by Andrew Coppolino | December 2024
No matter the season there’s always a lot to do in Waterloo Region. And, if you’re looking for date night ideas to escape the cold weather, here are a few suggestions to check out.
The list is curated into five categories that include dining, games, trains, music, and even ideas for a daytime date! Be sure to check with individual venues for hours of opening and reservation/ticketing details.
Dining with history and ambiance
Enjoy a beverage by the wood burning fireplace in the north terrace at the Cambridge Mill. This five storey building was the former Dickson Mill – a 19th century limestone gristmill built in 1844 – and is perched on the edge of the beautiful Grand River (enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views!) The menu at the Cambridge Mill offers weekly features and dinners from pasta and risotto to a range of proteins, including trout, braised short rib and lamb.
In season, you might even be able to spot a pair of herons on the Grand from the Mill’s riverside terrace! In fact, they’ve inspired “The Heron Hour,” a happy hour (that’s actually two herons long) that takes place every Wednesday to Friday from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. featuring a two-course meal with a wine-pairing option. Tuesday night at the Cambridge Mill features live music with half-price wines by the glass in the north terrace.
A few blocks away, in a very cool new development dubbed The Gaslight District, you can “wake the fun up” at Foundry Tavern – a popular meeting place for friends and couples for a night out. Wander through the expansive public square and see what’s being played on the massive outdoor screen (the largest outdoor screen in Canada). Inside the restaurant, there’s a casual dining room with stone, timber, floor-to-ceiling windows and Edison bulbs creating the vibe; a short hallway leads to a bar area with inventive cocktails and a dozen or so Foundry Brewing Co. beers. There’s a late-night menu too for those late night date nights!
In the dining room at Janet Lynn’s Bistro, there’s a warm, rustic ambiance thanks to polished stainless steel and an exposed brick-and-beam character. In the kitchen, Saturday visits to local farmers’ markets mean fresh produce and ingredients that drive a changing menu for contemporary classic bistro fare. A local favourite, Janet Lynn’s Bistro is a landmark restaurant in Belmont Village that has been welcoming couples for almost 40 years.
I like to imagine the introduction at this date night location: “Welcome to the Bond. Jane Bond.” The Jane Bond is a long-standing “retro haunt” music venue with an underground vibe and a vegetarian menu that serves up inventive dishes, including jalapeño popper grilled cheese with tofu bacon to accompany a wide range of unique beers and cocktails. (Note: if you want to enjoy a date night at home, Jane Bond also offers take out – perfect for a quiet, cozy night together where no one has to cook!)
Another date night favourite is Public Kitchen and Bar, launched by veteran local restaurateurs chef Ryan Murphy and Carly Blasutti. This popular restaurant has expanded to a larger space with eclectic decor – and the same great taste. Public offers a perfect format for sharing: tapas, and a wide selection of small plates (but also offering raw dishes and “bigger plates” if you’d prefer your own dish). Stop by early and take in happy hour from 4 p.m.– 6 p.m.
Games and snackification ideas
Waterloo’s Games on Tap Board Game Café offers over 1,000 games and features trivia nights. Local beers, ciders, wines, cocktails and beverages from the espresso bar are available to pair with a casual food menu that includes snacks and shareables, flatbread pizza and pressed sandwiches. Does your date have special food requirements? Games on Tap has both plant-based and gluten-free choices available. Check their website for information about board game and trivia night reservations.
Call it the “20-12” rule at AOK Craft Beer and Arcade in the heart of downtown Kitchener where they feature more than 20 retro games and 12 rotating craft beer taps. If what they call “crushable” craft beer from local brewers and those from afar aren’t for you, there are signature cocktails and mocktails. Items to munch – called Bits ‘n’ Bytes – include corn dogs, popcorn and local favourites including wood-fired pizza from Those Pizza Guys in St. Jacobs and warm jumbo pretzels with honey mustard (or warm queso) for dipping from Grainharvest Breadhouse (makers of the official Oktoberfest pretzels!) There’s a “candy flight” too: it’s like a beer flight (but much sweeter!)
“Eat, drink, role the dice, and be merry” Just a few blocks away from AOK, The Adventurer’s Guild Board Game Café and Tavern is chock full of fun for everyone with 2,000 different games to choose from. Guild staff can prepare hot or cold drinks for you: everything from espresso shots to local craft beer – including a seasonal classic called “Dwarven Stout” from Chronicle Brewing. Munch on personal-size pretzel pizzas, waffles and lots of sweet treat options. The Guild is proud of their milkshakes – including their beer shake! Check their online calendar for special events.
For the competitive couple, step up to the mark, bend your elbow, toss and follow through! No, you won’t be sipping a pint, you’ll be throwing an axe at Lumberjacks Axe Throwing in Cambridge. They also offer archery and an escape room. Walk in or book an hour’s worth of throwing-for-two online. And, Thursday nights is Lumberjack’s Date Night special – 1 hour of fun for just $65.99 per couple! Two taps with Cambridge’s Jackass Brewing and a small assortment of chips, chocolate and candy are also available. Reservations recommended.
