This is without a doubt the best pizza dining experience in Ottawa! This evening was my second visit and I'm glad I decided to go again. I enjoyed the Wild Boar pizza with hot honey dipping sauce and a local craft beer (Pilsner). It was so delicious. I've never had wild boar and I was extremely impressed with what these pizza masters did with it! Food: Fun, new, delicious and excellent/authentic presentation Atmosphere: warm, inviting and a vibrant feeling of complete acceptance Service: wonderful, professional, attentive and passionate about their craft I rate this restaurant 5-stars and it is well earned. I will definitely be returning and telling everyone about it. Personal note: being a man that deals with anxiety in crowds I don't usually go to too many places as I get overwhelmed. There were roughly 12 other diners which I thought would be too much. However, the young woman who served me was so very kind and personable that she alone made me feel safe and comfortable. She began a small conversation with me (because I was sitting barside) and I immediately felt welcomed and my anxiety was gone. She is the first stranger to ever make me feel this way. I won't put her name online but I want to say thank you to the blue eyed, dark haired absolutely stunning both inside and out young woman. I thought she was the owner but I was wrong. She seemed so in tune with her associates and the clientele. I fear that when I go next time I may just have to propose to her. lol. Thank you Tennessy Willems. You are definitely the best restaurant in Ottawa! read more

Popped in about 3 in the afternoon, one waitress serving , a good half an hour to get my food, if you're a single guy, don't bother you get served last, pizza was horrible. All the ingredients were soaking wet, the crust was absolutely soaked had to eat it with a fork. Worst pizza I ever had. read more

Some of the best pizza in Ottawa with an amazing and unique selection of pizzas! The pastas and appetizers are also incredible - the quality is always 10/10 every time I've been! read more

Tennessy Willems - a half eaten pizza in a box - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Yum! So good. They were pretty busy on a Tuesday evening, but managed to find space for my party of 5. Excellent pizza, lovely staff.

Food and service was as expected. Always a pleasure to eat and drink here. Definitely try the spinach and artichoke dip. Pizza's are always a win. This place is nice and charming great place to met up after work or even after a great escape manor challenge. read more

For the longest time this was by far the best pizza place in Ottawa; my wife and I would go there every couple weeks. Unfortunately they ruined the atmosphere with the renovation and the pizzas are now way too oily - I used to love adding the hot chili oil, but now no chance ...it would be way too oily. It once had a very cozy friendly vibe, now it's overpacked and no time for staff to be friendly. I was told I had to sit squished at the end of the bar, while the bar sat 80% empty for my entire meal. My closeup view allowed me a great view of the pizza being made which I've watched for years. Scraping off the burnt edges with the pizza cutter is definitely a new development lol Too bad to see it tail off like that. read more

Place was practically empty at 445p (1 table) as I would expect. Hostess looked confused and said something like "let me see what's available!". Looked like a lot to me...... then said I can put you there but someone has it for 6pm.... I hope it won't take 75 minutes to eat a pizza... questionable start to this eating adventure. I guess if coming later on a Saturday, you better make reservations or hostess may have a brain freeze. It is rather small, not sure if tables in back. Now on to the main prize their pizza. Be forewarned they have set pizzas on the menu and IF you order a custom, another brain freeze (hostess was also bartender and waitress) "well you can but "THEY" charge $4 per meat and $2 per veggie. " Ok, so I splurge and order custom, since I'm in Canada and enjoying a strong exchange rate, not sure why they discourage making pizzas CUSTOMERS, just like another place in Baltimore, MD that does this same non-sense. It's like they have fabulous creations and a custom pie is like calling the chefs baby ugly. I've been eating pizza long enough I don't need help with designing MY perfect pie. Pizza here, now for the good stuff to write.... I hope. Well The pizza crust was classic Neapolitan crust, thin but cook perfectly with a slight crunch and char, best in a loooooooong time. Ordered cheese pizza with sausage, roasted peppers, and mushrooms. Perfect amount of toppings, not too much that it overpowers the pizza and makes crust soggy- they have it down pat for solid crust. I'm happy to report the " non-sense" was worth it. Customers started rolling in and had reservations. You have been warned...Overall, a top 10 pizzeria for me, if not top 5. Will be back again.......with a reservation. read more

