Which Ottawa restaurants have the best wine lists?

• Giovanni's Ristorante

  Little Italy, Preston Street · Ottawa's largest wine cellar

  A Little Italy landmark for more than thirty years, and the holder of the single biggest wine cellar claim in the city. Classic Italian fine dining, with a cellar deep enough to match.

• Beckta Dining & Wine

  Downtown, Elgin Street

  The wine program isn't an add-on here — it's in the name. A sommelier-guided list built up over two decades in a historic Elgin Street house, alongside contemporary Canadian cooking.

• Fauna

  Centretown, Bank Street

  A natural wine list built to match its small-plates, sharing-style menu — local, seasonal and organic where it can be, in a lively room that doesn't take itself too seriously.

• Heartbreakers

  Parkdale / Wellington West · Open until 2 a.m. on weekends

  A New York-style pizzeria that's also, unexpectedly, a natural wine shop — thin foldable slices from organic stone-milled flour, paired with a thoughtfully curated list you can drink in or take home by the bottle.

• Aiāna

  Downtown, near Sparks Street · Wine Spectator–recognized pairing

  The tasting menu here comes with an optional beverage pairing that's earned its own Wine Spectator recognition — a polished, considered program built to match a nine-course Canadian menu rather than stand alone.

• Gitanes

  Centretown, Elgin Street

  French cuisine built on Canadian ingredients, paired with one of the city's deeper wine cellars — a fitting match for a raw bar and a kitchen-side Chef's Table built for a longer evening.

Natural wine lists in particular change constantly by nature — what's on the list one week may be gone the next, which is part of the appeal.