Brunch is a typical weekend (or weekday) outing for many students. However, the most difficult part when it comes to planning is choosing where to eat. If you want to avoid ending up somewhere with subpar food, use my personal list to guarantee that you find your next go-to brunch spot in Guelph.
1. Eggcetra
If variety is what you’re looking for in a brunch spot in Guelph, this place is for you. They offer countless menu items including many different types of waffles, pancakes, and eggs benedicts.
The food is served in generous portions so be sure to come hungry with an empty stomach. They offer breakfast and brunch menu items every day of the week so you can get your brunch fix any time you want. To top that off, the service here is egg-cellent (pun intended) which ensures that you have a good time at the restaurant.
2. Vienna Restaurant
This restaurant is located in the heart of downtown Guelph and has a good selection of savoury and sweet brunch options such as waffles, pancakes, omelettes, benedicts as well as the standard eggs and bacon breakfast plate.
The seating area itself is similar to that of a small-town diner giving it a somewhat cosy vibe. The prices of the food range from about $7-12 which is very reasonable. The portion sizes given on this establishment are also very generous which is great since it ensures you get value for what you paid for. Of course, the food itself also tastes great. They also offer brunch and breakfast items every day of the week until 3 pm (2 pm on Sundays) and were even named the best restaurant for breakfast in Guelph in 2016!
3. 39 Carden Street
This brunch spot in Guelph always has creative options that you don’t see on typical brunch menus such as steak and eggs, a breakfast burger or eggs in a nest—all written on their unique chalkboard menu.
This is definitely the restaurant to visit if you’re in the mood for something new and adventurous compared to the standard omelette.
The service here is always great, the restaurant is nicely decorated and, in warmer months, they also have outdoor seating, making the overall experience here very enjoyable. This restaurant is a little bit fancier than the other locations on this list and slightly more expensive but the prices are still not too bad, given that most menu items are about $12 and go up to $17.
4. Cornerstone
Vegetarians and vegans can rejoice as everything on the menu here is either vegetarian or vegan friendly. Having said that, this doesn’t mean that meat eaters won’t enjoy the food at this somewhat-hipster restaurant.
Their food is so good you won’t even miss the meat. They have menu items like Huevos Rancheros, Migas, fancy omelettes, and bagel specials paired with friendly service. They serve brunch here from 8am-11am during Monday-Friday and from 9am-2pm on the weekends, so there’s no excuse not to try this place!
5. Symposium Café
Symposium café offers a pretty standard breakfast and brunch menu including items such as omelettes, waffles, and benedicts.
They also have a special early bird breakfast deal on weekdays until 11 am which allows you to pick from 6 meal options for less than $10 that all include your choice of coffee or tea—perfect for the broke student. The location of this restaurant is excellent given that it is the only one on this list within walking distance of the university.
Never again will you have to wander pointlessly downtown looking for a restaurant that serves brunch – keep the places on this list in mind and you should be good to go the next time you’re in the mood for brunch in Guelph.