La Dolce Vita’s Summer Patio

Great dining experience! Food was delicious, with a complete gluten-free menu, and the ambiance was great. The owner / chef came and talked to us to ensure our experience was great. I believe he was doing that with every table. A small attention that was really appreciated.

What a wonderful little gem of a restaurant. Were passing through Ottawa and decided to stop in. The food was amazing and really made our evening. Loved the music, the ambiance, our server was amazing and the chef had a smile on his face the entire night.

The manicotti was so flavorful! But the crème brûlée and the stuffed mushrooms were the highlight for me.the wait time however was really long. The atmosphere is wonderful - cute for a date night with friends or loved ones!

Definitely a go to spot if you have celiac. Owner/ chef is super nice and takes pride in his establishment.

Food was good, service was great aswell. The waiting time for the food was a little long, about 30 min. The 10 people and more policy is a little annoying, u get charge 25% of tip automaticly. Even more considering we were a group of 10 but sitting at 2 different table, 6 and 4. Overall not bad.

Le restaurant Dolce Vita à Ottawa propose une délicieuse pizza New Yorkaise qui ne déçoit pas. La croûte est fine et croustillante, tandis que la garniture généreuse et savoureuse offre une explosion de saveurs authentiques. La pizza est préparée avec des ingrédients frais et de qualité, et la combinaison des fromages fondants et des ingrédients soigneusement sélectionnés est tout simplement délicieuse. De plus, le service est rapide et courtois, ajoutant à l'expérience agréable. Si vous êtes un amateur de pizzas, le restaurant Dolce Vita est définitivement un endroit à visiter à Ottawa pour satisfaire vos envies de pizza New Yorkaise.

We just finished at La Dolce Vita this evening and wow, just INCREDIBLE! This was my second time here and it was even better than the first time I went! It was super busy tonight and the line up was almost out the door. The chef was at the front looking at their reservations and even though we were in a rush to eat, he was able to fit us in after a 10 minute wait. Our server Sara was delightful, friendly and made incredible recommendations with our food. We even told her we were in a rush to make it to a ghost tour we booked and she gave us spot on times for how long the food would take. The food was incredible, we had calzones pizza and chicken parm which came in such large portions we have lunch tomorrow!

Overall the service was incredible and the food is filling, flavourful and large. The ambiance of the restaurant was cozy. Highly recommend!

We tried La Dolce Vita for the first time last week. We were pleasantly surprised. The food was great & reasonably priced. Our server was very professional. We also greatly appreciated the atmosphere on the patio. Will definitely be going to La Dolce Vita again.

We have been to La Dolce Vita several times now and it is always a phenomenal experience. Great customer service, the biggest gluten free menu I’ve ever seen and the food is to die for. The chef always comes out to check on the tables and make sure everyone is satisfied with their meal and he is so sweet. Couldn’t dream of a better dining experience. Looking forward to our dinner reservation this week! So glad we found this gem of a restaurant.:)

Favourite Italian place in Ottawa! Love the ambiance, food, and service. The chef even comes out to talk to you after your meal. Great place, highly recommend!

Highly recommend! The staff are fantastic and the food is great!

I suggest making a reservation - especially for the weekend.

They have a fantastic gluten free menu (and it has calamari!).

Love this place has been a go-to for Date night and family birthdays.the chef/owner is sweet and his staff love him which makes me like it even more!

The food is delicious and great service
Will definitely be back
My only complaint is that it was disappointing they seated us half an hour after our reservation

One of my top favorite places to eat! Everything is so delicious, you couldn't tell that its a gluten free meal! The staff is always so kind and attentive. Atmosphere is so sweet, perfect intimate date night location. They're also on ubereats! Love love love!

Fantastic Italian food at a very reasonable price point. The atmosphere is quite nice. The staff is quite friendly. Have been twice and both meals were absolutely delicious.

