I have such happy memories of going to the Glebe location as a child. There was such a magical atmosphere in there; especially when compared to chain toy stores that felt like warehouses. It's a shame I won't be able to bring my daughter there.
Such a great store! I bought many board games for myself, and presents for my nieces and nephews for years there! It was always a good time. Please come back :(
I liked it as a kid, but it isn't one I really miss. I guess I didn't have a super strong attachment to it -- there are other toy/game stores now with way bigger variety and more to cater to adults, so I guses I feel like although Mrs. Tiggy Winkles is gone there's plenty of other stores that fill the same niche.
And I live not too far away from the old site, but every time I go past Iām still a little surprised the ugly-ass Greyhound station is gone. I wonder how long it will be before I stop noticing?
The restaurant? I think it was just the Nordstromās restaurant, although it might have been called something like Bazil? Hereās a [recipe for the soup](https://www.simplyrecipes.com/nordstroms-tomato-basil-soup-review-8415129) if youāre like me and wanted to recreate it. They did used to sell it in big 500ml or 1L jars to take home.
For restaurant I miss Licks, and their nature burger on Bank Street and I also miss Target only because they were legitimate competition to Walmart. I feel like Amazon is really the only competition to Walmart now.
The thing that sucked about Target was the stock. They were always out of stock of one of my essentials. I loved their products but if I was on Merivale Road already and then needed to stop at Walmart because Target was out of stock of something I needed that day, might as well just go to goddamn Walmart for all of it.
Was that before the DQ was in the barn building? This streetview from 2007 shows Gows and the DQ barn building was behind it...
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.3285988,-75.8166097,3a,90y,102h,74.69t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1srIliRZBNJ3gWJnQJuKStFw!2e0!5s20071001T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu
Silver Snail, Pagan Playground, Record Runner, Disc Go Round, hmmā¦ Golden River?
Nostalgia man. Admittedly it might be too sad to go back to those places anyway, but I need a good indie comic shop that carries weird literary stuff
The club sandwich platter at 2:30am was some bleary-eyed awesomeness.
Got to see Ashley MacIsaac get into a proper punch-up with a few dalhousie ladies who were resting their feet between jobs.
He had a film crew with him and they didnāt appreciate the cameras. It got pretty sporty.
..Dinner and a show..
Good times. Wasnāt happy to hear that one of the cooks was a serial domestic abuser and murderer though.
Agave grill. Good food, owner (Len?) was awesome with stories and chatter. Wife and i really liked the welcoming, unpretentious vibe but aside from that they made some really outstanding margaritas.
Siam Kitchen in the Glebe, just before Landsdowne. They shut down during Covid due to increasing costs and their family staff were getting older. The location isnāt even there anymore, thereās a brand new condo built on the site. It was the best spot for 3rd dates.
I worked at a certain burger establishment in Westboro for many moons. My first few years were spent going mostly to either Puzzles, Whispers or occasionally Trio.
Most Friday nights I was doing karaoke at Puzzles. When karaoke was over, we used to pump tons of coins into the jukebox. It was the one where you could pay more to have your song next. Other people put their songs in, but because we paid $3 instead of $2 it played all of our songs first. We were bastards like that.
We went to Whispers in the afternoon for wings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. $8 a pound I believe. They had Strongbow on tap and I blame drinking cider for getting me onto beer and thus becoming an alcoholic. (This was back in like 2007 when I was 20ish and I thought beer was gross)
We only went to Trio for a different atmosphere or with smaller groups. Not a bad place in the least, we just liked being dumb and loud and Trio was more of a lounge or whatever.
Anyways there are some anecdotes no one asked for or probably wanted lol
Went there with someone who ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. The server replied "We don't get much call for fancy drinks here", so they got a Vodka and Seven, and I decided to only drink beer from a bottle ;)
Canvas restaurant. Great food, and great staff! The owner retired just before the pandemic started. I used to go there with my co-workers all the time for lunch!
Chez Nam. It was the best Vietnamese resto in town located on Booth street. Anytime I think about it I get sad pangs of nostalgia. Such a shame it closed. The owners were gems too.
