarce but is available at the back.

5 stars for: -…read morewanting to support a family-run small business - the owners are very friendly; they know the importance of being close to the community and how to serve the masses; they often share their space with community-based not-for-profit organizations like Migrante - Ottawa who run workshops on rights and welfare for FREE - don't feel like cooking? YOU can pick up cooked food here (from appetizer to entree to dessert) - need to send money to family outside of Canada? You can remit money here. - newcomer to Ottawa? Stop here to get help with your questions on navigating the city and the Filipino Community in Ottawa - OR just come by to hang out, they are open for that too! - shelves - clean & well stacked; don't forget to check out their freezers - they may just have what you are looking for - the desserts (kakanin) - many are made in store so they get to you fresh!

Small shoppe with very kind service. I saw this place listed on a blog for potential xiao long bao…read more(soup dumplings), but they only serve them frozen for you to steam at home. She has a variety of dumplings stored frozen in a chest to the right of the register that she can cook for you there and you can eat inside at the singular table, or take to go. I'm not sure why steaming the soup dumplings couldn't be an option to eat inside, but it wasn't. I opted for the Shanghai Buns, not knowing what I was getting into. Boy, am I glad that I tried them! These black sesame garnished morsels were practically divine with their minced pork, soft dough, and crispy undersides. I blowed through them quite fast that I forgot my disappointment about the soup dumplings. There was a small communication error however. I informed the lady that I can't take the frozen soup dumplings because I have such a long drive back home but she tossed them in a bag for me anyways. Were they complimentary? Did she think I had an icebox? I have no idea, but I cooked the thawed buns when I got home and they were great.

Yen Fung Ding is a little shop on the edge of Chinatown that is part-store and part-home. I've seen…read moretheir frozen dumplings in a few Asian groceries in the city and have even bought a few in the past. However, I've never been inside the store, despite passing it many times over the years. I got the chance to visit recently. The inside is homey with knick-knacks everywhere. There's only one small table for 2 in the shop but patio seating next to the shop. The lady who took our order (and made the dumplings I think?) was friendly and warm. Hoping the dumplings would taste better than how we made them at home (usually, if made commercially, they're juicier and crispier), we bought the pan-friend dumplings with Napa Cabbage ($10.99) and the Shanghai Buns ($9.99). Unfortunately, we were disappointed. The pan-fried dumplings turned out soggy, drenched in oil, while the meat in the Shanghai Buns was lacking in quantity and overly seasoned. Neither items were juicy (and in my experience, they should be), with many of the dumplings coming out with broken skins. As well, one of these items came with a chicken soup that tasted like oily salt water sprinkled with green onions. In my opinion, it'd be cheaper to buy their frozen dumplings and prepare them at home. You could probably do about the same, if not better. If you want freshly-made dumplings, however, I'd recommend going somewhere else.

This sandwich is literally the reason I downloaded this app…read more I've just spent the whole winter in Quebec and am now hitchhiking across Canada and decided to stay in Ottawa a few days. I booked 4 nights at the Saintlo jail hostel and when I came downstairs after a rejuvenating nap I saw that they had a list of recommendations sitting amongst a pile of other plastic sheets. Dirienzo's - the best ITALIAN SANDWICH in the city. I'm not really an Italian sandwich sort of person normally, maybe it was contributed by the burgeoning like for cured meats that I was acquiring after eating dried salami as my only source of food for the past week or so -- but who's going to pass up the chance to try the BEST of anything? I got there after taking 2 buses and was starting to become a bit concerned. I had $40 in my account and was hitchhiking across the country -- after all it was labelled the BEST in the city and that would normally come with a hefty price tag. When I first opened the door I instantly got greeted by the guy behind the counter, which made me feel welcomed and at ease. I looked up to view the selection of sandwiches that they had on offer and potentially the cheaper ones. I was surprised to see the sign that said $10 for ANY SANDWICH!! #booyah I was finding it hard to decide on which of the sandwiches to get since they all looked so appetising, but decided on number 16. The sandwich was massive for the price that it was. The bread was a perfect mix between durable so that it wouldn't fall apart in your hands, but soft enough that it was enjoyable, with the amount of bread contemplating he rest of the fillings just the right amount. I was pretty overwhelmed to be honest with how good it was. All of the ingredients including the lettuce (which I've found is usually the first thing places will skimp out on) were extremely fresh. I put in my coworker groupchat: "Anyone coming over across Canada after the season has to make a stop in Ottawa if they aren't already just to try one of these." Accompanied by a photo of my eyes watering with glee. My Nonna is always telling me how I need to learn Italian to be more connected to our culture and I've always just kindof brushed it off since I haven't needed to use it and we don't speak it much at home, but this has made me so proud to be Italian. As I continued to eat the sandwich sitting on a bench looking towards the city and the people playing basketball in the park, I found myself contemplating staying in Canada and raising my kids here in Ottawa so that they get to experience it themselves on a warm summer afternoon after picking them up from school. GO TO DI RIENZO'S 99999/10

Di Rienzo's is a must go to for a real fresh made Italian sandwich or homemade pasta. My mouth…read morestarts watering the minute I turn on Beech street, I can't wait to eat my Di Rienzo's. My husband introduced me to this place 34 years ago when we were dating, now our adult children love this place too.

