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Eat Healthy & Eat local: 5 Restaurants in Ottawa to visit his year

Everyone knows that it can be difficult to stick to your health-related goals sometimes, but the new year often serves as a catalyst for those who need a reason to take better care of themselves. While we take the steps towards caring for our own bodies, we can in addition take care of our community as well. Here are a few local businesses that can help you reach your health goals—and in return, you can help them keep the community thriving.

The Green Door https://www.thegreendoor.ca/  198 Main Street

The Green Door in Ottawa is a local organic food buffet which has been serving the community for over 30 years. The Green Door offers its guests a rotating, full vegetarian menu with many vegan & gluten-free options, perfect for those with special dietary needs. Their tagline “Nourishing, organic, and made from scratch” reflects their mission to serve their community healthy and fresh food. Having your next lunch date here will keep you and your loved one’s feeling satisfied and keep you on the path to achieving your goals of better health.
Grab a plate or takeout container & fill from the buffet to match your appetite, then pay-by-weight at  $3.20/100g for dine-in and $2.90/100g for take home. *Desserts, soup, & biscuits are individually priced. The Green Door is open on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations are for groups of 5 people or more.

Juice Monkey http://thejuicemonkey.ca/ 209 Slater Street
Juice Monkey, like the name suggests is a juice bar; conveniently located downtown and just off of Bank Street in Ottawa. While Juice Monkey is known for their delicious, freshly made juices, they also serve healthy bowls and wraps to satisfy any appetite. This small business originated to cater to the needs of locals looking for healthy and customizable options to suite their tastes and is sure to leave you feeling great about your choices. All lunch items cost just $9.97 and you receive a 40% discount when you complete your order with one a large variety of their famously delicious smoothies.

Pure Kitchen https://www.purekitchenottawa.com/menu 357 Richmond Rd

If you’re looking for a and healthy place to take a friend or significant other, Pure Kitchen will not disappoint. This trendy spot in the heart of Ottawa offers its guests a soulful menu of whole foods and cold-pressed juices. Pure Kitchen was first opened in 2015, when the owners Kyle and Olivia Cruickshank brought their own special twist to vegetarian dishes and other wholesome delicacies. Pure Kitchen’s philosophy is that nourishing food is for everyone, “on our plates and in our community—always fresh and always evolving.” In addition to their manifesto, their slogan of “Choose Health, Lifestyle, Community & Taste” summarizes how choosing Pure Kitchen not only means that you are choosing better food, but that you’re also supporting local initiatives and the farmers that hold up the community.

Mad Radish https://www.madradish.com/our-menu/  859 Bank Street
Mad Radish is a small Canadian chain with a mission to elevate fast food and transform the way people think about healthy eating. This restaurant offers its guests internationally inspired bowls, salads, sandwiches, smoothies and even desserts—all made with a “health first” approach. Mad Radish offers “guilt free” fast food made with whole ingredients, and plenty of greens. If that wasn’t enough, the business goes out of its way to work with local farms and small vendors to source their ingredients. Just another way that reaching your own personal goals can benefit not only yourself, but your community as well.
The menu items are very reasonably priced, and most locations are open late. Make sure to come hungry!

Insta Bolz https://www.instabolz.com/ 261 Laurier Ave. E
Here’s a place that will be popular with everyone in the family. Insta Bolz makes healthy, vegan-based, frozen Acai-style smoothie bowls—so delicious, colourful and sweet, you would think it was a dessert. Insta Bolz has become a very popular on social media and often partners with local influencers who enjoy their and like to share their bowls online. Most items on the menu are completely vegan and made from whole fruits and other healthy ingredients. All bowls are only $9.97 and customizable, so even the pickiest of eaters can find something they love.

It’s great to know that even if you have decided to make dietary changes in your life, there are still many delicious and satisfying food options in Ottawa for you to enjoy while eating out. We hope that in the new year you will take some time to visit these local restaurants that could use your support—and in return encourage you to stay committed to your health-related goals.

*All information corrects as of Jan 1, 2023