This is an old school Italian restaurant. We need those. But those with good food and good service.
The menu said my fusilli al funghi was to have chicken, prosciutto and mushrooms. I found 2 small chunks of chicken. And maybe 3 mushroom stems. No prosciutto. The marinara sauce was flavorless - except for parmesan and pepper I added. Service was slow, chaotic and forgetful. The owner and a server were visibly, loudly arguing when we arrived.

Delicious pizza, pasta, the polenta bites but most of all the service was impeccable! Thank you so much Holly, our crew appreciated it so much after a long day.

Great place to go! The food was awesome, and the staff were great.

They have a gluten-free menu and are celiac friendly.

Wonderful food with a great staff. Holly our server was attentive and a joy. Definitely recommend.

La Dolce Vita is a very cozy and romantic little restaurant. Everything was delicious and the staff were kind.

Amazing place to eat!
Great gluten free options and standard menu has a wide variety as well. Cocktails were very good.

Nice touch for the chef to come out and greet customers during dinner.

Wanted so much to love this place. Was excited to enjoy Italian food as someone with a Gluten allergy. The service was wonderful however the food was just ok. The spaghetti came “cut up” or the pasta simply fell apart. I switched pasta types but the bolognese was just ok, not authentic. Husband has the sage gnocchi and didn’t feel well after his meal. He was ill minutes after we left the restaurant. *Note* if you sit on the kitchen side it is very warm.
Will not be returning. Bonus points to the server who was amazing.

Nice little place in Little Italy. The pizza was delicious, the atmosphere was nice for our date, and the service was attentive. We enjoyed a crème brûlée for dessert and brought home some leftover pizza. Still delicious even after being reheated!

Très bon plats. 2 entrées, 2 plats principaux et un verre de vin pour 90$ + pourboire. Gros coup de coeur pour la polenta croustillante. Service impeccable.

Oh
My
God
I cannot remember the last time I ate a meal so delicious. My dinner guest is Kosher and the kitchen was incredibly accommodating.
I have never tasted a cream sauce as delicious as I did that night.
Main course was about $22, and truly amazed me.
Can't wait to go back

Went with a group of people last night and enjoyed their patio. The food was very tasty and the atmosphere was great. The staff is very professional and friendly. Towards the end of the evening the chef came out to greet his guests at the various tables. And if you're lucky enough that it's someone's birthday, he will sing happy birthday like you've never heard it before. He sings as well as he cooks.

Celiac safe AND delicious, a challenge to find! They have an incredible gluten free menu, and everything is delicious! (The non gluten free food is also incredible, but my husband is Celiac, so gluten free/Celiac safe is important when we go out.) The staff is great, and the patio is super cute and makes you feel like you’re dining in Europe. The seafood pizza is a must try if you like seafood!

We went there because of their extensive Gluten Free Menu but left disappointed with the quality of the food.
The Polenta bites were good and so was the marinara sauce. The upcharge (something like $9 extra) to get a GF pizza crust steered us away from pizza, orderded Canneloni instead, intersting to say the least. We did have a shell on garlic shrimp dish, which could have been amazing yet the shrimp was way over cooked.
Overall, glad to have tried a few things I have not been able to eat in over 4 years but honestly won't go back.

Excellent place! I am allergic to gluten and dairy and they have a menu only gluten-free. It taste incredible. I never had a good experience in a restaurant that understands my condition. The staff was mega friendly and polite. Also, my family and I usually eat big big portions, they exceed my expectations, the chicken parmesan was perfect for my hungry celiac stomach, it comes with salad and gluten-free garlic bread. The desserts are gluten-free. I really recommend the restaurant, every one should try it. PERFECT PERFECT PERFECT!

Great service. Food was excellent. Good wine list. Chef came out and spoke to customers. Really impressed me. Plus he sang happy birthday to clients. Amazing voice.

