Kitchener is a great city for sourcing local foods. Given that you can find farmland not ten minutes outside of the city in any direction, residents can have their pick of local foods. Whether you source it from a farmers market, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Share, grocery store or restaurant, it’s easy to eat local in Kitchener.
Kitchener Market (300 King St. East)
An institution in the city, the Kitchener Market has been open for more than 130 years. It is among the oldest consistently operating markets in all of Canada. Along with the fresh, farm-grown foods, there’s also some great international cuisine. If you work in downtown Kitchener, wander over to the farmer’s market for lunch. There’s an awesome International Food Court that’s open Tuesday-Friday. On Saturdays the space turns into a full-on farmer’s market on the lower level and Artisans and Crafters on the upper level.
Offerings: Fruits, vegetables, bread, preserves, honey, organic products, dairy, specialty foods and cooking classes.
Upper Level Market Vendors (upper level)
Tuesday to Friday, 9am to 5pm & Saturday, 7am to 2pm
Farmers' Market (lower level)
Saturdays, 7 am to 2pm
Waterloo Square Market (75 King St. S)
Kicking off in June, the Uptown Market in the Waterloo Town Square is held on Thursday afternoons.
Offerings: local produce, baked treats and artisanal cheese. Also features kids’ entertainment and local musicians. CSA Farmers also have weekly pickups from the square.
Thursdays 3-7 pm
St. Jacob’s Farmers Market (878 Weber Street North, Waterloo)
Visit Canada’s largest year-round farmer’s market on Thursdays and Saturdays. This is a great place to source Mennonite and farm-grown and produced fruits and veggies during the summer and fall months. Spanning between two large buildings, a sizeable outdoor market and stockyards, there’s literally a bit of everything
Offering: regional specialities, summer sausage and apple fritters, international foods, local growers, Old Order Mennonite produce and preserves, maple syrup and plants.
Thursday and Saturdays (and Tuesdays in the summer) 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
Community Gardens
Within the city of Kitchener there are more than 18 community gardens maintained by various community garden groups. Why not join in? The plots of these gardens are provided by the city for public use, and you can even contact the city for funding to start your own. For more information, please contact Tim Wolfe at 519-741-2600, ext. 4173.
Food Link Waterloo Region
Food Link Waterloo Region is an awesome non-profit that exists to connect residents in Waterloo Region to local food. The organization has a comprehensive online directory that lets users plan to shop and dine on local food. Check out the custom map guide for farms and local food outlets across Kitchener, Waterloo and surrounding community.
Offerings: Covers farms, organic food, restaurants, caterers, CSA deliveries, u-pick and wholesale
Where are your favourite spots to purchase local foods? Do you know of a great restaurant that incorporates local food in their menu? Leave your comments below.
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