CF Rideau Centre — Local services in Ottawa

Located in the heart of downtown Ottawa, CF Rideau Centre is the city’s largest and most popular shopping mall—and for good reason. Whether you’re a local looking for everyday essentials or a tourist in need of retail therapy, this modern shopping center delivers convenience, variety, and style under one roof.

The mall features over 170 stores, including top international brands like Nordstrom Rack, H&M, Sephora, Apple, Aritzia, and Simons, as well as plenty of specialty retailers and local boutiques. It strikes a good balance between high-end shopping and affordable options, making it accessible for most budgets.

One of the centre’s biggest strengths is its location—directly connected to the ByWard Market, Parliament Hill, and the Rideau Canal. It’s also linked to public transit via the O-Train (Rideau Station), making it extremely easy to access, even without a car.

Inside, the mall is bright, clean, and spacious, with modern décor and an airy feel. The food court has been recently renovated and offers a good mix of fast food, healthier options, and international cuisine. You’ll also find sit-down restaurants like Joey Rideau and The Cheesecake Factory nearby.

Pros: • Central location and easy transit access • Wide selection of shops and services • Clean, modern, and well-maintained facilities • Good food court and nearby dining options • Connected to the Westin Hotel and Shaw Centre

Cons: • Can get very crowded on weekends and holidays • Parking is available but can be pricey and limited during peak times • Occasional construction in or around the mall

Verdict: CF Rideau Centre is more than just a mall—it’s a central hub for shopping, dining, and people-watching in Ottawa. Whether you’re popping in for a quick purchase or spending the afternoon browsing, it’s one of the city’s best...

I loved the staff at GameStop really cool dudes. However the mall itself is horrible to navigate and not very disability friendly if u use a walker or wheelchair. Parking seems to be a nightmare for most ppl luckily I actually read reviews before going places so I just ubered there.

The staff tho at every store watch over u and it’s abit insulting but after chatting with them u understand y. U also get to understand y a lot of things r locked up.

The homeless ppl r a problem at all the entrances if u like huffing drugs and smelling weed before u go inside then ya that’s Rideau. Some highlights random lady screaming randomly and an addict who had his pants down in the mall around his ankles high out of his mind just standing there. I avoided Rideau because it’s unsafe and just really didn’t have much that interested me. But it was clean tho (avoid stairwells and bathrooms) the food court was actually really nice tho it was hot. It was very hard to find exits and the mall made u walk a lot just to get to different floors. As for security guards I saw one on his phone just kinda standing there right below man with pants down. I think most of the workers at Rideau r just numb to the goings on there and the workers seem so suspicious of customers until they actually see u have money and pay then they relax. I can’t imagine working in stressful conditions like that. This mall should be shut down it sucks it’s a disgrace for tourists and it’s really not a safe place anymore. All in all I loved the staff but the design and atmosphere were a heck no and it reminded me y I haven’t been...

CF Rideau Centre is a modern mall with a wide variety of well-known stores like Nordstrom, Tiffany & Co., Michael Kors, H&M, Zara... The mall has a bright and airy atmosphere, with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. There are also several food courts and restaurants, so you can easily grab a bite to eat while shopping.

I noticed that I was recently renovated, it has a unique architecture. The mall has a glass atrium that runs through the center, and the escalators and elevators are enclosed in glass tubes. This gives the mall a very open and spacious feel.

Another thing that I appreciate about CF Rideau Centre is that it is well-maintained. The bathrooms are clean, the floors are polished, and the stores are all well-organized.

However, parking is quite expensive ($8/hour). It's also confusing, because they post it as "1-2 hours, every 1/2 hour = $2." I thought this meant that 1-2 hours was $2, but I ended up paying $17 after shopping and eating for a bit over 3 hours. So, if it's your first time here, you might want to keep that in mind. Also, as I was exiting the mall to walk on the street, a homeless man started walking towards me and doing something a bit crazy. There was no security around, so I felt unsafe with this whole situation.

Overall, CF Rideau Centre is a good place to shop, dine, and people-watch, but be prepared for expensive parking, limited food court options, and the possibility of encountering...