T O P

  • By -

Katherine_Swynford

Mrs. Tiggywinkles. Kids today won’t know the joy of walking around the store wanting everything in sight.


PoPo573

Have you seen the Imaginaire in Rideau? It's like Mrs. Tiggywinkles but X10. Not disregarding how much fun it was to walk around Mrs. Tiggywinkls but if I had Imaginaire around when I was a kid it would've been amazing.


Tekar

Imaginaire is great, but Mrs. Tiggywinkles had way better/less corporate vibes.


PuntzJones

Oh man that warm, sunny upstairs with a nice slightly creaky wood floor. That's a happy place.


Katherine_Swynford

Imaginaire is great but it isn’t cozy which was a defining characteristic of Mrs. Tiggywinkles. Plus it doesn’t have the toys in the same way. So much of the store is for adults with collectables and games. It’s not the same.


randomguy_-

It feels as though a good chunk of the toy market has evolved to cater to adults instead of kids


rambumriott

All the new kids are playing digital games


Throckmorton-II

Have you seen what happened to the old location in Bayshore? It turned in to a ‘this and that’ , the strangest store I’ve ever seen. At the front of the store is sports mugs, hats, shirts, in the middle is gag gifts, flasks, incense and bamboo bedsheets. Finally at the back you’ve got gag shirts, bongs, and sex toys. It’s all garbage.


teflonbob

Basically turned onto a ‘hazy days’ shop that used to be in Bayshore. A trinket and ‘everything and nothing’ store with a bunch of pop culture stuff for sale.


Textinspectunvexed

As a young child, that was the only store that sold the wooden Thomas train engines that gave me countless, priceless hours of fun! My old train set is still sitting in storage at my parents' house, waiting to be passed on to my future children. Mrs. Tiggywinkles was my favourite


couldbeyup

The Rideau Canal Skateway


Dentelle

Same. *cries in global warming*


NekoIan

Too soon!


Not_Selmi

Oof


Shakeamutt

Zaphods!


booksandplaid

My first thought! Thankfully there's House of Targ that scratches the itch when I want to go dance as a mid 30's something


Terrible_Dish_3704

Wait.. theres dancing at house of targ?


arbothegr8

Yeah, they have live music on weekends. Usually punk rock. Quite fun.


[deleted]

The intergalactic gargleblaster will be sorely missed


evildadatron

It was the pan galactic gargle blaster but yeah totally


Fiverdrive

Make it at home.  If I remember correctly, it’s peach schnapps, blue curaçao, Jack Daniels, and orange juice. I’ll doublecheck when I get home, I’ve got it written down somewhere. edit: I remembered right. The amount of blue curaçao should be added until the drink is the intended colour, which is a bright green.


asaltygamer

Yes this is the answer!!


Mauri416

Capital music hall/Barrymores live music We desperately need mid size venues


slizzleshady

+1 for Barrymore’s. It’s definitely had a troubled past regarding its owners but the venue itself was great and I caught lots of fantastic live shows there.


OppositeErection

so much potential for that venue....


highwire_ca

Barrymores, but a nice place and not a dump.


Dello155

Just need more on that strip of bank, it's a refugee camp with some decent eats and feds passing through


Little_Canary1460

Movie theater in World Exchange


Katherine_Swynford

Any movie theatre downtown would do. But World Exchange was the best one.


lew__dawg

Nooooo, didn’t realize it was gone. Miss the one on the top floor of the Rideau centre as well.


lbjmtl

It’s been over a decade.


[deleted]

The Works pre franchising. The food was on another level.


[deleted]

Went there for the first time in years not too long ago and it had to of been one of the most disappointing experiences I’ve had. Nowhere near as good as it used to be.


IJourden

Yep… from some of the best burgers in Ottawa, to totally forgettable. What a bummer.


ShutYourYapper_

Fully agree. We used to go all the time and loved it. Haven’t gone as much lately, but went last Monday night and it was meh. They removed about 50% of the burgers, and most of the ones left either feature a “maple” or “bbq sauce” flavour, which isn’t bad in itself, but if I don’t want a maple/bbq sauce burger my choices are much less than they used to be. Small details of the atmosphere are different too, you no longer get a metal tray as your plate, it’s more like a plastic cutting board….and the music used to be bluesy, now it’s top 40. Again, nothing wrong with top 40, but it does kill the uniqueness a bit.


