Ottawa’s Best Coffee Shops; A Coffee Crawl Through the Capital
If your favourite way to explore a city is through its café culture, then you’ll love exploring Ottawa best coffee shops. With a host of local roasters offering up some of the most delicious blends in the region, Ottawa’s coffee houses are the perfect way to get your caffeine fix. So, trade in your double-double and drink your way through our picks for Ottawa’s best coffee shops.
Happy Goat Coffee
A favourite of locals and visitors to Ottawa, Happy Goat Coffee is a niche artisan roaster which produces over 20 amazing blends of fair-trade coffee. They are both ethically and ecologically friendly and source their beans from small-crop farmers across the globe including Asia, Africa and Latin America. Pick up a bag of their Brazil Peaberry Dark, Ethiopian Guji espresso or Guatemala Huehuetenango, or enjoy an Americano, cortado, or London Fog in one of their café locations around the city.
Little Victories Coffee
Operated by two passionate coffee professionals, Little Victories Coffee is a small, independent specialty coffee roaster, which has evolved into one of the most recognized coffee brands in Ottawa. With attention to detail and emphasis on consistent brews, their ethically-sourced coffees are a household name in Ottawa. Their original location in the neighbourhood of the Glebe is a cozy contemporary space where locals come to gather over a cup of their famous java. Their newest location in the heart of downtown, just steps from Parliament Hill, is nestled in a stunning historic building characterized by tall airy ceilings and stone walls. Enjoy a flat white, Piccolo or slow drip while you watch the bustle of the morning rush, or grab a cup to go and explore the city.
Ministry of Coffee
Serving up some of the best coffees from top-tier roasters across the globe, Ministry of Coffee is a household name on Ottawa’s coffee scene. This independently owned Ottawa café was established in 2013 with their popular Elgin St. location, and has now expanded to two bustling Ottawa cafés and two additional locations in Qatar. With a rotation of different roasters each week, and a featured roaster of the week, coffee aficionados will love sipping their way to a new favourite blend. Buzz your taste buds with a Nitrogen cold brew, or frothy cappuccino, or indulge with a decadent Mocha and Nutella latte.
Arlington Five
With its life-size COFFEE sign and colourful streart, you can’t miss the small but mighty Arlington Five coffee house in Ottawa’s downtown Banks St. net eighbourhood. Step inside the bright, warm and inviting café and enjoy a skillfully-prepared coffee, fresh-pressed juice, while nibbling on homemade baked treats or a delectable sandwich. Arlington Five is filled with local art and its sleek decor make it one of the go-to coffee spots in the city.
Morning Owl Coffee House
Brewing organic, direct trade coffee since 2009, Morning Owl Coffee is one of Ottawa’s best coffee shops. Whether looking for a latte on the go, or a place to sip a java with friends, the six café locations throughout the capital are a mainstay for locals. With all of the caffeinated options coffee lovers dream of, you can also find unique non-coffee creations (which vary by location) like matcha green tea and turmeric lattes, green juice, a wide selection of loose-leaf teas and creamy hot chocolate. Each location differs in its food offerings, but you expect quality from-scratch baked goods, delicious breakfast sandwiches, classic brunch fare, healthy sandwiches and freshly made salads.
Planet Coffee
Tucked away in the quiet and historic Clarendon Lanes courtyard, Planet Coffee is the place to stop in Ottawa’s ByWard Market for your caffeine fix. Opened in 1994 by two coffee-loving friends turned entrepreneurs, Planet Coffee serves up delicious coffee creations from Fluid Coffee Roasters; an off-grid roastery which roasts coffee from solar power energy, and purchase their beans from small-lot farmers. As one of Ottawa’s most well-known coffee shops, Planet Coffee has a friendly and inviting atmosphere, with bright industrial feel. During the warmer months their outdoor patio provides the perfect spot to people watch while enjoying a iced cappuccino and fresh-baked scone.
