Waterloo Region food guide: St. Jacobs market, Kitchener Market and Mennonite country

Waterloo Region, in southwestern Ontario about an hour and a half from Toronto, includes the twin cities of Kitchener and Waterloo, Cambridge and the farm villages around them. It has a German and Mennonite heritage, a university and tech population and some of Ontario's best-loved farmers markets. A day trip works well, and so does a weekend.

What is the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market?

The St. Jacobs Farmers' Market, near the village of St. Jacobs north of Waterloo, is a large year-round market. Its official site lists Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the year, with an additional Tuesday market in summer. Saturday hours are longer than Thursday's. Check the market's page for the current times, since they are adjusted.

The market sells produce, meat, cheese, maple syrup, honey, preserves, baking and prepared food from many cultures. The region has one of the largest populations of Old Order Mennonites in Canada, and you may see families arriving by horse and buggy. The Old Order Mennonites do not use cars or electricity in many cases, and visitors should photograph people only with their consent, since many object.

What should you eat at the market?

Look for:

• Farm sausages and smoked meats. The region's German heritage shows here.
• Baking. Pies, tarts, bread and cookies from Mennonite bakers, including fruit pies and butter tarts.
• Fritters and apple cider. Fresh apple fritters are a market classic.
• Fresh produce. In season, corn, tomatoes, strawberries and peaches.
• Cheese and maple syrup. Often sold directly by the producer.
• Prepared food from many cultures, a sign of the region's immigration.

Arrive early on Saturday, since the best baking can sell out and parking fills.

What is the Kitchener Market?

The Kitchener Market, in the downtown core, runs on Saturdays through the year. Check its page for the current building and vendor arrangements. It is smaller than St. Jacobs, easier to reach without a car and popular with locals. A Saturday visit lets you see a different side of the region, with more international food.

Is Oktoberfest a food event?

Kitchener-Waterloo's Oktoberfest, held in October, is a big festival known for beer halls, parades and German-style food: sausages, schnitzel, pretzels, sauerkraut and strudel. If you plan to attend, check dates and book accommodation early. The rest of the year, a few German restaurants and delis keep the tradition going.

What else is there?

Waterloo has a university crowd and a lively café culture. Kitchener's downtown has restaurants, breweries and a farmers market. Cambridge, to the south, has a historic mill district. The countryside around St. Jacobs has farm stands, bakeries and shops selling quilts and crafts. Many shops in Mennonite areas close on Sundays.

How do you get around?

A car is the easiest way to visit St. Jacobs and the farm country. Within Kitchener-Waterloo, a light rail line connects the two cities, and buses link to the market on some days. GO Transit trains and buses run from Toronto. Check schedules.

How much does it cost?

Market food is reasonably priced, and baking is cheap. At restaurants, Ontario's HST of 13 percent applies, and a 15 to 20 percent tip on the pre-tax bill is the norm for table service. Many market stalls take cash only or prefer it, so carry some.

Where can you eat in Waterloo and Kitchener?

Uptown Waterloo, around King Street, has cafés, pubs and restaurants that cater to students and the tech workforce, with more variety than you might expect for a city of its size. Downtown Kitchener has a mix of breweries, bakeries and restaurants, and a few German delis. Because the universities and technology firms draw people from around the world, you can find Indian, Korean, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern and Latin American food within a short drive. Many places are busiest at lunchtime on weekdays, and quieter in summer when students leave.

A day trip plan

1. Leave early for St. Jacobs on a Saturday.
2. Spend the morning at the market and buy lunch there.
3. Drive through the farm country, stopping at a stand.
4. Finish in Waterloo or Kitchener for dinner at a local restaurant.

Eating your way across Ontario? The Food in Ontario page links every town we cover.

How do you keep a market day organized?

A day that mixes St. Jacobs, the Kitchener Market and a town lunch produces a lot of tastes to forget. In the Mosey app, rate each thing you buy or eat by name, from the pie to the pretzel, and add tags such as Market Stall, Farm Producer or Bakery so you can find the same kind of stall again. Start a list called Waterloo Region days, add each stop with a note on what you would buy twice and share the invite link with whoever shares the car.

Friends' picks on the map shows where the people you follow have rated or saved places, which is a good way to plan a second trip around a friend's favourite stall rather than a guess.

More guides to read next:

• Credit card surcharges at Canadian restaurants: what you must be told and what you can refuse
• Restaurant gift cards in Ontario and BC: expiry dates, fees and what to check before you buy
• Nanaimo, BC food guide: Nanaimo bars, the harbour and where to eat

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.

At the end of your market day, open the Mosey app and rate the thing you ate first.