Tennessy Willems - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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After reminiscing about the lovely thin crust margherita pizza's that I so enjoyed while in Paris last year I was excited to get my hands on a margherita pizza in Ottawa and finally check out Tennessy Willems. This restaurant definitely has that European flare, from the cozy-ness of the restaurant itself, to the thin crust pizzas, and interesting toppings such as boar and duck (btw, why are restaurants still serving duck?). Our group of four made reservations for 6:30, and I am SO glad that we did because it was a packed house, and unfortunately they turned some groups away. FYI, there is seating at the bar. We got a nice booth table which was very accommodating for our group of four. This restaurant can get pretty loud, and noisy, which can be irritating when trying to have a conversation, so be prepared to yell! None the less, we had a great time! We all ordered the margherita pizza's and when it arrived to the table, it looked just as good as the pizzas in Paris, France and the taste was very similar. Loved the fresh basil leaves, and the bubbly cheese. The chili oil was a fantastic addition to spice up the pizza. The crust was nice and pretty light, a bit hard to cut, but I am not sure if it is because I lack basic knife skills, the knife was dull, or if it was the crust? Almost everyone who dined in left with a take out box. I ended up taking a slice home, and noticed the delicious charcoal flavor on the crust after it cooled down. I noticed just as yelper Barry. Z. noted in his review, that the wait staff do box up the pizzas at the bar, which I thought would have bugged me more, but it didn't bug me as much because they used utensils to place the pizza in their take out box and not physically touch it with their hands. But, I do agree, this should be done in the kitchen and not behind a bar, especially where clients are eating (who knows what can end up on your pizza in the process). Service was pretty quick, there were two waiters working the bar and the restaurant, and they did a pretty good job handling the rush. But, because it was so busy, they were not very sociable with the tables, and left no wow factor regarding the service. Lastly, going back to the atmosphere, the restaurant was boiling hot in there, maybe it was from the wood burning oven, and all the clients packed in one little dinning area?...They do have ceiling fans, but that did not seem to help. Definitely a must try! read more

Tennessy Willems - margarita pizza - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Visited on a Saturday close to 5pm. This is my first time having wood oven pizza so I can't compare it to any other. I will say I did enjoy it and the topping tasted friesh. I ordered mine to go and the staff offered me water while I waited that was nice of them. read more

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I've been meaning to go to Tennessy Willems ever since they opened, like what 5 years ago? Haha. Well, I finally did it! Tonight some Yelp friends and I got together here and ate some 'za. It was pretty good. The pizzas here are all one size. They are bigger than most places that sell personal size pizzas (e.g. the Grand, Anthony's, and Fiazza). I finished three-quarters of a pizza. The pizzas are thin crust and wood oven baked here, but they are not Neapolitan-style. I had the Emdale ($15) which had roasted red peppers, mushrooms and Genoa salami (you can chose mild or spicy - I choose spicy - it wasn't too spicy, just a bit of a kick). On the most part, I liked my pizza. The amount of toppings was generous, there was a good amount of cheese and it wasn't overly saucy. My one compliant was that I found the salami somewhat gamy. However, this may just be personal preference, because I brought my leftover 1/4 of a pizza home and my husband ate it and loved it (but he likes gamy meats). The crust was nice and thin, but because it was so thin, the weight and moisture from the toppings made it somewhat limp, so it was difficult to hold a slice in your hand and eat it. Amy B. let me try some of her pizza (thanks Amy!), and it was really good - better than mine. I should have ordered that pizza. She had the Feature Pizza (which I guess changes daily? or at least once in a while). It was an olive oil base (no tomato sauce) with goat cheese, shrimps, figs and spinach. I think it was $20. I've never had figs on a pizza before, but I think I'm going to be trying this at home now. They were so soft and slightly sweet. So delicious. The shrimp were big and succulent. The goat cheese was creamy. The flavours blended well together. I really think they should consider putting this pizza on their permanent menu. Service was excellent. I had made reservations for 10 (the person on the phone was very pleasant btw). By the time I arrived, only 7 of us were going to make it, so I let the staff know, and they were very appreciative of that. They were able to remove one of our tables (since they put several tables together) and offer it to someone else. We ended up being only a party of 6 but were taking up 8 spots. They never pressured us to give up another table and squeeze in, but as the restaurant was filling up, we offered up another one of our tables and the staff were so grateful about it. The staff were always so nice and courteous. It's not a big place. There is some seating outdoors (I think just 1 small round table). Like most places in Wellington West, there is no parking lot, so street parking only. If you like thin crust pizza, give Tennessy Willems a try! read more

