Kitchener-Waterloo Restaurants

Posted by Patrick Lam on Thursday, September 8, 2016

In which Patrick Lam pretends to be a restaurant reviewer.

  • Afghan: Chopan Kabob has generous and tasty servings.
  • Asian Fusion: Have only been to Bhima’s Warung once, I think. Was good.
  • Bahn Mi: Givral Deli near Kitchener Market has excellent banh mi with crispy bread and the right fillings.
  • Dim Sum: had one (of one) good experience at Sam’s Chinese Kitchen on Victoria. We prefer carts, but they’re rare in Ontario. Nevertheless, it was good, had as many Asian-looking patrons as one might hope for, and has much less of a line than Cameron (which is fine, but popular. And who wants to wait in line?).
  • Pho: at my place; or else at Pho Dau Bo, two locations
  • Other Vietnamese: Wooden Boat Food Company [Jan 2021]
  • Sushi: Watami in uptown Waterloo is good; Kinkaku in downtown Kitchener used to be really good izakaya but got AYCE’d :( [edited Jan 2021]
  • Thai: Northern Thai excellent
  • Indian: Empress of India; Amaya Express; haven’t been to Masala Bay in a long time but it was good.
  • BBQ: Hog Tails (out west) / Lancaster Smokehouse
  • Caribbean: Rainbow Caribbean Cuisine; plus a place at the Kitchener Market has the best Jamaican patties ever [Jan 2021: ha, now I’ve made some which are good too]
  • Salvadoran: Guanaquita excellent
  • Bagels: no endorsement of Woodfire Bagels but it looks promising
  • Croissants: Ambrosia—they won a taste test (but opening hours are restricted) [edit Jan 2021: last I’m aware they had moved to being Ambrosia Bakery near downtown Kitchener and were no longer making croissants; try Ghost Light Cafe]
  • Catch-all: we liked Hungry Ninja; Uptown 21 was good; Taco Farm used to be really good but I had a so-so experience there recently (unripe avocadoes).