This is the best place that I have come across, in downtown Ottawa on Bank street. I have been…read moregoing there to get my supplements for many years and they are just as good now as they were then. The gentleman/owner that is usually at the cash, is a man full of knowledge, you never go wrong when you ask him questions or advice on his products. I recommended his store to many people I have come across in my bodybuilding life and today I still recommend his store it has everything you need at your fingertips and more.

From the owner: At Nature's Care, we are passionate about helping you reach your health and wellness goals - safely…read moreand naturally. We carry vitamins, herbs, sport supplements, body care products, nutritional bars, probiotics... and much more, at competitive prices. Our on-site chartered herbalist can help you select the optimal combination of products to suite your unique nutritional needs.

My first visit to a Whole Foods Market was years ago, after completing a job interview in Yorkville…read morein Toronto. I definitely remember what I got: a slice of tiramisu. At that time, it was the only Whole Foods in the greater Toronto area. Whole Foods has grown on me, likely because Markham has one and I frequent it often. I don't fit the profile of a typical Whole Foods shopper who tends to carry expensive handbags, must get everything organic, and can afford all things expensive, including tiny bottles of elixirs that extend their years on planet Earth. I like their dairy-free items. I love Carbonaut bread and the entire bakery section, including tiramisu. There are specific items that I get at this store. If I'm looking for romaine lettuce or celery, you'll likely see me at a grocery store that offers these items at normal, cheaper prices. Four years ago, I was in the Glebe and saw this Whole Foods store. I didn't go in. I had already got what I needed at a Metro. On my most recent visit, after spending a few hours exploring the area with a friend, I realized that I needed almond beverage and lemons. I had yet to set foot in any grocery store. They were good reasons to check this store out. I had parked underground. The elevator got me to this store. I exited the elevator on the main floor to hit Winners. This store has a cafe that occupies the entire floor. It was busy just before noon. People must love getting coffee and a baked good here. When I returned just past 5 pm, you could hear crickets on this floor. The cafe was closed. It was different. My local one is still open when I'm there at 7 pm. I have yet to hit the cafe at any Whole Foods location. I took the escalator up to the second floor, which is where the entire supermarket is. I immediately found almond beverage. Organic. Sugar-free. Perfect. I also found the produce area. The Rainier cherries looked good. They were also so expensive that I blocked the price out and moved on. I got a couple of lemons. You could get a bag of six. The price was the same if you calculated how much one lemon was going for, so you might as well pick your own pristine-looking lemons. I looked around. It has the usual salad and hot food bars. You pay by weight, which does add up if you aren't careful. There were lots of snacks and drinks to choose from. A can of flavoured carbonated water was going for $2.69. It makes you wonder how this store determines the prices that it sets. It was enjoyable looking at the plants and flowers. It's a nice grocery store. I had an equally nice woman at the checkout area. I paid for my items with a debit card. I didn't need a bag. My lemons were already in one, so I carried it and my carton of almond beverage to the elevator. It was convenient taking the elevator down to the underground parking lot. I walked to my car, paid for parking, and left. The lemons and almond beverage were great. I'm glad that I got what I needed at this store. I had a fun time shopping here. It's my second Whole Foods that I've been to where it has two floors. We'll see if I return in another four years. Maybe I'll try the cafe... haha! (262)

I mean it overhyped in my opinion! It's pricey and in this economy who ca affort 10& strawberries!read more

Rainbow Foods is now officially Natural Food Pantry. They were bought out and the signage has now…read morechanged. Fortunately, from what I can see, nothing else has really changed. The points system is still in place, the store looks the same, they have the same deals and markdowns and staff appear to be the same. I realize that it is early in the acquisition, so I guess time will tell. I loved Rainbow Foods, so I am hoping that nothing will change with this store and it's just the name. Anyway, my previous review from 2 years ago still stands, except for the ownership part. Oh and they stopped carrying Allegro cheese, but that happened long before Natural Food Pantry took over. If anyone in Ottawa knows where I can find Allegro cheese, please message me. Thanks! They still have the most awesome collection of fresh gluten-free breads around!

I haven't been to Rainbow Foods in a long time (since 2012), and decided that I HAD to stop by…read moresince I was in the neighborhood. The store is still tiny like I remembered it being. So a handful of people in the store, can make it appear overly crowded. That being said, they pack a lot of products in this store! I love the fact that they carry full lines of products. I hate it when grocery stores only carry two or three things from a line, so I was in vegan heaven when I hit up their freezer and fridge section. They have the biggest variety of vegan meats here, like Gusta, Gardein, Nutburg, and so on. Their snack aisle is always super intriguing. They have a large selection of chips, chocolates, and snack mixes here. It can get dangerous, pretty quickly. They have a small selection of vegan jerky from the brand Primal Strips, and they make awesome jerky! I do wish they increased their vegan jerky selection, since there is a huge market for that right now. Their produce section is meh. It's small, and the produce does not look that appealing, but I appreciate that they sell local, organic produce. I'd skip the produce here, and just hit up Farmboy next door. They also have a large selection of teas, but they were heavily overpriced compared to other retailers. That being said, know your prices. A lot of the items here are shelved at a 30-40% markup, compared to other retailers. Sometimes, they have sales that will bring items down to a more appealing price, but you really have to shop smart here. I'm still a fan of this place, and always enjoy my visits here and love checking out new products that they carry. I might have to make more trips out here in the future since they really do carry a lot of interesting vegan meats.

