
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Indian
Western
Small veggie restaurant across from Ottawa University, inspired by the philosophy of Sri Chinmoy. Offers hearty entrees, soups, salads, potatoes, lentil soup, Indian specialties, house-made desserts and fair trade tea and coffee. Uses locally-sourced organic ingredients. Vegan and gluten-free options. Reported closed Feb 2019.
21 Reviews
First Review by Petesternz
FannyLanoix
Points +38
Delicious - Edit
Really good food and cosy place. Not open during diner though.
Read moreGuest
Unibrows97
Points +481
Great food - Edit
I visited here just last week and I wasn’t all that hungry so I had the breakfast loaf and a samosa and the food was great. I’d go back.
Read moreGuest
PurpleCurrant
Points +3898
My favorite restaurant in Ottawa - Edit
This is my favorite veg place in Ottawa, and I've tried them all. The restaurant/café is really nice and peaceful and the staff is super helpful. I always get the lentil soup which is AMAZING. I also recommend the lentil dahl, the curried chickpeas (I don't remember the exact name), the joy burger, their samosas...I'm also addicted to their grilled tofu. Their desserts are the best, if I had to pick one I would go with the carrot cake. They also have a delicious lemon poppy seeds cake and chocolate cheesecake. I just wish they'd go vegan!
Read morePros: the best food, vegan items marked, great location
Cons: please go vegan
Guest
HugJunky
Points +172
My spot in Ottawa - Edit
Excellent address downtown
Read morePros: A good choice of delicious vegan food, Dessert and drinks are also homemade and gooood!, Good price for very satisfying plate.
Cons: A strange and kitsch yellow space., Related to some kind of guru or meditation school
Guest
SorentinoPavelIonesco
Points +30
Beautifully delicious and peaceful restaurant - Edit
This small and cozy restaurant have delicious food and plenty of nutritious yet stimulating and scrumptious vege and vegan dishes. The staff are caring and open minded. A great place to go take coffee with friends and to out to eat lunch or supper. Ps: best dhal soup ever and try the Vegan burger... Wow
Read morePros: Lots of identified vegan options
Guest
pigletpooh
Points +33
They convinced me! - Edit
I've been going back and forth about whether to give this place a 4 or 5 for a little while, but they finally won me over with the Macro Bowl. It was amazing and I would highly recommend it. In the past I have ordered other dishes such as the Little Nepal and the Karma Bowl, and thought they were good too, but the Macro Bowl really crossed the threshold into five stars. The tofu in it is so well done, which is always a plus for me. Being a UOttawa student I appreciate the location and having a great vegetarian option. The cheese cake is amazing too, but I haven't tried too many other desserts. The juices are good too, I'd recommend the mango one.
Read morePros: Very good food, A lot of menu choice , Calming and clean environment
Cons: A bit pricey, Takes a little while to cook, but worth the wait
Guest
SusanAC
Points +137
choose carefully - Edit
The decor is simple and the service is good. We went twice and they accommodated our rush the first time. I loved what I ate the first time but was underwhelmed by the second dish.
Read moreGuest
hayls04
Points +452
Great food - Edit
I frequented this place often while I was at UOttawa, as the location cannot be beat! There are many vegan options available including delicious soups, but my absolute favourite thing has got to be the rainbow salad with the sesame herbal dressing.
Read moreGuest
Doro*
Points +521
tasty, healthy, vegan options - Edit
Nice Indian (or Indian inspired) food with plenty of vegan options (while few are only vegetarian). I had a plate with sweet poratoe, veggie curry and tofu. The tofu seemed to have little flavour, but since the curry was even more spiced, I was very happy with the food.
Read morePrices are ok (about 13$), service was nice (though you had to order at the counter).
Recommendable!
Pros: tasty, well-spiced, vegetarian but many vegan options
Guest
erinlovesyoga
Points +61
The name says it all - Edit
I've eaten here twice when in town on business. Both times I've tried the daily specials (Buddha bowl and tempeh fajitas, respectively) and they did not disappoint. The only downside is that I'm too full to sample any of the raw vegan desserts!
Read morePros: Healthy options, Comfort food, Large portions
Cons: Not licensed (if that matters to you)
Guest
bluesky1997
Points +15
Absolutely wonderful and adorable!! - Edit
I went here while visiting Ottawa with my mother and we were both so glad to have found this excellent little place. It was a trek for us to get there but when we did we were delighted. Very nice and serene music was playing and the whole place looks like a lil peaceful diner.
Read moreMy mom got a thai noodle curry which she really enjoyed and i got the vegan burger. It was fantastic. The way they make tofu is so good!! I would honestly visit Ottawa again just to go to this restaurant again. The waitresses were really nice and the food came out pretty quickly.
Pros: tasty food, nice atmosphere, good service
Guest
azaleea
Points +68
Awesome place - Edit
My family of 4 (with two young kids) went on a day trip to Ottawa and we decided for this little place based on the HC reviews. And we were not disappointed. We called before to make sure there were enough vegan options and that there were also mild choices, since a lot of the items on the menu are indian.
