* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Friday, October 17, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Bricktown continues to thrive as OKC’s entertainment district – OKC VeloCity

    Bricktown Shines as Oklahoma City’s Premier Entertainment Hotspot

    This Haunting ‘60s Country Song Is Even More Tragic Than You Remember – Yahoo

    This Haunting ’60s Country Song Will Break Your Heart All Over Again

    Arts/Entertainment: ‘Wait Until Dark’ brings spooky season center stage – Times Herald Online

    Wait Until Dark’ Delivers Chilling Thrills Perfect for the Spooky Season

    Bluesman James Montgomery Will Perform In Falmouth – CapeNews.net

    Blues Legend James Montgomery Ready to Ignite the Stage in Falmouth

    Mexican singer Pedro Fernández to make Ave Fénix tour stop in Stockton. Tickets, schedule – Yahoo

    Mexican Singer Pedro Fernández Brings the Ave Fénix Tour to Stockton – Don’t Miss It!

    Flutter Entertainment’s SWOT Analysis: Uncovering the Growth Potential Amid Challenges

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Spanning the Gulf: Global Defence Technology 155 – Army Technology

    Spanning the Gulf: Exploring Cutting-Edge Global Defence Technology

    A Nobel Prize for explaining when technology leads to growth – NPR

    Nobel Prize Awarded for Unraveling How Technology Drives Economic Growth

    Erie Canal’s 200th anniversary: How a technological marvel for trade changed the environment forever – The Conversation

    Erie Canal’s 200th Anniversary: How a Trade Marvel Transformed the Environment Forever

    Day 5 of Gains Streak for Solidion Technology Stock with 475% Return (vs. -20% YTD) [10/14/2025] – Trefis

    Solidion Technology Stock Rockets for 5th Consecutive Day, Soaring an Astonishing 475% Year-to-Date

    Tracking DNA and RNA Together To Unlock Disease Insights – Technology Networks

    Unlocking Disease Insights by Tracking DNA and RNA Together

    The future of battery technology – Engineer Live

    Revolutionizing Energy: Exploring the Future of Battery Technology

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Bricktown continues to thrive as OKC’s entertainment district – OKC VeloCity

    Bricktown Shines as Oklahoma City’s Premier Entertainment Hotspot

    This Haunting ‘60s Country Song Is Even More Tragic Than You Remember – Yahoo

    This Haunting ’60s Country Song Will Break Your Heart All Over Again

    Arts/Entertainment: ‘Wait Until Dark’ brings spooky season center stage – Times Herald Online

    Wait Until Dark’ Delivers Chilling Thrills Perfect for the Spooky Season

    Bluesman James Montgomery Will Perform In Falmouth – CapeNews.net

    Blues Legend James Montgomery Ready to Ignite the Stage in Falmouth

    Mexican singer Pedro Fernández to make Ave Fénix tour stop in Stockton. Tickets, schedule – Yahoo

    Mexican Singer Pedro Fernández Brings the Ave Fénix Tour to Stockton – Don’t Miss It!

    Flutter Entertainment’s SWOT Analysis: Uncovering the Growth Potential Amid Challenges

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Spanning the Gulf: Global Defence Technology 155 – Army Technology

    Spanning the Gulf: Exploring Cutting-Edge Global Defence Technology

    A Nobel Prize for explaining when technology leads to growth – NPR

    Nobel Prize Awarded for Unraveling How Technology Drives Economic Growth

    Erie Canal’s 200th anniversary: How a technological marvel for trade changed the environment forever – The Conversation

    Erie Canal’s 200th Anniversary: How a Trade Marvel Transformed the Environment Forever

    Day 5 of Gains Streak for Solidion Technology Stock with 475% Return (vs. -20% YTD) [10/14/2025] – Trefis

    Solidion Technology Stock Rockets for 5th Consecutive Day, Soaring an Astonishing 475% Year-to-Date

    Tracking DNA and RNA Together To Unlock Disease Insights – Technology Networks

    Unlocking Disease Insights by Tracking DNA and RNA Together

    The future of battery technology – Engineer Live

    Revolutionizing Energy: Exploring the Future of Battery Technology

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

Not one Ottawa bar made the 2024 list of best bars in Canada. This bartender wants to fix that.

June 22, 2024
in Health
Not one Ottawa bar made the 2024 list of best bars in Canada. This bartender wants to fix that.
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Witek Wojaczek of Bar Ocelli: ‘We’ll start with Canada’s 50 Best, then North America’s 50 Best and then we’ll see where it’s going to grow.’