Tennessy Willems - The Emvale Pizza $15. - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I would give this place a 3.5 stars, were I given the option. I work in Tunney's Pasture, and I am truly grateful for all the restaurants that are now available from Westboro to Mechanicsville, where this one is located. Besides, it is across the street from Wabi Sabi, the local yarn shop for this area! It was a pleasant 20-minute walk on this sunny Wednesday to meet my work colleagues for lunch at Tennessy Willems, which was recommended by one of the people attending on this day. The restaurant is not huge, but it is inviting (it is roughly the size of a living room and dining room together). You are greeted by an open space where the tables are, and a bar at the back of the restaurant. The kitchen is behind the bar and the tantalizing aromas of the cooking waft through the open window between the bar and kitchen. The tables are made of wood, giving a pleasant worn in look. Artworks grace the walls - in this instance, black and white photographs depicting a variety of unusual local views such as what looks like the dome of the Aberdeen Pavillion. These works are offered for sale. Our party was initially to be 12 people, but when only 7 of us were able to make it, the staff was gracious about it and rearranged the tables. In the end, the other tables ended up filling up anyway, while we were there. One negative I might add is that this is one of those "echo-y" places - and don't we all get together to talk! As the restaurant filled up, it became more and more difficult to hear my colleagues speak. And now about the food: this place is renowned for its pizza, as you can see from previous reviews, but I am not a huge pizza fan. The menu is not extensive - they specialize in a variety of interesting and appetizing thin-crust pizzas, but they also offer 2 or 3 pasta dishes. Six of the people today ordered different pizzas, and I ordered Spaghetti Bolonaise. I have to say that the portions were quite generous! I was surprised that the pizzas looked to be about 16 inches wide, and the pasta I got could easily have enough leftovers for another meal. Best of all was the flavour! It was DElicious! I would go back just for that! As stated, the service was pleasant, and quick enough - especially considering the size of our group. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE APRIL 13 2016: This is a case in point that I should remember to read my own reviews when I revisit a place!!! We had another good visit to this restaurant with GREAT company, but the star rating remains the same at 4 stars. We went to an event for a group of 6 for dinner. I didn't feel like having pizza this time (yet again), so I ordered Spaghetti Bolonaise. Lesson Learned: If I had read my own review, I would have realized having ordered and enjoyed that very same dish before... And so this time, we have a replay with the same great results. That bodes very well! I would definitely order that dish again! It's fabulous!! However, this time there would be no 5th star because I found a hair in my food. :-( But I have to say two things: the waitress handled this with great aplomb, by quickly and gracefully replacing the dish with a new serving. She was very pleasant and attentive. And the food was so good! Ok, so I guess I'm a spaghetti fan?! Definitely try the "Spag Bol!" The one odd thing / downer was the man who I assume to be the manager wandering around singing to the radio, and whistling. Funny! read more

Second time here Much better experience The Greek pizza was very good We had reservations so we were seated as soon as we arrived Although it was packed we had good and efficient service Staff was friendly and patient Now that we are familiar with the routine we know what to expect when we return Very good place to enjoy pizza Wife had spaghetti bolognese and raved about it So now we must come back read more

Tennessy Willems - Great Greek pizza - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Hands down one of my favourite pizza places in the city! Never a disappointment! Great location located right in the heart of Hintonburg. They have enlarged their outdoor patio seating for Covid but sitting inside at the bar or their indoor tables is also great too (such a nice atmosphere with the lighting and candles but there isn't too much seating indoors so be sure to make a reservation once they start accepting them again post-covid). The Elmdale and Soprassato pizzas are our two favourites! They also sell their own dough that you can purchase and make your own pizzas at home. Highly, highly recommend this place! read more

