By Brian Clarke

This list originally started as a comprehensive guide to pizza in Ottawa, until I realized that I’ve tried a very small percentage of Ottawa pizza restaurants.  While we’re not known for our pizza as say New York is, Ottawa still hosts many small restaurants that serve a great pizza pie.  Obviously, there are the chain restaurants, but below are six of my favourite authentic pizza restaurants in Ottawa.

I’d be curious to learn of more Ottawa pizza places, so please share your favourite place in the comments below.

6. Naples Pizza

Located in downtown Hull, this restaurant has a simple menu and amazing pizza.  The best part about it though is the homemade spicy oil dip they provide.  I’ve tried to make it myself numerous times and have failed every single time.  If you go, make sure to smother your pizza in this oil.

5. Carlsbad Pizza

An excellent spot for people living in the southern and eastern outskirts and rural areas of Ottawa.  It is one of about 4 places in the town of Carlsbad springs, but it is totally worth the drive.  If you like a lot of toppings on your pizza, this is the place.  Their meat lovers pizza is essentially and meat salad with a little bit of crust, sauce and cheese.

4. La Dolce Vita

Obviously, anywhere in Little Italy can make this list, however, I decided to include La Dolce Vita for two reasons.  One, their prices are great for an authentic Italian restaurant and two, they have some of the best ‘healthy’ pizza I’ve ever tried.  They use great fresh ingredients and have many gluten-free options, without sacrificing taste or quality on the pizza.

3. O’Brien’s Eatery and Pub

I’ve praised O’Brien’s on this blog before, and will give it more praise anytime I can.  This small neighbourhood dive is perfect for its good, cheap eats and drinks and its small and laid back atmosphere.  However, they also have amazing pizza at probably the best value in the city – a large one topping pizza goes for $10.

2. Forno Antico

Forno Antico is another place we’ve praised before, most notably in last week’s guide to Ottawa patios.  While their patio and atmosphere are great, what really keeps this restaurant going is the delicious and unique wood stove baked pizzas.  It doesn’t get any more authentic than that!

1. Gloria’s Pizza

Located on Walkley Road in the south end, Gloria’s has been around for as long as I can remember and is easily my favourite pizza in Ottawa.  I still have yet to come across a pizza that I like more than Gloria’s.  And they do really do anything different.  They are a small, simple pizzeria that makes pizza the old fashioned way.  But they do it well. The crust is thick and soft, the sauce is delicious with a bit of spice, and the pizza has the perfect ratio of toppings and cheese. In my mind, this is easily Ottawa’s best pizza.

Photo from reddit.com

By Brian Clarke

You can often see examples of sports teams taking on characteristics of their home city, and the city taking on characteristics of its team(s): the LA Lakers and their celebrity star players, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their blue-collar identity, the Broad Street Bullies Philadelphia Flyers.

This makes me wonder whether Ottawa as a city will take on some of the traits of their only major sports team. As the Senators prepare for tonight’s game 4 against the Penguins, they have crafted a unique identity for themselves this year: the Pesky Sens.

But what does it mean to be pesky? Dictionary.com gives this simple definition: “annoyingly troublesome”.

At first that seems to be a terrible identity for a city to have. But if you look at the way the Sens developed this moniker, I believe Ottawa can learn.

The Pesky Sens, despite numerous key injuries and low expectations, have consistently outworked their opponents and tackled adversity head on. While Ottawa as a city doesn’t really have ‘opponents’ per say, nor does it really face ‘adversity’ in the true sense as an affluent modern city, the true heart of the Pesky identity is a refusal to accept low expectations.

In other words, pesky is the direct opposite of complacent.

We have argued before that complacency is one of the few negative aspects of Ottawa’s culture. It permeates our city politics, small business scene and interpersonal relationships. I believe it has indirectly led to our mocking taglines: “the city that says no” and “the city that fun forgot”. Too many people simply accept these low expectations of Ottawa and jump ship. We all have those friends that say “Ottawa is too boring” and leave town.

We have also argued that the solution to this not to imitate larger cities but instead to find our own identity and brand our city as unique. Perhaps (hopefully) the Pesky Sens have started this culture shift. As we watch tonight’s game, let’s not only cheer on the Sens, but learn from them. Let’s reflect on how we can adopt a pesky identity in our daily work and/or personal lives.

