Eat
TODO
- Should probably be organized by $$$ later
- Also this is super subjective so let’s tread lightly here
- Maybe organize into list of must go (popular), a list of feel free to explore (niche stuff)
T: Take out, S: Sit down, D: Delivery available, Catering
Kinkaku Izakaya (S, T)
Location: Downtown Kitchener, a short walk from Charles Street Terminal
Price: 25$ - 35$ for AYCE
Think you’ve had good sushi? Kinkaku Izakaya has great All you can eat sushi. It’s probably the place with the best selection and quality of service in town, all in a “traditional” booth atmosphere. They’ve got a la carte sushi if you’re don’t feel like stuffing your face. Downside: it’s on the expensive side, but I think it’s totally worth it.
Watami Sushi (S, T)
Great Ramen near Uptown Waterloo. I believe it’s only served on weekends though, so be aware. Other dishes are still great!
Suki Sushi (S)
Price: ~$17 per person
Low key cozy family business sushi restaurant located on Amos/Erb. Great decor, not too noisy, very niche hangout location if you want a break from school, not too far from school.
Sushi 168 (T, S, C)
Nice all you can eat sushi place located in the Westmount plaza. They have everything that you wish to eat in an Asian restaurant, sushi, teriyaki, tempura, dim sum. They also have an open salad bar with ice crabs and a DIY shaved ice, which is a must have. Price: 16$ for lunch, 25$ for dinner
Sonny’s (T)
Price: 8 to 12$
A nice retro burger joint near University/Weber. Don’t let its look deceive you, the place might look like a restaurant forever stuck in the 80s, with old timey arcade machines and palm readers. But you know what? Some great things from the 80s are still around and we still love them, like [uhh -> me? -PL]. Do get the Steak on a Kaiser, that shit is legit.
Mel’s (S)
A retro futuristic diner in the plaza. Go try the Godfather. It’s also open 24h on Saturday, great for a 3AM food trip.
Lancaster Smokehouse
Price: 20$
Meat! Did I say meat? This place’s stocked with amazing ribs, pulled pork and chicken, and there’s usually live blues music playing too. The restaurant is rather far away from campus, and it takes a 30min bus ride to get there, but you know what? Call up your crew and hop over there right now. Get the 5 meat platter combo, and you’ll have enough meat to last you a metaphorical lifetime, plus 3 sides to spare.
Hog Tails
On the opposite end of town from Lancaster Smokehouse but with the same owners. (I haven’t actually tried it, only Lancaster, but it should be good and is a counterpoint).
Owl of Minerva
Pretty decent Korean food. Do I need to say more? It’s near Uptown Waterloo (specifically King and Erb) and is reasonably priced.
The Keg (S) - // Maybe T and D?
Price: About $30-50.
Location: Northfield/Davenport, a 4 minute walk from Conestoga Mall.
Great steaks. A bit on the pricy side though, but if you want to splurge on a night out - this is a great place to be.
The Berlin (S)
PL: Haven’t been there yet (opened after I left for Zurich) but has been getting a lot of press. High-end for KW.
R- This place is really high class (I’d suggest to dress pretty formal if you’re dining here). This place offers foods from all across Europe, including Mediterranean seafood dishes to classic German cornish hens, and many others. The menu changes daily (sometimes even twice a day) so there’s always something to try out. The wine/alcohol menu is large, and they make many of their own homemade (alcohol-free) sodas/lemonade. Pretty hefty price for a full 3-course meal with drinks, around $60+ without tips.
Bhima’s Warung (S)
R- This place is really high class, is open only from 5-9pm each evening, and closed on Mondays; reservations are definitely preferred here. Every two weeks, Bhima’s offers a brand new 6-course tasting menu inspired by a different South-Asian culture for around $48 ($62 with a glass of wine). The menu itself has 10+ choices for appetizers/mains, each dish is South-Asian inspired, and every night they have 2-3 specialty dishes for that evening. Pretty expensive; for a 3 course meal and a drink, expect to spend around $65+ without tips. The service is top-notch; the staff are amazing friendly and have great suggestions on food choices.
The Bauer Kitchen
Beertown
Location: Uptown Waterloo Price: $10 - 20
been disappointed in beertown’s food, but they have a good selection of beers -PL
Philly Cheesesteak
Cheesesteak sandwiches so good it melts in your mouth. This isn’t your average sub. I’ve had a friend try it and it made him question what he did in Waterloo in the last couple years. So maybe you will too. The owner of the store is awesome and is one of the most friendly people around, too.
Location: Downtown Kitchener near Charles Terminal Price: Around 10$
Ace Shawarma
Bao Sandwich Bar (S, T)
This place is literally in the middle of nowhere. They have some solid baos and banh mi though, so definitely check this place out - it’s right in between UW and Laurier, northeast of University/Albert. Price: $8-12
Taco Farm (Uptown Waterloo)
Lucas W from SE2014 compares it favourably to anything in the Bay Area. Excellent take on Mexican-style food (they don’t pretend to be authentic). Innovative tacos.
Famoso Pizzeria (Uptown Waterloo)
Authentic neapolitan pizzas, in a comfortable and bright venue. Location: Uptown Waterloo Price: $15 - 30
Pepi’s Pizza
Local family owned K/W pizzeria with delicious of pizza and subs. Location: Kitchener Price: 10-25$
Vincenzo’s (T, D, C)
Groceries store and a small restaurant with great build your own sandwiches. Build your own sandwiches is also available to deliver for lunch. Price: ~8$
Kitchener Market
Runs on Saturdays all year long. Cheap produce (some local, but look carefully) and prepared foods. Also, the Jamaican patties upstairs are the best I’ve had.
Nuri village
Accessible Korean food. Love their spicy bulgogi. Fair price as well.
Pho Dau Bo
Possibly as close to authentic Viet food as you can get in the KW region. Patrick Lam: “not as good as my mom’s phở, but as good as it gets around here.” Good stop before/after Grand River Rocks. Try the bun bo hue (spicy!)
Noodle One
Most legit original famous Lanzhou noodle in Waterloo (from someone from Lanzhou), located next to the Laurier plaza. Recommend the Lanzhou beef noodle. They also have a huge selection of skewers. Price: ~10$
Masala Bay
Legit Indian food, in Uptown Waterloo. Probably the best Indian food you’re gonna find without having to head to the GTA.
Location: Erb/Regina, a few minutes from Uptown Waterloo Price: $15-30
Bubble tea:
Chatime A very popular Taiwanese bubble tea chain - there’s a location near Laurier.
Sweet Dreams
A local bubble tea shop in the UW Plaza, run by UW alumni. Lots of amazing drinks to be had, with a weekly special and shaved ice dessert during the summer! You can also grab some quick bites, such as ramen or dim sum. There’s also plenty of board games available to play. Engineering students receive 10% off with the EngSoc student deals sticker.
Price: $3 - 6
New City Supermarket
The most complete asian supermarket in the city. You can get most Asian food and snacks here.
Sugar Marmalade
Foodie Fruiti
Honorary mentions
These are places that we don’t think represent the best of Waterloo, but it’s here because they’ve got a reputation on Campus and it’s worth trying it just to say you’ve tried it (at the very least). Mr. Panino’s, Chen’s, Campus Pizza
Poutine
Yu Chen: Since I’m from Montreal, I feel pretty obligated to write out the best poutine shops in town. In no order of greatness: Aunty’s Kitchen (Indian poutine fusion), Harvey’s (quick and convenient), Costco (it’s a classic), and Al-Medina (their shawarma poutine is the shit). Avoid Smoke’s Poutine, that place is meh.