Pizza is better than good but I find it's a bit inconsistent. Sometimes it's fantastic but other times it's just good. I like the Elmdale and the basic pizzas with meat and veg. The fancy pizzas are good but VERY rich and I'm usually only good for one slice, while the former pizzas I can crush a whole plate. The spicy oil is the bomb. Salads are pretty weak and every time I ask them to pour me a glass of their house red, they should just pour it down the sink cuz it usually sucks. Still one of Ottawa's better artisan pizza joints. Small place so make rezzers. read more

Tennessy Willems - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

When you're coming here you're stepping out of the normal realm of what should be on a pizza. At least for me I was coming here to try the pizzza. This little place is on the corner of Wellington St and Melrose Ave in the heart of Mechanicsville. The restaurant itself is small with limited tables due to the physical size of the restaurant. Although I mention pizza they do serve other things on the menu so they aren't just serving pizza alone. Entering we were greeted by a nice smile and hello from staff. We were quickly seated due to it not being that busy. For reference we arrived around 11:30AM on a Wednesday. We came for the pizza as someone had mentioned to us it was good. It also helped that we were here with gift cards in pocket. Looking at the menu choices for Pizza you will see that they are not your normal pizza toppings. Choices include Duck, and Wild Boar. In fact I didn't even know what some of the ingredients were because of the fancy wording LOL. I decided on the one with Spicy Salami (the exact name escapes me right now) while my wife decided on the one with Duck. The food came out relatively quick. What you'll find with the pizza is that the crust and dough is super thin. I tried many times to eat it with hand but ended up resorting to my knife and fork. My salami had a nice spicy kick to it. The pizza is topped similar to how Pizza Pizza does theres. Size wise you'll see from my picture the pizza is cut into 4 large slices. Overall the pizza I selected was delicious and filling. I am not a big fan of Duck but from my wife she enjoyed hers as well. As far as service our server was great. She took initiative to offer a top up of coffee without prompting and made sure that we got our cups filled with water as soon as we sat down. Parking will be street parking. Melrose Ave would be your second best bet if you can't get parking along Wellington St close by. Keep in mind Melrose is a one way heading north so you'll only be able to access Melrose from Gladstone Ave. If someone is coming here for the pizza they are adventurous and sick of the "classic" pizza and wants something absolutely different from the norm with regards to pizzas then YES come here and do so often cause this is a place for you! I'll be back but I think next time I'll want to try something other then the pizza. Rating has me torn this one's a toughy... although 4 stars I really want it to be 3 1/2 simply because I'm not sure just yet that it was that great of a place that if I was looking for a place to eat that I'd include it as a consideration to eat at. read more

Tennessy Willems - Spicy salami pizza and duck pizza - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Definitely worth going back to try everything on the menu. Was there with my daughter on March 19th and we were able to get a table. The place is very small with only about a 15 or so tables. Best to make a reservation!! They do NOT have a full bar, but carry wines and beers so find something that goes with pizza. TW makes their own very thin crust pizza with a plethora of great toppings. The place smells wonderful with the wood fired oven constantly going churning out mouth watering delights. I had the special pizza of the day which was grape tomatoes, green olives, double smoked bacon (YUM) and Monterey Jack cheese. The pizza did NOT have a tomato base and was incredibly yummy. It was definitely hand made in a rustic kind of oval, sort of round. It was cut into four pieces which was more than enough for me to share with my daughter and still take some home. My daughter had the spaghetti Bolognese with a really nice meat sauce. You can tell from the smell, the colour, and definitely the taste, that the sauce is worked on and made fresh. We started off with the cheese board appetizer. So delightful. Freshly made sourdough bread with a great chutney - sweet and spicy/tangy, along with their own spiced candied almonds (I could taste the star anise and the cardamom). The three cheeses were incredible. A two year old aged cheddar (could have been a 10 + year old cheddar for my liking) which was good, a triple cream (come here heart attack) brie from Quebec (oh so sinful) and I think that the last one was a cross between aged cheddar and parmesan. It was hard and tangy and really flavourful. Water is served in bottles and as the sun went down, the tables were adorned with candles in a little bucket. So romantic (not with my daughter)! LOL We will DEFINTELY be returning as a family (the hubster and both daughters). They have a wide variety of pastas and pizzas with many vegetarian options. While there are desserts, we didn't try any but opted to wait until we come back as a family to taste test every one of them. Parking is only on the street and it's sometimes hard to get, so get there earlier. read more