Because our culture of complacency can use a little peskiness.

Through MADD’s “IPromise Mom” campaign, each rickshaw runner made a formal vow never to drink and drive. This vow, made to parents, friends, and loved ones solidifies a respect that we hold for those we hold dear by not needlessly endangering our lives and the lives around us through impaired driving.

The IPromise campaign is meant to raise awareness of the consequences of drinking and driving, and the impact that this reckless choice can have on others. The “promise” that participants make manifests in an IPromise bracelet that, when worn, “shows the world that  you are responsible.” You can make a similar promise by purchasing an IPromise bracelet on the campaign website. Funds go towards MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) for further drinking and driving awareness campaigns.

By Ottawa Rickshaws

Wednesday, May 22^nd

Charity Fashion Show & Sale

Thursday, May 23^rd

Salvation Army Amsterdam Staff Band Ottawa Concert

Friday, May 24th

Festibière de Gatineau (Gatineau Beer Festival)

Saturday, May 25^th

Ottawa Race Weekend

2013 Great Glebe Garage Sale

Festibière de Gatineau (Gatineau Beer Festival)

MEC Paddlefest

Sunday, May 26^th

Ottawa Race Weekend

Festibière de Gatineau (Gatineau Beer Festival)

While some in Ottawa may call this time of the year “construction season”, we’re going to go ahead and label those warm months of May through August “patio season” (or rickshaw season!)

With this near-comprehensive patio list we tried to give coverage to most of the city, although we felt some neighbourhoods simply lacked strong patio space. Obviously you may have different opinions, or suggestions to add. If you can make a good case in the comment section below, we may be willing to add your suggestions!

James Street Pub – Centretown

Photo Credit: Irish Village

Serving some of the best pub nachos in the city, James Street Pub offers a huge patio space ideal for greasy food and drinking pitchers with large groups of friends. Leave your sensibilities at the door though. This is a patio where things might get a bit sloppy!

Royal Oak Rideau Canal – Col. By Drive

Photo Credit: The Royal Oak

The Royal Oak on the Rideau Canal is like an oasis for those looking for a pit stop after a bike ride or walk along the canal. Their upstairs patio balcony overlooks the Rideau canal, perfectly situated to face the sun during the afternoon. Sharing a pitcher on their patio while watching the boats go by is a quintessential summer experience in Ottawa.

Forno Antico – Bronson Ave.

Photo Credit: Google Street View

Forno Antico might be one of those places on Bronson that you’ve driven by a million times but have never pulled over to experience. While its claim to fame is its doughy wood-stove baked pizzas, Forno Antico offers a very underrated patio experience in the summer. Swing by at 9pm for some pizza and wine outdoors on a hot summer evening.

Kinki – Byward Market

Adam: On the first truly hot day of the year, the Byward Market is bustling with thousands seeking a patio on which to enjoy their first patio beer of the season. Often this is a fruitless pursuit as just about every patio is brimming with people soaking in the sun. I found myself in this position with some friends several years ago, seeking a patio among the throngs of like-minded individuals.

Kinki’s secluded backyard patio was my salvation. Hidden away, this patio is a gorgeous space in the Byward Market. Enjoy a Sapporo with some sushi, or massive pitchers of cold mojito on a sweaty summer afternoon. The patio is sunny but shady, quiet and relaxing.

Navarra Restaurant – Byward Market

Photo Credit: Navarra Restaurant

Tucked away behind Navarra Restaurant on Murray Street is a quiet backyard patio. Go for some tapas and cocktails on a starlit evening for a pleasant, off-the-path experience in the Byward Market.

The Black Tomato – Byward Market

The Black Tomato occupies very prime patio real estate hidden away in the Byward Market’s Clarendon Courtyard. This atmosphere lends a historical old-world vibe to the conventional patio experience. Diners are able to enjoy a bit of shade provided by the surrounding stony architecture and outcropping greenery. This patio space is ideal for those looking for a little peace and quiet while they enjoy a beer or glass of wine.

The Chateau Lafayette – Byward Market

While the patio at Ottawa’s oldest tavern is fairly exclusive, it does offer an enjoyable outdoor seat to enjoy The Laff’s burgeoning line-up of local musical acts over a beer.

