Bridgehead

Bridgehead on Sparks Street (corner of Sparks & Metcalfe) is one of my favorite downtown stops. The space is bright and inviting, with comfy armchairs in front of the window, perfect for relaxing or people-watching. There’s also a small patio with sturdy, armless metal chairs—no flimsy plastic here. Inside, the back section has a long upholstered bench running along the windows with five tables for two. One end of the bench curves so two people can sit together—comfortable and smart design. Service was friendly and efficient. As with all Bridgehead locations, the coffee and drinks are reliably good. I enjoyed a chai latte and a warmed raspberry scone—both delicious. You can see Centre Block from anywhere in the cafe, making it a great spot to pause during a Parliament Hill or Sparks Street visit. The vibe is casual, and it’s perfectly fine to settle in and work for a while. The bathroom is spacious, accessible, and very clean. A great place for a comfortable break in the heart of downtown.

Had a horrible experience at this location today. My family was in town for the weekend and were leaving today. We decided to grab a coffee before they made their way home. What was a happy Sunday morning quickly turned into a dispute with the barista. From the moment we walked in, they greeted us with attitude and a negative energy. From being visibly agitated when we didn’t hear our orders being called, to speaking to me and my mom with attitude when I approached them to let them know that our drink was made incorrectly. I politely said that the drink was made incorrectly and she refused to be understanding. Finally the drink was remade after being told to leave if we did not like it. While we were sitting in the cafe enjoying our goods, she yelled out from behind the counter to my mom with even more attitude. To us, the moment was passed and we had moved on. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case for the worker. She should not be speaking to customers in that way even if she was frustrated at the situation. Will NOT be going back to this location.

Great chilled London fog during the summer heat. Service was fast, although the one worker had to confirm if they could make it, and had never made an iced tea latte before

The barista here has a horrible attitude problem and speaks to customers with a disgusting tone. From slamming the drinks down, rolling her eyes at us, and even asking us “do you have a problem”. Ordered a coffee around 8:50am Sunday morning and was met with nothing but disrespect. We had ordered one iced and one hot latte which was mistakenly rung in as both iced, when kindly asked if they could fix the order, the rude barista said they were both iced, there’s nothing they can do and if we don’t like it we can leave. She went from 0-100 for no reason over a $5 coffee, I was happy to pay for the remake, what I was not happy with was the lack of professionalism & horrible customer service skills that were displayed. I hope her boss sees this and speaks with her about her subpar communication and nasty attitude.

Great vibes, and the pumpkin spice latte is amazing!! Staff is very friendly, and layout is nice. Only thing could definitely use a few more tables. Definitely recommended!

This cafe is in the central downtown Ottawa area - just a few minutes by foot from the parliament buildings. The atmosphere of the cafe is comfy and modern. Although the space is chic and easily accessible by foot and wheelchair if need be, the foot is too expensive for what it is. The jalapeno cheddar scones weren't bad but quite dry. The two flavours of energy bites available were pretty tasty. The turkey wrap was very dense with sauce. The lattes ordered were both beautiful and delicious, our top reccomendation. Overall, I would say it's a nice place to get a coffee but there are much better places to get something to eat.

Centrally located ethical coffee shop with young and enthusiastic staff. Well priced. Sadly people seem to come in and leave very quickly- and don’t stop to chat or have conversations in this nice place as much as it could be a community hub for both locals and visiting individuals or small groups.

Good place to grab coffee as a tourist. Had a delicious cappuccino this morning. Friendly staff and clean area

Amazing selection! I can't believe they carry mate libre. My favourite! The Barista was so helpful and friendly. Definetely recommend for an afternoon pick me up.

Good, solid coffee. I was told this coffee chain is a local favorite in an Ottawa, so I couldn't pass up a chance to try it out! I had the matcha vanilla latte and really enjoyed the blend of green tea flavor with subtle vanilla. I've also tried the maple latte during the late winter (just in time for maple season!) and it had a nice sweet maple-y touch. Service was great and there are a few tables here to get some work done or chat/catch up with others. Overall a nice stop close to the Parliament.

Surprisingly good coffee here! This location particularly wasn't a great place to sit and enjoy your coffee because firstly it was very busy and a little under kept. I ordered the mocha with whipped cream and I thoroughly enjoyed it till the last sip! Will definitely come back for more. But maybe a different location where I can sit and enjoy my coffee for some time

Local chain but truly local feel; some of the best coffee I've ever had - excellent. Highly recommended.

Came by for coffee the other day and was pleasantly surprised. The staff was quick, efficient, and cordial. The mocha had a nice layer of foam and latte art. The beverage wasn't too sweet and the small size, although much smaller than Starbucks, was perfect. They also have Free WiFi which was a plus, although somewhat slow and spotty. ~$3.25 for a small Mocha.

Picked up some of their ginger cookies for the office, they were a great success and made just right. Will be back.

Very good coffee and choice of sweet pastry, especially since it's so close to parliament hill. Is very cozy and a really good spot to have a break from doing tourist things, as we did

Good location - A coffee shop next to the Parliament hill. The milk part of my latte is very good and smoothy. Coffee is oven - roasted. A bit pricey as well. However, it is good enough to energize yourself.

Nice coffee place close to the parliament. Good variety of coffee, nice atomosphere, and profesaiobal staff. Must visit this place when in the area.

I love Bridgehead! Consistently good lattes and hot drinks, and great croissants. Had the gruyère and ham this time and it tasted delicious. Service was friendly and Cafe is right across the street from parliament hill.