Tennessy Willems - Feature pizza - grape tomatoes, green olives, double smoked bacon, & Monterey Jack cheese - YUMMY!!!!! - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The pizza was good, but minimal topping. Ordered the house salad; it was very plain, would never order it again. read more

Tennessy Willems - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Loved it. Low key décor and a straight forward (but delicious) menu make this a great stop to head to for gourmet pizza. Excellent (thin) crust with great toppings. We tried the one with the sardines - warning - very salty! It was fun to give it a go. I ended up not being able to finish mine, took it home and reheated the next day. It was even better! (The salt from the sardines had mellowed somehow, the flavours merged... Good to know it's worth carting home for lunch the next day!) Hubby had the Elmvale - it was excellent. Note: If you want your greens, order a large salad and a large pizza for 2 people - more than enough food. Or one pizza *only* for one person. (You'll be full.) Would I return: Yes Would I recommend: Yes read more

Great pizza, must try :) casual environment, great service. Small place with dimmed light that makes it cozy read more

Tennessy Willems - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

My favourite pizza in Ottawa. Great selection of toppings on a thin but soft and chewy crust. The Elmdale, the Chorizo and the Pulled Pork are my favourite. I found the Wild Boar a bit bland. We tried the Mac n Cheese this last time and it is also a winner. read more

Tennessy Willems - The Mac n Cheese - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Came here with my Mom for lunch yesterday. Got the special Pizza with Olives, Lardons, Red Peppers and Olive Oil. Was an absolutely huge portion!! The toppings were quite good but I found the whole Pizza a little soggy, could have used a bit less Olive Oil. As well, it was a touch satly for my liking. Place was absolutely mobbed with Ottawa people lunching. Not the best Zaa I've ever had but decent in a pinch. Service and decor was fine and they had decent beers on tap. read more

I have been searching for good wood oven pizza in Ottawa and am so glad that I discovered this place! I went on a weeknight at 530 and it was busy, so I had high expectations! The service was prompt and the food came out pretty quick. The pizza was sooo good! We got the duck confit, which was absolutely amazing, as well as the pizza of the day (equally yummy). The duck in the pizza was so flavorful. I was glad to have leftovers! There is a good amount of seating, but still maintains an intimate atmosphere. I will be back! read more

Tennessy Willems - Menu - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I'm a big fan of thin crust pizza and when I heard that a new place was open in Hintonburg I was excited to go check it out. The place is open across the street from Giant Tiger on Wellington and parking can be a pain to find. Walking into the restaurant you can see the oven and you notice it's a pretty small place. I think there's less than a dozen tables. The staff quickly took our numbers and had us at a table within a minute. The menu looks pretty good from top to bottom but there are a few items that stand out for me. I ordered the charcuturie and Elmdale pizza. The appetizer was amazing with all kinds of duck. The pate was the best part of the appetizer. I have tried this again on my second and third time back and it's still really good. The Elmdale is my favourite pizza they have. I've tried a few of the pizzas with my friends and the Elmdale is my favourite. The sauce, soft cheese and spicy salami have a great flavour together. I've tried the boar, duck and...wow I'll update this review when I get the name of the other pizzas but the Elmdale is definitely my favourite one. This has become my favourite pizza place in town and one of 2 places I'll go to for pizza now. The other being Mort's. read more

excellent pizza! The best wood burning oven pizzas in Ottawa with very good crust, very nice tomato sauce base and just delicious toppings!

This place came recommended from a friend who lives in Ottawa. We were a group of 5 adults and 5 kids and we showed-up at their opening time 4pm. We were greeted by a man (owner-manager) with sunglasses (while it was raining outside) and a beard who sarcastically mentioned to the young kids who were at the door that we should eat fast because he was full. We should have continued on to somewhere else but we were starving. The waitress was top notch and the food (Charcuterie plate, pizza, pasta etc) was a bit expensive but good. The only real issue was the cocky sarcastic owner-manager. Wearing his sunglasses indoors and making sarcastic comments even to his staff members. I guess they are a popular restaurant and he doesn't see the necessity of growing their client base by providing good customer service. Definitely won't be back. read more

