Café 55

This place is awesome! I was here with my school group on a trip to Ottawa and we were given a short time to choose a place to have lunch.
Many of my friends resorted to having fast food (really? A trip to Ottawa and you have McDonalds?), but I decided to take my chances with Café 55 with a couple of other friends. ee were welcomed with amazing service and a clean and warm-​feeling environment that I enjoyed very much. The food was very good (I recommend the potato linguini for the salad) and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Café 55.
We were given a short time to have dinner and we took a risk, but it was a risk that I was glad to have taken.

Salmon panini and Kale salad. Outstanding, bright fresh flavors in the salad. Only thing missing for five stars is the panini want made fresh to order.

Very disappointed in the service. I came in on a Sunday at 6:30 pm for a slice of cake and coffee. The cashier refused to give me the cake I wanted reason being because she just took the cake out of the freezer and had to be thawed out before consumption. Half of the cake was remaining on display, and in my mind I was wondering how half of a cake was even frozen in the first place. So then I asked her what time the place would close and she says 7:30– 8:00pm. Like why would you thaw out a cake if the place is about to close? A very vague answer for a reason. She was young and rude. Clearly she wanted the remainder of that cake for herself. 1 star for awful service.

Came to Café 55 at 11am for breakfast. Food was good, coffee a bit weak. Seating was fine, they had a covered patio and with a breeze it was very nice.

Good café in a busy area. I had the bagel with bacon, egg and cheese which was great! Also ordered a cappuccino with extra foam — the espresso was a bit weak but they made it as requested.

In the by ward market square, we stopped café 55 & picked the vegetarian panini, it was good and tasty, a quick lunch, so much to see & taste

The food here is pretty decent. I thought that the price was a little too high for a wrap and salad. The tables weren’t cleaned when my three friends and I visited for the first time. The service was great and the portion side was filling. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed if you’re looking for a quick coffee or lunch. There is free WiFi, which is pretty awesome. Seating is not exactly meant for large parties. They have small circular tables throughout the seating areas. So a large party would need to put all those together which isn’t really adequate room for place settings. Overall experience, not too bad.

So I didn’t stay here very long. I ordered a couple of coffees and just chilled and people watched. It’s got a bit of a cafeteria feel to it which isn’t really my vibe. The coffee itself was really nice — very smooth and aromatic. There looked to be plenty of delicious looking pastries and sandwiches. And if I weren’t already full I’d definitely give something a try. Maybe next time!

The lattes are spectacular! We went early morning on New Year’s Day. Pretty much the only place open. But I am glad we stumbled here, the coffee was amazing and smooth. They had nice healthy sandwiches and salads too, I would go back for a quick bite if I’m in the market.

When in Ottawa for a short visit last week I went down to Café 55, based on the reviews, for a latte. It was about 10 in the morning and was served by two totally disinterested «barista’s» who were annoyed I was interrupting there conversation. The latte was very average, the foam was thin and almost non existent like you get at the BIG chain and the coffee was similar but slightly more bitter. In short if you’re in the neighborhood you can get an average latte but don’t go out of your way to go there.

I’m a big coffee guy and when I saw numerous cafes in downtown Ottawa during my one week business trip, I was so excited to head over to ByWard Market to try Café 55 given the high ratings on Unilocal and it didn’t disappoint!
I came to this café on a weekday after dinner, and was surprised they were still open at 8pm given the store hours on Unilocal indicated it should be closed by then. But it worked to my benefits! The server was super friendly and was very attentive and as I approached the counter, she gave me a sincere simile and asked for my order. Having just ate a big meal, I only had a cup of their Latte.
I ordered a regular Latte and was very happy with it. The bitterness of the coffee was perfect, it wasn’t too bitter but it also didn’t taste too «sugary» like the popular coffee chains. Only regret I had is I couldn’t come here during the day to enjoy the scenery and have a sandwich or a piece of cake along with the delicious latte.
If i’m ever in Ottawa again, I will definitely make an effort to come here during the day to sit down and relax with some food and drinks this café offers.

Good reasonably priced food and drinks. I really likes the spinach feta panini and it is a very convenient location. My complaint that should knock it down half a star is the flying bugs. No idea why there were so numerous there but they were a distraction and in my face quite a bit. Friendly staff, good location with the market stands

Just at the corner of The morning market and has a good variety of pastries and pastas. Like their Latte!

Great veggie panini ! Cold pasta was nice too.

This café is probably one of the best café’s I’ve ever gone to. The paninis are cooked just right and are very filling especially the vegetarian one with roasted vegetables. Their pasta is great but could have been better if they warmed it up a bit.

This place has some solid coffee, though slightly more expensive than most places. It’s a great choice compared to some of the other chains in the market.
The patio is awesome to relax at in the summer and all types of people walk by. I haven’t had a chance to try any of the food here but the staff has been friendly to me the couple of times I’ve been by.

Good coffee, salads, sandwiches and service. Free Wi Fi and good place for people watching. This morning, I had a triple shot Cappuccino with a biscotti side to start the day off. Café 55 is located in 55 ByWard Market Square. Outstanding shops, all kinds of ethnic food, pastries and a wonderful candy shop adjacent to café 55 for those with a sweet tooth.

Great coffee and great service! I met with a friend here before touring art galleries and we had great coffee! Sandwiches are pressed and thin, perfect for having a side of one of their fabulous salads. Beer is even served here to the side of the coffee bar.
The atmosphere is great, just the kind of place to go for lunch with the girls. In the summertime when the market is at it’s busiest, this is a great place to take a break from shopping. Very friendly service. This is a busy spot.
Or you could have a coffee here after grabbing some ethnic food at one of the several restaurants also located in the Byward Market building. It’s not hard to be tempted by something here!

This café is so convenient and so great for when you want a light, fresh, and delicious lunch. I came here with a friend on Canada Day, and since it’s right in the middle of ByWard Market, you would expect it to be crazy busy, but the line was moving fast. Their service was fast and friendly. We ordered two paninis, one vegetarian with roasted vegetables and the one ham and Swiss, as well as a few different salads — potato, pasta, bean, and Greek. Our meals were surprisingly very filling and not too expensive. Their paninis were so flavourful and toasted just right, and all of the pastas were made with fresh ingredients. We managed to find a seat on the patio and really enjoyed out lunch. They were light but filling — just perfect when it’s nice and sunny out, and even better when you plan on walking around the Market after!