ByWard Market

The ByWard Market is a district of food stalls, shops, restaurants and bars in Ottawa’s Lower Town, a few blocks east of Parliament Hill. It is one of the oldest and largest public markets in Canada, and a landmark of Canada’s capital. It takes its name from Lieutenant Colonel John By, the Royal Engineers officer who oversaw the building of the Rideau Canal and laid out the streets of the town that grew up beside it. Established in the 1820s, the market was part of that original plan, and it has been a place of trade for generations of farmers, merchants and residents.

The district is bounded roughly by Rideau Street, King Edward Avenue and St. Patrick Street, and its grid of narrow streets holds hundreds of independent businesses. Low brick and stone buildings from the nineteenth century stand beside modern shops, and many have been converted into restaurants, pubs and boutiques. At the centre, the market building and the open-air stalls around it sell fresh produce, flowers, cheese, meat, baked goods and local crafts, and the area is busiest on weekends. Outdoor vendors are seasonal, with the stalls spreading out into the streets in the warmer months, while the permanent shops and the indoor hall operate year-round.

Food is the main draw. Visitors can pick up a BeaverTail, the flat fried pastry that is an Ottawa favourite, and the area was publicised when President Obama stopped for one in 2009. Cafés, bakeries and delis cluster around the market, and the restaurants range from casual patios to refined dining rooms. At night the district turns into one of the busiest parts of the city for bars and live music, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings. Murals, sculptures and street performers add colour, and the large ByWard Market sign at York Street Plaza has become a favourite meeting point and photo stop.

The market is a short walk from many of Ottawa’s main sights. Major’s Hill Park and the Rideau Canal locks lie to the west, the National Gallery of Canada is nearby, and Parliament Hill can be reached on foot in about ten minutes. OC Transpo light rail stops at Rideau Station, close to the district’s edge, and parking is limited, so public transit is the easiest option.

It suits foodies, shoppers and anyone who wants a lively, walkable neighbourhood with a sense of history. Come in the morning for the quietest browsing and the freshest produce, or after dark for the nightlife. Allow two to three hours for a relaxed wander and a meal, and wear comfortable shoes for the cobbled and uneven streets.