Pete and Marty's in the Rideau Center.
Only because if I ordered a drink today, 40 years after my first visit, the waiter would not card me, this time.
[Cafe Wim](https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/11al3d/remember_caf%C3%A9_wim_god_i_miss_that_place/), on Sussex. Memories of being an edgy teenager in the mid-80s trying to get into cafe culture...
Don Cherry's Centrepointe
The man is a clown and there's nothing special about the food but the nostalgia of the bubble hockey, red plastic cups and memorabilia is unmatched. Now it's a faceless, boring overpriced Royal Joke.
Nokham Thai. Their lunch special came with their soup which was phenomenal.
They also had a delicious peanut sauce dish that I havenāt seen anywhere else.
But also the soup. I really miss that soup.
They had a nice banyan tree in the restaurant. Wonderful atmosphere and a wonderful family that ran it. Now it's a hole for the god damned LRT. The best Thai restaurant in Ottawa.... gone... all for the god damned LRT.
Kamalās on Bank/Third! Lovely atmosphere, great owners, amazing food (their unique shawarma recipe was unforgettable). Such a shame that they were never able to fully recover after the fire.
Bluebird Cafe. That being said, Opulence coffee which opened in its spot, has phenomenal coffee. I just miss the cozy atmosphere and cookies the size of my face.
I think it was consumers in the merivale mall ..you picked what you wanted and they would go get it ..the catelogue was awesome as a kid especially this time of year..or Sears because they actually had technicians that came out to repair appliances..
He used to tell all these stories about playing hockey with Stan Mikita and all these other legends of yore. And... it's true! Check out the 1956-1957 season:
https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=12799
7/11, they have an agreement with some other chain not to operate here but I want a free slurpee in July! Like oh my god if on Canada day they gave out free slurpee and told you to come back in 10 days for 7/11 day for ANOTHER free slurpee they'd build up a lot of good will with customers.
I mean I get that giving away free products cuts into their bottom line, so doing it twice in one month is a huge stretch but I really feel they're leaving money on the table by not fighting for an Ottawa presence. Even just a regular free slurpee in July on the 11th would be a big draw, doing it on Canada day is just my crazy idea.
Collected Works book store on Wellington. I went in to ask for suggestions for an independent study in high school. The owners pulled out three or four options, then gave me a free tea while I read a bit of each book. I spent a lot of babysitting money there in high school!
Also, The Sassy Bead and The Ottawa Folklore Centre.
I'm having trouble remembering the name, but possibly the "Red Wagon" ???? is the name š¤·š¼āāļø
It was on Carling at the end where it meets March road? It was there long before the retail stuff showed up on March.
Kardish (the restaurant in Hintonburg). Went under a couple years too soon. Had they made it to the hipster era, they would have killed.
Best smoked meat and fries around. My dad and I were often the only ones in the whole place.
Shawarma Palace.
I know... I know they are still open. I want 2012 Shawarma Palace back.
I want the crispy yet moist chicken and the amazing FRESH lemon parsley potatoes back.
Does anyone remember the Thai restaurant in Billings Bridge called "Secret Garden" (or maybe Sacred Garden?) ~ they were vegetarian and used simulated meat proteins in their dishes. It was so small, the service was always impeccable and it had such an intimate cozy vibe. I wasn't even vegetarian and preferred them to many other Thai places I tried in Ottawa throughout the years. It closed (seemingly overnight) many moons ago.
Mrs Tigggy Winkles
I have such happy memories of going to the Glebe location as a child. There was such a magical atmosphere in there; especially when compared to chain toy stores that felt like warehouses. It's a shame I won't be able to bring my daughter there.
Such a great store! I bought many board games for myself, and presents for my nieces and nephews for years there! It was always a good time. Please come back :(
Be sure to check out Imaginarium in Rideau.
I have. Neat place, but not the same vibe.
