Ottawa is saying a bittersweet goodbye to one of its most celebrated restaurants: Play Food & Wine, the downtown dining institution that helped put the capital on Canada's culinary map, is closing after 17 years in business.
An Ottawa Institution
For nearly two decades, Play Food & Wine has been a fixture on Elgin Street, earning a devoted following with its innovative small-plates concept and thoughtfully curated wine list. The restaurant became a go-to destination for Ottawa diners looking to celebrate milestones, impress out-of-town guests, or simply indulge in something special on a Friday night.
Since opening its doors in the mid-2000s, Play helped usher in a new era of sophisticated, ingredient-driven dining in Ottawa at a time when the city's restaurant scene was still finding its footing. It proved that the capital could hold its own against Toronto and Montreal when it came to serious food culture.
What Made Play Special
Play's menu was built around sharing, a format that, at the time of its opening, felt fresh and ahead of the curve. The kitchen leaned into seasonal Canadian ingredients and pairings that complemented an extensive, globally sourced wine program. For Ottawa's food community, it wasn't just a restaurant; it was a standard-bearer.
The room itself, intimate and warmly lit, became one of those rare spaces in the city where the atmosphere matched the ambition on the plate. Regulars will remember the buzz of a full house on a Saturday night, the attentive service, and the kind of meal that lingered in conversation long after the bill was paid.
A Difficult Goodbye
Restaurant closures are never easy, and after 17 years, Play's exit leaves a real gap in Ottawa's dining landscape. The past several years have been punishing for the hospitality industry, rising food costs, labour challenges, and shifting consumer habits have forced even the most established names to make hard decisions.
For Ottawa residents, the closure is a reminder of how fragile the restaurant world can be, and how important it is to support the local spots that make this city worth living in.
What Comes Next
While details around the final service date and any farewell events have not yet been fully announced, Ottawa diners are encouraged to make a reservation and raise a glass to one of the city's great restaurants before it's gone for good. Spots like Play don't come along often, and once they're gone, they're truly gone.
Here's to 17 years of great food, great wine, and great memories, Ottawa.
Source: CTV News Ottawa
