Where to eat well in Ottawa for $20 or less
A roundup of affordable meals across the city, from savoury croquettes in Vanier to meat pies in Stittsville, all under your budget.
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Rising food costs have made eating out feel like a luxury, but Ottawa still has plenty of options for a good meal under $20. The list spans unpretentious kitchens across the city, many run by cooks who brought their home cuisines to the capital, so a budget meal can come from Lima or Lagos just as easily as from down the street.
At JnJ Bakery on Barrette Street in Vanier, chef-owner Sung-hae Lee's bulgogi croquettes pack well-seasoned sliced-beef fillings into crisp-shelled, almost chewy dough balls for $4.50. Chicken curry croquettes are equally fine, and you can fill up with one of each for under $10. An almond tart for $4.50 gets you a complete meal well under $15.
British Pride Bakery in Stittsville serves meat pasties for $5 and pot pies for $8.50—solid, straightforward food that doesn't ask for much.
The roundup covers sandwiches, soups, noodle dishes and more from across the city. Prices are subject to change, but the principle holds: the occasional meal cooked by someone else shouldn't feel beyond reach. If you have your own recommendations for orders worth sharing, the community's listening.