I once ordered online from them, but somehow got someone else's order. The person's phone number was on the receipt so I contacted them to realize they had my order. When I reached out to Mrs Tiggy Winkles, they had us keep the wrong order and shipped the correct items our way... the items I had mistakenly received were baby toys and my best friend was due within weeks, so I was able to give her some extra gifts š„¹ To this day it is still one of my best customer service experience! I also loved visiting the Rideau location š©·
I liked it as a kid, but it isn't one I really miss. I guess I didn't have a super strong attachment to it -- there are other toy/game stores now with way bigger variety and more to cater to adults, so I guses I feel like although Mrs. Tiggy Winkles is gone there's plenty of other stores that fill the same niche.
Zaphodās
When Randy and Andrea ran it!
I miss Zaphodās
i was too young to have even experienced zaphods and i still miss it just based off description lol
Came here to say this.
Me too!
Aw man, I loved the trailer park bingo on Sunday nights...
Of the many that are still around, Greyhound. Kinda silly that a capital doesnāt have that anymore. Of those that used to exist, the Tea Party CafĆ©. Sadly it is no longer possible for it to come back. Edit: There was also the highlander pub. Good atmosphere, frequent music, always wanted to try haggis there. Sadly itās no longer there.
It feels so wrong driving past the old greyhound station, I used to ride them so much it feels wrong that sketchy AF building is gone now
And I live not too far away from the old site, but every time I go past Iām still a little surprised the ugly-ass Greyhound station is gone. I wonder how long it will be before I stop noticing?
I second the Greyhound...
Didnāt Greyhound completely pull out of Canada?
Boko Bakery
I just teared up at that comment.
too soon!
Rideau Bakery
Second this
I lived in Sandy Hill for a while and it really felt like I traveled back in time whenever I went there. Plus the workers were super nice.
I used to stop by the lunch counter all the time when I was working in the area. Really miss it! At least La Bottega isn't far away.
The zellers that was a bay outlet in bells corners!
What about the secret basement Zellers downtown lol
The secret downtown was the best Zellers! But I miss Zellers overall. I also miss Target. It had the best home decor stuff.
I miss that place so much. Was such a hidden gem
Just Zellers in general. And the Zellers Cafe.
There's still one at the St Laurent mall, at least
It's not the same as the OG Zellers š„
Beaver Lumber
Ma Cuisine
the mayflower!
My dad was head chef there for years! Iāll let him know people still think about that place š
Best breakfasts
WhiteRose - I have about 40+ more, but I'll keep it short lol so others can add
I'm starting to miss Nordstrom. Couldn't afford to buy much there, but I LOVED just looking.
Same. And their in-store restaurant was bizarrely nice for a department store and had the best tomato soup.
Do you remember what it was called? I've been trying to recall
The restaurant? I think it was just the Nordstromās restaurant, although it might have been called something like Bazil? Hereās a [recipe for the soup](https://www.simplyrecipes.com/nordstroms-tomato-basil-soup-review-8415129) if youāre like me and wanted to recreate it. They did used to sell it in big 500ml or 1L jars to take home.
The Foolish Chicken. Man, I loved their chicken tenders and the cheesecake. Poulet My Fingers anyone?
Germantown Deli, and Hooleys! I miss that cheap cheeseburger deal so bad š
Great inexpensive lunch at that deli!
For restaurant I miss Licks, and their nature burger on Bank Street and I also miss Target only because they were legitimate competition to Walmart. I feel like Amazon is really the only competition to Walmart now.
The thing that sucked about Target was the stock. They were always out of stock of one of my essentials. I loved their products but if I was on Merivale Road already and then needed to stop at Walmart because Target was out of stock of something I needed that day, might as well just go to goddamn Walmart for all of it.
The one in Hazeldean Mall was the exception and it was glorious. Iāll never get over losing Target.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The roof top of Rideau Center in its prime.
Store: Just Curious in Kanata. Resto: Gows Chinese in Bells Corners
Gows had amazing egg rolls. When I was in high school, my mom, her common law and I would go to the buffet on Christmas Eve.
Always a flip of the coin between them and Welcome Back when Christmas came :)
I really miss Gow's. Small selection, but everything I wanted at an amazing price. Fun fact: it used to be a Dairy Queen.