Drinks - Decently priced for the sizes - Tastes are good; some teas taste bland because they are natural teas but there is liquid sugar for an added spice - Espresso...well its espresso, not many ways you can make it incorrectly Service - Staff is great and very informative about their ingredients and drinks

Solid coffee shop near parliament. Went on a weekday evening ~5pm and it wasn't busy, drinks came out surprisingly fast! I've tried the latte and hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is light on the cocoa with lots of milk, but still good. Latte was good with coffee art. Drinks are reasonably priced and most come in either medium or large. Looks popular for people to get drinks and get some work done. Wifi was fast. Overall, good coffee shop.

Came here after visiting Parliament and was not disappointed. This location is cute and the staff were friendly. The food was a bit expensive - a beet bowl/salad was $7.50. The drinks on the other hand were reasonably priced. I got an iced hazelnut latte which was nice a strong as it wasn't too sweet so the syrup didn't overpower the espresso - definitely a better alternative to Starbucks.

Cozy atmosphere paired with tasty coffee and treats! Would love to come back here to study sometime!

I found this coffee house accidentally, while visiting Ottawa. It is a very convenient location for people watching near Parliament and grabbing a quick iced coffee. I have not had a chance to try any of the food menu offerings. I definitely plan on coming back.

Good location for Parliament Hill tourists especially in winter. This was the closest one I found behind the Parliament Hill information center.

Newly opened in the old Tim Hortons location at Sparks and Metcalfe ( good riddance :) They have done a great job on the reno and pulled back the Tim Hortons look to the original floors, high ceilings, open space. Friendly staff. Definitely better pastries than Starbucks and good sandwiches as well.

Located directly under my feet ( I work on the 3rd floor of the same building) I must admit that I had mixed feelings about it's taking over my beloved Tim's that used to occupy the same space. Gone is a place that I used to count on for a quick and easy lunch option and its its place a trendy and upscale coffee house. In all honesty is that what downtown Ottawa really needs? $5.00 Lattees? We read this site for a review of the place not on the business decisions of the people who put them there. Bridgehead is a coffee house. Its serves coffee, teas and other hot (and sometimes cold) drinks. They have pastries and the like and they are tasty. To die for tasty? No, but tasty none the less. They also have sandwiches and yogurt and granola short its a coffee house -fin-

Very nice Cafe, close to or opposite of the parliament hall. You can get one coffee and relax there, watching everyone's walking by

Located very close to parliament hill .A busy coffee shop on a beautiful street . Ordered a latte and mocha both were quite good

The same menu as every other Bridgehead, but I prefer this location because it isn't as claustrophobic. Since the majority of patrons take their coffee to go here, there is a lot of space dedicated for a lineup and the tables aren't as close together as other locations. The high ceilings and natural light of the former bank space help too. Unfortunately it has the same uncomfortable but space saving, minimalist stools as every other location, so try and get a booth. Is it just me or is Bridgehead one location away from over saturation? Having the same drink amongst the same decor in so many parts of town is getting uncanny. I like the place and will choose it over other coffee chains, but it is going to turn into what the creators were trying to set themselves apart from if they keep expanding. I lie, I'll keep going back as long as they don't charge extra for soy milk. Since it's in the parliamentary precinct the target audience are coffee commuters, so the hours are shorter than most other locations. There is no outdoor seating, despite being located on a pedestrian mall.

Amazing cheddar & jalapeño scone! Cozy atmosphere & all staff welcome you with a smile!

Great coffee but losing points for really rude staff behind the counter. They didn't offer to serve me while I was clearly standing there waiting and when I said hi she gave me a grimace and seemed very impatient. Otherwise the Americano was delicious.

The service here is great. The staff is friendly. I had the chocolate filled pastry - it was okay but seemed a tiny bit stale and definitely not baked today. The hot chocolate was good but not very warm at all, the whip cream did not even melt.

In general I find Bridgehead fine. I'd buy a coffee from this chain over another in the city. The coffee is good, not phenomenal. I have had soups a few times and they're always quite tasty, better than I would expect from a coffee shop. This location specifically though has unfortunate customer service. I usually only come to the Sparks street location on weekends as it's quieter without the office crowd, and I'm pretty sure I've never seen an employee smile. More than once they've been having loud, inappropriate conversations behind the counter. Not cool for a place with families about. Without fail, the young lady who takes my order makes me wonder if I'm doing her a major disservice for actually asking for a coffee.

Was looking for a place to warm up and also have some quiet reading time. Wasn't very busy at the time and staffs were very friendly. Environment is good and comfy seats and tables. Free WiFi is def a plus.

Staff are very friendly, and the food is great. I particularly enjoy the new almond butter and sunflower sandwich! My only complaint is that is you come later in the afternoon the food selection is often lacking or non-existent. If you're looking for cheap eats you probably aren't happy that Bridgehead has replaced Tim's, but if you care about good service and quality food then you should check it out.

The staff are super efficient and good people. Was there after the Remembrance day ceremony had ended. The place was packed with people getting out of the cold but the wait was short and everyone got their coffee. went back again later in the afternoon when it was quiet and got to sit awhile. The wifi is broken, the router connects but there's no DHCP ip allocation. The lady rebooted the router but still no joy. The coffee is nice.

better than Tim Hortons. all the employees didn't look dead, loved the coffee and coisant

I have continued to go to this bridgehead on a daily basis for months and will not longer be doing so as I have yet to experience friendly customer service. I am completely shocked with the service at this location in comparison to other bridgeheads in Ottawa.

Fun coffeehouse with excellent service, coffee and sandwiches! The turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo was FANTASTIC! Also, the Carmel macchiato was delicious!