The best new restaurant openings in Ottawa in 2023

Cafe Tehran

Without fanfare, Cafe Tehran opened this summer and I just happened to be lucky enough to discover it in its first days. After my initial experience I went back often.

This is first-rate Persian food and not just because the presentation is so traditional; chef Sadeghi has a deft touch with spices that allows the food to breathe and intoxicate rather than overwhelm the palate. 

The Koobideh Kebab (two skewers of ground beef) is the nicest in the city and the platter ($24) is enough for two. Also of note: barley soup, Shirazi salad and the appetizer olives (zeytoon parvedeh) stuffed with walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Oh and mirzaghasemi, a grilled eggplant dip that’ll have you saying “babaga-what?”

Banh Mi Yes

Two years ago Phoebe Ha made a city-wide splash with her excellent Vietnamese sandwiches. This year she opened her popular storefront on Wellington and her sandwiches are as good as ever with the freshly baked bread having tongues wagging in delight.

Le Soirée Boujie

Le Soirée Boujie is the region's newest supper club and while its exotic and well-styled interior is clearly meant for social media posts, the food is anything but an overpriced add-on.  

A graduate of Ottawa’s Cordon Bleu cooking school, chef Jo has created a premium menu of well executed dishes artfully arranged. A cool date night spot with flair and food and drink that’s top flight. High-end dining that delivers.

Cocotte Bistro

Inside the Metcalfe Hotel you’ll find the European inspired Cocotte Bistro. Chef Stephen Lasalle is no longer there and gone too is his green bean caesar salad which I rated amongst the best things I’ve eaten this year. 

You’ll still want to go because the food and ambience is so very inviting and the wines are inspired and reasonably priced. A terrific destination for after-work drinks and nibbles or a grand date night.

La Porto a Casa

The surprise news came that La Porto a Casa had reopened and so I hoofed it over there on the same day. I was satisfied with the 3 pm seating although the early dinner had me feeling a little past my prime.

The food was as good as before the pandemic with that extra frisson of Italian homestyle that I recall from all the dinners I attended as a child at friends' homes. 

This is seriously good, unadorned cooking at fair prices and is my go-to Italian.

Tortilla Maker

Tortilla Maker surprised us all when they opened an open concept tortilla making shop that also sold outstanding salsas. The variety is substantial and the recipes passed down through generations. Just delicious and so fresh. While not a restaurant, it is one of the best openings of the year.

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