Best Healthy Restaurants in Ottawa

Best Healthy Restaurants in Ottawa

By: Julie Mancuso, founder of JM Nutrition, registered dietitians and nutritionists at JM Nutrition, Ahsan Zaman, public health consultant

What are the best healthy restaurants in Ottawa?  

This is a question that is no doubt on many people’s minds, particularly those who place utmost importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, to help those looking for healthy food in Ottawa, our team has decided to create a comprehensive list of healthy restaurants in the Ottawa area, along with some unique and delicious healthy food recommendations. 

Best Healthy Restaurants in Ottawa:

Pure Kitchen Westboro

Location: 357 Richmond Rd, Ottawa, ON K2A 0E7, 2 other locations: Elgin and Preston

If the high number of very positive reviews is anything to go by, Pure Kitchen Westboro is certainly one of the most popular healthy food stops in Ottawa.

Opened in Westboro in 2015, this café serves vegan and vegetarian sandwiches, burgers, salads and juices. Also on offer are frozen meals that you can take home, cook and eat at your own leisure.

And, if you don’t want to make the trip to the restaurant, but you’re really craving for some Pure, that’s certainly not a problem because they deliver. As an added bonus to those seeking to lead a healthy lifestyle, Pure Kitchen Westboro has its own yoga apparel shop. If that doesn’t say healthy, we don’t know what does.

Recommended food items:

Our team recommends peaceful falafel wrap, the transformed cold-bowl, iron warrior smoothie and ignite bibimbap.

Mad Radish 

Location: 3 locations across Ottawa, 1 in Nepean

As alluded to in an earlier post, we visited Mad Radish when it first opened in the Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood, in Toronto. We have been frequent visitors since.

Mad Radish is the self-proclaimed gourmet fast food restaurant. In other words, it’s prepared fast, healthy and tastes great.

This internationally-inspired healthy restaurant in Ottawa offers beautifully hand-made burritos, sandwiches, pizza, smoothies and more, with a modern twist.

Recommended food items:

Piri-piri bowl (one of our favourites), fajita barbacoa sandwich, the smoking gun burrito, coconut curry chowder and the nutty by nature smoothie

Insta bolz

Location: 261 Laurier Ave. E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6P7

If you’re looking for a healthy food in Ottawa, why not go for a bowl of sweet, fresh, good tasting health at Insta Bolz.

Insta bolz offers smoothie bowls with, as they say, a little twist.

The bolz are made from 95% fruit and 5% water. In addition, most toppings are vegan. From the menu, you can choose a smoothie bol, a froyo bol or a smoothie drink.

What’s more, you can customize at will. This puts you in control of what ingredients go into your food item.

Despite the fact that not all ingredients in every bowl are nutritious (e.g., Fruit Loops), this unique healthy restaurant in Ottawa and its menu items certainly struck a chord with us. 

Recommended food items:

Drunken monkey, health nut, beet coconut soup, royalty smoothie, the G.O.A.T. smoothie, beast mode on smoothie, ginger snap smoothie

Copper Branch 

Location: 2 locations in the Ottawa area

Copper Branch has many locations all across Canada, as we mentioned in another post. And there’s good reason why: It has an accessible, nutritious and delicious menu.

Copper Branch is all about healthy change for the community through placing quality food on their plates. From burgers, smoothies and power bowls, all 100% plant-based, so ideal for those who lead vegan lifestyles.

If you’re looking for a healthy restaurant in Ottawa, do not overlook this flavour-filled wholesome food stop that’s right at your Ottawa doorstep.

Recommended food items:

Quinoa Chili, Carrot Keftedes with Aioli Sauce, Aztec Power Bowl, General  Copper Bowl, Aristotle Bowl

Paradise Poke 

Location: 134 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5N8

The eye-catching Hawaiian poke bowls are beautifully chef-crafted at Paradise Poke.

Here, you have the classic, signature or build-your-own bowl options, along with vegan choices as well. With an abundance of freshly made ingredients and quality protein, Paradise Poke is highly recommended for anyone looking for healthy food in Ottawa. 

Recommended food items:

Royal Hawaiian, heat wave, lu-au, north shore, good Seoul

The Green Door Restaurant & Bakery

Location: 198 Main St, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C6

As Ontario’s oldest vegetarian restaurant (established in 1988), The Green Door Restaurant is a veteran in serving their customers succulent vegetarian and vegan food. Their nourishing meals will have anyone at their Green Door-step.

We highly recommend to anyone looking for healthy food in Ottawa, or those after unique vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options. 

Recommended food items:

Pad Thai, two Bean Chili, chickpea curry, roasted squash salad in sesame dressing, broccoli slaw, mushroom spinach lasagna

Chickpeas 

Locations: 500 Terminal Ave. A-05, Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z3, 931 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3W5, 55 York St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9B8

If you’re searching online for healthy restaurants in Ottawa, you’re bound to stumble upon Chickpeas as its presence is prominent on account of its 3 locations.

As Ottawa’s first and only hummus and falafel restaurant, Chickpeas offers purely organic, you guessed it, chickpeas. It also has a vegan menu for anyone looking to follow a vegan diet. This Middle Eastern restaurant is a must-visit.