Nous sommes descendus de Québec pour un événement et j’ai vu ce petit restaurant sur un blog sans gluten! Nous avons été super bien accueillies et ils connaissant bien les allergies avec le gluten! Le chef vient nous saluer et que dire, ça goûtait l’amour! C’est si bon et chaleureux! Nous sommes sorties super relaxées d’une si belle soirée avec une ambiance calme! Merci beaucoup!
Je recommande pour le sans gluten, même les cœliaques! (je le suis aussi hihi)

I’ve known this place for a while but for some reason, I’ve only became a client recently. I’m still disappointed in myself for waiting so long! One of my favorite places in the city. Love the charm of the place & the staff has always been super nice, attentive & helpful. Thank you for your consistency with your delicious food! You guys never disappoint!

Very nice atmosphere and the staff were incredible. The food was out of this world! Very reasonably priced! I would highly recommend La Dolce Vita!

Wow! Quelle expérience! Nous sommes très content de notre souper. À l'accueil on nous demande si on a besoin d'un menu sans gluten! J'ai été agréablement surprise. Le service de Pascal était plus que parfait (courtois et avenant), il a profité de l'occasion pour pratiquer son français qui est déjà très bien. La bouffe est très bonne et le nombre de plats offerts sans gluten est impressionnant. Nous avons partagé une entrée de polenta SG excellente, mon chum a adoré sa Calzone aux fruits de mers et mes pâtes SG aux champignons étaient bonnes. Mais le plus surprenant était le choix de desserts SG: crème brûlée, 2 sortes de gâteaux au fromage et le tiramisu maison! De plus, le chef fort sympathique vient à l'occasion lui-même nous demander si tout va bien.
Vraiment, on a adoré et on reviendra!

Owner is very involved with client satisfaction.
My wife is celiac, we celebrated her birthday with a full GF menu and desert. Will return.

Amazing date night! We had a wonderful time and both so excited to have so much GF selection! Great portions, lovely staff and chef! Highly recommend this super cute place!

My husband has been in hospital for a while and was craving pasta. We are not in town and was using Uber Eats to send the order. The spaghetti bolognese never got to him. David was extremely helpful in trying to get the situation rectified. However, we were not successful. We did place the order again the following evening. My husband said the meal was fantastic.

Andrew was a phenomenal server! He recommended great drinks and sights to see for out of towners, and had an awesome sense of humour. Food was awesome too - the GF manicotti was so tasty!

Fantastic patio with great food. Our waitress was amazing, and the chef even came out to personally talk to each table. Also highly recommend their large pitcher of sangria. Will definitely be back again!

A quaint little place with lovely waiting staff. The food, however, was a big disappointment. The chicken parm was inedibly chewy and the salad was caked with powdered parm cheese. I'd give this place another chance though as I feel like I came on a rough night for their kitchen staff.

This place is amazing! We loved the music and atmosphere. The chef came out to talk to us and was kind and hilarious. Food was very authentic. Great waitresses. We will definitely come back.

My friend and I had an amazing experience dining at La Dolce Vita last week. My friend eats gluten-free and was so thrilled that she had an entire menu to chose from! Her chicken parmesan looked fantastic and my manicotti was to die for. Portions were generous, our server was attentive and friendly (thanks Sam!), and the chef came to see us twice to make sure we enjoyed the food. Also, we shared some GF crispy polenta bites.it's just the best starter. I will come back and bring more friends and family!

Staff and service A1. The food, well you really get what you what you pay for. Every dish is the right one.the chef actually comes out to greet people and sings to you if it's your birthday. Very intimate, mood setting and limited seating. I highly recommend making this your next night out. Enjoy!

This place doesn’t open till 5 which is fine, but they don’t allow for reservations online and don’t pick up the phone before 5. We arrived at 5: 10 and were told they were booked solid till 8, even though there were all of 3 groups inside. Makes no sense to have a restaurant and leave no room for walk ins.

