Visiting Kitchener-Waterloo

Kitchener and Waterloo are two separate cities that have grown on top of one another. A boundary does exist, but it’s arbitrary and you’ll probably never notice it. Most local services (including the “ION” light-rail transit system) are shared.

KW claims to be home to the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany! There are countless events, official and unofficial, some of which are totally free.

Waterloo Park separates Uptown Waterloo from the Universities district. There are several playgrounds, a quaint boardwalk, and lots of walking paths. You can usually catch a game of cricket in progress on the green.

St Jacob’s Market District is 6km North of Uptown Waterloo. The Saturday farmer’s market is the largest in Canada.

St Jacob’s village and its charming shops are 4km North of St Jacob’s Market District. A patio lunch is a great way to spot Mennonite horses and buggies.

If you hate driving or love trains, consider buying day tickets for the volunteer-run circa-1923 steam train, with round-trip service from N Waterloo to St Jacob’s and Elmira. It’s not fast, but it is novel!


Restaurants

Spending the weekend? Need a place for lunch? Planning your next trip? Here are some of our local favs:

Budget

The Lab Street Eats
Our favourite local burger spot. Weird hours. Huge orders of fries.
[map | website]

Darlise Cafe
Steph’s favourite breakfast spot!
[map | website]

Soi Thaifoon
Counter-order Thai food, fast.
[map | website]

Banh Mi Givral Deli
Forget decor or tables. It’s the sandwich that counts.
[map | website]


Mid-Range

Arabella Park Beer Park
Our local haunt. Great patio, no waiters. Lots of kids and dogs!
[map | website]

Beertown Public House
Casual pub food. A Waterloo-original, now a chain. Something for everyone. Always busy.
[map | website]

Gol’s Lanzhou Noodle
The best noodles this side of anywhere.
[map | website]

Seven Shores Cafe
Ethical. Tasty. Breakfast+.
[map | website]


More?

On a global scale, even the most expensive restaurants in KW aren’t actually that expensive — if you want Michelin stars, you’ll need to go to Toronto! But there are some good local options for higher-end fare:

Bhima’s Warung
South-East Asian fine dining. Only open for dinner.
[map | website]

Solé
Recently sold and redeveloped. Still good. Italian-ish, with probably the best wine list in the area.
[map | website]

PUBLIC
Buck-a-shuck oysters are on Wednesdays, but the full menu is good, too!
[map | website]


Bonus: Breakfast Dives

Cheap and unpretentious breakfast from the type of place that opens early and doesn’t see the point of having a website (the type of place you go after you’re married) —

  • Jimmy’s Lunch [map]
  • The Checkerboard [map]
  • Slices [map]
  • Bud’s [map]