Best Burgers in Ottawa: Neighbourhood Guide

The best burgers in Ottawa are spread between the ByWard Market, Centretown and Elgin Street, Bank Street through the Glebe, and Wellington Street West through Hintonburg and Westboro. Little Italy on Preston Street and Sandy Hill, next to the University of Ottawa, add pubs and late counters for a student crowd.

Ottawa’s burger scene has no house style, but it has a centre of gravity. The ByWard Market, a public market since 1826, packs one of the city’s thickest clusters of bars and restaurants into a few blocks east of Parliament Hill. The capital is bilingual and sits on the Ontario–Quebec border, so poutine is a standard side and menus often come in English and French. Each September, Ottawa is also one of the host cities of Le Burger Week.

Burgers in Ottawa: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: the ByWard Market, Centretown and Elgin Street, the Glebe, Hintonburg, Westboro, Little Italy and Sandy Hill.
• Usual side: fries or a poutine, a sign of the city’s place on the Quebec border.
• Festival: Le Burger Week, held in Ottawa restaurants from 1 to 7 September in 2026.
• Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD). Menu prices are before the 13% Ontario HST, with a tip on top.
• Getting around: O-Train Line 1 stops at Rideau station, a short walk from the ByWard Market.

Every guide we publish on Ottawa is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. To compare the capital with other cities, browse our burger restaurant guides by city.