The Black Thorn – Byward Market

Photo Credit: The Black Thorn

Another great courtyard patio–The Black Thorn’s patio is found in the Tin House Courtyard, looking up the Tin House monument and a majestic water fountain.

The Earl of Sussex – Historical Lowertown

Photo Credit: The Earl of Sussex

The Earl of Sussex offers rustic  Byward Market patio experience. Located steps away from the Notre Dame Cathedral, the National Gallery of Canada, and Major’s Hill Park, this patio is truly surrounded by Ottawa’s history and culture. If you’re looking to watch sports over a brew or three on an outdoor patio, The Earl of Sussex is one of the better options in the Market on a nice night.

Le Café – The Rideau Canal

Connected to the National Arts Centre, Le Café overlooks Rideau Canal in a prime location for yacht-watching and waving at tour boats. Ideal for a night out before a show, Le Café has a lengthy drink menu full of summer cocktails, wines, and mixed drinks.

The Fox & the Feather Bar & Grill– Elgin St.

Photo Credit: Google Street View

The balcony patio of The Fox & The Feather is made for soaking up the sun on an afternoon with a pitcher of lager (or waving a Sens flag from after a triumphant victory). Located on Elgin St., The Fox & The Feather offers a large space with an enjoyable view of the neighbourhood and Centretown greenery.

Sir. John A. Macdonald’s – Elgin St.

The patio at Sir. John A.’s is notable for having a big flat screen TV outdoors for sports fans to crowd around for Sens playoff games. This feature offers customers a great atmosphere for watching a game with friends over beer and wings, also inviting passers-by to stop and gawk at the screen from the sidewalk.

Royal Oak Kent – Downtown

The patio at the Royal Oak on Kent St. has strength in its size and convenient location if you work nearby. Located in the hustle of Ottawa’s office district, the Kent St. Royal Oak is there for you on a sunny Friday afternoon when you just can’t make it to the end of the day. The ambiance mixes old-world Ottawa with a modern, urban sensibility.

Centretown Pub – The Village

Photo Credit: Google Street View

Everyone likes a patio in a semi-residential area. Located in Ottawa’s Gay Village, the patio at Centretown Pub gives you the distinct vibe that you’re kicking it back with a beer on your friend’s front patio to people-watch or simple enjoy the summer on a weekend afternoon.

Parliament Pub – Sparks St.

Photo Credit: Parliament Pub

Located directly across from the Parliament Buildings, the patio at Parliament Pub allows you to drink a pint or pitcher with a patriotic Canadian backdrop. This alone makes it worthy of this list!

D’Arcy McGee’s – Sparks St.

Photo Credit: D’Arcy McGee’s

The patio at D’Arcy McGee’s is fairly small compared to some of the patio’s on this list. That said, there’s something to be said of the pub’s rustic surroundings, and the patio’s view of some of Ottawa’s most impressive sites and architecture. Experience Sparks Street’s cobblestone old-world feel, and D’Arcy McGee’s classic atmosphere while look on at the Canadian War Memorial, the Chateau Laurier, Union Station building, and perhaps even a glorious sunset.

Quinn’s – The Glebe

Quinn’s in the Glebe is a quaint little pub offering some of the freshest pub-style burgers in Ottawa. Their patio, while simple, provides an ideal outdoor location to chomp down on a solid burger with a few pints to wash it down. You’ll pretty much feel like you’re on your back deck enjoying a BBQ burger!

107 on Fourth Avenue Wine Bar – The Glebe

Photo Credit: 107 on Fourth Avenue Wine bar

 This hidden little patio in The Glebe is like a world unto itself. Tucked behind 107 on Fourth Avenue Wine Bar is a serene deck patio perfect for wine and antipasti. Shaded by backyard foliage and scented with summer flowers, this is an awesome patio to quietly slip off to.

Zen Kitchen – Chinatown

Photo Credit: ZenKitchen

Found in the heart of Chinatown, Zen Kitchen has a comfortable front deck wrapped around the front of the restaurant. Enjoy gourmet tapas under the sun or choose from their award winning wine list!

