A FISTFUL OF FLAVOUR: SHINING A LIGHT ON FIVE OF DOWNTOWN GUELPH’S FOODIE FAVOURITES
PREAMBLE & PHOTOS BY CHRIS TIESSEN
I’VE CALLED DOWNTOWN GUELPH HOME FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES NOW. MOVED HERE FROM KITCHENER FOR A PHD AND – LIKE SO MANY OTHER ROYAL CITY TRANSPLANTS – STAYED TO BUILD A LIFE. MY HOUSE IS IN THE CORE, AS IS MY OFFICE. I’M A FIVE-MINUTE WALK TO THE TRAIN STATION, A SEVEN-MINUTE WALK TO THE SLEEMAN CENTRE, A NINE-MINUTE WALK TO THE NEAREST CRAFT BREWERY, AND TEN MINUTES BY FOOT TO A MULTITUDE OF MAGNIFICENT FOODIE DESTINATIONS.
INDIE CAFÉS. A REVITALIZED FARMERS’ MARKET. WORLD-CLASS BUTCHERS AND BAKERS. REGION-LEADING GASTROPUBS. (I’M LOOKING AT YOU, BAKER STREET STATION AND THE WOOLY.) HECK, EVEN GUELPH’S DOWNTOWN HOTDOG CART – AROUND SINCE 1998 – IS A MUST-VISIT BANGER.
MY TOQUE PARTNER, CAI, LIVES JUST AS CLOSE TO ALL THESE AMENITIES – ALBEIT ON THE EXACT OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CORE. THIS MAKES DOWNTOWN FOOD SPOTS THE PERFECT PLACES FOR US TO MEET UP. GRAB A BITE. DRINK A PINT. DINE IN. TAKE OUT. TALK SHOP. NO MATTER HOW OFTEN WE EAT IN THE CORE TOGETHER, CAI AND I ARE ALWAYS AMAZED BY THE KILLER SELECTION: THE UP-AND-COMING SPOTS AND MORE ESTABLISHED JOINTS; THE GRAB-AND-GO GEMS AND SIT-DOWN, STAY-ALL-AFTERNOON-ON-THE-FRONT-PORCH LOCALS. (I’M STILL LOOKING AT YOU, BAKER STREET STATION AND THE WOOLY.)
FOR THIS ‘FOOD ISSUE’, CAI AND I DECIDED TO SHINE A LIGHT ON FIVE DOWNTOWN GUELPH FOOD SPOTS THAT HELP DEFINE THE ECLECTIC NATURE OF THE ROYAL CITY’S CULINARY SCENE. A BRAND-NEW BRITISH BAKERY THAT SERVES UP EXTRAVAGANT MEAT PIES. AN ESTABLISHED – AND EXTREMELY POPULAR – CAFÉ THAT DOUBLES AS A GALLERY. A CUPCAKERY WITH A KILLER VIBE. EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE VEGETARIAN (AND OPEN MIC) DESTINATION. AND THE AFOREMENTIONED HOT DOG CART.
THESE MAY NOT BE BAKER STREET STATION OR THE WOOLY, BUT THEY’RE CERTAINLY WORTH A VISIT. SO SEEK THEM OUT. GRAB A BITE OR A DRINK. OR BOTH.
