A walk around Ottawa’s Little Italy

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Looking for a cheerful place for an afternoon stroll? It doesn’t get much better than Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood, centered along the stretch of Preston Street between Carling Avenue and Somerset Street West. After all, once you’ve enjoyed seeing the murals and other outdoor artwork, you can reward yourself for your exercise with a cannoli or some gelato. (Yes, I know, that defeats the purpose of exercise, but hey—this isn’t exactly a fitness blog.)

Come along on this quick photo tour of the northern part of the neighbourhood (north of the Queensway) and learn about the great food and public art that await you in Little Italy, Ottawa.

Note: Given the current stay-at-home order in Ontario, if you don’t live near Little Italy, please consider this post as inspiration for a future trip, when we can all move about more freely again! And if you do go, please take all the usual safety measures.

Corso Italia mural, under the Queensway bridge

I’m loving the fact that more and more of the long blank walls below the Highway 417 overpasses are being embellished with murals. This one, created by artist Karole Marois, recognizes many of the entrepreneurs, festivals, institutions and community groups that have made Preston Street (also known as Corso Italia, or Italy Way) so vibrant.

Da Vinci mural, Preston Street at Louisa Street

In the background you can see one of the largest murals in Eastern Ontario, featuring artist Leonardo da Vinci and created by prolific Ottawa muralists Dems & Doll. In the foreground is a large, globe-like sculpture that the community of Montelapiano in Italy’s Abruzzo region donated to the city of Ottawa in 2016, as a symbol of the strong ties between Italy and Canada.

Bambini, Preston Street at Gladstone Avenue

Hands up, all of you who’ve been calling these eye-catching artworks “the big bowling pins” ever since they were installed in 2013. Yeah, me too. But the piece is actually called Bambini, and it’s meant to represent a child’s concept of a soccer team. (That might have been more obvious if the stick arms on the figures hadn’t been dropped from the final design for logistical reasons.)

As always when any sort of public art appears, some people hated the piece at first. But personally, I like it—I think it’s joyful, colourful and fun. Installed by the Preston Street Business Improvement Area at a cost of $650,000, Bambini has quickly become a neighbourhood landmark.

Caffè Trattoria Italia mural, Gladstone Avenue at Preston Street

Across the street from Bambini, facing Gladstone Avenue, you’ll find this sleek black-and-white mural by Mirage Murals & Design, added to the south wall of Caffè Trattoria Italia in 2018.

Gladstone Theatre, Gladstone Avenue

Across Gladstone Avenue from the Caffè Trattoria Italia mural is the Gladstone Theatre. The one-time automobile garage was previously home to the Great Canadian Theatre Company, before the Gladstone Theatre moved in. I love the exuberant marquee, and I hope the theatre can open for performances again soon!

Cannoli at Casa Nicastro

Getting hungry? I have two suggestions for you; both are currently open for takeout. The first is Casa Nicastro Deli (304 Preston Street). Well known for its thick specialty sandwiches, loaded with goodies like prosciutto and roasted red peppers, the deli also makes delicious cannoli. In the photo, Sayed Najafie fills crunchy pastry cannoli cones with a freshly mixed blend of ricotta and sugar.

More pastries at Pasticceria Gelataria Italiana

All in the interests of research, of course, you could also check out the fabulous pastries, cakes and gelato at Pasticceria Gelataria Italiana (200 Preston Street), which serves lots of specialty coffees, too. And this cute little statue seems to wish you well on your way on the way out.

Now, before you all protest that I’ve barely scratched the surface of Little Italy—I agree! As I mentioned at the outset, this is just a brief peek into one of Ottawa’s most lively neighbourhoods. I haven’t covered the southern half of Preston Street, and there are SO MANY other restaurants on both sides of the neighbourhood still to mention—both traditional Italian favourites and eateries serving up everything from “Irish nachos” to Indian butter chicken. But I hope this short post has sparked your interest, and I plan to write more Little Italy posts soon.

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter! You might also be interested in my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100km Getaway Guide.