Canal Ritz – The Glebe

Brian: With its location right along one of the busiest stretches of the Rideau Canal, Canal Ritz is one of the patios on this list that is just as popular in winter as it is in summer.  This luxurious canal-side patio in July turns into a rink-side patio in February that is a great place to get a nice lunch after a day of skating.  I distinctly remember eating here once every winter as a kid, before rushing off to the nearby Beavertails for my desert.

Pub Italia – Little Italy

Photo Credit: Pub Italia

Brian: Renowned for its huge selection of beer conveniently packed into the “Beer Bible”, Pub Italia was the obvious choice to celebrate my birthday a few years ago.  While sitting on the patio drinking some pints, in came one of Ottawa’s infamous 30-minute August thunderstorms to join the festivities.  With nearly any other patio in the city this would have spelled sure doom,  however Pub Italia’s semi-indoor patio, surrounded by three walls and a glass roof weathered the storm.  Yes, you don’t get the benefit of a nice tan (or burn!), but Pub Italia’s patio gives you the benefit of fresh outdoor air, while still being sheltered from the elements.

Malone’s Lakeside Grill – Dow’s Lake

Photo Credit: Malone’s Lakeside Grill

Located on the second floor of Dow’s Lake Pavilion, Malone’s balcony patio offers a spectacular view of Dow’s Lake.  Their food is also fantastic, which makes this patio one of the better summer evening date locations.

K&S on the Keys – South Keys

K&S on the Keys at South Keys has two fantastic patios.  The first, on the ground level, is your standard patio that gets lots of sun.  There is also an extremely large balcony patio extending from the second floor of the restaurant.  There is just something special about sitting on a nice, big sunny patio that is not on the ground.  Maybe it’s just because you’re closer to the sun? Who knows?

Mill Street Pub – Lebreton Flats

Photo Credit: Mill Street Pub

The Mill Street Pub probably has some of the nicest patio scenery in the city.  Since the pub was made in an old mill building, the patio (and restaurant as a whole) layout is complex and at times confusing, but this adds to the charm of the restaurant.  But what keeps all the tiers of this patio together is the wonderful scenery, highlighted by waterfalls coming from the Ottawa River behind the restaurant.  The combination of sun, waterfalls and craft beer creates the perfect summer atmosphere.

Brasseur du Temps – Gatineau

Photo Credit: Les Brasseurs du Temps

This is easily the nicest patio in Hull, and one of the largest patios in the whole Capital region.  Like Mill Street, it is a microbrewery in an old mill building, housed on the banks of Gatineau’s Ruisseau de la Brasserie (French for ‘Stream of the Brewery’).  With its location just outside of downtown, Les Brasseurs du Temps has the space for a huge patio with a great view of the aforementioned stream and the old mill building.

Photo credit: Ottawa Sun

By Brian Clarke

You’ve probably heard the running joke that there are only two seasons in Ottawa: winter and construction.  If this is true, then we are entering construction season.  Here are some tips to help you cope:

Read this very unhelpful article

This article, titled “How you can avoid the worst of Ottawa’s bad 2013 construction season”, was the motivation of this post.  But the article did not help one bit.  It just explains how this summer is going to be unusually bad for construction in Ottawa, without living up to its headline and offering advice on how to avoid it.

Cycle to Work

We’ve always supported Ottawa’s vast network of bike paths and vibrant cyclist community, even in the heart of winter. There is no better time to become part of this community than now – when the weather is nice and road commuting is a pain due to construction.  Just remember, it is not an excuse to wear your spandex onesie everywhere you go!

Learn the Back Roads

Without trying to sound too much like a cliche country song, knowing your neighbourhood’s back roads can save tons of time.  Luckily we live in an age of Google Maps and the TomTom, so the keen construction-evader has all they need to study and beat the traffic!

Play Hooky

Wouldn’t it be nice if this was a legitimate option? Who cares about construction season – this is sit-on-the-deck season.  For those lucky ones who have the option to telecommute and work from home, use it! Stay off the road to ease the construction pain for the rest of us suckers!

By Adam Slight

It’s spring time–When all the winter ice melts away from the cracks and fissures in the streets that it worked so hard to create over the cold season. We thought we would honour some of these cracks and fissures by highlighting some of the best.

It was difficult to narrow down the best, but here are the top 6 greatest pot holes in the Byward Market!

