Nate’s Deli

Thirty-five years ago I traveled to Ottawa for a job interview and before I headed home to Montreal, while driving on Rideau Avenue, I saw a place called Nate’s Deli. Well, I got the job and while it was in Montreal, it required that I make regular visits to the nation’s capital. That continued for a decade and on every trip Nate’s became a standard stop.

Founded by local and well-known philanthropist Dave Smith, Nate’s Deli opened its doors in 1959 and quickly gained notice for serving only the best-smoked meat in the city. Smith passed away last year.

In 2014 Nate’s relocated to Sparks Street and on my last trip I finally made a return visit for breakfast with my old friend Steve Georgopoulos, a retired hotel executive. Our charming server was Abby Voisard, a 20-year-old student in Environmental Geo Science at the University of Ottawa. She is a terrific representative of the brand.

André  Cloutier is the operating partner of the restaurant, with day-to-day management executed by General Manager Michelle Comeau. There are two other silent partners. 

The restaurant can seat 300 people inside and 60 on the patio, much bigger than the original premises. 

“Since joining the ownership team in January 2024, we have been actively assessing what our guests enjoy and identifying areas for improvement,” said Cloutier. “One change was bringing back rye bread from Rideau Bakery for our famous smoked meat sandwiches. Guests that remember Nate’s from the old days were certainly thrilled with that decision. 

‘Sparks Street is a beautiful area with unique challenges, particularly in attracting diners outside of peak times. Weekday lunchtimes are bustling, and events like Ribfest, Buskerfest, and Canada Day draw large crowds. Our venue can accommodate large groups at reasonable prices, which has proven successful for work events and bus tours. Moving forward, we plan to enhance our offerings for group dining and events to continue supporting the business.”

Nate’s  Deli offers an all-day breakfast. Both Steve and I  ordered the King Nate. It comes with three eggs, a choice of bacon, ham, sausage, or tomatoes, with home fries,  a pancake of French toast and toast. You can also get items like steak and eggs, omelets, breakfast poutine, eggs benedict, a breakfast sandwich and bagel and lox.

Steve and I also decided to order smoked meat sandwiches to go. I  brought an ice pack to keep my take-out order fresh. When I ate it a few hours later, the Montreal smoked meat melted into my mouth. They have some terrific sandwiches available, as well as burgers, fried chicken,  chicken wings, fish and chips, steak frites, soups, salads, and pierogies.

Nate’s Deli is located at  152 Sparks Street and is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 6 pm and 10 am to 2 pm on weekends. Log on to https://nates.ca and call 613-235-1424.