Neighbourhood Spotlight: ByWard Market

With Light Rail on the horizon, here at Ottawa Life we’ve decided to start a series where we break down each of Ottawa’s neighbourhoods. We’re profiling each area by price, transportation, and lifestyle. Whether you’re a young professional or a family-making nest-builder, we’re giving you the details on every corner of our city.

These statistics were found at neighbourhoodstudy.ca, point2homes.com, viewit.ca, and kijiji.ca. Ottawa Neighbourhood Study (ONS) is based at the Centre for Research and Education in Community Services (CRECS) at the University of Ottawa.

If you or your company would like to participate in our neighbourhood breakdown, let us know by emailing anne@ottawalife.com 

This week’s spotlight: ByWard Market

The ByWard Market is one of Ottawa’s most historic (and touristic) districts. Tucked between the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal, the Market is bound by King Edward street to the East and Rideau street to the South. Now a major destination for Ottawa Tourism, the ByWard Market is densely packed with businesses and is home to most of the city’s nightlife.

In the limited space of the busy neighbourhood, residential spaces mostly take the form of apartment buildings. The average monthly rent for a 2 bedroom is $1,550. The average price for a home or condo is $450,000.

If there is any neighbourhood in Ottawa that has easy transportation to and from the rest of the city, it’s the ByWard Market. Like most of downtown, the Market has the luxury of being on the new LRT Confederation line. Lined by Rideau street and the Rideau centre, the Market is right on top of one of Ottawa’s major transportation centres — with the LRT’s Rideau stop coming soon, as well as OC Transpo’s Mackenzie King and Rideau bus stations.

The ByWard Market is more known for its culture than for its green space, as it is densely packed with tourist-attracting businesses. Sightseers and locals alike flock here to enjoy the plethora of restaurants, bars, and shops. A decided favourite among Ottawa residents is of course Zak’s Diner, a colourful classic since 1986. The 50’s style joint is open 24/7 and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their famous milkshakes (of which there are about 20) are a go-to among late-night reveller, and anyone with a sweet tooth.

Did you know that Zak’s just opened a Mexican Diner next door? In order to create the best and most vibrant experience, they put every element of authentic Mexican street food (from flavours to decor) together to make Zak’s Cantina! You can find the decorated bus at the centre of the Market!

Another classic for tourists and locals alike is The Grand — the pizzeria and bar located on the beautiful corner of George Street and William. It’s facade is now an unmistakable landmark of the area, and has one of the city’s best patios during the summer. Their menu features all the favourite pizza flavours and caters to the gluten-intolerant, making it a well-loved staple of the busy area. Visit them during Market Hour, weekdays from 3-6pm, and get great deals on draught beers, pizzas, and pitchers of sangria!

Stay tuned for next week’s spotlight on The Glebe!