Food Vendors in Sandy Hill

Our group mapped food vendors (e.g, restaurants, convenience stores, grocery vendors, coffee shops, etc.) in Sandy Hill. We examined each location’s general affordability, the food’s or vendor’s cultural origins, and whether there are food preference availability.

Boundaries of our mapping were (North to South) Besserer Street to Mann Avenue, and (West to East) King Edward Avenue to the Rideau River. Understanding what food options exist in the area help to create a picture of Sandy Hill’s livability and discover areas for potential improvement (more diverse food options, healthier options, cheaper options, etc.).

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As of 2026, Sandy Hill (within the boundaries specified previously) has 43 food vendors. 31 of these vendors, we classified as sit-down or take-out restaurants/food, and pubs and eateries, and 6 vendors we classified as coffee houses, bakeries, or beverage shops. 4 food vendors were convenience stores and the 2 were grocery stores.

Most of the food vendors were clustered close to the University, with a high frequency on Laurier Avenue. The two grocery vendors operated on Mann avenue, allowing residents of the neighbourhood living nearby the opportunities to purchase basic food necessities without having to travel to Rideau street and beyond for grocery items.

Sandy Hill has many food vendors selling different cuisines including Indian, Mediterranean, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Guyanaese and Caribbean, North African, and French Gastronomy.

Affordability fluctuated with most of the affordable food stores operating close to the University. Restaurants closer to Range Road and Strathcona Park had a dramatic increase in price compared to the rest of the food vendors. More often than not, food vendors had at least a few vegan, vegetarian, or halal options available. Most places also allowed for customization and substitutions. 

(See Food in Sandy Hill Comparison - 2010 to 2026 table). Compared to 2010, there are more food options that are more diverse, and tend to be similar in price/accessibility as before. There are a few spots that have closed and are now empty store fronts or no longer sell food, but many former residential only spots now have food options. While we do not have price comparisons for 2010, we can surmise from the similar options and vendors that are still present that the price increases are likely in line with inflation. We have mostly found that while brands or names have changed, convenience stores have stayed convenience stores, pubs have stayed pubs, and so on and so forth. Please refer to the table for further details on what has changed, stayed the same and to compare further. 

Mapping food vendors in Sandy Hill is essential for understanding food availability in the community and addressing food insecurity, particularly focusing on affordability and dietary accessibility. Our map highlights an overall increase of accessible vendors in the neighbourhood, including more accessible options and a wider range of affordable options in comparison to 2010. It presents the options available to the residents of Sandy Hill, where they can eat depending on their food preferences and restrictions, and the affordability of said vendors.

Our project highlights the gaps in food access in Sandy Hill. This includes areas with fewer vendors, areas of limited affordability, and lack of transparency with dietary options. For example, many vendors don’t state dietary accommodations on their menus or websites. It also shows the concentration of vendors on Laurier Street compared to the lack of options in east Sandy Hill.

Our research was conducted through online sources and using primary observation and research collection. Google Maps was the main source used, both to get accurate building locations and addresses and to explore food vendor’s online menus. Additionally, Google Maps Street View program was used occasionally to review past versions of locations to examine what businesses existed in that location during the years 2009 to 2012.

Additional sources – vendor’s websites – were consulted when primary observation was ineffective, such as if a food vendor existed only as an online ordering, take-out website (e.g. SushiLab).

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