Ember brings live-fire cooking and inventive cocktails to the ByWard Market’s evolving dining scene, far from a tourist trap.
Ember
92 Clarence Street
Monday to Thursday: 4 PM to midnight
Friday & Saturday: Noon to 1 AM
At the heart of the Market, Cornerstone once reigned with its steak-on-a-stone gimmick (I fell for it too). By 2024, though, its flame had dimmed. Into that vacancy, quite fittingly, comes Ember: a sophisticated yet affordable restaurant and bar. While some argue that the ByWard market is filled with tourist food traps, the wave of new establishments in the Market proves the contrary. While it remains accessible in both tone and pricing, its kitchen and bar programs signal a level of thoughtfulness that places it above the neighbourhood’s more predictable offerings.
Ember’s kitchen lives and breathes open flame, offering a casual fine-dining experience that leans on smoke, char, and the allure of live fire. In Ottawa terms, the closest comparison may be Mati in Little Italy, another restaurant where contemporary design and flame-driven cooking intersect.
Ember is designed to engage the senses before the first drink arrives. Throughout the years, the building’s wraparound patio has attracted guests like a moth to a flame. Indoors, the space divides into two distinct atmospheres. The dining room leans toward moody restraint, with burgundy tones and a Scandinavian-inspired simplicity. The bar area, by contrast, nods playfully to the 1970s: patterned textiles, rounded ottomans, and deep banquettes that encourage conversation.
The architectural focal point is the horseshoe-shaped bar. It’s a subtle but effective decision. Where straight bars limit conversation, the curved bar counter allows groups of three to face one another naturally, making cocktails feel inherently more social.
Across several visits, service has proven consistent. Guests are greeted warmly at the door, water arrives quickly, and refills appear with regularly. During a recent dinner seated in the dining room, the attention paid to the bar was particularly noticeable: glassware polished obsessively, cocktails stirred in patinaed copper mixing glasses, bartenders working with the efficiency of a well-trained team.
Lighting plays a major role in the room’s atmosphere. Tea candles and table lamps cast a soft amber glow, dim enough to feel intimate. A carefully chosen soundtrack plays in the background, supporting conversation.
Bartender Eli, present during two recent visits, embodies the room’s tone. Energetic, he navigates the cocktail menu with ease and engages guests with enthusiasm.
The cocktail program is extensive but well-organized. The menu features twenty drinks divided into five categories: five featured cocktails ($17–18), four spritzes ($14–17), four Negroni variations ($16–18), three espresso martinis ($16–17), and four gin and tonics ($14).
The drinks incorporate a range of techniques and ingredients that distinguish Ember’s bar program: sesame butter-washed Japanese whisky, strawberry-infused Campari, acid-adjusted honey syrup, and a proprietary “fire tincture” that introduces spice. Absolut Elyx appears in several preparations — fat-washed, orange-zest and cinnamon infused, and cacao infused.
Non-drinkers are equally well served. A prominently stocked shelf of Seedlip indicates a serious approach to no-ABV cocktails.
Presentation is another area where Ember excels. Glassware alone could warrant its own conversation: hexagonal tumblers for water, Art Deco-inspired rocks glasses for Negronis, and particularly elegant coupes for espresso martinis. At the bar, each drink arrives on an unlacquered copper coaster.
Roasted Half Chicken (38$): This main dish is both savoury and tender, its skin marked with char from the grill. While the accompanying gravy softens the crispness of the skin, it contributes a rich umami flavour. Mushrooms cooked alongside the bird are impressive: earthy, perfectly textured, and flavourful.
Within the ByWard Market, Ember stands several steps above many of its neighbours. The room is stylish and the service consistently feels invested in the guest experience.
For diners seeking an approachable version of casual fine dining, one that pairs carefully executed cocktails with live-fire cooking, Ember represents one of the more compelling 2025 openings in Ottawa’s Market district. It’s equally suited to a relaxed dinner, a cocktail-focused evening at the bar, or a date night that benefits from a little candlelight and a well-stirred drink.