For singles and couple that love food, Ottawa is the place for you. Both for its great restaurants and its charming old market. In the shadow of Parliament Hill, the 19th-century Byward Market remains a popular spot for local farmers selling organic greens, maple syrup and produce. Galleries, boutiques and restaurants now occupy many of the historic district's buildings.

Dine at the fashionable E18hteen (18 York St., 613-244-1188) where an inventive seasonal menu, live jazz and excellent wine bar have made this the city's hottest restaurant. Ottawa boasts its own branch of the notable French culinary school Cordon Bleu (453 Laurier Ave. E., 613-236-2433, 1-888-289-6302, www.cordonbleu.net) situated among the stately diplomatic residences of Sandy Hill. Demonstration classes taught by top chefs are as entertaining as they are informative. The Cordon Bleu's elegant restaurant, Signatures (613-236-2499) is a bastion of haute cuisine.

Ottawa's hippest address is Arc (140 Slater St., 613-238-2888 or 1-800-699-2516, www.arcthehotel.com), a sleek boutique hotel where understated shades of dove gray and chestnut brown create a minimalist decor with maximum comfort. Luxuries abound, from mohair throws to complimentary sparkling wine on arrival. The Arc is handy to Ottawa's main arts attractions including the National Arts Centre and the National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Dr., 613-990-1985 or 1-800-319-2787).

Fly over the nation's capital in a vintage aircraft from the Canada Aviation Museum (613-993-2010 or 1-800-463-2038, www.aviation.technomuses.ca). Catch the breeze in the open cockpit of a 1941 Stearman biplane or ride in the fighter-type cockpit of a Second World War RCAF trainer, the de Havilland Canada Chipmunk. The nation's largest aviation museum houses more than 120 aircraft and related artifacts, including remnants of the Avro Arrow.

For complete information on what's happening in Ottawa this fall, visit www.ottawagetaways.com.

Dating and going through the matchmaking process is difficult but having great locations like Ottawa have so many choices it makes the process a little easier.