This is our go to place for delicious pizza in Ottawa. They have a regular menu and weekly specials. Tonight we had their delicious weekly special taco pizza and a Caesar salad. The staff are always so nice and accommodating and the food is always top notch. They have some amazing pasta dishes as well. Can never go wrong with whatever we order. The small but energetic place has an great vibe. Be sure to call a day ahead for reservations. read more

Okay pizza, but totally not worth bothering with if you don't eat meat. I had a good laugh at the photo of the margherita on their web site, which had about 3x the cheese and basil (lovely fresh and not wilted and then dried-out basil, even) that I got. The crust was quite good, and the sauce much more complex than I was expecting, but I'm not a vegan and don't care for cheeseless pizza -- and what I got was pretty close to that. Edible, but I won't be back unless they can get a bit more creative with vegetarian menu options, and word reaches me that they now use an amount of cheese that one can taste. (The whole thing was extra sucky because I _adore_ fior di latte, and seeing a pizza that was so much more sauce than cheese was tragic...) read more

Yum yum yuuuuum! I had a lovely evening here with amazing food and extraordinary company. Pizza is one of my all-time favourite foods, and digging a bit deeper, thin-crust pizza is the best of the best! This lovely little Hintonburg spot is small, and they only take reservations for six people at a time, so be sure to call a few days in advance if you have that many people coming with you. That being said, they turn the tables over pretty fast so I doubt you'd wait long if there was only a few of you. The five of us split three pizzas and a cheese board and everything was delightful. We decided on The Capriccosa was fire-roasted tomato sauce, bocconcini, cremini mushrooms, artichokes, kalamata olives (ick, I clearly took these off) and pingue's capicola ham, classic Margherita and Helen's (which was my fave) made with baby spinach, fresh parmesan, C'est Bon goat cheese, oven roasted pine-nuts, and finished with fresh lemon. Every single slice was absolute heaven. The flavours were balanced so well and everything was extremely fresh. The crust was perfect as well. The cheese board was sensational - everything was from Quebec, and while I can't remember the same of the cheeses, they were all very different but paired nicely together. They were served with a delicious apple-onion chutney that made my mouth very happy. It tasted like Christmas. And the bread, OH THE BREAD. It was simply amazing. I really liked our server, though I could see how Nayha mentioned they're not overly-friendly. She was aloof, but caring and made sure we had everything we needed without being intrusive. I can't wait to come back and try more dishes here. The atmosphere is perfect for a date night - low lighting and intimate. Take a special someone here. read more

This place is amazing! After having walked by a few times and smelling the greatness that is their pizza, I finally made it in this past weekend. It was definitely worth the wait! We hadn't made reservations but were able to get a seat at the bar, which was just as good. As one reviewer noted, the staff was great - really friendly and knowledgeable about the different pizzas. We started with the shrimp and, though not being a big shrimp lover, it was delicious. Next it was onto the Chorizo pizza, which is hands down the best pizza I have had. All in all, it was great food and a great setting, very laidback and a nice selection of local beer. One word of warning though, there is no a/c, which this time of year can at times make for an uncomfortable dining experience. read more

Artfully made thin crust pizzas, very cosy environment and amazing staff. Looking forward to go back to this little gem of a place when the next pizza craving hits. read more

It has been over a month since I was there and I still think and dream about the Wild Boar pizza. This place is one of the many reasons Hintonburg is turning into the place to live in Ottawa. This is an original place with high quality food and beers. Cozy yet modern inside, the outside front patio is a great place to drink, eat and people-watch. read more

There is something extremely awesome about the taste of wood stove pizza. I highly recommend this place for amazing pizza. There are great choices to choose and you can add a cold beer on top of the eats. The setting is really relaxed and the staff are fun in their service delivery. One pizza is enough for two people but you might be wise to choose two and bring the little bit extra home for later. The Caesar Salad is really awesome too. Worth the trip here for sure. Be sure to use the oil on the table to spice things up with hour slice. Enjoy read more