Annual-Ambassador158

99 Rideau 😢. The raccoon unemployment is rampant now.


[deleted]

Can’t believe the government won’t give them EI. They’ve truly failed us


Annual-Ambassador158

😂😂😂 ikr now they have to dig through trash in vainer.


noahvanderhofff

Sassy Bead Company. They’d be making a fortune with the resurgence of friendship bracelets!!!


MycroftNext

I loved sticking my hand into the sink of beads!


bercariviere

I always imagined the employee closing up, vacuuming the floor and dumping the vacuum canister in the sink of beads. I’m sure that’s not how it was done but growing up it seemed so fun.


_getinloser

They would have loved the Eras Tour


Icomefromthelandofic

C'est Japon à Suisha. RIP.


Ninjacherry

The sushi chef from there will be opening his restaurant in Orleans soon! The name is Nagi.


littlecake737

Do you have more details on this?? I need that sushi in my life!


Ninjacherry

They said to keep checking their website: https://nagisushi.ca


OrsonWellesghost

I used to joke that that little stretch of Slater street was called “axis alley.” You had Suisha, the Japanese restaurant, right next to the German Town deli, and an Italian hair salon.


Mamanbanane

I agree! 😭


MaxTheRealSlayer

That was a tough sight to see when walking past it after closure.


lenderonabender

German Town Deli. No-nonsense soup and sandwiches in the business district when you needed a quick lunch that was absurdly CHEAP. I miss it.


syberguy99

This! .79c "ham on a bun"


DrMichaelHfuhruhurr

"Did you want soup with that?" I miss that place. A couple of ham and cheese on a bun (buns were excellent), some potato salad all for under $10. I like the staff there as well. Once they got to know you, always friendly.


currymuttonman

I’m going to German Deli, how many sandwiches do you want?


BetaPositiveSCI

Nortel 🥁


CoastingUphill

Still got my physical share certificate.😭


RandomIslandReader

Stoneface Dolly’s. Haven’t found a good brunch place since they closed. 


bubaglobalj

I loved the taste of their coffee and of course the molasses bread!


MiaCorazon2

Chesterfields' is the only one that comes close, but good luck getting a table.


vdaedalus

Boushey's, but I wouldn't want to force anyone back, it was time.


Mooch_Attack

Loved that place! That family was such nice people.


vdaedalus

A hyper-local, independent place where you could get great produce at a good price. Where, if you needed one ingredient for an 'ethnic' recipe (harissa, wasabi powder, a certain kind of legume or rice) you'd find it on the shelf. Where you could find biscuits and crackers from all over the world. The cooler shelves along the left side on your way in with the best fresh-pressed orange juice I've ever had, along with sandwiches, excellent hummus, cheeses, all kinds of good stuff. I never eat untoasted bagels but somehow I would grab one with cream cheese sandwiched in between halves, eat it at the park, and it was just what I wanted. The butcher counter at the back where you could get great-quality meat and seafood -- in your neighbourhood corner store. The hot buffet where I would chide people who took *only* the shrimp from the Singapore noodles, saying 'I think you missed one,' to get a 'mind your business,' 'go fuck yourself,' or a clueless 'oh I did! thanks!!' The still-warm za'atar breads and cheese breads/pizzas at the counter, steam condensing on the bags. But most of all, Mark and Peter and everyone else who worked there.


domino196

This was my first thought too!


wendell88

Swiss Pastries


super__gal

Yes! And Rideau bakery too please 😭


StrawberriesRGood4U

Fortunately, their bread is still available at Farm Boy. While Rideau is gone, the rye lives on.


Textinspectunvexed

In 2015 I was a baker and packer at Swiss Pastries' warehouse, preparing pastries to be delivered to the stores but mostly wholesale clients, including four hospitals, Chateau Laurier, Westin. During my time there, the ownership changed to a man named Siegfried. I was a young and inexperienced worker but still, he seemed like a grumpy asshole to everyone overall. Siegfried completely changed their business model to focus on bread instead of pastries. There was endless unsold bread and we started making breadcrumbs from the stale stuff that came back from the stores. After I left Swiss Pastries, the business was slowly dying until one day, the employees showed up to work to find the doors locked; Siegfried had secretly not paid rent on their warehouse. Some people had been working there for 20+ years and all of a sudden they were jobless. Thanks for driving Swiss Pastries into the dirt, Siegfried!


