An afternoon in Wellington West

I’ve lived in the Capital for a couple years for law school, and only recently visited the trendy Wellington West Ottawa neighbourhood for an afternoon of exploring… and dessert-hopping! The cute strip in Hintonburg is dotted with amazing bakeries, tea shops, coffee joints and designer furniture stores.

I shot these photos behind an art gallery just off Wellington street. I’m wearing a silk blouse c/o Joe Fresh, flare jeans from Abercrombie (similar flare jeans here), MAB tote by Rebecca Minkoff from Nordstrom, lavender mirrored Ray-Ban aviators and Sam Edelman booties.

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It’s remarkable how a few years ago, this neighbourhood was synonymous with crime and being pretty run down -maybe my neighbour, Vanier is next! It’s also remarkable how the area is not exactly gentrified either… all the storefronts are independents, giving you a truly authentic experience. Here are some highlights from my date in Wellington West, Ottawa.

Wellington West bakeries & sweets

Of course, a trip to Hintonburg wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Suzy Q donuts! Daniel indulged in the infamous bacon donut, while his favourite were the salted caramels. I cheated my gluten-free diet on a tiny piece of tea-infused London Fog donut, which was super moist.

On my gluten free stop, I picked up an AMAZING cinnamon bun and scone from Strawberry Blonde bakery. All of their items are gluten free and vegan, but you’d never know it. I didn’t take a picture of my cinnamon bun, because it was so great I ate it right away. Their store sign is also adorable and I couldn’t resist taking a photo in front of it.

Wellington West tea/coffee

Daniel had an Americano at Suzy Q, while I opted for a full leaf tea to go from Nectar Fine Teas. We wanted to sit down for a cup of tea, but they only have a few tables available for high tea… which fills up so quickly. I’d definitely love to come back for that another time, as their desserts are also made in house. As for other coffee shops, there were a few more dotting the strip, including Ottawa’s coffee institution, Bridgehead.

Wellington West shopping

After getting donuts, I was immediately swept up in Marie Antoinette & Co. This little gift shop is organized by colour and is FULL of tchotchkes as far as the eye can see. I found an adorable mermaid ring holder, and picked up a couple of birthday cards to keep on hand. They also sold chandeliers and small pots for gardening, so it would be easy to find a birthday or housewarming gift here.

I also picked up an adorable jawbreaker pin from Victoire. I’m familiar with the Ossington location, but loved checking out the cute typography gifts and clothing from local or indie designers. There were a bunch of other neat clothing and lifestyle stores dotting the strip featuring independent labels, as well as great gift shopping with typography cards and posters.

I counted a few Danish and modern furniture stores, that were pretty expensive but definitely a good resource if you’re looking for the perfect teak dinner set. I rent a furnished apartment in Ottawa, but it’s always fun to play house.

I hope you enjoyed this little guide to the Wellington West, Ottawa neighbourhood…When I come back to the neighbourhood, I plan on taking a fun spin class at Wheelhouse Cycle and follow it up with recovery calories from another cinnamon bun from Strawberry Blonde!