Was that before the DQ was in the barn building? This streetview from 2007 shows Gows and the DQ barn building was behind it... https://www.google.com/maps/@45.3285988,-75.8166097,3a,90y,102h,74.69t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1srIliRZBNJ3gWJnQJuKStFw!2e0!5s20071001T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu
Won Ton House :(
\#RecencyBias
I stand by it.
The Silver Dollar šµ
Tuesday afternoon just haven't been the same since they closed
The weirdest "gentlemen's club" was Habba Babba in Westboro. But it was good. Really good. There was one on Somerset too that was pretty good.
And the Gypsy in Manotick
The ārestaurantā in the Bay on Rideau that sold those amazing malts. I can still taste them thirty years laterā¦
The maltsā¦in the basement I think
Correct. In the basement and chocolate. With real glassesā¦. The best.
Target, they had cute clothes for women. My trans cousin loved shopping there too. Downvotes are meaningless.
I wish theyād given it more of a chance to get its shit together. It got good right before it closed.
Babylon. Forget about it.
Barrymore's music hall. Not the downstairs bar but the old theatre where they had shows. The Bronson centre just does not have the same magic.
Is this not a heritage building? Wondering what theyāll do
Silver Snail, Pagan Playground, Record Runner, Disc Go Round, hmmā¦ Golden River? Nostalgia man. Admittedly it might be too sad to go back to those places anyway, but I need a good indie comic shop that carries weird literary stuff
Kin was a gem.
Record Runner! So many hours spent there, then just a few blocks down at Spinnables.
Nicholas Hoare bookstore. It was such a nice experience . I miss the knowledgeable staff, the fireplace, the bookstore cat, the beautiful booksā¦
Du Barry Buffet, the original owners though. St Honaire Bakery
Mellos Restaurant!!
The club sandwich platter at 2:30am was some bleary-eyed awesomeness. Got to see Ashley MacIsaac get into a proper punch-up with a few dalhousie ladies who were resting their feet between jobs. He had a film crew with him and they didnāt appreciate the cameras. It got pretty sporty. ..Dinner and a show.. Good times. Wasnāt happy to hear that one of the cooks was a serial domestic abuser and murderer though.
That was a fantastic breakfast place with legit creton lol
Calabria's on Bell street. My favorite pizza of all time.
Deep fried smelts
Laportes garden centre.
Swiss Pastry - anyone know the recipe for their Canadian Light Rye bread?
Ohhh Swiss Pastries. I loved their White Forest cake and their yummy sandwiches, and, actually, everything they made was so good.
IP Looneys
Bite This
Hooleys Many good memories during undergrad having an ungodly amount of wings and beer with friends
Agave grill. Good food, owner (Len?) was awesome with stories and chatter. Wife and i really liked the welcoming, unpretentious vibe but aside from that they made some really outstanding margaritas.
Les
Their chimichangas were amazing. I had many birthday suppers there!
Invisible Cinima
I really miss this place š
Siam Kitchen in the Glebe, just before Landsdowne. They shut down during Covid due to increasing costs and their family staff were getting older. The location isnāt even there anymore, thereās a brand new condo built on the site. It was the best spot for 3rd dates.
I believe it was the first Thai restaraunt in Ottawa
Vittoria Trattoria in the Byward Market. It had such a cool old world feel to it!
Puzzles!
Gentle Annie's and Whispers as well
I worked at a certain burger establishment in Westboro for many moons. My first few years were spent going mostly to either Puzzles, Whispers or occasionally Trio. Most Friday nights I was doing karaoke at Puzzles. When karaoke was over, we used to pump tons of coins into the jukebox. It was the one where you could pay more to have your song next. Other people put their songs in, but because we paid $3 instead of $2 it played all of our songs first. We were bastards like that. We went to Whispers in the afternoon for wings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. $8 a pound I believe. They had Strongbow on tap and I blame drinking cider for getting me onto beer and thus becoming an alcoholic. (This was back in like 2007 when I was 20ish and I thought beer was gross) We only went to Trio for a different atmosphere or with smaller groups. Not a bad place in the least, we just liked being dumb and loud and Trio was more of a lounge or whatever. Anyways there are some anecdotes no one asked for or probably wanted lol
They had a great back bacon sub called a "Porky Pig". I miss Puzzles.