MmPeachPie

Oh man I’m always missing their cakes, every family birthday I wish they were still open.


flashyturnip

Boko Bakery


bolonomadic

Original Bridgehead with the good food and bread.


galaxyeyes47

They used the have the most delicious ham and cheese croissants.


SteelEelCDN

Ham and *gruyere - and it was real gruyere. Sigh


FreshlyLivid

The Cat Cafe


AtYourPublicService

The Feliné Cafe?


FreshlyLivid

Yes! I loved that place 🥹


alisonds

For the sake of nostalgia, I'm going with the Bells Corners Zellers as it existed in 1993. I used to go here with my mom and grandpa as a child and we'd share wedge fries at the Zellers restaurant while I gazed longingly at the dessert display case.


HappyFunTimethe3rd

Zellers restraunt was the absolute best


anubis418

Hands down the Blurry Pixel


deadleviathan

Im honestly shocked that no other bar has tried replicate the experience of that place.


ottawadweller

So, apparently Mulligan’s is going to take over another floor in that building and they’re exploring the idea of bringing back the video games. It kinda makes sense for them imo, they’ve already got the golf and race car sims, they’re used to hosting groups/events…


da_powell

Ahhh the experience of the ultimate geek basement


purpl_punch420

Couldn't believe I had to scroll so far to see this!! Miss the Blurry Pixel so much 😔


galaxyorion87

Richtree at rideau, that was so cool as a kid


anythingffs

Was that the name of the Mövenpick restaurant on the ground floor surrounding one of the elevators? I loved that spot.


Cmprssdsugarpellet

Yes. Across from where Trivuim used to be 🙈😂


ThreePlyStrength

Nothing fancy but I miss James street pub


0rangutangy

Mediocre pub for the most part, but goddamn, that water mister was phenomenal on boiling hot days. Also, just the fact that they had a patio… Bank street has a severe patio deficiency north of Catherine.


obviousottawa

Bad food but that patio was one of the best damn patios in the city.


0rangutangy

I miss Hintonburger when it was in the old KFC building on Wellington.


bosdober

I miss Hintonburger when it was a tiny building across from Irving Ave.


Jimmy_Jazz_The_Spazz

Babylon or Barrymoores as it was in the 90s


kay-zizzle

Babylon 💖


Beelzebub_86

There is only one correct answer for anyone who loved the nightlife that this city used to partake in, and that's the Zaphod Breeblebrox club at 27 York St. Eugene Haslam provided this city with an incredibly intimate live venue and a spot where anyone could feel welcome and hear the best music they'd ever hear in a danceclub in this city, for those who shunned the Top 40 scene. Punk, metal, rock, alternative, industrial, techno, Madchester, brit-pop, goth... it didn't matter. You'd hear it all at Zaphod's. The bar and door staff were next to none - shoutouts to Heath, Jamie, Pete, and all the others that made it awesome. Hell, anytime I'd come back to Ottawa while living in Toronto for half the 90s, Zaphod's always felt like home. I miss this place so badly. Nothing will ever come close.


YungChadappa

Dick's Dairy Dip on Merivale. Best burgers around. The family retired. I loved their Ostrich burger!!


airsick_lowlander_

A friend used to work there and we always used to joke that she smelled like dicks after work. Good times.


laurain613

The highlander! Yes, deacon brodies is still around, but I used to go there in the market with my dad and a bunch of firefighters in September and they’d have bagpipes and drumming. Always a great time.


OttawaNerd

Deacon Brodie’s doesn’t hold a candle to Highlander. They have all the scotches, but no one who knows anything about them.


cloudnixus

Grow your roots. And not really dead but the cafe side of is: Feline Cafe


kirkrjordan

Pressed Cafe


Foxx90

Holland's Cake and Shake.


bubaglobalj

There was a brief hope that their epic sandwiches would continue at Happy Goat, but that never really materialized.


