If you want to use lunch to focus on healthy eating goals, but you don’t have time to make a fridge full of mason jar salads every Sunday night, we feel you. Luckily, more and more restaurants are hip to our busy, wannabe-healthy ways and are offering nutritious and totally yummy lunch options for girls on the go. Here, our Localist correspondent Chloe Gordon rounds up her go-tos for the best healthy lunch in Ottawa.
(Photo: Bridgehead)
The Green Door Restaurant
Where: 198 Main St., thegreendoor.ca
The menu: Vegetarian, with some vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options. It’s buffet-style, so there’s always something new to try!
My go-to: Tofu and broccoli stir-fry with spicy chickpea salad, but I love grabbing a taste of everything.
The atmosphere: A bright, open-concept space with lots of communal tables, but located close to the Rideau Canal if you prefer to dine al fresco.
Average wait time: 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how quickly the buffet line moves!
Average cost for lunch (meal + beverage): $15
Bridgehead Coffee
Where: 19 locations in Ottawa, bridgehead.ca
The menu: Chicken and bean burritos, quinoa salads, avocado toast, sandwiches… Oh, and amazing coffee, of course!
My go-to: A black coffee and bean burrito keep me going for the rest of the day!
The atmosphere: Cozy coffeehouse vibe with comfy chairs, big windows and free WiFi.
Average wait time: 5 minutes
Average cost for lunch (meal + beverage): $12
Pure Kitchen
Where: 340 Elgin St. and 357 Richmond Rd., purekitchenottawa.com
The menu: Grain bowls, veggie burgers, tacos, fresh juices… most menu items are completely vegan, and all of them vegetarian.
My go-to: The Belle Poutine with fries, mushroom gravy and cashew “cheese” curds is to die for. I usually get the sharing size, and share it with… myself.
The atmosphere: Bustling and bright, with lots of seating. The servers wear fun T-shirts with veggie puns on them (“Give peas a chance!”), so you can have a good giggle while waiting for your food. There’s also a majorly Instagram-worthy mural wall!
Average wait time: Anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes depending on how busy they are, but they’ll text you when your table is ready.
Average cost for lunch (meal + beverage): $25
Red Apron
Where: 564 Gladstone Ave., redapron.ca
The menu: An organic, locally-sourced take on typical lunch fare like sandwiches and soup
My go-to: The Midday Comfort Bowl with rice, chickpeas, spinach, sweet potato, curry sauce and beet chutney. I feel warm and cozy just thinking about it!
The atmosphere: Warm, welcoming and a people-watcher’s dream! The kitchen is open-concept too, so the whole place smells absolutely delicious, all the time.
Average wait time: 15 minutes, but you can also buy fresh and frozen dishes to take home for later.
Average cost for lunch (meal + beverage): $15
Green Rebel
Where: Four locations downtown, greenrebel.ca
The menu: Salad boxes, grain boxes, wraps and smoothies
My go-to: The Bliss Rebel Box packs a punch with quinoa, sweet potato, spinach, goat cheese and a delicious honey-mustard sauce.
The atmosphere: Always full of people during the day, since it’s a super popular lunch spot in the business sector of the city
Average wait time: 10 minutes
Average cost for lunch (meal + beverage): $12
