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Best Grocery Stores in Ottawa: Where to Shop in Ottawa

ByNina Clapperton Updated on

As the capital city of Canada, Ottawa is a great place to live for many reasons.

One of those reasons is the abundance of grocery store options available to residents.

Whether you’re looking for a large grocery chain like Loblaws or Metro, or a smaller local grocery store, there’s sure to be a grocery store in Ottawa that meets your needs.

I love to cook. So exploring grocery stores is a common pastime as I hunt down Szechuan peppercorns or harissa paste.

It’s taken me across Ottawa, so I can now confidently say that I know the best grocery stores Ottawa has to offer. Now let me share them with you!

Best Grocery Stores in Ottawa

1. Farm Boy

My #1 choice for grocery store in Ottawa is always Farm Boy.

I love their focus on local and organic produce, and their in-house prepared meals are delicious and reasonably priced.

Their turkey burgers are so easy when you need something kind of healthy but also not hard to make.

My mom always stops by them for a cheese and fruit platter whenever she goes to see my sister in Montreal.

They also have a great selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

General Hours: 8am – 8pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Farm Boy Metcalfe

2. Whole Foods

If you’re looking for an American grocery store option, then Whole Foods is your best bet in Ottawa.

They have a wide selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section. The prices can be a bit higher than other stores, but they offer great quality products.

Their prepared meals are also delicious and reasonably priced.

Whole Foods is located in Lansdowne.

I usually only stop by when I’m visiting the Ottawa Christmas Market and need some snacks for the drive home – or when I need some obscure gluten free ingredient that no other store has.

General Hours: 8am – 9pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Lansdowne Park

Loblaws Grocery Store in Canada: Photo of Monster Energy Drinks at 2/$6 to compare to the 2/$5 at a local convenience store

3. Loblaws

Loblaws is a large grocery store chain that has locations across Canada.

Loblaws is a great option for grocery shopping because they have a wide selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

Their prices are lower than Farm Boy and Whole Foods, but they’re also much larger.

It can sometimes be overwhelming to hunt through all the aisles.

Loblaws has an international food section with Mexican, Asian, and Jamaican flavours on display.

They also have a pharmacy section, which is convenient for busy people on the go.

There are a number of Loblaws across the city. Downtown, you’ll find one on Isabella Street and one in Byward Market.

General Hours: 7am – 10pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Isabella Street and Rideau Street

4. Herb & Spice

Herb & Spice is a great local grocery store in Ottawa.

They have a small but mighty selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

Their prices are very reasonable, and they offer a loyalty card program where you can earn points towards discounts.

I love their bulk-barn style selection of flours and nuts that you can weigh yourself.

They are also one of the few places in Ottawa that carry my favourite guacamole from Mad Mexican in Toronto.

If you’re looking for all natural ingredients and allergen safe options, this is the gorcery store for you.

General Hours: 8am – 9pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Bank Street

5. Real Canadian Superstore

Real Canadian Superstore is a grocery store chain owned by Loblaws.

Real Canadian Superstore is a great option for grocery shopping because they have a wide selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

Their prices tend to be lower than most independent stores.

I often go to the one in Westboro after I’ve had brunch at Chesterfields.

It’s an easy way to pair a chore with a fun activity on a weekend!

I prefer the selection of baked goods at Superstore to Loblaws – even though they’re owned by the same company.

General Hours: 7am – 11pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Richmond Street

6. Food Basics Ottawa

Food Basics is another Loblaws-owned chain in Ottawa.

It’s your basic supermarket, with a variety of items at low-ish prices.

I’m not always a fan of the produce here, as I’ve found it can turn more quickly than some of the other stores. But I’ve only been twice, admittedly.

General Hours: 8am – 9pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Kirkwood Ave

7. Independent Grocer Ottawa

Independent stores are actually a chain, ironically. They’re owned by Loblaws and use PC points.

I used to go to Massine’s Independent on Bank street every week when I lived downtown.

The stores tend to be a big tighter fitted, and sometimes the meat wasn’t as high quality – but that was more to do with the busyness of the store and the limited selection at those times than actual quality.

General Hours: 7am – 10pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Massine’s

8. Freshco Ottawa

Freshco is a grocery store chain owned by Sobeys.

Freshco grocery stores are a great option for grocery shopping because they have a wide selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

Their prices are lower than most other stores, and they offer a loyalty card program where you can earn points towards discounts.

Their produce is usually reasonably fresh, and they have a wide variety of international foods.

There are locations across the city, including downtown on Rideau Street.

General Hours: 8am – 10pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: McArthur and LaFontaine

9. Metro Grocery Ottawa

Metro grocery stores are a great option for grocery shopping because they have a wide selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

Their prices are on par with Loblaws and Superstore, but they’re usually smaller in size.