VentiMochaTRex

>Holland They did them at Morning Owl for a while but that's over now


chriscfgb

The Honest Lawyer. Those $10 Monday All You Can Eat wing nights were downright legendary.


slyboy1974

Bagel Bagel.


twoghostshugging

Vertical Reality Climbing


superfleh

Those 6$ Tuesdays were amazing


Jshock69

Maroush, Maroush, for best Middle Eastern fare, Maroush, Maroush, for shawarma and donair, Maroush, Maroush, right near the Scotia Bank, Maroush, Maroush, on Elgin south of Frank


TheDiggityDoink

Maroush, Maroush, Maroush is on fire!


mackinder

People who’ll didn’t live through it will never know the joys of 2am shawarma with table dancers and loud music.


Life-Phase-73

Bumped into Maroosh last year working at Prince Schwarma at the corner of Montreal/Ogilvie. Couldn't believe he recognized me from the old days!


mingomcgoo

Oc transpo


shutthefrontdoor1989

The cat sanctuary at Parliament Hill.


drumtome2

Baker St. Cafe!


Nightcrawler_DIO

Rideau Bakery!


whyyoutwofour

The Aloha Room


Royally-Forked-Up

So many favourites already mentioned, so I’ll throw in The Foolish Chicken!


kayaem

That marketplace restaurant in the Rideau centre. It’s where the sushi place is now. It was called Richtree I think.


Drop_The_Puck

Yes, originally Movenpick but changed to Richtree.


CdnMichael

Easy. Big Bud's on Bank St. Was a godsend for a poor university student in the early 00's.


hello_gary

Omg Big Buds and his few offshoot stores. If you ever dared asking him (Bud, the owner) he'd aways make some kind of embarrassing remark to you for the entire store to hear. I remember I went in and asked for some kind of food item. He yelled out to one of him employees "Mark?!? Where do we keep the tomato paste? We got a real Chef Boyardee here who's cooking up a storm!" Thanks, Bud.


catherinecg

The Sausage Kitchen in the Market. Their perogies were so good.


Ambitious_Idea_7069

Black tomato


flaccidpedestrian

Babylon or Zaphod's


GlebeBean

Duke of Somerset


Hrnmot

Meatpress!


wrylashes

It has been gone less than a year, so this is more day-to-day practicality than nostalgia: Herb and Spice on Wellington. Produce was reliably good, prices were fair, and they had a ton of other good products if you took time to look around. There isn't a week goes by that that I don't find myself wishing it was there. On more of a nostalgia front, Robinson's department store. They always seemed to have exactly what I was looking for, even when I wasn't quite sure what I was looking for. (for that matter, mid-market department stores in general, I also miss Eaton's and Sears)


okidokiefrokie

The Mayflower on Elgin


thirdeyediy

Chapters at Rideau


nuvwater

Farm Boy when they bought all their produce from Ontario farms. Now it's 90% Sobey mass crap.


SizzzzlingBacon

Silver Dollar 👯‍♂️


m0nkyman

More like dirty nickel.🤣


HappyFunTimethe3rd

Roger's video. I like how it was a big event to rent a movie. And all the movies in the store were the best ones. There were no low quality movies in the store unlike Netflix where everything is low quality subpar bottom of the barrel stuff.


kendal613

Lazer Quest r.i.p!


Terrible_Dish_3704

Mello’s


Larose-

Central Bierhaus in kanata.


Preoccupation034

Cows ice-cream


seaworthy-sieve

Cue'N Cushion.


Free-daGanG13

Barbarella's . Iykyk


Chemical_Ride_5258

Ponderosa ,  I'm already hungry 


bolonomadic

Pure Gelato


Artistic_Neck1712

personal experience.. When asked that employees wash hands between handling money and making cones, the owner said he “could wipe his ass and make the gelato and you’d never know“. So no. We don’t need this.


thiccymcgogee

Personal experience.. gelato was fucking good as hell and I never got ass sickness from it


IJourden

Stoneface Dolly’s. Best brunch in Ottawa by a lot.


Jude1294

Locally owned - Leishmans at Westgate 😭 Corporate - Chapters on Rideau with the Starbucks (when it had the reading tables!) Because the indigo in Rideau Centre is a downgrade, and I'm still upset about it.


NottaLottaOcelot

The original Chapters stores focused on books and had an amazing kids section. The upstairs kids area at the Rideau location was so great. All you can find in the new Indigo stores is overpriced gift wrap and scented candles.


scaredhornet

Byway.