This place is amazing especially if you need to eat gluten free. I can highly recommend the stuffed mushrooms, polenta bites, chicken parmigiana, lasagna and manicotti. Impossible to tell it’s gluten free!

The only reason this place is getting 1* is because the polenta was delicious. Here's everything that was wrong with it:
1. The service is extremely, EXTREMELY, slow. We waited almost 2hrs for our main dishes with only half (if not less) a restaurant.
2. The chef cared more about serenading people for their birthday and checking on every single table what they thought about their food (getting compliments and adding to his already enlarged ego), than making sure the delayed food came out on time.
3. If you've ever watched Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay, this is the perfect candidate for it.
4. When, after an hour and a half of waiting, the chef graced us with his presence, and we told him that we'd been waiting for our food and we'd been told 10mins 30mins ago, he had the audacity to tell us that this isn't McDonald's and that it takes time to prep quality food. Are. You. Serious?
5. He didn't even apologise a single time for the delay.

Great food, great experience, but service a bit slow. It is a great place for a premier rendez-vous. Very chic place!:) Also everything can be gluten-free!

Had an amazing experience. The food was excellent, the server was friendly and attentive and the chef came to ask us how our food was. We had a great evening and will definitely be returning.

We had the four cheese pizza and the gluten-free manicotti. Both were amazing, the manicotta had a beautiful texture and a tonne of cheese on top. The service was also excellent. If you want gluten-free high end Italian food, this is the place to be!

Had a fantastic dinner at the restaurant with my kids and their friends. The gluten-free menu selection was fantastic. Normally, there are limitations but the menu at La Dolce Vita was very celiac-friendly. Everyone really enjoyed their meals. Very friendly and attentive service. We will definitely be repeat customers.

This place is very cozy and relaxing, the food was absolutely delicious! We were a bit disappointed with the wait but a very nice man which happened to be the owner and chef came to our table and talked to us, he is such a nice person and to make it us to us our whole family got to enjoy a very nice desert on him! The desert was absolutely amazing! Especially the cheesecake! Such wonderful workers As well

I’ve been eating gluten free for some time now and this restaurant was recommended to me as having a dedicated gluten free kitchen, as well as their regular menu. My partner and I were so pleasantly surprised when the chef came out to speak to us about both of our dietary restrictions. He made note of them, then presented us with an antipasto plate that was absolutely scrumptious! He even came back later on to see how we were enjoying it. They have a huge selection of gluten free apps and mains, as well as desserts. Everything we had was very well-seasoned and tasted great. We will absolutely be back! Thank you guys so much for going above and beyond.

SERVICE IS VERY SLOW. ATMOSPHERE WAS GOOD. PORTUGUESE OWNED AND OPERATED OFFERING ITALIAN FARE. NICE LITTLE PLACE.

Awesome experience! I took my wife here for her birthday and had an amazing time. She eats gluten free and it was a paradise having a seperate gluten free menu. She truly loved her gluten free cake brought out by Chef Nelio singing happy birthday. Before the desert though Chef Nelio came over to the table to discus how he could improvise a dish so that it would not affect other intolerances that my wife has. She was able to have an amazing supper because of it. Our server Adria was great, super friendly and improvised on a latte to make it one of the best she ever tasted. Everything was top notch from the service, the food and the atmosphere. I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return.

I’ve eaten at La Dolce Vita about 5 times now and every time the food is delicious and the service is phenomenal. Staff go out if their way to make your meal special. It is definitely the best Italian place in Ottawa for anyone with celiac or who’s gluten intolerant. Also the portions are massive, so expect some delicious leftovers

The gluten free options are amazing and also I had the best Gnocchi in my life here. When I go back to Ottawa I will 100% make a visit here. The chef also came out to ask if everything was to our satisfaction which was a great gesture!

For vegetarians I felt the pizza was blend and had too much cheese. Stuffed mushrooms were took salty

This is our favourite restaurant in Ottawa. We live nearby and go regularly year-round. It is a family-run outfit that cares about their craft and their customers. The chef even comes around every meal to check on everyone personally; a great old school touch.