I find that the produce is often fresher at Metro than at some of the other grocery stores, but that could be because of the smaller turnover.

Their locations are best outside of downtown Ottawa, such as in Barhaven.

General Hours: 8am – 9pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Glebe

10. Costco

Are you a fan of Costco? I am!

I’m such a fan that I even got my dog a Costco card toy (although he destroyed it immediately).

Costco has multiple locations in Ottawa. I went to the Kanata location most often.

It’s a massive warehouse full of options. I love the giant peanut butter for my dog!

General Hours: 7am – 6pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Vanier

11. Kowloon Market

I learned a lot of Asian recipes when I lived in New Zealand, but it can be very hard to find the right ingredients in Canada.

Thankfully, Kowloon stocks them all!

I love this Asian market. They have amazing frozen dumplings too!

General Hours: 9:30am – 7pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Chinatown

Best Asian Grocery Stores in Ottawa

Best Indian Grocery Store Ottawa

  1. South Asian Grocery
  2. Bombay Spices
  3. Silk Road Foods
  4. Vaishali’s Superstore

Best Korean Grocery Store Ottawa

Seoul Market in downtown Ottawa is the best Korean grocery store in the city.

Best Japanese Grocery Store Ottawa

T&T Market has the best selection of Japanese items for a grocery store in Ottawa.

Best Chinese Grocery Store Ottawa

Kowloon Market is by far the best grocery story for Chinese food ingredients and pre-made items in Ottawa. I love their dumplings and their pork buns!

24 Hour Grocery Stores Ottawa

  • Shoppers Drug Mart at West Gate
  • Loblaws at South Keys

* Always call to double check these times, as they may be closed some nights for restocking

Cheapest Grocery Store Ottawa

Giant Tiger

Giant Tiger is the cheapest grocery store in Ottawa. Their prices are often unbeatable, especially on produce and meat.

They also have a great selection of grocery items, including a large natural health section.

General Hours: 9am – 7pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Byward

Costco

If you have a Costco membership ($60/year), then Costco prices are often far lower than any other grocery store in Ottawa. However, you will be buying items in bulk so be prepared for a high bill.

For example, you can’t just buy one apple. You have to get a massive bushel of apples.

My roommate and I shop at Costco regularly, and just a toilet paper and soda run usually ends up near $150 with a couple extra snacks or even premade food.

General Hours: 9am – 8:30pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Merivale

No Frills

No Frills grocery stores are owned by Loblaws.

They don’t have the same selection as Loblaws or Superstore, but their prices are often lower.

I find that the produce is often fresher at No Frills than at some of the other grocery stores, but that could be because of the smaller turnover.

I don’t go often, as there isn’t one near me in Kanata. But when I do, I often find good sales.

General Hours: 8am – 9pm

Downtown Ottawa Location: Orleans

Wrap Up: Best Grocery Stores in Ottawa

So there you have it, a list of the best grocery stores in Ottawa!

Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments below.

There are also a plethora of small markets and farmers’ markets each summer to check out, if you’re looking for more produce selections.

Happy grocery shopping!

FAQs:

What is the biggest grocery store chain in Ontario?

The biggest grocery store chain in Ontario is Loblaws. It is also the largest grocery store chain in Canada.

Loblaws owns grocery store chains such as Loblaws, Superstore, No Frills, and Valu-mart. So even if you’re in another grocery store in Ontario, it’s likely that it’s part of the Loblaws chain.

The second biggest grocery store chain in Ontario is Sobeys, and their various sub named stores.

What is the most popular grocery store in Ontario?

The most popular grocery store in Ontario is Loblaws, with Superstore coming in a close second.

People in Ontario are very loyal to a particular grocery store brand. Many go out of their way to find a Sobeys or a No Frills because it’s their favourite, even if another chain like Metro is closer to their house.

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100% YES! — There’s a misconception that Canada has “free healthcare” for everyone. Nope! Only Canadians. So you’ll need to get travel insurance to visit Ottawa. I recommend this one.

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Nope! — The primary language of Ottawa is English. While French is also spoken and on some signs, you can easily get by without knowing any French. (Read more)

🏩 What’s the best way to book my Ottawa accommodations?

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✈️ What’s the best site to buy Ottawa flights?

For finding cheap Ottawa flights, I recommend Skyscanner. You can even set a price alert to find out when flights are on sale.

🎫 Do I need a Visa for Ottawa?

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📍 Where is Ottawa? And what’s nearby?

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Nina Clapperton is the founder of Ottawa Things to Do. Nina has lived in 18 countries before deciding to settle in Ottawa, nearby Toronto where she grew up. She has spent years proving that Ottawa isn't the town "fun forgot" and helping locals and tourists alike find fun things to do. She helps over 60,000 people a month discover the amazing activities in Ottawa, Canada.