Crust & Crate Fast Fired Pizza Pub

Crust & Crate Fast Fired Pizza Pub is a restaurant located at 100 Shuttleworth Dr. in Ottawa, ON, serving al forno style pizza alongside a broader gastropub menu in a pub-style setting. The kitchen builds its pizzas around hand-stretched dough and fresh ingredients fired in an al forno oven, and the rest of the menu runs through shareable plates, handheld sandwiches, fresh greens, pastas, and desserts, paired with a bar program of craft cocktails, craft beers, and wine.

For residents of Ottawa's eastern neighbourhoods near Shuttleworth Dr., a fast-fired pizza pub of this kind fills a specific niche: it is neither a quick takeout counter nor a formal dining room, but a spot built for lingering over a shared table, a pint, and a pizza cut into slices for the middle of the group. That kind of format depends on being close enough to reach easily on a weeknight, which is part of why a location's presence in its immediate neighbourhood matters as much as its menu.

What to ask when you call ahead

A short phone call before heading over clears up the details that change from week to week and aren't fixed facts about the business — current hours, table availability, and whether the kitchen can accommodate a specific group size or dietary request. Calling 343-349-9393 directly is the most reliable way to get an answer specific to that day rather than relying on a general impression of how the pub usually runs.

Worth asking: whether a table is available for the size of your group, particularly if you're arriving during a busy dinner window; whether the full pizza and gastropub menu is being served or whether it's a limited daily-special period; and whether the bar has seating separate from the dining room for anyone who just wants a drink and a smaller bite. Since the pub emphasizes shareable dishes and hand-fired pizza, it's also reasonable to ask how the kitchen handles larger groups splitting several pizzas and plates, since that shapes how the table gets served. Anyone with a food allergy or sensitivity should raise it on the call rather than assuming it can be flagged only after arrival — a kitchen built around fresh, made-to-order dishes can generally adapt more easily when it knows in advance.

From the door to the check: how a visit typically unfolds

A visit to Crust & Crate follows the shape of a typical gastropub outing — arrival and seating, drink orders while everyone reviews the menu, food arriving to be shared, and a relaxed pace through to the end of the meal rather than a quick turnover. Because the format leans on shareables and hand-fired pizza meant to be split, groups tend to order across categories rather than each person choosing a single individual plate.

After being seated, most tables start with drinks — the bar's craft cocktails, beer, or wine list gives people something to settle in with while they look over the shareables, handhelds, fresh greens, and pasta options alongside the pizza menu. Pizzas built in the al forno oven are typically ordered to arrive and be cut for the table, so food tends to land in the middle rather than as separate individual courses, and it's common for a table to order a second pizza partway through the meal once everyone has a sense of what they want. The pub atmosphere is also built around watching a game or catching up with a group on the big screen, which shapes how long people tend to stay compared to a strictly food-focused restaurant. Closing out is standard table service — flagging a server for the bill once the table is ready to wrap up.

House style and table manners

The customs at Crust & Crate follow what's typical of a neighbourhood gastropub built for sharing: pizzas and shareable plates are meant to be split across the table rather than kept to one person, and the pace is generally relaxed rather than rushed. Ordering a second round of pizza or another shared plate partway through a meal is normal rather than an afterthought, since the menu is structured around building a meal out of several smaller dishes.

Because the space combines a bar with a dining room, groups splitting their evening between drinks and a full meal are common, and the big screen suggests that watching a game while eating is part of the expected atmosphere rather than something out of place. Given the format, showing up with a larger group planning to share several pizzas and plates is well suited to how the kitchen and menu are set up, more so than expecting a strictly individual-plate meal. Various payment methods are accepted, so it's worth having your preferred one ready when the check comes rather than needing to ask in advance. As with most sit-down restaurants, arriving during peak dinner hours without having called ahead can mean a wait, particularly for larger groups.

Frequently asked questions

How does the first contact with the pub usually go?

The website, crustandcrate.com, also outlines the menu and daily specials for anyone planning ahead of a visit.

What other options exist in the same part of Ottawa?

Ottawa's dining scene includes a wide mix of independently run restaurants and pubs spread across its neighbourhoods, and a fast-fired pizza pub sits alongside other local sit-down options in the broader Restaurants category. Comparing a few nearby choices before deciding is worthwhile if the goal is a specific kind of meal, whether that's a quick handheld or a longer shared table.

Is a visit just as workable in winter as in summer?

Yes — as an indoor restaurant and pub, Crust & Crate operates through Ottawa's full range of seasons, and the format built around shared pizzas, a full bar, and a big screen for games translates well to colder months when people are looking for an indoor gathering spot. Summer patio habits common across the city don't change the core indoor dining and bar experience here.

What should I bring or know before heading over?

Beyond knowing your group size and any dietary needs to mention on the phone ahead of time, there's no special documentation needed for a typical visit — this is a walk-in-friendly restaurant and pub. Having a sense of how many people are sharing pizzas and plates helps in deciding how much to order once you're seated.