PLACES TO EAT ALONG THE GRAND RIVER IN WATERLOO REGION

The Grand River snakes around the eastern edge of Kitchener Waterloo. Unlike Cambridge, where the city of Galt grew up on the banks of the Grand River near Shade’s Mill, Kitchener and Waterloo were powered by Schneider Creek and Laurel Creek, modest tributaries of the Grand. Urban development is only just reaching the edge of the flood plain and there are few places to eat along the river in KW.

If you start your paddling expedition in West Montrose, stock up on provisions to make a picnic at Lost Acre Variety, an old fashioned general store featuring Mennonite home baking at the north end of the covered bridge.

Once you get to the access point at Bridgeport, walk up the ramp to Bridge St E. Turn L and cross the bridge over the Grand River and turn L at the roundabout and walk up Lancaster St W. There are several restaurants with 1 km of the bridge: Golf's Steak House & Seafood,; Lancaster SmokeHouse;and a unique fusion of pizza, bagels and curry, Woodfired Café and Bakecurry. The Bingeman’s access point is close to a Boston Pizza and the Waterloo Brewing Company.

In contrast, in Cambridge there are many restaurants within easy reach of the Grand River. Park your vessel at the Riverbluffs Park Access Point and walk downstream past the dam to Parkhill Rd W. Follow the instructions for the Walking Tour of Downtown Galt, and pass numerous cafés, restaurants and pubs, on either side of the river.

PLACES TO EAT ALONG THE GRAND TRAIL IN WATERLOO REGION AND GUELPH

The hiking and cycling route of the Grand Trail passes through numerous communities, from tiny villages to large urban centres. From north to south, you will find plenty of interesting places to take a break for lunch or a snack, and to eat, drink and enjoy your evening after a day of hiking or biking.

The trail passes along the Kissing Bridge Trailway between West Montrose and Wallenstein. Where the trail crosses Arthur St N, turn south and walk into the town of Elmira, home of the annual Maple Syrup Festival in the spring. There are several restaurants along Arthur St.

The next community along the trail is the village of St Jacobs, famous for its preserved historic buildings. Look for unique hand-made gifts at the restored St Jacobs Mill and along King St N. Enjoy lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants on King St.

From St Jacobs, the trail continues to the St Jacobs Market, on the outskirts of Waterloo. On market days, you will find plenty of booths selling an ethnically diverse range of dishes. Otherwise, continue on the trail into Waterloo. The trail passes through the University of Waterloo. If you are hungry, turn east onto University Ave W. The 2 plazas on the corner of Philip St have a wide variety of fast food that satisfy students’ hunger without breaking their pocketbooks.

After the University of Waterloo, the next stop after Waterloo Park, is Uptown Waterloo. To get to the centre of town, turn east off the trail at Caroline St and Erb St W. Walk one block to the centre of town at Erb St W and King St. You will find plenty of restaurants if you walk in either direction along King St.

Then continue along the multi-use trail beside Seagram’s warehouse and follow the signs onto the Iron Horse Trail. This passes behind Belmont Village, a small enclave in Kitchener, known for its emphasis on dining well. Then, where the trail crosses Victoria St, it passes behind the City Café (cash only) and Golden Dynasty Restaurant.

After this the trail continues beside Victoria Park. If you are hungry, take a detour through the park to downtown Kitchener and find your choice of restaurants. After this, you will find the occasional fast food restaurant and pub as you progress along the trail through Kitchener. After crossing the 401 in Cambridge, enjoy a beautiful ride on a multi-use trail on the west bank of the Grand River. Once you get to Parkhill Rd W, you can take the route of the Walking Tour of Downtown Galt on either side of the river and find a myriad of dining choices.

From Cambridge, the trail proceeds along the Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail, along the edge of the Grand River. The next stop is the small town of Paris, another food lovers paradise.

Alternatively, if you are taking the Multi-Day Bike Tour of Waterloo Region and Guelph after you cross Hwy 401 to Blair, in Cambridge, the route crosses the Grand River and you cycle up the Speed River through Riverside Park in Cambridge to Hespeler, one of the 3 towns that were amalgamated to create Cambridge. The Mill Run Trail ends at Guelph Ave. To get to the centre of town, turn south onto Guelph Ave and cross the Speed River. There are several restaurants in both directions on Queen St.

From Hespeler, the route proceeds through the countryside to Guelph. As you cross the Speed River into downtown Guelph note the Boathouse Tea Room and Speed River Paddling beside the River on Gordon St. The trail crosses the Speed River to the opposite bank. When it reaches Wyndham St S, it continues north on the downtown trail. If you are hungry continue along Wyndham St S to MacDonell St. There are numerous excellent restaurants and pubs in this area in the historic centre of Guelph. From here, the trail proceeds through Guelph parks to Woodlawn Rd W, where there are several fast food restaurants. The final section of the tour runs along the Kissing Bridge Trailway back to West Montrose.