Tennessy Willems - Wild Boar Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I would like to preface this review by saying that I hadn't had pizza in nearly eight years -- and I could not have been more excited to reintroduce it into my life thanks to Tennessy Willems. Never before in my life have I had pizza so incredible. We were five dining together, which for a restaurant that seems to seat barely 30 people, made us by far the largest party. We weren't rambunctious, but we weren't trying to be quiet either -- the atmosphere is one that leads well to conversation and laughter, though we did not need to be shouting to be heard. The lighting was dim, but not dark, and the tables and decorations led to a rustic yet modern vibe that I really enjoyed. While they do boast a large beer and wine selection, but do not offer a full bar. We started with a cheese plate featuring three incredibly fresh and flavourful Quebec cheeses. Oh boy. I don't remember the names, but I believe that my favourite was a Camembert -- a deliciously creamy and smooth cheese that tasted like a cross between cream cheese and brie. I just couldn't get enough of it! The other two cheeses were firmer and stronger -- too strong for my raise-on-Cracker-Barrel-cheddar tastes, but I can definitely see how others would enjoy them. The plate was accompanied by amazing house-made and incredibly fresh bread. Our waitress was attentive, but didn't hover. While she was kind, she wasn't overly pleasant, nor was she overly forceful. She didn't try overly hard to engage us, but we were having such a great time, I didn't really miss the interaction. The pizzas only come in one size (I would say roughly the size of a medium pizza) and are wood fired and made to order. I cannot begin to describe how thoroughly I enjoyed the crust of this pizza. The outer edge was raised, but almost tasted more like a focaccia bread than a pizza crust. The bottom was a thin crust, barely thicker than a whole wheat pita, but also had the focaccia taste and texture to it. Ours were cooked to perfection -- just crispy on the outside, but still soft and fluffy within. Our group ordered three pizzas to share -- the Capriccosa (which I did not try), the Margherita (which I tried a small piece of the mozzarella was too heavy for my liking, but the blend of tastes was splendid), and Helen's. Helen's was my suggestion and my absolute favourite! It did not have a tomato sauce, but instead used just a touch of oil with the slightest hint of lemon as a base. It was topped with incredibly fresh spinach that hadn't wilted during the cooking process, of which I'm incredibly appreciative, fresh parmesan, the sweetest goat cheese I've ever tasted (the contrast between the robust parmesan and the sweet goat cheese was fantastic!) and oven roasted pine nuts. The pizzas are cut into quarters, and I honestly simply did not want my piece to end! If you're at risk for indulging in blissfully scrumptious tastes, you may want to steer clear (or make a reservation ASAP) -- don't say I didn't warn you!! I will most definitely be returning to Tennessy Willems. In fact, they may well have ruined my enjoyment of pizza from any other venue. If you're looking for a fabulous culinary experience but are looking to stay within a certain comfort zone, this restaurant is definitely one to check out! Bring yourself and a date or a couple of close friends (that way you'll be able to try more than one pizza!) and get ready for a party of flavour in a comforting venue! read more

My brother and I agree that this pizza is simply the best. We both ordered the margherita - it was everything we could have wished for and more. Great size, we both only managed half which means lunch for the next day, yay! As a starter we also shared the cheese plate. Three small portions of different cheeses, served with some delicious homemade chutney, cinnamon candied nuts and bread. All in all the food is divine. The menu is not large, but it doesn't need to be. There is plenty to choose from and generally with smaller menu's the quality of the food tends to be that much better - which is definitely the case here. The service was quick, friendly and genuine. We were seated at the bar as they were fully booked, but being only two we didn't mind. The atmosphere was very laid-back and casual, but still cozy. My taste buds are in heaven just at the thought of this place, and I will be going back very soon to try some of their more adventurous toppings. It is a must try for any gourmet pizza lovers in the Ottawa area!!! read more

The food is 4+ stars but be prepared for 2 star customer service. We were extremely disappointed that our server didn't mention the limited availability of one of the specials. It was only mentioned once I ordered it which meant that my girlfriend who also wanted the dish had to change her order on the spot. The waitress also forgot one of the appetizers we ordered. Tennessy Willems has a small but nice wine list but the wine service is the worst I've experienced in the city. We ordered a bottle of white which she tried to serve to us at room temperature. Then she expected us to wait for the bottle to chill. Obviously, we wanted to be enjoying the wine before dinner instead of waiting for the bottle to chill. After voicing that we were less than pleased with the wine situation she finally offered us a small complementary pour of one of the by-the-glass selection. She told us that our bottle would be on the house but we were charged for it anyways. At this point I was so frustrated I just wanted to get out of there and didn't bother raising the issue. I'll be doing takeout only from here from now on. read more