Published Jun 21, 2024  •  Last updated 2 hours ago  •  4 minute read

Bar Ocelli owner/bartender Witek Wojaczek has his work cut out for him in putting the spotlight on the Ottawa-area cocktail scene.Bar Ocelli owner/bartender Witek Wojaczek has his work cut out for him in putting the spotlight on the Ottawa-area cocktail scene. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

Ottawa-Gatineau was shut out of this year’s list of Canada’s 50 Best Bars for the third time in seven years, but, if things continue to pour smoothly for one award-winning mixologist in the ByWard Market, next year will be different. 

“Obviously the goal is to make the lists,” said Witek Wojaczek, who opened an elegant cocktail lounge, Bar Ocelli, on William Street about two months ago. “We’ll start with Canada’s 50 Best, then North America’s 50 Best and then we’ll see where it’s going to grow.” 

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Ottawa Citizen

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Sign In or Create an Account

or

Article content

The Polish-born bartender has big ambitions, but he also has the experience to make it happen. Wojaczek, 33, made his name in the highly competitive cocktail scene in London, including a stint at the swanky Beaufort Bar at the Savoy Hotel. He was also a finalist or winner in several U.K. bartending competitions. 

What’s more, as the original bar manager of Sidecar, located in the basement of the Preston Street restaurant Mati, Wojaczek was largely responsible for that intimate speakeasy showing up at No. 32 on Canada’s top-50 list last year, in its first year of operation.

That achievement caught the eye of list editor Alexandra Gill, who believes the cocktail scene in the Ottawa area is due for a breakthrough. The city’s recent hiring of a nightlife commissioner, Mathieu Grondin, is a move that’s also expected to help elevate the sector. 

“You do have an exciting bar scene in Ottawa,” Gill, a former newspaper reporter who has been in charge of the best-bar list since 2019, said in an interview from her Vancouver office. “It seems there’s a lot of energy happening there right now, so it’s definitely on my radar.” 

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

She said judges had been voting for Ottawa-area establishments, although not yet in the numbers needed to rise to the top half of the list. Five local businesses were ranked in the second 50, she noted, including two-time winner Soif Bar au Vin in Gatineau (No. 14 in 2018, No. 38 in 2019), Stolen Goods on Sparks Street, Preston Street’s Moonroom, Zoe’s at the Château Laurier, and Buyers and Cellars, a retail shop on Somerset Street with a tasting room.

Published by the same organization that puts out Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants, the bar list is determined by the votes of invited judges representing regions across Canada and divided evenly between genders.

This year’s total of 101 judges marked a significant jump from last year’s pool of 64. 

“I’m always looking to see if we have a good mix of discerning drinkers and people who are in the industry,” Gill said.

Judges are asked to vote for their top-five bar experiences in the past 16 months, including at least one from out of town. The findings are weighted, giving more value to each judge’s top-ranked bars. 

You do have an exciting bar scene in Ottawa. It seems there’s a lot of energy happening there right now so it’s definitely on my radar.

Alexandra Gil, editor Canada’s Best Bars

Gill said she had been making efforts to increase the representation of judges from smaller markets, including Ottawa, Saskatoon and Winnipeg, so the list wasn’t dominated by bars in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver every year. “I do try to increase representation, but there’s no guarantee the judges will vote for their hometown,” she said. 

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Back in the ByWard Market, Wojaczek feels he has his work cut out for him in putting the spotlight on the Ottawa-area cocktail scene. After all, the city has been long known for cookie-cutter pubs on every corner. 

“The scene is growing, the potential is there, but there is a lot of catching up to do,” he said. “There’s no way for now to compare ourselves to Montreal or Toronto, but it’s getting there.” 

Witek Wojaczek, owner/bartender of Bar Ocelli, 17 William Street in Ottawa. Witek Wojaczek, owner/bartender of Bar Ocelli, in the ByWard Market. Photo by Staff /Postmedia

Born in the small town of Szczecin, Poland, Wojaczek quit university and struck out for London to pursue bartending, despite the objections of his parents, who wanted him to stay in school.

“They were saying, ‘You cannot do it for 20 or 30 years,’” he recalled. “But I just loved it. When I started working behind the bar, I loved the environment, I loved how social it was. I loved how it felt like you’re on stage at the centre of the room.” 

Wojaczek left London when COVID-19 hit there and headed for Gatineau, hometown of his now ex-wife. He says Ottawa reminds him of the Polish town he grew up in.