Perfect patio in the summer, nice and cozy indoors in the winter.

The food is truly outstanding, and is very reasonably priced. Quality and quantity are superb. They have a huge Gluten Free menu, make the best pizzas in town, have great pastas and mains. Even the salad dressing is special. They even have a gluten free Tiramisu that is out of this world; that’s how much they care!

Can’t say enough good things about Dolce Vita.

Some of the best Italian food in the city and great gluten free selection for those who need it. I recommend this place to all my friends and family. Just Great!

Reasonably priced, beautiful interior, cozy with friendly staff. The food menu had a lot of options that looked good. Will go again.

Great food. Excellent service. The Chef himself came out to sing happy birthday. We had a good time.

Very mediocre. Was happy to see a gluten-free menu because I have Celiac disease but my food was so disappointing. The garlic bread was dry and my pizza was so gross and overcooked I didn't even finish it. The price I paid doesn't make sense for the quality of food I received. Boston Pizza does a way better gluten-free pizza and I don't think I've ever had worse garlic bread. The service was nice at least.

Located in Ottawa’s own Little Italy, this cute little restaurant is located down a few steps, and they even have an outdoor patio that is above ground. We arrived at 11: 30 for an early lunch, and luckily were the first ones there. It was clean, quiet, and smelled absolutely amazing.

To start- this place is 100% safe for Celiacs. As they are in the process of being certified I back this place up to the fullest extent and know many people who have eaten here with no issues. I will not touch on the protocols during this particular blog post as they are safe, so there is no need to go into that. Anyone in Ottawa probably knows this information already, so anyone from out of town…. You are totally safe to eat here!

We ordered a large bottle of San Pellegrino because who doesn’t love sparkling water with lemons & limes? Our appetizer was a delicious Brucehetta dish on garlic toast. The Bruchetta was really delicious- the only feedback I would provide on it is that the toast needs to be ultra crispy to be able to support the Bruchetta. It did cave in the middle of the toast a bit because the tomato juices had dripped through.

The Main Courses:

— Cannelloni —
fresh noodles + shrimp + scallops + baby clams + creamy alfredo sauce + mozzarella + salad + garlic bread.

What a combo! Wow. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be eating my favourite pasta– Seafood Canelloni. It was made to order, the cheese was crisped perfectly on top, and the sauce was so creamy. Side note- my 1 and a half year old nephew also loved the Canelloni. Kids approved even!

— Palermo Pizza —
grilled chicken + red peppers + goat cheese.

If you know me, anything with goat cheese I am all over. I think I eat a small package of goat cheese each week. Its creamy, savoury, and just delicious. The Palermo really spoke to me as it also had grilled chicken and red peppers. I knew I wanted a lighter pizza as the Canelloni was a heavy, rich meal. My only feedback on this was that there was also mozzarella on the top of the cheese which I was not expecting. I do tend to be dairy intolerant so after eating the Canelloni I wasn’t able to eat a ton of pizza as I had to limit my dairy intake. I respond much better to goat cheese only. It was super hot, the cheese was melted great, and the pizza crust held together perfectly. It was served on the pizzeria style tray and looked very mouth watering. Again, definitely kid approved.

Dessert:

Homemade from scratch Tiramisu. Wow. Can’t even put this into words, but it was so so delicious. The Chef makes the lady finger cookies from scratch and took along time to perfect the recipe to make it Gluten Free but he certainly nailed it. The creme, fruits, and spongy lady finger cookies were the ultimate dessert. This is a great dessert to stop in for if you need a good date spot and don’t want to bring too much attention to the fact you need Gluten Free (Plus, its so good it will really make a positive first impression of GF if you’re on a first/ early date!)
A bit of a side note, the Chef there also is a fantastic singer… my sister had her birthday party here last year and the chef himself came out and sang Happy Birthday to her!