I really enjoyed my meal at TW. I as a part of a pizza club with a group of 8 and I'm very glad we made early reservations; this little pizzeria fills up fast, even on a Wednesday night. I split two different pizzas with my husband, and ordered a small Caesar salad to start (not on the menu, but I didn't want a full entire sized salad, and the kindly obliged). Not all the pizzas use a tomato base sauce, the ingredients on the menu are literally want come on the pizzas, so we tried some different options. One was a caramelized onion base (which was fantastic) and the other featured salami and goat cheese. Served on thin crusts, both pizzas were delicious and quite sizeable - we had leftovers. The salad was also very enjoyable. I would absolutely visit TW again with friends, for a date night, or to grab a pizza to go. Very satisfying. read more

Good: The service wasn't overly friendly, but professional and efficient. Better: The atmosphere is cool and cozy, like a glass menagerie. Best: The pizza is awesome, no question. The best part is the crust - chewy and puckered. The toppings on the Napoletana are well balanced and the sauce is tangy. As my boyfriend said, the flavours "danced on my tongue like a cat on a hot tin roof." My only complaint is the slight excess of cheese - give the toppings a chance to shine through! That said, this is the best pizza I've had in Ottawa. Shrimp appetizer was excellent. Unfortunately the Caeser salad was mediocre. Next time I get hit by the streetcar named desire for pizza, I'll definitely be heading back. Dollars: $70 for two glasses of wine, appetizer, salad and a pizza. read more

Okay. This is now officially my new favorite pizza place. Their pizza is just really, really good. We've had pizza from here twice now and both times what I had was exceptional. The pizza: It's important to note that this is 'thin crust' pizza with an emphasis on the thin part. The pizza is so light, I almost have to check the box to make sure there is actually a pizza inside. While the crust may be thin, the flavor definitely isn't. I've tried the Margherita, the Elmdale, and the Duck Confit. While all are great, the Margherita is my favorite so far. The portions: When you look at the menu, you'll notice only one size. Basically, each pizza is four slices and with no appetizer, I'll get through about three of them. So, my recommendation is to order one pizza per person. It tastes great as a leftover and you don't even need to heat it up so if you have one or two slices left over, no biggie. The service: Well, both times we had pizza here has been takeout so I can't speak to how good the service is. I'll tell you that the second time we ordered from here, we had called early and asked for the pizza to be ready at a later time. When we got there, it wasn't ready and had to wait about 10-15 minutes. This, though, guaranteed the pizza was right out of the oven. This is important because of the one thing to keep in mind about the pizza here. What to keep in mind: Remember when I said the pizza was thin? Well, the downside to thin crust pizza is that it doesn't keep its heat. We live about 15 minutes away so by the time we got home with the pizza and got settled, the first time we ordered the pizza was barely warm. So, while it was still good, it was a bit disappointing. The second time we ordered, since it was right out of the oven, by the time we got home, it was still warm but it was getting cool by the time I was on my third slice. My point? If you are getting takeout, depending on how far away you live, it may not be warm by the time you eat it. Will I go back?: Most definitely. I don't eat pizza all that often due to the amount of bread but this place now tempts me and I don't feel as bad since the crust is so thin. My two cents. Cheers. read more

our favourite wood burning pizza in Ottawa, some of the highlights that make it extra special are the tomato sauce that has a beautiful sweet smoked Pomodoro flavour, crust is thin and the textures is crunchy and elastic but very smooth mouthfeel. The topping combinations balance perfectly with each other and they offer seasonal ingredient pies as well. Caesar salad is excellent with beautiful olive oil croutons from torn pizza dough and a fresh whipped dressing. Out favourites have been many, but a few too would be Margherita, Duck Confit, Wild Boar.. read more

I have been going here for ages! Lisa (Owner) is a solid down to earth girl who treats her staff and guests alike! She is awesome. The pizza is just perfect! The crust is like Naples and the vibe is laid back! I love going here and at this time I love supporting this restaurant! My favourites are the wild boar and the Elmdale. read more