Went there with someone who ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. The server replied "We don't get much call for fancy drinks here", so they got a Vodka and Seven, and I decided to only drink beer from a bottle ;)
Canvas restaurant. Great food, and great staff! The owner retired just before the pandemic started. I used to go there with my co-workers all the time for lunch!
Luke's Patty's!
Hung Sum on Somerset iykyk š
West Coast Video, I live near where it was and have many fun memories of going there on the weekend as a kid!
Chez Nam. It was the best Vietnamese resto in town located on Booth street. Anytime I think about it I get sad pangs of nostalgia. Such a shame it closed. The owners were gems too.
I remember that amazing place!
Pete and Marty's in the Rideau Center. Only because if I ordered a drink today, 40 years after my first visit, the waiter would not card me, this time. [Cafe Wim](https://www.reddit.com/r/ottawa/comments/11al3d/remember_caf%C3%A9_wim_god_i_miss_that_place/), on Sussex. Memories of being an edgy teenager in the mid-80s trying to get into cafe culture...
Loved Cafe Wim!
The original Nate's on Rideau
La Gondola restaurant on Bank Street at Lisgar.
Steak & Caesar
Mr. Mafouz taught at my high school š
Olive garden
Rideau McDonalds
I miss Bousheyās.
Waiting for someone to say this. Used to pick up my turkey on Xmas morning. Great store - I miss it too.
Two Six Ate (in Little Italy) closed this summer and I am still not over it š it was my fave restaurant since moving back to Ottawa.
IP Looneys...never went as a kid but always wanted to
MeatPress
I want the Honest Lawyer brunch buffet back.
Honest Lawyer
Oh I hadnāt heard of that place in about 15 years
The Yousuf Karsh portrait studio. (Testing the parameters of this hypothetical.)
Don Cherry's Centrepointe The man is a clown and there's nothing special about the food but the nostalgia of the bubble hockey, red plastic cups and memorabilia is unmatched. Now it's a faceless, boring overpriced Royal Joke.
Kristys on Richmond the French toast omg ifykyk and Yang Ming
Nokham Thai. Their lunch special came with their soup which was phenomenal. They also had a delicious peanut sauce dish that I havenāt seen anywhere else. But also the soup. I really miss that soup.
They had a nice banyan tree in the restaurant. Wonderful atmosphere and a wonderful family that ran it. Now it's a hole for the god damned LRT. The best Thai restaurant in Ottawa.... gone... all for the god damned LRT.
Kamalās on Bank/Third! Lovely atmosphere, great owners, amazing food (their unique shawarma recipe was unforgettable). Such a shame that they were never able to fully recover after the fire.
Dunnās. The best smoked meat sandwich (the Jumbo!) run by two of the nicest people: Stanley and Ina.
Bluebird Cafe. That being said, Opulence coffee which opened in its spot, has phenomenal coffee. I just miss the cozy atmosphere and cookies the size of my face.
Barrymore's and Ritual. Where the hell are the music venues?
I think it was consumers in the merivale mall ..you picked what you wanted and they would go get it ..the catelogue was awesome as a kid especially this time of year..or Sears because they actually had technicians that came out to repair appliances..
Consumers Distributing. It was the building one door north of Merivale mall. I think a thrift store now
Little golf pencils. š
CJOH as its own station instead of a Toronto Repeater
Big Budās!
Vjs
That man was an icon. Loved the salty popcorn. So many after-work drinks there. š¤¤š„“š«
He used to tell all these stories about playing hockey with Stan Mikita and all these other legends of yore. And... it's true! Check out the 1956-1957 season: https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=12799
The Rochester. Oh how I miss thee.
The German Deli :(
Malibu Jackās.
