Not every Ottawan knows the difference between gelato and ice cream, but our residents can get some clarity on the matter thanks to premium Stella Luna gelato. Made with fresh, high-quality ingredients and no artificial colours and available just a 20-minute walk away from Westboro Connection.

The Master Gelato Chef and owner of Stella Luna Gelato Café, Tammy Giuliani, explains, “Gelato is milk-based and compared to ice cream, it has a quarter of the fat. When you take a spoonful of gelato, there is less fat coating your tastebuds. Since fat inhibits flavour, you are able to perceive that flavour more with gelato.”

High-quality and authentic gelato is about much more than the sum of its ingredients at Stella Luna Gelato Café – it is also about a commitment to the craft, learning from the best, and taking creative chances.

“Making gelato from scratch and by hand is an old traditional art,” says Tammy. “Not many people around the world, and even in Italy, are willing to do it. The gelato we make is what you would have eaten if you were a child growing up in Italy. We don’t use any pre-packaged mixes; we create from scratch.”

Since the first location of Stella Luna Gelato Café opened on 1103 Bank Street in 2011, it has been a popular spot in the local community. Locations in Hintonburg and Merrickville followed. Word soon spread, and gelato aficionados from near and far began to seek out Tammy’s sweet creations.

Understandably so – Tammy is a Master Gelato Chef, having trained extensively under the masters at Italy’s Carpigiani Gelato University to learn the traditional craft. Today, her frozen creations run the gamut from the traditional such as hazelnut, pistachio and madagascar vanilla, to the award-winning chocolate bourbon-pecan, which took bronze at the 2017 Gelato World Tour, to the tantalizingly unexpected such as chocolate cinnamon chillies and fuzzy peach schnapps.

The attention to detail is as impressive as the flavour selection. Tammy imports a great many of her gelato products from Italy, and nothing is done halfway – not even the cones. “My husband was adamant that the cones come from Italy,” she says. “So we went back to where his mother grew up in Northern Italy, where he spent his childhood summers.” They ended up finding the perfect gelato cone in the unlikeliest of places – at a business that makes communion wafers. Today, that business produces cones especially for Stella Luna. “When you open the box, the aroma is so delicious,” says Tammy.

Tammy’s gelato and sorbet menu changes just about every day and in the busy summer months, she will offer 24 varieties (six of which are always vegan). However, these sweet and icy treats are only a small part of what draws locals to Stella Luna Café, which recently also landed on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in Canada list.

For those who want to get something more than just an artisan hand-crafted gelato, Stella Luna Gelato Café also offers a wide selection of different treats such as cakes, scones, squares and muffins. When pandemic restrictions were put in place, and in-store dining became impossible for the community, Tammy and her team pivoted to make Stella Luna Café an Italian specialty store featuring olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, pastas and much more. “We brought in some of our favourite products from Italy,” says Tammy. Now you can find grab-and-go meals including lasagna, arancini, and steak and mushroom pie in the café.

The last year has been beyond challenging for the business, but when you hear Tammy speak about her gelato and how passionate she is about making a mouth-wateringly good product, you can’t help but get caught up in the simple magic of a dessert made with love and care.

With summer only a few months away, we couldn't be more excited to go for walks in the neighbourhood while eating delicious gelato. “In the summer, when you get a lemon sorbet with freshly squeezed lemon juice, the taste is just so refreshing,” says Tammy. “Or during strawberry season – there’s nothing like the aroma of local berries in season. Add a little prosecco, and it’s like strawberries and champagne.”

About Westboro Discover Local

Discover Local is an exclusive program for our residents, created to better acquaint them with their neighbourhood and the many local businesses and services therein. It’s all about discovering what makes their local community so vibrant, inspiring, and livable. From cafes and restaurants to retailers, gyms and beyond, we invite you to discover local – there’s a whole neighbourhood waiting to be discovered!

The post Ottawa’s award-winning gelato and sorbet appeared first on Westboro 2 (Scott Street) Blog.

Last year has been a challenging time for restaurants in Ottawa. Instead of folding under the uncertainty of everything, Westboro’s Savoy Brasserie decided to use this time as an opportunity to refine and revitalize their take on comforting and palette-pleasing French cuisine.

For the restaurant’s manager Chris Ibey, it meant getting back to the basics and focus on the two main goals the Savoy Brasserie has: French cuisine and local beer. (“We combine two things in the name Savoy Brasserie,” he explains, “‘Savoy,’ from the region in France, and ‘Brasserie,’ representing beer.”)

