A new food and beverage festival focused on Ottawa restaurants will debut this spring at Lansdowne.
Best Fest Ottawa, created by local food influencer Henry Monkhouse, will take place May 8 and 9 at the Aberdeen Pavilion. Monkhouse, known online as @thebesteats613, developed the event in collaboration with local restaurateurs as a way to showcase Ottawa’s dining scene in one location.
Unlike many food festivals that centre on food trucks or large vendors, Best Fest Ottawa is designed around established restaurants and local breweries. Participating eateries will offer select menu items in a tasting-style format, allowing guests to sample dishes from multiple kitchens throughout the event.
Early vendors expected to participate include East India Company, Killer Buns, and Tredici, alongside breweries such as Beyond the Pale Brewing Company, Flora Hall Brewing, and Spark Beer.
Admission to the festival will be approximately $10, with individual food items expected to range from about $5 to $14, depending on the dish.
The event aims to highlight the range of Ottawa’s restaurant scene while giving local businesses an opportunity to reach new audiences. Guests will be able to move between vendors, try signature dishes, and experience a variety of cuisines in a single setting.
Ottawa has seen steady growth in independent restaurants and chef-driven concepts in recent years. Best Fest Ottawa brings many of those businesses together under one event, offering a snapshot of the city’s evolving food culture.
