Preston Street - "Little Italy"

Preston Street is known as Corso Italia - the heart of Ottawa's Little Italy. The area is famous for its Italian heritage and events.  Ottawa's best food is prepared in restaurants noted for top quality service and cuisine.  The majority of the businesses are family operated with "an owner in the store" approach to customer service.

Noted for its eclectic clientele you will find that politicians, hockey players and movie stars frequent Preston Street while in Canada's Capital City!  It is noted for having one of the highest rate of return clientele by Ottawa patrons in the National Capital Region.

Fast Facts

Little Italy has served as the first home for Ottawa's Italian population in the past, present and future.  The area is famous for producing interesting personalities and leading figures in the Ottawa community.  Descendants of Irish, French and now the Asian community can also call the area home.

What's On

Italian Week
In June, Italian Week starts with the feast of St. Anthony that features a huge religious procession that winds through the streets of the village. On the closing weekend of Italian Week, Preston Street is closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for a mardi gras type of celebration with thousands of people walking the street enjoying food and music. There is also an annual cycling race on Sunday afternoon.

La Vendemmia
In September, La Vendemmia - the Preston Street Grape Harvest - highlights the many activities that involve the making of wine by hundreds of experienced Italian winemakers .Tractor trailerloads of grapes are bought and churned in the area at this time of year. Tours, grape stomping, food shows, cooking demonstrations, wine judging, workshops and decorations  - are all special events that take place.

Frescoes St. Anthony Church
(corner of Booth and Gladstone Streets)
St. Anthony’s Church, located in the heart of “Little Italy”, was almost entirely decorated by Guido Nincheri whose very delicate frescoes may be admired in the apse of the church.  He immortalized, as was customary during the Renaissance, the people close to the community. The polychromatic stained-glass windows are of great didactic value and represent a variety of religious events.

Tulip Festival
Preston Street is decorated with thousands of tulips planted in front of different businesses . Special menus in restaurants .

Winterlude
Ice sculptures along Preston Street and decorative banners plus fabulous menus that will warm you up.

Come to the Little Italy!
If you want to go to Italy, the round-trip fare from Ottawa is in the $1,000 to $1,500 (peak season) neighbourhood. If you're willing to settle for the next best thing, save yourself some big bucks and head to Preston Street in Ottawa where you can spend less than a grand while discovering a wonderful neighbourhood. Minutes from most major hotels and Ottawa attractions, as well as walking distance from Dow's Lake Pavilion.

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