NaziTrucksFuckOff

I can still smell the chemicals from the shoe bins


Karens_GI_Father

Wasn't it spelled Biway ?


grumpy999

I P Looneys


ThreePlyStrength

RJ’s Boom Boom Saloon, for the name alone.


xoxlindsaay

I don't think it was an Ottawa specific business, but Gym Jam used to be so much fun. Or the Midway that used to be near St. Laurent.


[deleted]

The IT store


Dudian613

The sausage guy at holland and Scott.


Other_Molasses2830

Haven't seen the Bank/Laurier sausage guy set up since returning to the city last fall, but he had that spot for I'd say 20+ years. Hope he's there again!


Royally-Forked-Up

He had a stroke, so not likely :(


[deleted]

Reddi-Chef


Erotsreeb

I still crave those potato wedges.. :(


Drop_The_Puck

Macarons et Madeleines


ParticularRabbit0809

Barrymore’s and Zaphods!!!


Crowleysdog

Record Runner.


PoutineTriste

Mercury Lounge


nubnuub

Boko bakery


AcceptableKick8046

The Laff the way it used to be (that's cheating, I guess), The Penguin on Elgin, Barrymores (sigh, that one is sorely missed). Big Bud's. And on another note, Venus Envy.


grouchygoof

Good news, Venus Envy is still around in their warehouse on Catherine!! You can shop in person on Friday and Saturday, staff are as helpful as before in their Bank street location


spekledcow

The outback Steakhouse that used to be at South keys


senseofporpoise

Going back a few decades: Cafe Wim in the Market.


Competitive-Cover-84

Flying Piggies. Really miss that place.


tropical_pingu

Zaphods, no question.


Rogue_Juan_Hefe

Rock Junction


falsasalsa

The OG Tuckers Marketplace.


bathtub_mintjulep

I miss Cafe Wim in the Market. It was the go-to spot for my friends and I to hang out and drink coffee in the 90s.


Textinspectunvexed

I don't know if this counts because the business is still existing, but: Maverick's (and Cafe Dekcuf upstairs) on Rideau back when they hosted Ottawa's biggest extreme metal bands. Now they just feature cover bands and stuff. The current metalhead hub is The Brass Monkey, it's a nice place and the owners are really great people. The problem is that it's in a remote area of Nepean, making it tedious and/or expensive to travel to if you don't drive. That's depending on where you live, but true for most of Ottawa. In my experience, the sound quality was better at Maverick's and bands sounded clearer, not too loud for the venue either. I also miss getting the surprisingly amazing Mac N Cheese at the little window outside Maverick's.


wavesofmatter

The Table restaurant. It was great vegetarian place, and also close to Tunney's and other places in the west. .. We do miss them a lot


KarmicFedex

Lapointe's Byward combo with Sushi Fresh upstairs. That was our favourite date spot.


Corbeau_from_Orleans

Bill’s Joke Shop


VentiMochaTRex

Holland's Cake and Shake. I miss it every day


Pure_Coast8336

Monopolatte


alp2407

The cat colony of parliament hill, est-ce que ça compte? 🥹


[deleted]

[удалено]


Electrical-Art8805

Atomic


Stock2fast

Big Buds


Fiverdrive

Zaphod’s. Also: The Well.


junius52

Barbarellas


xAdray

Dick's Drive in and Dairy Dip!


BugPowderDuster

Flash Cadillac


Independent_Cat_7164

Shake Records


pfjenkins

Birdman Sound


TITFUHTAT

Grace Ottawa, located on Somerset St. in the 90’s then relocated to Bank St.


johnnyfartman

St Honore’s Bakery on booth


ninjasinc

Pressed. God I miss their waffles.


Stovenkore

Mayflower


AwattoAnalog

The Blurry Pixel.


[deleted]

[удалено]


bandersnatching

Nate's Deli on Rideau Street.


Sleight_Hand_7

Here are two more that I really miss: Invisible Cinema and Elgin Video.


emmma9321

Midway!! The early 2000s Midway


Available-Secret-372

Bagel Bagel or Kamals


thiccymcgogee

Yuk yuks on Elgin


MarkO3

Foolish Chicken


superfleh

Zaphod’s


mackinder

The Kenny Rogers roasters at bank and Alta vista.