How many coffee house’s do you know hosting local celebrities like Dan Aykroyd, Tom Green & Mayor Jim Watson for their grand opening parties? Leave it to Cornwall boy Denis Sabourin to make that happen! After running his ad agency Xactly Design & Advertising in Ottawa for over 10 years, Denis decided to go live in Manhattan for 6 months two years ago. It’s in East Village he found his love for coffee, and admired the concept of using the great atmosphere of a coffee shop for more. And oh yeah, he met & became friends with a few celebrities while he was there too.
Located on 111 York Street, in the heart of the Byward Market, Origin Trade has raised the bar for coffee aficionados seeking a unique atmosphere in the downtown core. Origin Trade has differentiated themselves from other coffee shops by showcasing both Single Origin beans as well as craft beers and local wines. This hybrid of coffeehouse by day, lounge by night is a new concept for Ottawa and is proving to be a hit.
The seamless transition from bustling coffee shop to after work lounge with a focus on local wine and brews is innovative. Whereas most coffeehouses close up shop as the sun goes down, Origin offers their patrons the opportunity to put down their latte and crack a beer without changing locales. The menu is light and focused on locally sourced snacks, featuring daily soups, sandwiches, charcuterie boards and of course an array of fresh baked goods to nibble on throughout the day. This concept has been attempted by a few Ottawa establishments, but no one else has perfected the idea quite like Origin.
The sleek design features inviting leather couches, hand crafted wooden tables and a minimalist concrete bar, which proves to be the ultimate vantage point to watch the skilled baristas create complex looking coffees. Origin’s edgy vibe is unlike other well-known coffeehouses. The layout of the cozy space allows for a casual meeting place with friends, coworkers and clients, or a quiet date night tucked away. With the exposed brick walls and brass accents, the interior of the lounge feels more like a Brooklyn staple than an Ottawa hangout.
The new establishment has been picking up traction with local business owners as well as patrons. Popular Ottawa hangout, Atari & the famous Navara by Rene Rodrigues (winner of Canada’s Top Chef) picked up Origin Trade as their sole coffee supplier after sampling their distinctive taste, and other restaurants are taking notice. Between the complex flavours of the locally roasted Single Origin beans and the friendly service, you`ll find yourself making excuses not to go home quite yet.
Origin Trade is leading the trend for this new style of coffeehouse. Begging the question, do we ever need to go home?
The market has always been a place of fine stores for buying good food grown from our local farmers and for many years has had many fine bakeries and other shops. The problem is that the market is a notorious area for drugs, drunks, etc. and a great deal of crime. You would never find me in that area at all here in Ottawa nor in many areas. I do agree that the coffee shop that Mr. Sabourin is opening may be quite a success. Many people go to the market area to shop and eat and hopefully something good can come about it.
Stop the presses…..I agree with Jules. The “market” is fine during the day. At night it turns into a totally different animal. All you need do is take a look at the crime that occurs after the sun goes down.
Yes Hugger is absolutely right. Once the sun goes down all hell breaks loose in the market. The area where I live has a great deal of crime and the bars around are surrounded by cops to be called at any times for fights that are mighty violent as well ad downtown and everywhere else. I was shocked today to read about Churchill St. and some other street not far from Byron where we almost rented twelve years ago and declined and that area was not a violent area like today. Ottawa has changed a great deal. An Italian/Canadian lady that I used to work with grew up in that area and it was good at one time. You can no longer say that one area is good anymore because the crime is rampant everywhere but especially in certain areas more than others and the market just happens to be one of the most notorious places in Ottawa.