Recommended items:

Go falafel bowl, go mango sandwich, baba ganoush, go green avocado sandwich, go raosted jalapeno sandwich, green olive salad

Juice Monkey

Location: 209 Slater St., Ottawa, ON K1P 0A8

Juice Monkey is a unique alternative to your typical restaurant. Reason being, it’s a smoothie bar as well as a restaurant. 

What’s more, the menu contains plenty of healthy food options, including your choice of protein wraps or bowls that can be customized. And, if you follow a gluten-free diet or are a vegan, there are menu items for you here as well. 

Recommended food items:

Vita-monkey, chia up, coconut mocha (V + GF), golden turmeric, beetroot latte, custom bowls

Freshii

Location: various locations throughout the Ottawa area

Freshii is no doubt a mainstay of healthy food not only in Ottawa, but many other cities in Canada and the U.S. And there’s very good reason: it offers variety of healthy foods, from soups and burritos all the way to juices and smoothies. With a few locations across Ottawa, you’ll definitely run into one. When you do, stop by and give it a go. You won’t be disappointed. We promise.

Recommended food items:

Green eggs and kale, cali smoothie bowl, Buddha’s sattay bowl, market wrap, pangoa burrito, bamboo burrito

Good Eats

Location: 207 Bell St N, Ottawa, ON K1R 5B8

Although it sounds just like the cooking show, Good Eats is a café, and a good one at that. Good Eats cafe menu caters to virtually everybody: vegetarians, vegans and meat-lovers alike. In addition, the menu even offers gluten-free options. Versatile and delicious, a perfect combination.

Recommended food items:

Falafel couscous bowl (V + GF), vegan breakfast bowl, salmon gravlax, Kimchi noodle salad with crispy tofu (V)

Green Rebel

Location: 3 locations across Ottawa

Green Rebel had a unique start. The owners started a restaurant in New Zealand where they obtained produce from a local stand called The Green Rebel. The name would eventually mark the restaurant that they were to create upon their arrival in Canada.

As with their restaurant in New Zealand, the restaurant is renowned for fresh, delicious, wholesome, authentic, local food. What else can you ask for?

Recommended food items:

Vegan caesar salad, Bombay lentil bowl, butter chicken bowl, Buddha box, Saigon sandwich, avocado blueberry smoothie

The Chopped Leaf

Location: 140 Trainyards Dr #3, Ottawa, ON K1G 3S2

The Chopped Leaf restaurant has made a name for itself across Canada and in the Unites States, Ottawa included. As such, we feel this fact warrants its inclusion in the list of the best healthy restaurants in Ottawa. Vegetarian, vegan and kid-friendly meals–they’re all there. In addition, you can customize your meals at will, giving you full control of the ingredients.

Just take a drive, or a healthy walk, and give this Ottawa restaurant a try.

Recommended food items:

Bangkok salad, solstice salad, pegasus wrap, cranberry pesto sandwich, African spicy lentil soup, Moroccan chickpea soup

Pi-RHO Grill

Location: 346 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K2P 1M5, 1200 St. Laurent Blvd Unit 609, Ottawa, ON K1K 3B8

Pi-RHO Grill‘s popularity in the greater Ottawa area cannot be overlooked. The restaurant has a few locations, 2 of which in the city of Ottawa.

In addition to serving delicious food, this Greek-Mediterranean restaurant’s mission is “to provide delicious, fresh, local food, in an eco-friendly environment.” For these reasons, we highly recommend it to anyone looking for healthy food restaurant in Ottawa. 

Recommended food items:

Customize it yourself: Pick a base, add a protein and finish with dressing.

Peace-Garden Vegetarian Restaurant

Location: 47 Clarence St., Ottawa, ON K1N 9K1

Peace-Garden Vegetarian Restaurant is another excellent healthy food stop in Ottawa.

The restaurant carries hot drinks, cold power juices, Indian-food inspired bowls, salads, soups, side orders and more. You’ll no doubt find something for everyone at the Peace-Garden. 

Recommended food items:

Sweet potato burger (v), berry blaster juice, grilled tofu tamari, crispy lentil papad

BiBi’s Middle Eastern Kitchen

Location: 143 Putman Ave, Ottawa, ON K1M 1Z8

Bibi’s is a superbly reviewed Ottawa restaurant, just a short distance from the JM Nutrition Ottawa office. As the restaurant’s slogan says, the food is fast, fresh and flavourful. We couldn’t agree more!

Consequently, for anyone looking for healthy food options in Ottawa with a Middle Eastern twist, this place has some good options for you. 

Recommended food items:

Spicy cauliflower wrap, baharat spiced chicken wrap, falafel bowl

Greens & Beans

Location: 137 Main St, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C1

Greens & Beans is another healthy restaurant in Ottawa that is splendidly reviewed by its patrons. We would certainly agree.

The restaurant offers fully vegetarian Mediterranean cuisine that can appeal to different taste buds. It also offers unique and tasty meal options not found at other restaurants that we featured. 

Recommended food items:

Fetteh, m’ssabaha, foul mudammas, mouhamarra

Conclusion

Our list of the best healthy restaurants in Ottawa is always a work in progress, as other restaurants open up. We hope that this guide will provide some ideas if you’re looking for healthy eats in the Ottawa area.

Furthermore, if you feel we missed a restaurant that our dietitians and nutritionists omitted form this list, by all means, please let us know by getting in touch with us. We look forward to your feedback.

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JM Nutrition is a nutritional counselling service by registered dietitians and nutritionists with an office in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.