Govindas Vegetarian Buffet

Whenever I travel, I like to look for a Hare Krishna temple restaurant in that city since I can eat there without asking any questions about diet concerns. Ottawa had one, but it has two negatives. The hours are VERY limited. Open for dinner only on weekdays from 5 to 8 pm. The second negative is that unless you get there early (try to be there no later 6:30), they may run out of food. I got there on Monday at 7:15 pm or so with a colleague and his wife and they were out of food so we had to go elsewhere. I did go back on Wednesday and Thursday and enjoyed the food. It was the exact same menu on both of those days.
It is close to the university and very affordable so it tends to be frequented by students. As of this writing, the buffet is $ 5 for students and $ 7 for everyone else. There are about 6 – 8 different things including salad.
Parking can be a bit of pain.
The restaurant is in a house and as such it is very small. Maybe seating for 20 or so people very tightly seated together. You have to take your shoes off and leave them on a rack before you enter the serving/​dining area. The part about removing shoes is different than any of the other Govinda’s I’ve eaten at in different cities.
Basically, you have to plan your evening around your visit to this restaurant if you plan to eat here, but I think it’s well worth it.

I went there friday night after i got off from the bus terminus. after an exhausting 3h30 bus ride from Montréal.
It is in a temple, so there are people preying and reading books, but they are not disturbing and you don’t have to be a krishna in order to come here. In fact, I think that’s how they pay for the rent or other services: by offering on week nights a vegetarian/​vegan buffet for 7 $. You have to take your shoes off when you come in and keep your voice low, in sign of respect. As soon as you enter this place, you feel the love ! There is this kind of peace vibe all around the place, it’s worth it really. And the food, Oh My, the food ! I love indian food but this is good stuff. A few choices, but everything is tasty and worth trying. Their curry & Curcuma potato stew was so good that I had cravings all week end. Unfortunately, they don’t serve food on saturday or sunday.
I want to go back !

Govinda’s is not a «normal» restaurant. It’s actually part of a Hare Krishna temple. As such, don’t be alarmed by the meditating and the fact you need to take your shoes off when you enter.
You’ll want to show up early if you’re with a big group. The seating is limited and first come first serve. They generally have food available from 5−8pm. Govinda’s tends to run out of food around 7:30pm. Please also be aware that the owner goes away to India every summer for 2 weeks, so if you want to avoid disappointment, call Govinda’s ahead of time to ensure they’re open.
The food is presented buffet style; there are usually about 5 – 8 options available. All the food is all vegan and filled with good karma. You can eat as much as you want for 7 $ or 5 $ for students.

Govindas serves delicious, dirt-​cheap vegetarian food in a welcoming setting. An excellent deal, particularly for students.

Govinda’s is a wonderfully welcoming and affordable vegetarian restaurant, but with unfortunately inconvenient hours: Monday — Friday 5−8pm. Sometimes they even run out of food early. However, it’s the purpose and atmosphere of this restaurant that makes it so popular. It is operated by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness with the goal of offering a buffet of affordable, nutritious and often local food to all its customers: $ 5 students/​seniors, $ 7 regular. The owner treats everyone with a warmth that’s hard to find elsewhere and a mutual respect is often felt between the establishment and its patrons.
However, this restaurant may not be for people who prefer a more formal and dependable dining experience, as well as keeping their shoes on while they eat.