I had no idea this place had fried chicken until a friend told me! We called ahead to order the…read moresweet and spicy whole chicken. It was $32 + tax. It was a tiny bit soggy by the time we drove home but still really good. I like the sauce a lot, and the portion is great for the price. It comes with a small side of pickled daikon, but it wasn't that pickled - could be better but a minor detail overall. The lady at the cashier was also super nice. The assortment of groceries looked really good too. They carry a lot of Korean food that I'm not sure where else you would find in Ottawa, and a few Japanese items as well.

Great selection of Korean ingredients and food, including a whole section of frozen meats for stews…read moreor barbecue. They also have Korean fried chicken which we tried and really enjoyed. You can order ahead or pick from the prepared food on the right of the cashier. I only wish the sweet and spicy sauce was spicier (it was very very mild to us) but they recently added a new soy & chili flavour that can scale up on the spice. It wasn't greasy and probably one of the better places for KFC by Ottawa standards. TIP: if you're getting take out and worried about the sauce making the chicken soft while you drive home, you can ask for the sauce on the side! They have plenty of Korean ingredients, snacks, noodles and a killer homemade kimchi that I believe is freshest on Fridays. There isn't much fresh produce but they do have lots of meats. Prices are a bit higher here but they're well stocked. The location is very clean and the staff are friendly. There's only street parking in front of the store but you can park in the lot across the street where the LCBO is.

Omg! The name of the store (La Chingadera) means "that f***in' thing!" Lol. The name of the store…read morehas the F-word in it o_O. I don't know if that would fly in a country where Spanish is the official language (or one of the official languages), but we're in Canada, so here we are. I actually find it kinda funny, but for the rest of my review I'll just refer to it as "the store" because I don't want any abuelas upset with me, lol. So the store is a Mexican grocery store. They sell mostly shelf-stable goods, but have a few refrigerated items. They have a good selection of Mexican candies, including 3 different flavours of Pulparindo! They didn't have Extra Hot though :( I love the sweet, sour and spicy flavours of Mexican candies! The candies I looked at all had their "best before" dates in the future, which I liked, and means they have good turnover of merchandise. I find that many international grocery stores have products past their "best before" dates, but I didn't see that at this store. There's a sign in the window that advertises they also sell prepared foods, but no prices. They had lots of dried peppers, and they also had tortillas. Oh and lots of sauces. There are not a lot of Latin American grocery stores in Ottawa, so I'm happy to see this store open up. The store opened in 2021. The owner of the store also owns 2 restaurants nearby: Margarita, and Mona's Taqueria. Staff were friendly and courteous. Street parking only.

I was walking down Bank St and noticed dried chilies in the window which immediately caught my…read moreattention! Turns out there is a new Mexican market on Bank St beside Feleena's. There's a selection of dried chilies in the front and a large selection of various items for the pantry. From beans, chilies, spices, coconut milk, hot sauces, etc There's also a bunch of snacks that I've probably never tried. There's a freezer with some nice frozen goods. I walked out with a few tamales to try. Check it out if you're in the area!

This store is unassuming but lovely! There is always people working hard behind the scenes making…read moredelicious, fresh food! I walk over for the : tiramisu, stuffed grape leaf with rice, tabbouleh salad, beef pies by the dozen, Italian pepperettes and the many prepared salads that greet you when you walk in the door. To my delight, some items are marked 30-50% off and I like to take it home to try a new dish. I have never been disappointed! I also enjoy the Portuguese custard tarts and frozen meals at the back, too! Customer service has always been very friendly, cheerful and comfortable. Presentation is lovely. I also like their spices ground beef meat in the grocery aisle. I recommend stopping by!

They have the best and the cleanest food. They have a large variety of food for group luncheons…read more This is the second time we order from them for Christmas luncheon and it is absolutely delicious. They are very generous with the portions as well. Thank you again. Recommend them any time for any occasion. They do have a big selection of prepared foods. It is like a small grocery store but more than a grocery store. Food and spices from different cultures and some Italian and Lebanese desserts. You have to try it !!!!!!

We stopped in only because we were walking by and It looked very interesting!…read more As we stepped in besides all the international foods and treats for sale we found a lunch line. I had a beef stew, coffee, and tried my husbands schnitzel and It was all very homemade and delicious! The service made It just awesome too. I felt right at home in this cafe! I also got some great candy marzipan Christmas gifts. Just a lovely spot. There was street parking.

I've been to the original Wedel Touch of Europe location in the Byward Market, so I was happy to…read moresee a second location pop up in Westboro, closer to my home. They sell dry goods, they have a deli, a bakery section, and they sell prepared foods too. They also sell alcohol. My husband got us some takeout from there recently and it was pretty tasty. He got us 2 cabbage rolls ($3.50 each), 2 Pork Roulades ($2.50 each) and a huge rum ball ($4.99). He also got himself a beer ($5.99). The cabbage rolls were stuffed with ground pork and rice, and covered in tomato sauce. The cabbage was so soft and tender, like practically fall-apart. The rolls were flavourful and didn't taste too fatty. I enjoyed them. I feel the packaging could have been better. They were packaged in a plastic clamshell container and were put in a plastic bag. The container leaked, but thankfully the bag contained the mess. I'm not a huge fan of hot foods in a plastic clamshell container. The Pork Roulades were packaged in the same way. My feedback is the same, as it also leaked. The Pork Roulades were thinly sliced pork wrapped around a filling of diced vegetables. It too was very flavourful. The pork was melt in your mouth and fairly lean for pork, which I appreciated. The rum ball was gigantic. It was so dense and chocolatey. If you like rum balls in general, I think you will like the ones here. Wedel Touch of Europe Westboro is where Pietro's Corner used to be. Street parking only. They are a nice addition to the neighbourhood.