(DYK that a properly thrown axe only rotates once before hitting the target? It’s true!)
No planes but there is a train
Looking for a special holiday date night idea? Then it’s “All aboard!” for the “Festive Feast on the Rails” with Chef D and Waterloo Central Railway departing December 23. Or, you can join Santa for a nightcap (it’s true: Santa occasionally enjoys beverages other than milk, but don’t tell any kids!) Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. throughout December. The nightcap ticket includes the one-hour train journey from St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market to Elmira and return, a holiday spice-inspired “Gingerbread Mule” cocktail by Willibald Farm Distillery and Brewery, a snack from Santa and a take home treat. Additional beverages are available for purchase.
Waterloo Central Railway offers vintage train rides through Waterloo Region’s scenic countryside throughout the year: check the website for days and times, and for special themed train rides too.
Melodies and munchies
If the two of you enjoy music, check out Uptown Waterloo’s White Rabbit. Jake Brenneman does an acoustic set the last Wednesday of every month, and Thursdays are reserved for funk and soul with DJ White Gold. Both start at 9 p.m. White Rabbit also has Saturday afternoon matinees featuring Mike Todd.
You can enjoy a beverage while you take in the music. There’s a huge back bar where both of you can choose a drink from their impressive “Bar Bible” (Book of Whisky, Book of Single Malt, Book of Tequila, and so on). There’s also a menu of shareables, tacos, salads and mains. Tuesdays feature tequila, while Wednesday is charcuterie board night – perfect for date night!
Near White Rabbit is the The Jazz Room , now in its 14th season. Located in the Huether Hotel, great jazz is on the menu Friday and Saturday nights from September to June and for special matinee performances. The Jazz Room offers table service for the bar and for food prepared in the Huether’s Barley Works kitchen: a full range of pub-style dishes, from nachos and pizza to fish and chips and even wiener schnitzel!
The music lineup for Thursdays and Saturdays is booked until December 28 at Scran and Drum Scottish Public House in New Hamburg. There’s live music, music bingo and karaoke with prizes to be won. The kitchen specializes in “Yer” options (say it with a Scots burr): “Yer Mains” (from chickpea korma to duck confit), “Yer Sannies” (from falafel wrap to a ploughman’s toastie) and “Yer Puddin’ ’” (including the sticky toffee variety). Scran and Dram’s comfortable atmosphere, good laughs, rare drinks, live music and delicious food make it a fun date night experience!
The re-emergence of The Boathouse in Kitchener’s Victoria Park has received a lot of buzz and its totally re-vamped location is just waiting to welcome you and make your next date night a special one! Once a pillar of the region’s music scene, The Boathouse is back with extensive renovations, musical acts, and locally sourced food and beverage options that include corndogs and local mushrooms in tempura to chicken and dumplings and a yam and smoked portobello tart. This winter, you can gaze at the winter wonderland outside The Boathouse while anticipating a return visit in the spring to experience the gorgeous huge patio that extends over Victoria Park lake!)
Daytime date ideas
Perhaps a day date is in order! Why not check out one of Waterloo Region’s farmers’ markets – they’re more than just amazing sources of local food. Do a little shopping together and discover arts, crafts, craft beverages – and yes, you can extend your date day into the evening by picking up the ingredients you’ll need to make dinner at home later!
The Cambridge Farmers’ Market in historic Galt City Centre is open year-round on Saturdays. It’s one of the oldest farmers’ markets in Canada, and has been operating since 1830. The vendors sell a variety of local products, including fresh meats and seafood, baked goods, cheeses, Ethnic foods and homemade crafts.
There are nearly a dozen food-hall vendors upstairs at the Kitchener Market – with a variety of international cuisines, from cabbage rolls to curried goat – so you can plan out your own self-curated mini-food tour under one roof. The Kitchener Market is open Tuesday to Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.. The Kitchener Market also offers a full calendar of events: their hands-on cooking classes could be a great date day option!
A few minutes’ drive away in Woolwich Township is the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market. Along with rows of vendors selling all sorts of local produce, the market has nearly three dozen eateries where you can purchase prepared foods that include Vietnamese dishes, dumplings, roti, Argentine empanadas and Portuguese custard tarts as well good ol’ Waterloo Region fare like apple fritters, schnitzel and peameal sandwiches. Wander the charming amenities, nibble and relax in the market’s casual energy. You could even book the market’s Food Tour – ideal for food lovers, history buffs, or anyone wanting a behind-the-scenes look at Canada’s largest year-round farmers’ market!
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Writer Andrew Coppolino was the food columnist for CBC-KW Radio (2013-2024) and Metroland newspapers. The author of Farm to Table (Swan Parade Press) and co-author of Cooking with Shakespeare (Greenwood Press), he was the 2022 Joseph Hoare Gastronomic Writer-in-Residence at the Stratford Chefs School. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @andrewcoppolino.