6. Big Bertha

Located at the intersection of Dalhousie and York, Big Bertha is one of the most impressive craters surrounding a manhole cover in all the Byward Market. An average of 6 tourists a year perish when they stand too close to Big Bertha for a photograph and fall inside her gaping maw.

5. Marlene Dietrich

Named for the fashionable flower petal found in the deep pool of water housed inside, this pot hole embodies a seductive mixture of beauty and bite only capable in the Byward Market. This pot hole can be found near a flower vendor on York Street, just outside of Luxe Bistro and was the subject of countless paintings by the The Group of Seven.

4. Danté’s Chasm

A slightly more impressive fissure than the Big Bertha, Danté’s Chasm is a Class 5 manhole crater formed around a storm drain on Byward. Those who fall inside its pit are subject to tribulations according to their sins, such as pushing a boulder up an endless hill, or ceaseless combat against a misconceived city bylaw for all eternity.

3. Clarence Canyon

This wonder of the world is said to have once been a rushing prehistoric river bubbling through Clarence Street in front of Patty Boland’s and Burrito Borracha. Said to have dried up millions of years ago, Clarence Canyon is now a popular tourist attraction where visitors travel on the backs of mules.

2. The Dalhousie Array

The Dalhousie Array is by far the most notable manhole-centric pot hole in the Byward Market, manifesting a formidable trench spanning a gasp-worthy 3 metres (if stretched out in a line). Scientists say that if left alone, the Dalhousie Array will one day consume half of the Byward Market, plunging it into the sea, thus punishing man for its arrogance in creating Canada’s oldest farmers market on a fault line of this magnitude.

1. The Tila Gambit

Likely caused by vomit runoff freezing and expanding in the cracks on the asphalt outside of Tila Jack’s, this archipelago of pocks ranks as number one greatest pot hole in the Byward Market! Congratulations! Good luck navigating this urban geographic hazard when you stumble across the street in a mini skirt with no shoes on.

]]> http://ottawarickshaws.ca/top-greatest-pot-holes-in-the-byward-market/feed/ 0 http://ottawarickshaws.ca/introducing-ottawa-rickshaws-travel-tips/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=introducing-ottawa-rickshaws-travel-tips http://ottawarickshaws.ca/introducing-ottawa-rickshaws-travel-tips/#comments Tue, 14 May 2013 13:36:08 +0000 Brian Clarke http://ottawarickshaws.ca/?p=4926

By Ottawa Rickshaws

This summer, we will be introducing a new feature on our website and Facebook page: Ottawa Rickshaws Travel Tips.

This won’t be your typical tourism and travel advice.  We want to use our unique pedestrian point of view and the experience we’ve all gained running rickshaws to showcase Ottawa.

Ottawa is a city that is most often shown through one kind of top-down filter or another.  Ottawa Rickshaws Travel Tips are an alternative way to showcase Ottawa – from a rickshaw runner’s point of view.  They are tips for tourists visiting Ottawa, as well as local citizens looking to be a tourist in their own town.  These aren’t activities you’ll see from tour buses or aerial photographs of Ottawa.  Ottawa Rickshaws Travel Tips are designed for the casual Ottawa pedestrian.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook to see our Ottawa Rickshaws Travel Tips, or check out the full gallery here.

Photo courtesy of ottawastart.ca

By Ottawa Rickshaws

All Week

Canadian Tulip Festival

Friday, May 17^th

New Moon Rabbit Rescue’s 7th Annual Garage Sale & Bake Sale

Saturday, May 18^th

Ottawa Rock Lottery 5.0

New Moon Rabbit Rescue’s 7th Annual Garage Sale & Bake Sale

Sunday, May 19^th

39th Canadian Croatian Folklore Festival

Let’s be honest. While Ottawa may “own” the winter, it loves the summer the most. Here are 15 glorious photos depicting Ottawa when it is most vibrant–after a much needed thaw.

By @acidcloud

By @ambegin

By @cressidaamber

By @damnitshawna

By @denvangram

By @djjets

By @eleonorebobby

By @hmiedema

By @kimddawson

By @kpbok

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By @Maylillyn

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By @nathancarnival

By @photoledroit

By @riko____

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By @thegoldenbun

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By @OttawaRickshaws