Equator Coffee
A quick drive outside of Ottawa in the village of Almonte, sits one of the Ottawa region’s most successful roasting operations, Equator Coffee. Nurturing direct relationships with small-scale farming communities since 1998, Equator Coffee is a member of North America’s Cooperatives Coffees and aims to “equate” the coffee trade for developing countries with those in the North; hence their name. All their coffees are fair trade and organic, and are not only served in their five neighbourhood cafés, but in restaurants and popular eateries around the region. Warm up with a cup of piping hot java, steamy organic tea, or on a hot day opt for a mocha on the rocks, chilly chai latte, triple chocolate frappe or luscious affogato.
Black Squirrel Books and Espresso Bar
Coffee and a good book; could there be a better combination? Located in Ottawa’s Downtown Bank neighbourhood, Black Squirrel Books and Espresso bar is an eclectic and enchanting independent book store, which pairs up the finest reads with the finest local roasts. Browse their curated collection of new and used books, and settle into a cozy spot to enjoy a matcha latte, hot chocolate or locally roasted brew.
Beandigen Café
Experience Indigenous culture and locally-roasted coffee at one of Ottawa’s most unique coffee shops, Beandigen Café. Conveniently located at Ottawa’s Lansdowne Place (directly beside TD Place Arena and Aberdeen Pavilion), Beandigen Café is 100% Anishinaabe-owned and operated. Enjoy a cup of their Ondarez coffee and a slice of homemade Bannock, and browse Indigenous-made goods in their café shop including clothing, art and food.
Art-Is-In-Bakery
Part boulangerie, part funky café, Art-Is-In Bakery is not only one of the top bakeries in the city, but one of the best coffee shops in Ottawa. Known for their decadent pastries, fresh baked loaves and famous Kronuts, this family-owned scratch bakery is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee with friends, or a hardy brunch paired with a groovy caffeine creation. Snap a selfie of the intricate art atop your maple vanilla or dirty chai latte, or satisfy your caffeine fix with a Macchiato, flat white or Gibraltar. For those looking for a hot drink without the buzz, Art-Is-In’s Parisian style hot chocolate is known as one of the best in the city.
Drip House
With three hip locations, in Hintonburg, Chinatown, and Mechanicsville, Drip House is one of the newest and coolest coffee houses in Ottawa combining art, coffee and good food. With rotating exhibits showcasing local artists, this trendy café not only serves up great coffee and tasty food, but creativity and inspiration. Try a specialty coffee like their Swiss truffle latte, matcha latte or Golden latte, and chow down on their delectable menu with a healthy selection of avocado toasts, fresh sandwiches, salads and pastries. They are also known for their great international fare including their signature falafels, falafel bowls, halloumi and flaky Spanakopita.
Art House Café
The perfect combination of art gallery and hip coffee house, Art House Café has been inspiring locals and well-informed visitors since 2017. With over a hundred local artists being showcased on the café walls and gift shop at any given time, Art House Café offers a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy both visual art and the art of great coffee. Brewing up local roaster Happy Goat Coffee’s exceptional brews, they also offer an amazing tea list with flavours like Egyptian Chamomile, Lemongrass, Hibiscus, Peach Rooibos, Ginger Lime, and Toasted Walnut Black - Lychee Congu. Come hungry and devour a dish from their delightful menu including soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps.
Figaro Coffee House
Modern, sleek and airy are the vibes at Ottawa’s Figaro Coffee House. With two locations in Ottawa, Figaro purchases the finest Arabica coffee beans from different regions around the world, and roasts them daily at their Ottawa roasting facility. Along with their rich brews, they also serve up specialty offerings like café con miel and iced watermelon matchas, as well as a wide variety of high-quality Canadian teas. If you need a bite to pair with your brew, try their extensive menu with fresh pastries, sandwiches, avocado toast, wraps, salads, flatbreads, charcuterie and cheese boards.
