Wedel — Touch of Europe

About the business

Wedel — Touch of Europe is a European grocery, deli, bakery and bistro with two shops in Ottawa: 5 ByWard Market Square in the ByWard Market, and 300 Richmond Road in Westboro.

Behind each counter is the same kitchen — hot food cooked daily, smoked hams, kiełbasa and cold cuts, artisan cheeses, a bakery case, homemade gelato and a barista bar — and behind that, shelves of European sweets, chocolates and imported goods from Germany, Hungary, Ukraine and beyond.

They put it this way themselves: "At Wedel – Touch of Europe, we believe food should tell a story — one filled with heritage, craftsmanship, and genuine flavor." The kitchen started with a simple goal — "to share the authentic Polish and European food that reminds us of home — hearty meals, comforting soups, and sweet indulgences that connect generations".

The owner, Justyna (Tina) Borowska, told Ottawa Life Magazine her own story: she grew up in Poland, lived in England for several years, then moved to Canada, and opened the Westboro shop just before the Covid lockdown. The newly renovated deli was vandalized the day after it opened; she kept going, and Westboro became a working bistro. Many of the recipes came from her Polish Babcia, her chef trained in Europe, and the Łowicki floral pattern on the curtains and tablecloths is the same one that shows under the pierogi in every photograph here.

Of the deli side they write: "A Community Deli with European Soul. More than just a deli, we're a place where community and culture come together… We're proud to serve Ottawa's diverse and growing community — from long-time residents to newcomers looking for a taste of home."

On Sunday 13 September 2026 that kitchen comes to UAFest in Riverside Park, Carleton Place, as a premium vendor on a 10 × 20 stand: sausage, cabbage rolls, pierogies, syrniczki and borscht — the list they put on their own festival application.