TL;DR: Large Health Food store. Similar to Natural Food Pantry in Ontario. Good selection…read more I love poking around Health Food stores, so I was thrilled when my husband discovered La Boite à Grains while I was shopping in Winners in the same plaza. He had finished up at Winners and wandered around the plaza. He texted me to let me know there was this Health Food store at the other end of the plaza. So when I finished up at Winners, I headed over to La Boite à Grains. It's a fairly large store and reminded me a lot of Natural Food Pantry. They have produce, fresh breads, refrigerated foods and frozen foods. They also have cosmetics and skincare. As well as household items like dish detergent, soap and things like that. I was thrilled to see a good selection of Pacifica products. It's rare to find their face powder, but this store carries it. I was also excited to see my favourite crispbread (Smart Bite Fit 'n Light) on sale for $2.99. Service was efficient. Lots of free parking in the plaza parking lot. (154)

As I was doing online shopping, I found this store. I decided to order from them. The prices are…read morereasonable and they offer free shipping for a certain amount. The delivery was fast (2 to 6 business days). I was pleasantly surprised when my parcel arrived early in the morning. I also love the yummy freebie they included in my parcel. How did they knew I wanted some chocolate? :D Today is their anniversary and I would like to wish them Happy Birthday!

I have been going to the Popeye's on Merivale Rd in Ottawa for several years. I am a friendly,…read moreoutgoing person anyway, however, everyone that I have known at that store over the years has matched or exceeded that. To those that I have seen often over the years there, I have always easily been able to get on a first-name basis with, and, when they aren't busy, they are always willing to engage me in a friendly, sometimes humourous conversation. Of course, I always try to take advantage of their deals, such as "Buy 1 & get the 2nd at half price", for example. But who wouldn't? Any quality supplements are not cheap these days. In fact, there are times when I've been tipped off, so-to-speak, of these deals, which I maybe shouldn't mention here, lol. But, I'm sure other loyal customers are made fully aware, too. In addition, as far as product knowledge is concerned, Popeye's is top-notch. Their friendly staff all know their stuff, and I would suspect that makes it more comforting for people who are possibly coming to Popeye's for the 1st time. They will certainly take the time required to share their knowledge so that people can make informed decisions without them feeling rushed. So, not only are the Popeye's staff on Merivale Rd. in Ottawa, one of their original stores, if I'm not mistaken, extremely friendly and knowledgeable but the also help to make their clients just have a better day just simply by the client experience.

My friend and I were walking around the area. We saw Herb & Spice Shop. I'm always game checking…read moreout a grocery store that is new to me. It was also hot outside. To stop sweating buckets (more me), we headed inside to cool off. This store is small and quaint. It does cater to folks who have specific dietary needs, such as dairy-free or gluten-free products. It felt like a high-end health food store. I do mean high-end. Did you want a small carton of oat creamer for $10? You can find it here. Frankly, I loved looking at the varieties of dairy-free salad dressing. If I knew that a specific salad dressing flavour was my go-to, I'd splurge and get it here. However, I can't justify getting my usual grocery items, like fresh produce, for inflated prices when I could hit a Food Basics for much cheaper prices. I like that locals can walk to it. I just watched a news story about an area in Scarborough that saw two major supermarkets close within weeks. Locals have to take two buses and thirty minutes to get to a supermarket, which is sad. So, although pricey, you can still get your produce by walking over here. We didn't buy anything. It's the downside to being on vacation. I can't store everything that I want in a grocery store in a dinky mini fridge in my hotel room. It was fun checking out this store. If I hit the jackpot, I'd shop here every week. (284)

Herb & Spice is a small grocery store that leans to the "Health Food Store" side. I find the prices…read morereally expensive, from my assessment about 20-50% higher than at regular/chain grocery stores (like Loblaws, Metro, Food Basics, FreshCo, etc.) Even higher than other Health Food Stores that I usually go to (like Kardish and Natural Food Pantry and much higher than Healthy Planet). I personally have not found any products here that I can only get here. I think this store is good for people who live nearby and want to walk not too far to get something and can afford the higher prices. I'm all for supporting small businesses, but I'm also all for staying within my own budget. This store is in my neighbourhood, but it's actually farther from me than major grocery stores or Health Food stores, so it does not appeal to me, but it definitely serves a purpose and I can see how it appeals to other people. Street parking only.

Great customer service and knowledgeable staff, reasonably priced products. They also do special…read moreorders and seniors discount as well. Amazing place bonus located in the mall which is a plus.

I stopped by Carlingwood today to run a few errands and remembered I needed to find some protein…read morepowder that wasn't whey and then I thought, huzzah! They have a Nutrition House here. I've stopped by this location a few times since we're always at Carlingwood, to pick up some vitamins I have a hard time finding elsewhere. I always have a moment of sticker shock, but then I remind myself that health is pricey (but so worth it!), and that compared to come other health stores, this place isn't actually that bad. Bonus? The staff here are lovely and really knowledgeable. So why the missing star? It's cramped in here folks. The space they have is small, and there's a ton of product, so the couple of aisle end up being really packed. Fortunately, the staff know where everything is, and I usually just ask for their help and they know exactly where it is. So they had the protein powder I was searching for (hemp, if you must know - chocolate) and snagged some vitamins. They threw in a free sample of a greens concoction that's quite pricey so that was lovely. In addition to vitamins, supplements and protein powder (of which they have a HUGE selection), they also have a bunch of organic hair and beauty products (including lots of Kiss My Face, which I love), salt crystal lamps, and some healthy, organic gluten-free foods. I like this place for its convenience, great staff and fairly reasonable prices. It's a great option if you're in the mall and looking for advice on supplements and healthier living. #30DaysOfYelp - 11/30