When I was younger, I lived in Ottawa for nearly five years but don't have much memories of Ottawa being a destination for foodies. When I went back a couples weeks ago I was surprised by how fun planning a day trip or even a weekend away in Ottawa was! Even with Covid, there's still so much to do and I'm really excited to share these places with you guys!

Coffee Shops for breakfast & Lunch

There are a lot of coffee shops in Ottawa but there's a few that really are "must do" for when you go!

• Little Victories (https://www.lvcoffee.ca/ )

This was definitely my highlight activity to do in the morning! With the current pandemic, they only have one of their coffee shops open (801 Bank St) but even in normal times this is the one I would go to! I normally buy my coffee & pastries from their window and bring it to a near spot called Patterson Creek, an amazing "by the water" location which will make you fall in love with Ottawa instantly!

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If you are going on the weekend, not only do they sell their delicious coffee but they also sell the amazing Suzy Q donuts which are some of the best donuts I've ever tasted (A MUST!!!!).

And if you go during the week but are still craving some donuts, Maverick has some great cake donuts with a variety of flavors which are sure to fulfill your donut cravings!

• Our second stop for the day is the popular Sconewitch Bakery (https://sconewitch.ca/ )

The first time I went to Ottawa I couldn't try them out since they are only open from Wednesday to Sunday...I received tones of messages saying I had to go back so I did!! And honestly those scones alone are worth the 4 hours round trip (at least for me lol). If I had an afternoon tea spot I would expect nothing less than Sconewitch scones, that's how good they were! We tried out a variety of their scone flavors as well as the sconewich (scone sandwich) BLT and everything without exception was incredible! With Covid they are only open for take out so I would recommend bringing your food to benches near the Bytown Museum for a relaxing lunch or snack!

And here are other places that are still on my list to try and are also must do!

• Mantovani 1946 (gelato shop)
• The Cupcake Lounge
• Art-is-in Bakery
• Moo Shu Ice Cream
• Happy Goat Coffee Company

Dinner & Drinks

• Play, Food & Wine (http://www.playfood.ca/)

For all my Montreal readers out there, the best way to describe this place is the Foxy of Ottawa. For all you Dyan Solomon fans, this is the place you want to be at! The flavors, the dishes, the drinks, everything was to die for. I don't like carrots and now I'm a fan because of these ones, that's how good it was haha! Be sure to make a reservation for when your planning on going because Ontarians are much stricter with pandemic rules then we are in the province of Quebec!

• Another must see is the terrasse of the Andaz hotel, Copper Spirits & Sights, for amazing views of the city, great ambiance, drink & food.

If your looking for a meal with a view this is the place for you! Definitely a more Jet Set and fancy place to eat (and yes I am aware I was wearing a shirt with biker shorts lol) but definitely a fun place for a date night! This place you definitely need to book and in advance! The only available seating for when we booked 2 days earlier was 5pm!

Activities

As for things to do while you're away, you definitely want to check out the Experimental Farm for the perfect spot to take loads of pictures. For the end of summer, they have 2 amazing sunflowers fields and also have other nice flowers and fields to take pictures in but also just to walk around and enjoy a more relaxed area outside the city!

If pictures aren't your thing be sure to check out other places like the Centre Rideau, the Byward Market (including the Bottega boutique, the nicest italian food boutique there is there) and all the amazing museums there are like the Musée des Beaux-Arts du Canada!

Safe Travels & Bon Appétit!