Best Cafes in Ottawa

Ottawa's cafes offer different kinds of coffee outings: a local roaster's downtown flagship, a neighbourhood original, a regional roaster with a National Arts Centre branch, a small community coffeehouse, and a cafe with an evening side. These five give you a useful starting point across the city.

Location details were rechecked on October 20, 2026. Choose the branch as well as the business: a familiar name can have several addresses with different hours and menus.

Compare the five cafes

Cafe	A useful starting location
Little Victories	44 Elgin Street downtown; also 801 Bank Street and 209 Queen Street
Happy Goat	35 Laurel Street in Hintonburg, the company's first flagship cafe
Equator	412 Churchill Avenue North in Westboro; also a cafe at the National Arts Centre
Arlington Five	5 Arlington Avenue, just off Bank Street in Centretown
Drip House	692 Somerset Street West in Chinatown; also Parkdale Avenue and Bank Street branches

Little Victories — choose downtown or the Glebe

Little Victories Coffee Roasters is an independent Ottawa roaster with three cafe addresses on its official visit page: 44 Elgin Street, 801 Bank Street, and 209 Queen Street.

Elgin is a starting point for a downtown coffee outing; Bank puts you in the Glebe. The Queen Street location has a brew-bar format, offering another downtown option. Check the branch's own schedule before going, particularly on a weekend when Queen Street has different closing hours from Elgin and Bank.

Sources: official cafe locations, Little Victories.

Happy Goat — the Laurel Street original

Happy Goat Coffee lists 35 Laurel Street as its first flagship cafe. The company roasts coffee in Ottawa and has since moved its roasting operation into a larger facility. Laurel remains the original cafe address in its story.

Choose Laurel for the Hintonburg stop on this list. Happy Goat's cafe directory also includes 307A Richmond Road in Westboro, which is a different branch. Our Westboro cafe guide covers that location alongside nearby alternatives.

Sources: official cafe directory, Happy Goat's story.

Equator — Westboro or a stop at the NAC

Equator Coffee has roasted coffee since 1998. Its head office and roastery are in Almonte, while its Ottawa cafes include 412 Churchill Avenue North in Westboro and 1 Elgin Street at the National Arts Centre.

Those two branches fit different plans. Choose Westboro for a neighbourhood coffee outing; choose the NAC if you are already downtown or attending a performance. The official directory lists later service at the NAC on show nights, so use that branch's schedule when planning a pre-show visit.

Sources: official locations and branch hours, Equator's story.

Arlington Five — a Centretown coffeehouse

Arlington Five is at 5 Arlington Avenue, just off Bank Street. It describes itself as a neighbourhood coffeehouse, and Centretown's business association profiles the community and kitchen side of the business.

Ottawa Tourism also includes it in its cafe guide, highlighting coffee, baked goods, and evening workshops and shows. It is a useful choice if you want a smaller coffeehouse rather than another branch of a multi-location roaster. For an event visit, check the specific listing rather than treating evening events as regular daily opening hours.

Sources: official coffeehouse website, Centretown business profile, Ottawa Tourism cafe guide.

Drip House — check the branch before an evening visit

Drip House publishes addresses for 692 Somerset Street West in Chinatown, 340 Parkdale Avenue, unit B, in Hintonburg, and 843 Bank Street in the Glebe. The place link here points to the Chinatown location.

Ottawa Tourism describes its daytime coffee and pastries and its cocktail-bar side at night. The official location directory lists later service at Chinatown on Thursday through Saturday, while the homepage gives a general daytime schedule. Check directly with the Chinatown branch for an evening visit rather than applying one set of hours to every cafe.

Sources: official locations, official homepage, Ottawa Tourism cafe guide.

Choose an area, then a cafe

For downtown, compare Little Victories on Elgin or Queen with Equator at the NAC. In the Glebe, Little Victories and Drip House both have Bank Street branches. For Hintonburg, use Happy Goat's Laurel Street cafe or Drip House on Parkdale. For a dedicated Richmond Road and Churchill Avenue outing, follow the Westboro cafe guide.

If coffee comes after a meal, see our breakfast guide, brunch guide, or the cheap breakfast list with checked menu prices.

Last location check: October 20, 2026. The official branch directories linked above are the place to check current opening hours before travelling.

For a different cafe order, compare our hot chocolate guide, bubble tea guide and matcha guide, with named drinks and menu prices.

FAQ

Which cafes are good starting points for an Ottawa coffee outing?

This guide covers Little Victories, Happy Goat, Equator, Arlington Five, and Drip House. Choose a branch to suit the area you are visiting: downtown, the Glebe, Hintonburg, Westboro, Centretown, or Chinatown.

Where are Little Victories' Ottawa cafes?

The official visit page lists 44 Elgin Street, 801 Bank Street, and 209 Queen Street. Hours vary by branch, including different weekend closing times at Queen Street.

Are all five businesses coffee roasters?

The list includes both roasters and coffeehouses. Little Victories and Happy Goat are Ottawa roasters; Equator's roastery is in Almonte. Arlington Five and Drip House are included as cafe destinations, without assuming they roast their own beans.

Is Happy Goat's Westboro cafe the same as its Laurel Street cafe?

No. The company's original flagship cafe is at 35 Laurel Street in Hintonburg. Its Westboro cafe is at 307A Richmond Road. Use the official cafe directory to select the correct location.

Which Drip House location should I check for an evening visit?

Check the Chinatown location at 692 Somerset Street West. Its official location page lists later service Thursday through Saturday, but the homepage gives a general daytime schedule. Confirm the current evening hours directly before going.