The Ottawa Cocktail Arms Race

There was a time when ordering a cocktail meant a bartender quietly stirring or shaking, then setting a drink in front of you that was meant to be… well, drunk. These days, in certain Ottawa bars, you might get a tableside pyrotechnics show, a fog bank that rivals the Rideau Canal on a November morning, and a garnish that looks like it belongs in a botanical display case.

Somewhere along the way, balance and restraint were replaced by the pursuit of “the most Instagrammable drink in the city.” Social media has turned the bar into a stage, and the drink itself into a prop. Smoked domes, flaming citrus peels, glassware shaped like anything but a glass—these aren’t just flourishes anymore, they’re weapons in a low-key competition to outdo the place down the street.

The irony? The more time and money that goes into the spectacle, the less likely the drink is something you’d want more than one of. A $24 cocktail served in a hollowed-out coconut shell might be fun to look at, but try sipping it after ten minutes of small talk—it’s usually lukewarm, diluted, and wearing more accessories than the person who ordered it.

Bartenders will tell you the pressure is real. “People expect a show,” one downtown mixologist told me. “If there’s no smoke or glitter, they wonder if it’s worth the price.” Others quietly admit they miss the days when a perfectly balanced Manhattan could get as much attention as a flaming absinthe fountain.

Of course, theatrics aren’t inherently bad—Ottawa’s cocktail scene is livelier and more ambitious than it’s ever been. But when the garnish outshines the drink, maybe it’s time to step back. The best cocktail is still the one you finish without having to explain it to your dinner date.