It's market season here in Ontario, and that means we're looking forward to weekend mornings spent perusing the province's best local markets. We can't wait to taste our way through the vendors and farmstands that bring Ontario's bounty to our cities and towns. Planning your next visit to ByWard Market? You're in the right place.
Located in the heart of downtown Ottawa, ByWard Market has been through many iterations in its almost 200-year history. Today, the market spans a bustling neighbourhood that includes the main market building, an outdoor market space, and the surrounding storefronts, restaurants and bars. In the market building and surrounding outdoor space, you'll find small vendors, farmstands and street eats to wander through. Saturday is the day to visit, with the York Street Market operating. Here's how to eat your way through Ottawa's famous ByWard Market.
1. Nat's Bread Co.
natsbreadcompany.com
Chef and baker Natali Harea's artisanal old-world breads are beloved by local chefs. Their pretzels are a great way to start your market taste-tour, but you'll want to grab a loaf or two to-go for all your gluten needs.
2. Mazepis
mazepis.com
As you wander through the vendors, you'll want to make a pit-stop at Mazepis. Bring the flavours of the Caribbean home with their marinades, jams, Creole pot pies and Pikliz - a Haitian pickled cabbage coleslaw that sounds delicious.
3. Ottawa Garlic
ottawagarlic.com
Grab some farm-fresh garlic and garlic scapes grown locally in Ottawa Valley's fertile soil. For the uninitiated, garlic scapes are stalks that grow from hardneck garlic plants - the garlic grown in Canada, and they are the vegetable you've been missing out on. Use them grilled as a side or pizza topping, pickle them, use them in sauces, scape season is an exciting time in Ontario.
4. Dunu Donuts
@dunudonuts
Looking for some sweet treats? Head to Dûnu Donuts for African donuts. Lovingly called "groovy bits" by owner Angèle, these fresh drop donuts come with sauce for dipping and make a great market snack.
5. Baccanalle
baccanalle.com
Let Baccanalle do the cooking and take home some award-winning Caribbean prepared meals & sides. Chef Resa Solomon-St. Lewis represented the High Commission for Trinidad & Tobago to win top honours for the Embassy Chef Challenge - Championship and People's Choice Awards.
6. The Grand Pizzeria
thegrandpizzeria.com
Finish the day with dinner & drinks at The Grand Pizzeria. Located in the heart of ByWard Market, the iconic building is home to authentic Napoletana wood-fired pizza & other Italian dishes. They're also Feast On certified, so you know you're eating local!
