West End Well

I absolutely love the idea of a Food Co-​op! The staff is super friendly, the store is beautiful and they offer great workshops!!!
The items offered in store are great — the selection may be a little small, but it is seasonal! The prices are comparable to any other natural food store and they support local producers! What can be better that that!

OK, so have been making a concious effort to get my budinski over to the WEW for my groceries and decided to try some of the freshly made goodies. So, I bought the quinoa/​dill salad for dinner last night and the quinoa chili today for lunch and OMG both were fantastic! Fresh, great flavor and the perfect quantity to fill me up! Can’t wait to try more things next time. Oh ya, although I don’t have a sweet tooth, I decided to grab a power cookie to munch on while I was doing my running around and it was perfect!

The West End Well is a really delightful little café/​grocery store. I came across it accidentally, and still wonder why people don’t talk about it in the same breath as Pressed and Raw Sugar. The atmosphere is quiet and friendly, the food is REALLY good (I had a mushroom pie thing that was shockingly delicious), and the service is really good. They also seem to have some interesting community-​oriented events!

Had a great time at the #Yelpcooks event. Thank you Andrea! Making our own SPRING ROLLS from the freshest ingredients. Awesome. Then we had freshly made PAD THAI! It can’t get any better than that.
What a great way to spend an afternoon with a bunch of great Unilocalers in a community co-​op. Can’t wait to go back in three weeks for the Applewood smoked Maple ale! Would love to come by with my knitting gang and have some fantastic pastries with freshly brewed coffee!
Can’t wait for the next cooking course! What is NOT to love about a grocery store (that sells really wonderful locally sourced products and foods) with a café that has a LIQUOR licence!

This place is exactly what Ottawa needs, particularly this neighbourhood. Part grocery store, part restaurant and café and part community hub, the West End Well has an inviting atmosphere with wonderful staff.
If you’re a lover of local, this is a must-​visit. They stock locally sourced produce, tons of Ottawa-​made products (like Split Tree cocktail mix, Really Horrible Company and more!), and a bunch of things made in-​house like breads and sauces. They recently added a take-​home food section as well, which is awesome. Their chef, Sam, is always creating new things, and there was a ginger bug available that kumbucha lovers will adore.
They have a great bulk section (think Herb and Spice style) and a great selection of organic and gluten-​free foods.
Best thing ever? They recently brewed their own beer, and are a licensed facility (they’ve got Beau’s, Beyond the Pale and I believe Broadhead). Guys. You can GROCERY SHOP WHILE DRINKING BEER.
They have a great café/​restaurant space where you can eat delicious, seasonal meals, and they host events as well (they have a beer pairing dinner coming up!). They also have an event space upstairs available to rent for workshops and such.
Above all, the WEW is about Community. They proudly showcase their upcoming events and workshops, generally revolving around their love of supporting local.
I know this place might sound like a hispter’s paradise, but I can promise you it isn’t (well, not specifically at least!). While I was perusing the aisles I saw people from all ages and walks of life. There’s certainly an effort being made here to welcome everyone in the Hintonburg community and beyond.
If you’re looking for an alternative place to shop and care about supporting local farmers and other local businesses, this place is a must-​visit.