A new gourmet salad restaurant is coming to the Glebe this summer, opening its first Ottawa location at the former site of Top of the World skate shop.
Founded by sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe in 2004, Mandy’s is a Montreal restaurant known for create-your-own salads and bowls, as well as a colourful and eclectic interior design.
The brand has nine locations in Montreal, three in Toronto as well as three “ghost kitchens,” where the food is made for online orders only. This year marked the beginning of an expansion project for the brand, Vanessa Frachebord, president of Mandy’s, announced on LinkedIn in January.
OBJ360 (Sponsored)
2nd Annual Ottawa Tech Opening Teeing Off for JA
The Ottawa Tech Open is teeing off once again this summer, bringing together startup founders, entrepreneurs, investors and those immersed in the city’s tech community, all for a good cause.
Glenview Homes Unveils Union West: A New Chapter in Stittsville Living
Union West, Glenview Homes’ highly anticipated new community in the heart of Stittsville is welcoming buyers at its brand-new Sales Centre and model home, The Reveli, located at 6147 Fernbank
“We can’t wait to bring a little more salad magic to some amazing neighborhoods,” Frachebord wrote in her LinkedIn post.
With new locations also planned for Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver this year, Mandy’s is “finally” coming to Ottawa, according to the brand’s social media, taking over the former location of well-known skate shop Top of the World, which closed its doors last September at 581 Bank St. after more than 30 years.
According to Mandy’s website, the Ottawa location is slated to open in late June.
In an email to OBJ, Mandy Wolfe said Ottawa has always been on the brand’s “dream list,” especially given the city’s proximity to Montreal.
“There’s a vibrant, growing food scene here that really excites us, and it feels like the perfect time to be a part of it … On a personal level, we have so many friends, family, and longtime Mandy’s guests who’ve been asking for a location here for years. At a time when Canadians are coming together more than ever, it feels truly meaningful to be opening our doors in the heart of our nation’s capital,” Wolfe said.
As for the location, Wolfe said the brand felt an affinity with the Glebe and felt like it could become a “part of the fabric of the community.”
“The Glebe instantly felt like ‘us.’ It’s a beautiful mix of wellness-minded people, walkable streets, a strong sense of community and amazing restaurants and local businesses,” she said in the email.
Darrell Cox, executive director of the Glebe BIA, said the new addition to Bank Street will be a “focal point,” helping to attract people from all over the city to the BIA’s north end.
“It’s not a far walk for Centretown residents to come to the north end of the Glebe. The great thing about those kinds of well-known brands is people come for that. We’re seeing people come from Orléans, from Kanata, but then they shop throughout the Glebe,” he said. “It’s a great, almost anchor tenant.”
Cox said there is still “some major work to do there,” transforming the former skate shop into a boutique salad bar.
“It’s really going to bring some excitement. I’ve been hearing people ask, ‘When’s Mandy’s opening?’” Cox told OBJ on Wednesday.
Mandy’s is joining a group of more than 60 restaurants that have put down roots in the Glebe, Cox said.
“Almost any restaurant that’s been opening in the Glebe, they’re doing extremely well. We’ve seen people at Yolks line up out the door on a Saturday morning,” he said. “The Glebe is a highly sought-after neighbourhood.”
Cox said the BIA has been able to curate a look and feel for the neighbourhood that has made it attractive for businesses like Mandy’s, with Lansdowne Park being “crucial to the success” of the area.
Cox said he thinks Mandy’s will be able to revive some of the community buzz left behind by Top of the World, based on the brand’s current and growing success.
Mandy’s operates a boutique selling a line of salad dressings, chocolate bars and cookie mixes, as well as cookbooks and apparel.