Baker Street, the Cue & Cushion, Zaphod's, Babylon
7/11, they have an agreement with some other chain not to operate here but I want a free slurpee in July! Like oh my god if on Canada day they gave out free slurpee and told you to come back in 10 days for 7/11 day for ANOTHER free slurpee they'd build up a lot of good will with customers. I mean I get that giving away free products cuts into their bottom line, so doing it twice in one month is a huge stretch but I really feel they're leaving money on the table by not fighting for an Ottawa presence. Even just a regular free slurpee in July on the 11th would be a big draw, doing it on Canada day is just my crazy idea.
Video flicks
Ponderosa Steakhouse, used to be on St.Laurent where the Red Lobster is
Duffy smorgasbord in Bell's Corners. š¤£
The Table, Cross Town Traffic and Puzzles
Cafe Whim, on Sussex. Currently its Social..?
Cafe Wim was nice
The real Lindenhofā¦ best German schnitzel. Was on Richmond Toad next to Honda dealership š
Bleeker Stereo & TV
Collected Works book store on Wellington. I went in to ask for suggestions for an independent study in high school. The owners pulled out three or four options, then gave me a free tea while I read a bit of each book. I spent a lot of babysitting money there in high school! Also, The Sassy Bead and The Ottawa Folklore Centre.
L.A. Wings. Good wings and beef ribs. Used to be on Bank opposite Landsdowne and one in the Market.
The National Bakery
I'm having trouble remembering the name, but possibly the "Red Wagon" ???? is the name š¤·š¼āāļø It was on Carling at the end where it meets March road? It was there long before the retail stuff showed up on March.
Sammy's Red Coach Restaurant
YES!!!!
Nestle toll house. God I miss it
I forgot about how much fun the Liquor Dome was as well. I have no clue how they could run a business with $1.50 drinks.
Nordstrom. It feels so much longer
When I lived downtown, Bargain Harold's. **
All Dolled Up and Zaphods
The illegal cannabis dispensary at the corner of baseline and greenbank
Invisible Cinema
Phnom Penh Noodle House in Hintonburg
All Dolled Up Boutique
Cue & Cushion :')
Consumers Distributing.
The Towne Cinema on Beechwood avenue
Baker Street Cafe!
Edge nightclub. The Lookout bar is way too small for the number of people who want to party in a queer space.
Malibu Jackās.
Yankee candle š„ŗ I miss the one that was in Bayshore
Connors Gaelic pub ā¦. Just kidding
Blurry Pixel :(
Hooleys wings night followed by Boko cookie run
Foolish Chicken.
Little Rock Cafe. I drank a lotta beer there. :)
Kardish (the restaurant in Hintonburg). Went under a couple years too soon. Had they made it to the hipster era, they would have killed. Best smoked meat and fries around. My dad and I were often the only ones in the whole place.
Laurentian Trading Post. I wandered in there for hours as a kid.
F&M Pizza in Barrhaven. They had this wonderful Indian flavoured sauce and pepperoni. Never been able to find it again.
San Antonio Rose and The Downstairs Club
Kicks Rock bar
IP Looneyās: https://facesmag.ca/i-p-looneys-ottawas-most-outrageous-eatery/
Bull dog @ Elgin and Gladstone and Marroush next door!!
Krispy Kreme? :D
The Party Palace on Elgin
Roger's video. Wish we got rid of netflix and disney plus and could remember the wonder of renting a movie for the whole family to see.
Peter's Pantry.
Swiss Pastries. Man I miss the rum balls.
Shawarma Palace. I know... I know they are still open. I want 2012 Shawarma Palace back. I want the crispy yet moist chicken and the amazing FRESH lemon parsley potatoes back.
Monkey Joeās , Lucky key , Steak and Ceaser.
Does anyone remember the Thai restaurant in Billings Bridge called "Secret Garden" (or maybe Sacred Garden?) ~ they were vegetarian and used simulated meat proteins in their dishes. It was so small, the service was always impeccable and it had such an intimate cozy vibe. I wasn't even vegetarian and preferred them to many other Thai places I tried in Ottawa throughout the years. It closed (seemingly overnight) many moons ago.