Chantel was our waitress, very attentive and excellent service. Food was all top notch, chantel was very attentive to all our table requests and made sure allergies and food sensitivities were taken into account all while making everyone feel extremely welcome. Would highly recommend this spot for authentic Italian

This was my first experience of eating in a restaurant in Canada. The fact there was a little Italy here also excited me. The restaurant is very warm and cozy. We got the window sitting which provided a nice view.
The place was empty for some reason, we thought maybe because of the cold.
The pasta was delicious and they were very accommodating to use a sauce we prefer instead of the original one it came with.
I was hoping the portions will be bigger for the price, that’s one negative I will say I didn’t like.

It will be easier not to park at their small parking lot because getting out after was hard. If you can park on the road will be better.

The Dolce Vita is very much aware of Celiac disease and has safety procedures in place. The food is very good. Highly recommended.

We have been a regular customer for many years and my favourite has been the Medito pizza. I used to love them but they are awful now. I keep going back periodically to test the theory but it is the same. This time I tried the gluten free version. Cost $22.00 for a small. It was literally unpalatable. The crust felt and tasted like sand. The cheese was skimpy and it was over done. Three bites and we threw it out. The only decent thing was the shrimp; It is unfortunate but as we have tried multiple times I felt I had to write this review.

The first time we visited this restaurant, our experience was pretty good. I had never tasted such an amazing gluten-free bread. Our meals were okay. I had a gluten free pizza and my husband had a calzone. My pizza was okay, nothing amazing. My husband's calzone was not that impressive. But, we still felt like this restaurant was worth another visit.
Last week, we returned. This time, the gluten-free bread was horrible. I was told it was the same recipe. I have a hard time believing that. It went from being almost 1 inch thick to half an inch. It also tasted overly bitter. My gluten-free pasta barely had any sauce. My husband got the mussles as an appetizer. In my opinion, they tasted "unfresh". My husband did not enjoy them. For his main meal, my husband got the cannelloni. The portion was extremely small for it's price point, and the flavor was nothing to rave about. Also, we did not receive our mains at the same time and we never received the sparkling water we ordered. I doubt we will returning.

I have no idea why this place wasn't busy at lunch. Nicole, our server, was awesome, the food was delicious and the pricing reasonable. We will DEFINITELY come back again.

Service was superb, super friendly and informative. Pasta cooked perfectly, top-notch tiramisu, great salad and crème brûlée. The olive oil was not extra virgin (or else it was light, not the dark, full-favoured EVOO we prefer) and the bread was not perfectly fresh, otherwise this would be five stars. We will still be going back and would definitely recommend it. Also an excellent choice for anyone requiring a gluten-free menu. Most items they don't even charge extra for.

We went there last Sunday for diner. We called to make a reservation and the guy on the phone was very friendly and booked our reso on the patio! The service was friendly, on point and prompt. The food was INCREDIBLE, portions were more than satisfying, and everyone LOVED their dish! Really felt like a little corner of Italy. We were very pleased when the chef came and introduced himself, it was a perfect opportunity to compliment his amazing work. Overall, a great experience, gave my family the chance to enjoy good drinks and good food with a very relaxed/cozy ambiance! We are not from Ottawa but we promised ourselves we would go back whenever we vare visiting/passing through.
I highly recommand this spot!

One of my favorite place in Gatineau. If you enjoy eat pizza is a really good place to visit with yours friends

I went once with family and ordered gnocchi, I was paying more attention to conversation than the menu and ordered the dish thinking only the hot peppers on top were spicy, but I should’ve seen that the sauce was also very spicy. When I got it I apologized and asked the server if the chef could strain the gnocchi and replace it with mild sauce only if it would be easy, but the chef and owner made a completely new dish himself free of charge. The food was delicious and the dessert was even better. Overall excellent service experience and I was shocked the place wasn’t full.