Read moreIndeed, almost everything was very mild, spicy but not hot, very flavourful and unique. The menu is not huge, but quite decent, with at least half fully vegan. We has soups, a big salad, the vegan burgers with small salads and a chili/dhal half half on mashed potatoes. Plus three oh so decadent slices of cake---chocolate, carrot and resp. coconut. Plus some ready-made fried 'meatless' balls (sorry I cannot remember the name, the only hot item, but not too hot) and samosas---we ended up taking a doggy bag plus some extra samosas, a perfect lunch for next day. All my family loved the great food, the nice vibe of this small simple restaurant. nothing fancy, but very clean and a feeling of love and peace, plus the inspirational art and messages. And the staff (all female) were wearing beautiful saris and were so gentle. Indeed, a wonderful place.
My husband also had an espresso, the best the had had in a while---their coffees and teas are organic and fair trade.
We are definitely going back again next time in Ottawa.
Oh, make sure you know the address, if not they could be missed--- they are just next to a fire station, opposite Ottawa university.
If you are in doubt, don't hesitate, this place is a gem!
Pros: awesome food, amazing staff - kind and attentionate, great vibe, intimate and peaceful
Cons: difficult parking, could be a bit larger, .....cant think if anything else
Guest
HeatherNicholds
Points +95
Tasty & simple - Edit
Great place for a simple meal that tastes awesome - and really good value. Nice vibe, very casual.
Read moreGuest
Lola Crumpet
Points +84
Think it now has new management (?) - Edit
Management was rude. Gave me indigestion.
Read moreHope has new, considerate management.
Stopped going, and never recommend.
Pros: good location, food okay, fair price
Cons: rude management
Guest
Soviet Canuckistan
Points +57
cannot deny the Chimnoy aspect - Edit
To the person who said "not creepy" get over "Sri" that's just an honorific like "Mr." it's Sri Chimnoy the removed ad must have been referring to.
Read moreI have supported the restaurant for about a decade now. The food is consistently above average. However you really cannot discount the Chimnoy 'aspect' of the restaurant. Prior to his death he was generally regarded to have been a cult leader and seeing all the "press clippings" or photos extolling his virtues can be annoying if nothing else.
The food is good, I always felt a bit bad for the staff. In particular the one whom I knew personally to have gone from a pretty 'immersive' baptist lifestyle to this extreme.
Pros: good food, inexpensive
Cons: ick factor re: cult
Guest
iwilldeny
Points +178
worth a visit - Edit
The food here isn't mind-blowing but it's consistently good comfort food. When they have it, the vegan chocolate cheesecake is amazing! A lot of vegan options and they're good about labeling whether a dish contains dairy. Might be worth calling ahead to make sure they're open if you go because there have been a few times where I've gone and they've been closed for religious stuff.
Read morePros: the chocolate "cheesecake"
Guest
Stephanie NC
Points +52
Very yummy - Edit
The cafe is cozy and nicely decorated, peaceful. I had veggie-chickpea curry over mashed potatoes, and lemonade (which was too sweet). The food was delicious, and a good sized serving. It came quickly to my table. Will definitely go again. Very close to U of T, great for students.
Read moreGuest
jedzen
Points +108
Not a fan. - Edit
I cant say that i liked this place that much. I think that might not be my type of food.
Read moreI had a salad, with lots of sprouts and seeds, and loved it. But then i chose a mix of tofu and potatoes, and while not horrible, it was not special or particular. My boyfriend had brown rice with a mushroom sauce, which he liked, and an avocado topping, which he disliked. The desserts ( carrot cake and lemon poppy seed cake ) both tasted quite the same and were a bit dry.
You order at the cash, then you sit and wait for your food. Service was not bad, but they all looked a bit preoccupied and they were not focused on the customers. I can not say that this is a bad place, and i understand some vegan people living in Ottawa might be happy to have that place around. I just dont think i liked it enough to go back again.
Guest
procrastinasian
Points +273
Good food - Edit
My husband and I ate at the restaurant on a recent visit because it was so close to our bed and breakfast. We were both happy with the food and thought that there were enough vegan options. Another diner told us that the cheesecake was to die for, but the person right in front of us in line got the last piece, unfortunately. The lemon poppyseed cake we got instead was yummy (not the best I've had, but good). We also got rice bowls with different toppings, and shared a bonda (get one of these if you haven't had one). Overall, we liked it, but it was a fairly high price for the amount and type of food we were getting. The ambiance is fine, but not the most romantic or elegant setting.
Read morePros: Tasty food, healthful , good vegan options
Cons: a little overpriced, service was a little slow
Guest
jessienotjames
Points +66
got me through the rough years - Edit
I would have starved in university if this place hadn't been around! I've been going here since I was 13, so I'm also one of those who call it the Painted Potato! Prices are reasonable for the portions that you get, and the atmosphere is comfortable, if a little cramped.
Read moreYou can grab take away pretty easily (which you may have to do sometimes if it's crowded), and it's an ideal location for UofO students. I don't know how many bowls of chickpea vegetable curry on mashed potatoes I have eaten in my life, but I've loved every one of them!
Pros: delicious, take away and eat in options, friendly staff
Cons: small, chilly in winter
Guest
Petesternz
Points +1447
Not creepy! - Edit
Get a grip. Love or hate Sri, that's your choice, but the food here is GOOD! Lentil soup always hits the spot, and Vegan cheesecake is always yum. Samosas are fantastic! Very worth the visit! People working here are very friendly, not creepy...
Read moreGuest
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