When I first moved to Ottawa, the only local coffee shop around was Bridgehead. Over the years, Ottawa has become hipster coffee shop central. My friend, who is quite the coffee connoisseur visited Ottawa earlier this year, so I brought him coffee shop hopping around town. Here are the list of the ones we tried (plus a couple extras), in no particular order.
Bridgehead Coffee
Locations: Multiple, mostly in Downtown/central Ottawa
We needed to try the big brother of local Ottawa coffee shops. They serve fair-trade coffee and food made from local ingredients. Their lattes are my favourite. Pair that will their scrumptious avocado toast and breakfast is served! If you want to see some roasting action, check out their roastery off Preston Street. They also have roastery tours on the first Saturday of every month. They have been recently acquired by Second Cup, so I’m not sure if anything will change as a result.
Equator Coffee Roasters
Locations: Multiple, Westboro, NAC and Almonte
I first discovered this coffee shop in Westboro. Now they also have a location on the first floor of the beautifully renovated National Arts Centre. Their roaster and training centre is actually in Almonte. Their staff is very friendly and is passionate about coffee. They have oat milk available as well if you want a creamy texture to your coffee without the dairy. If you want to learn more about coffee brewing, they also have courses. They also give back to their community by donating at least 2% of revenues to charitable organizations. Good for them!
Little Victories Coffee Roasters
Location: The Glebe
This cute little coffee shop specializes in light roasts. They also serve SuzyQ donuts so don’t forget to grab one to go with your drink of choice. They sell very fancy Japanese brew gear for your coffee making needs at home. This was definitely one of my favourite coffee shops during our tour. I love everything from their decor to their tea-like coffee and delicious donuts.
Happy Goat Coffee Company
https://www.happygoatcoffee.com/
Locations: Several locations in Ottawa, Alexandria and Chelsea
The story behind the name of this coffee company is that once upon a time there was a goatherd who discovered that his goats were very happy after ingesting coffee beans. Since then, these beans are roasted and brewed into the coffee that so many of us enjoy! They have expanded a lot over the last couple years so find a location near you to have a beverage of your choice.
Ministry of Coffee
https://theministryofcoffee.wixsite.com/ministry
Location: Hintonburg, Downtown, Beechwood, and the Via Rail Station.
Ministry of Coffee is particularly well-known for their cold brew, so remember to give it a try while here. They have a really hip vibe and amazing desserts. The Hintonburg location also licensed so you can also grab a beer if you would like. In the warmer months, take a seat in their nice patio. Their new website is pending but apparently they have a location in Qatar!
Morning Owl Coffeehouse
Locations: Multiple throughout Ottawa and Kanata
I recently found out that they buy their coffee from Little Victories. They have many locations and they do collabs with other eateries occasionally.
So there you have my suggested coffee tour in Ottawa! Enjoy!
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