Morning Owl Coffee House

Jordan O'Leary opened the first Morning Owl on Rochester Street in 2009, tucked into Ottawa's Little Italy a few blocks from Preston Street's restaurant row. It ran as the brand's only location for its first several years before Morning Owl expanded across the city, and the Rochester Street shop has kept the feel of that original outpost: small and unfussy, with a short counter and a handful of tables inside plus a little patio out front.

The coffee is roasted in house in small batches and served organic and direct trade throughout, with lattes here known for foam poured into simple animal designs rather than elaborate latte art. A tight menu of sandwiches, salads, and baked goods rounds things out, drawing a steady stream of regulars from the surrounding Centretown and Little Italy blocks.