Restaurant

Bistro Ristoro

Name: Bistro Ristoro
Address: 17 Clarence St., Ottawa, ON, K1N 6Z4, CA
Telephone: (343) 988-7997
Price range: value

Pizza•ByWard Market•value

Bistro Ristoro is one of the best pizza restaurants in Ottawa for cheap eats, especially if you want a strong option in ByWard Market.

Let me be upfront about what Bistro Ristoro actually is, because ByWard Market will happily drain your wallet on forgettable tourist-trap pasta if you blink.

Editorial review updated•Jul 28, 2026

Let me be upfront about what Bistro Ristoro actually is, because ByWard Market will happily drain your wallet on forgettable tourist-trap pasta if you blink. Vlado and Lydia's tight room on Clarence Street is doing something genuinely stranger than the neighborhood context would suggest: Italian-French-Greek-Balkan cooking under one roof, anchored by a century-old pizza dough recipe and a working brick oven visible from the dining room. The wood-and-stone interior reads relaxed rather than rustic-theatrical, and the patio — when Ottawa's weather cooperates — reportedly offers a calmer perch than most of the Market's louder corners. This is a place designed for people who want to eat well without performing the act of eating well. The pizza is the anchor and the argument. The dough is made fresh daily from that century-old recipe, and diners consistently point to it as the reason to come back. La Regina Margherita is the purist's measure — the menu centers it as the baseline, the dish with nowhere to hide. The Diavola is the kitchen's heat statement for those who want it. If you'd rather skip pizza format entirely, the Bacon Caprese Panuozzo — a sandwich built on the same dough tradition — is reportedly where the kitchen's confidence shows up in a different shape. The Prosciutto Crudo & Brie reads like an unlikely pairing on paper but is described as making immediate sense on the plate. The Homemade Baklava closes things out, and the kitchen put that word 'homemade' in the name deliberately. The wine list pulls from European regions that track with the food rather than just filling a page. The room is small, the operation is small, and that's a feature worth planning around — book ahead. Start with the Margherita; it's the clearest measure of what this kitchen is actually doing.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Ottawa guides•Editorial team•Report outdated information

Cheap EatsPizza casual night takeout easygoingneighborhood

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Taste Score 8.6/10

Rating (Google) 9.6

608 reviews

Ottawa

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

8.6/10

Taste Score

Google 9.6 from 608 reviews

Best for

Cheap Eats and Pizza

Price and pace

Good value

Neighborhood

ByWard Market | 17 Clarence St., Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z4, Canada

Price

Good value

Taste Score

8.6/10

Phone

(343) 988-7997

Inside the restaurant

Photos of Bistro Ristoro

1 photo

What to order

Signature dishes at Bistro Ristoro

La Regina Margherita

Crushed Tomatoes, Fresh & Gold Mozzarella, Fresh Basil

Diavola

Spicy Tomato Sauce, Gold Mozzarella, Fresh Mozzarella, Hot Genoa, Black Olives, Hot Roasted Red Pepper Spread, Oregano

Bacon Caprese Panuozzo

Prosciutto Crudo & Brie

Crushed Tomatoes, Fior di Latte Mozzarella, Gold Mozzarella, Dry-aged Prosciutto, Arugula, Normandy Brie, Balsamic Cream

Homemade Baklava

Why go

What makes Bistro Ristoro worth the move

Bistro Ristoro is a reliable pizza choice in ByWard Market in Ottawa when you want something that tends to land well. La Regina Margherita and Diavola also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 608 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.6 from 608 Google reviews

Best for

Cheap Eats and Pizza

Style

Pizza in ByWard Market

Spend

Good value

Best for

Cheap Eats Pizza casual night takeout easygoing neighborhood

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.6 from 608 reviews

Price point: value

Popular dishes: La Regina Margherita, Diavola, Prosciutto Crudo & Brie

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for Bistro Ristoro

Google snapshot

9.6 from 608 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez

Vanier doesn't need Starbite Resto to be precious about anything, and from what research consistently turns up, it isn't.

Vanier local spotslunchtakeout

308 reviews

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Website Menu Rate

Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Website Menu Directions

Address: 17 Clarence St., Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z4, Canada
Phone: (343) 988-7997
Price: value
TastyPals score: 8.6/10
Google rating: 9.6 (608 reviews)
Cuisine: Pizza
Neighborhood: ByWard Market

Restaurants in ByWard Market

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does Bistro Ristoro serve?

Bistro Ristoro is a Pizza restaurant located in ByWard Market, Ottawa. Let me be upfront about what Bistro Ristoro actually is, because ByWard Market will happily drain your wallet on forgettable tourist-trap pasta if you blink.

What is Bistro Ristoro best for?

Bistro Ristoro is best for cheap eats, pizza, casual night, takeout, easygoing, neighborhood. Bistro Ristoro is a reliable pizza choice in ByWard Market in Ottawa when you want something that tends to land well. La Regina Margherita and Diavola also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 608 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at Bistro Ristoro?

Bistro Ristoro is in the Good value price range (value). Google rating: 9.6 from 608 reviews

What should I order at Bistro Ristoro?

Start with La Regina Margherita, Diavola, Bacon Caprese Panuozzo and Prosciutto Crudo & Brie. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is Bistro Ristoro worth visiting?

Bistro Ristoro holds a 9.6 Google rating from 608 reviews. Bistro Ristoro is a reliable pizza choice in ByWard Market in Ottawa when you want something that tends to land well. La Regina Margherita and Diavola also give you a decent sense of the menu. It also holds a 9.6 rating across 608 Google reviews.

Where is Bistro Ristoro located?

Bistro Ristoro is located at 17 Clarence St., Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z4, Canada. Directions are available via Google Maps.

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