The Savoy went about revamping their menu by drawing inspiration from its namesake, the southeastern region of France. “The Savoy is all about hearty meals,” says Ibey, who added classic dishes such as coq au vin, Provençal stuffed squid, and a fall-off-the-bone lamb shank alongside customer favourites like beef bourguignon and escargots à la bourguignonne. 
The Savoy’s revamped beer selection and switched their 34 taps from suds brewed in Toronto and Niagara to locally produced varieties from Ashton Brewing, Big Rig, Beyond the Pale, Overflow Brewing, and Calabogie Brewing amongst others – with more new choices on the way. Between the lengthy beer menu, French cuisine faves, and an atmosphere that’s equally welcoming and classically designed with subway tiling, high ceilings, cozy booths and a bar nearly running the length of the room, the only thing currently missing is the hubbub, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Savoy Brasserie introduced signature days including Buck-a-Shuck Tuesdays, Discover Wine Wednesdays, Mimosa Fridays, and Caesar Sundays that will help the brasserie continue to be a go-to place for the Westboro community to enjoy time with friends. Ibey is also planning events such as a brewer’s dinner. Chris Ibey explains, “A lot of what we want to with the Savoy is to bring back the social aspect,” “I know it’s tough right now with COVID, but I’m looking long-term.”

Even though life may feel a little slow right now, with things slowly getting back to normal this summer and beyond, there will be plenty of reasons for Westboro locals to spend time to the Savoy – although they may want to bring a healthy appetite for great food and beer with them.

About Discover Local

Discover Local is an exclusive program for our residents, created to better acquaint them with their neighbourhood and the many local businesses and services therein. It’s all about discovering what makes their local community so vibrant, inspiring, and livable. From cafes and restaurants to retailers, gyms and beyond, we invite you to discover local – there’s a whole neighbourhood waiting to be discovered!

The post French Brasserie in the heart of Westboro appeared first on Westboro 2 (Scott Street) Blog.

Many of our favourite local spots have creatively adapted to our new normal by re-imagining their menus for takeout, to be enjoyed in the comfort of the apartments we’ve come to know so well. In recognition and celebration of our beloved neighbourhood restaurants, we’ve put together a list of recommended places to try. We hope you’ll discover a new favourite dish, a must-try cocktail kit, or a bit of comfort you didn’t know you’d been missing. Bon appétit!
 

Fratelli

Since first opening in the Glebe in 1996, Fratelli has set out to offer well-made Italian food, good wine, and friendly service – without any of the pretension. It has since brought this dining vision to Westboro with a vibrant and expansive selection of Italian cuisine including homemade pastas like gnocchi pomodoro and must-try spaghetti with smoked salmon, crispy capers, and goat cheese.

Locals, however, know that Fratelli is also all about the ‘za, of which there are plenty of options to choose from. Classics like the Margherita or the Luca (with mozzarella and pepperoni) stand alongside inventive pies like the Gamberetto (with chilli paste, shrimp, pickled onions, pepperoncini, and black olives). To wash down all of that honest and lovingly made Italian food? Fratelli boasts an impressive selection of wines from the old country and beyond, craft beers, and a handy set of cocktails-to-to kits (but don’t forget to save some room for the Nutella cake!). Perfectly bellissimo!

Takeout options available.

Napoli’s Pizza & Restaurant

Comfort food comes in all shapes and sizes, and these days we seem to be craving a lot of it. Good thing places like Richmond Road’s Napoli’s Pizza are there to accommodate us with a wide selection of simple and unquestionably tasty takeaway pies, homemade pastas, subs and much, much more.

In-the-know locals choose their pies from Napoli’s ‘Famous Combos’ menu, including Lebanese Meat Mediterranean, the Napoli Special, or the satisfyingly filling Meat Lover. Vegetarians have more than a few options as well – the Greek Pizza, Canadian Vegetarian, or the Popeye Pizza with spinach, black olives, fresh garlic, feta, and brick cheese. Don’t forget about the homemade pastas – the Napoli baked lasagna and the baked spaghetti are two standouts that deserve some room on your plate.

Delivery and takeout options available.

The Newboro

There are few things more satisfying than a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger, some fried chicken, or wings done the right way. Richmond Road’s The Newboro is a gastropub that knows how to take comfort classics and elevate them perfectly.

The pub’s regulars can tell you that it’s all about the Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich or the Proper Burger with two smashed beef patties – but don’t let those two mouth-watering items overshadow other faves like Pad Thai, shrimp tacos, and the Szechuan crispy beef salad. Simple food done well will always hit the spot – something this pub definitely understands.

Takeaway options available.

The Barley Mow

Since 2015, Westboro’s The Barley Mow gastropub has been serving up high-quality pub grub that perfectly balances big taste with fun. Before the pandemic, regulars could enjoy a hearty pub menu featuring everything from deep-fried pickle fries and fried ravioli to Cuban sammies, the Barley Burger, or mains like tender beer vindaloo and Malaysian chicken.

The pub has since made all of these faves (and plenty more) available for both takeout and delivery. If you’re looking for a fun way to supersize your next supper, it also offers a great selection of family meals such as curry, meatloaf, or prime rib for four (just order 24 hours in advance for these) as well as assemble-at-home taco and burger kits (for four or eight people) with all the fixings.

Takeout and delivery options available.

The post Your Westboro Takeout Food Guide appeared first on Westboro 2 (Scott Street) Blog.