“London is massive and it’s very high-paced, very competitive, and everybody is very focused on their lives. It’s difficult to make genuine friends,” he said. “I like living here a lot. It has the same vibe as my hometown; it’s kind of a small town encased in a big city.”

Advertisement 5

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Wojaczek has spent months developing his vision for Bar Ocelli, a conceptual cocktail bar that draws inspiration from its ByWard Market location. He’s keenly interested in the broader impact of markets on global development, including the increased availability of exotic ingredients, new recipes and the fusion of cultures. 

One of Ocelli’s most popular signature cocktails, for example, is the Passiflora, a rum-based drink that combines South American passionfruit with European flavours of absinthe and cava, plus a touch of sugar and a twist of lemon. His approach is to combine ingredients in a way that prompts conversations with guests.

One thing you won’t find at Ocelli is an overly complex mixture with an endless list of flavours. 

“I just don’t like going over the top,” he said. “I’d rather have a delicious drink in an elegant glass rather than create fruit salads and smoke and mirrors and all that stuff. I want it to be drinkable. I like to keep things simple and streamlined, but still interesting.”

Recommended from Editorial

Left to right, wine director Nicholas Leduc, chef and co-owner Dominique Dufour and co-owner Jordan Holley of Buvette Daphnée restaurant and wine bar on William Street in the ByWard Market. The restaurant ranked 97th on the 2024 Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list, and eighth on the magazine's list of 10 best new restaurants of last year.

Six Ottawa eateries make Canada’s 100 Best restaurants of 2024 list

Thirty-four years ago, as a tiny baby, Jeffrey Gleeson received a new heart and with it a new chance at life.

How a gift shaped the life of Ottawa’s longest-living heart transplant patient

Do you have a favourite bar you’d like to see make the list in 2025? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for our restaurant critic Peter Hum’s list of Ottawa’s best bars.

Article content

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : OttawaCitizen – https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/not-a-single-ottawa-bar-made-the-2024-list-of-best-bars-in-canada-this-bartender-wants-to-fix-that

Tags: CanadahealthOttawa
Previous Post

The Boys Just Had Its Most Horrifying Homelander Episode Ever

Next Post

Steve Staios still trying to steady the Ottawa Senators’ goaltending

Wisconsin Science Festival Marks 15 Years of Family-Friendly Fun and Discovery

October 17, 2025
Why are humans religious? Scientists are studying miracles to find out. – National Geographic

Why Do Humans Believe in Miracles? Scientists Explore the Mystery of Religion

October 17, 2025
Man Missing His Dog While at the Club Is Far Too Relatable – Yahoo

Man Missing His Dog While at the Club Is Far Too Relatable – Yahoo

October 17, 2025
Spanning the Gulf: Global Defence Technology 155 – Army Technology

Spanning the Gulf: Exploring Cutting-Edge Global Defence Technology

October 17, 2025
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin prediction, pick, odds, spread, where to watch live – CBS Sports

Ohio State vs. Wisconsin prediction, pick, odds, spread, where to watch live – CBS Sports

October 16, 2025
Equipping agents for the real world with Agent Skills – Anthropic

Unlocking Agent Potential: Mastering Advanced Skills to Tackle Real-World Challenges

October 16, 2025
Comments – The AI boom is propping up the whole economy – Slow Boring

How the AI Boom Is Fueling an Economic Revolution

October 16, 2025
Bricktown continues to thrive as OKC’s entertainment district – OKC VeloCity

Bricktown Shines as Oklahoma City’s Premier Entertainment Hotspot

October 16, 2025
Baylor Partners on Up to $28M Initiative to Build Precision Phage Platform for Promoting Public Health – Baylor University

Baylor Partners on Up to $28M Initiative to Build Precision Phage Platform for Promoting Public Health – Baylor University

October 16, 2025
When Public Lands Get Political: What a Hatch Act Complaint Says About the Future of Conservation – NC State University

When Public Lands Become Political Battlegrounds: What a Hatch Act Complaint Reveals About the Future of Conservation

October 16, 2025

Categories

Archives

October 2025
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Sep    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (870)
  • Economy (892)
  • Entertainment (21,764)
  • General (17,636)
  • Health (9,934)
  • Lifestyle (905)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (893)
  • Politics (902)
  • Science (16,103)
  • Sports (21,392)
  • Technology (15,872)
  • World (875)

Recent News

Wisconsin Science Festival Marks 15 Years of Family-Friendly Fun and Discovery

October 17, 2025
Why are humans religious? Scientists are studying miracles to find out. – National Geographic

Why Do Humans Believe in Miracles? Scientists Explore the Mystery of Religion

October 17, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version