Savoring Our Staycation With #MyOttawaPass

With Ottawa's newest savings passport, there's never been a better time to discover local businesses. 

​Some of the activities in this post were compensated by a sponsor. ​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Ryan cases the joint before we hit our first "target" - a local cheese shop!

Ottawa's newest local savings passport is turning things around for travel-crazy locals eager to get a taste of summer vacation fun - as well as for small businesses eager to rebound from COVID-19.

We're definitely among those who are craving travel like never before but we know that, undoubtedly, the best thing for us, our community, and the destinations we hope to visit one day, is to stay close to home. That means it's staycation time! We've been trying to support different local businesses every week and, as long term readers can probably guess, food takes a starring role for us. #MyOttawaPass is helping us discover new spots, reconnect with old favourites, and save a bit along the way.

Anyone can access #MyOttawaPass for FREE. You can find the simple sign up form here, as well as a list of all the participating businesses. Hotels, spas, retail stores, tour operators, cafes, restaurants, and specialty food shops are all participating in this virtual program.

​With the pass ready on our phones, we headed out to explore two special spots. 

Our first stop was Ottawa's Byward Market in the heart of downtown Ottawa. We strolled around for a bit before heading into International Cheese Inc. We took our time as we debated all the tempting treats before we settled on some tender burratina imported from Italy. However, it was a tough call! Some apple smoked cheddar from Prince Edward Island and an ample selection of Brie were both strong contenders and Ryan lingered for awhile at a display of cured meats before we made our final selection. 

Obviously it would be unacceptable to eat cheese alone so we headed next to one of our favourite spots in Little Italy, the Prescott. We used to stop in to this restaurant and sports bar quite a bit but we’ve been off our routine lately. It was good to be back in more ways than one. ​

We called ahead so we could easily and safely pick up bread sticks, a couple of containers of their homemade sauces for future pasta nights at home.... Oh, and a few other treats as well! The staff included all the yummy accoutrements we needed to make a savory bistro snack plate at home with our burratina. 

We weren't the only ones eager to bring the flavors of Ottawa's restaurants home. Did you notice Ollie the dog lurking in the kitchen, hopeful eyes fixated on the counter? 

---

The Prescott has been a beloved Ottawa hangout since 1934. Everyone has their own menu favourites but their square pizza is arguably what their kitchen is best known for. Their pizza is loaded with toppings and has a real old fashioned, homemade flavor to their sauce and crust. It's like the best possible pizza you could make at home, yet so much better. Of course we couldn't go there without bringing one home! 

We loved that the Prescott is now offering so many make-at-home meals, including pasta dishes, containers of sauce (we got classic tomato and meatball with meat sauce), and even pre-made pizzas that you can cook in your own oven. But we weren't that patient and we had ours made on the spot. The delicious smell in our car on the ride home was mouthwatering! Since we saved 10% at both destinations thanks to the pass, opting for a big pie was the easy choice.

It was so reassuring to see so many business owners and shoppers wearing masks at every destination. While a summer staycation wasn't in our original plans for the year, we're eager to embrace our city and make the most of what our community has to offer. 

​
If you enjoyed this piece, you'll also like:

21 Cozy Microadventures for Ottawa Travellers
Discover Prescott-Russell's Popsilos
A Day at Ottawa's National Gallery of Canada