Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Take-out
Offers daily specials, vegan desserts, take-out foods. Try the mushroom pate. Sit around play board games while you eat. Live music some days. Open Mon 9:30am-9:00pm, Wed-Fri 9:30am-9:00pm, Sat-Sun 9:30am-2:00pm, Sat 2:30pm-9:00pm, Sun 2:30pm-8:00pm.
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Last update on 22 Feb 2023 by Guest
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26 Reviews
First Review by pheonix
Sanja
Points +650
Rustic cafe in Guelph - Edit
This is a cute rustic style cafe/resto in the heart of Guelph, ON. Exposed stone walls with plenty of greenery creates a soothing environment. Plenty of vegan friendly options to choose from with knowledgeable staff.
Read morePros: Plenty of vegan options, Rustic interior design, Knowledgeable staff
Cons: Limited street parking
Guest
Bonnye72
Points +21
So very delicious - Edit
We were so happy to find this place while traveling-fresh-vegan -friendly
Read morePros: Good coffee, Cooked when ordered, Great ingredients
Guest
Bufuclay
Points +16
Microaggressive - Edit
If you are a racialized person, I highly suggest you find somewhere else to eat.
Read moreAlways thought maybe the servers here are from small towns and lack intercultural social skills, despite having LGBTQ* flags in the window, because of the weird interactions I have had with them. (Example: accusing me of stealing when I paid upfront.) Recently while ordering the server asked me if I wanted soy or oat milk for my drink, then proceeded to serve me cow’s milk with a smile.
Updated from previous review on 2024-02-16
Guest
nora1919
Points +96
A great spot - Edit
Cozy and great food! Definitely would go back
Read moreGuest
Vegan.
Points +89
Delicious lunch and coffee - Edit
My lunch was delicious with a satisfying portion size. I also ordered a latte and it was very good. I loved the hipster atmosphere and despite it being busy at the time I went in, the waitress was very friendly. I would strongly recommend.
Read morePros: Tons of vegan options, Very good oat latte, Friendly staff and atmosphere
Cons: Can get busy at times
Guest
KyleBayes
Points +38
Best pad Thai in town. - Edit
Everything I've had there (vegan) was top notch. Beautiful inside, lots of plants. The owners rock. Good beer too.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options. , 10/10 everything I've had there, Amazing owners and staff.
Cons: Not open 24/7, they need to sleep. , I'd go broke eating there EVERYDAY if I could. , I can't move in there.
Guest
talyaandmatt
Points +100
A Bit Disappointing - Edit
We were excited to try Cornerstone, however, the couple of times we have tried it, we left disappointed. The food is quite bland and uninspired. It does have many vegan options which is a great start, but unfortunately they lack flavour. It is also a bit dirty inside, so we prefer to dine outside even though the street side tables are quite loud. We found the service to be slow even though they weren’t busy at the times we visited.
Read morePros: Vegan Options Clearly Marked, Many Vegan Options
Cons: Flavourless, Slow Service, Not Very Clean
Guest
MaggieMullen-Branch
Points +42
Bummer - Edit
Went in and asked for the tofu scramble in the breakfast burrito instead of egg, and they said they couldn’t do that modification?? I was so dumbfounded haha, just put tofu instead of egg.
Read moreCons: Won’t do any modifications
Vegan.
They offered a very tasty tempeh breakfast burrito when I went in so maybe they're listening to the reviews on here?
Read moreGuest
Dancingbarefoot
Points +651
rueban - Edit
Update: I’ve changed my review from 4 to 2 stars. I’ve been here over 10 times and am always disappointed. The food is not that great (other than the Reuben). The food takes 40 minutes even when the place is almost empty. There is dust covering every surface and it floats through the air. I just tried the breakfast menu, ordered the tofu scramble and what I received was basically like stir fry with tiny tofu pieces in it, all I could taste was soy sauce. If you’re vegetarian you’ll probably like the food better, but as a vegan the options are just not worth it.
Read moreThe Rueban is amazing. I usually get tomato on it as well. It's the only thing we like on the menu though. Wish there were more vegan options. Staff are friendly but be prepared to get comfy, the food takes a long time.
Pros: staff is friendly, building is cool and historic
Cons: food takes a long time (40+ minutes), unclean (dust everywhere), food is so so
Guest
Wattsup
Points +383
Busy - Edit
One of those places where you need to be relaxed and open minded. Being busy there is a good sign. Need to make sure you mention you want vegan and not vegetarian if that’s your preference. Cafe style setting.
Read morePros: Very friendly staff
Cons: Pricey
Guest
aliev
Points +197
Great sandwiches - Edit
Love the Reuben & the Club sandwiches.
Read moreGuest
Sarahhhh
Points +44
Get the breakfast burrito!!! - Edit
The breakfast burrito was absolutely delicious - filled with black beans and marinated tempeh, full of flavour, toasted perfectly with a generous serving of fresh salad and a tasty dressing. My friends were very happy with their choices too (but mine definitely topped it). Service was fast and friendly, they checked in if we needed anything else like sauces etc, atmosphere is nice, spacious, sunny outdoor seating too. A must try!
Read morePros: All vegetarian cafe with numerous marked vegan opt, Scrambled tofu an option instead of eggs.
Guest
thomjorke
Points +21
One of my favourite places - Edit
I was a regular here coming in every weekend for their brunch or amazing pad thai. The vibe is super cool and they offer board games for you to play with and sometimes live shows.
Read morePros: Location, Environment, Great food
Guest
Sarinajw
Points +55
Cozy cafe gets better with time - Edit
Quirky vegetarian cafe with many vegan options has improved in the last year in terms of service and speed. The Reuben and newly-veganized pad thai are our favourites!
Read moreGuest
Wondermonkee
Points +57
Cornerstone - Edit
Awesome tofu scramble and vegan huevoros rancheros
Read moreGuest
AlexDePater
Points +15
always satisfied... with the food - Edit
have been going here for years. always impressed with the food. so many options and they always have different specials. the only con is because its such a small place the service can be hit or miss. I have been when there are good servers and bad and this doesnt necessarily mean if its busy it's slow - I have been when its quiet and yet still takes an hour for a sandwich. as long as youre patient you will enjoy.
Read moreGuest
Lr24
Points +24
Quirky and tasty - Edit
The cornerstone is a quirky little place with decent food, beer and weekend brunch. The staff is fun, and the simple vegetarian food is something that everyone can enjoy. The tempeh Reuben and every changing soup are always a safe bet. Definitely a Guelph staple.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2017-01-13
Pros: consistently delicious food, Local beer, Outdoor seating in summer
Cons: Occasionally super hot inside
Guest
Vegan.Mamma
Points +83
VEGANS BEWARE - Edit
I have mixed emotions about the Cornerstone in Guelph, food (until recently) has been good, service is awful and to be honest they never seem to want customers or care about satisfaction.
Read moreMy breaking point???? I have ordered the vegan pad thai twice now... and on my third order was cautioned "its vegan yes but only 99.99%" after further conversations learned Whey is the last ingredient in the sauce they use.
Now I have a severe mistrust for this restaurant, when I asked for a manager was told 'oh they know about it'?!?!?!
Updated from previous review on Friday May 06, 2016
Pros: Patio
Cons: call food Vegan when it is not , service , attitude
Guest
dorisrumours
Points +56
vegan pizza night - Edit
Thoroughly enjoyed our last meal at The Cornerstone. We shared a vegan pizza, which was delicious - a little on the spicy side but we like spice so that was good. We finished with dessert - a cowboy cookie and a pistachio cake with soy milk to drink, both very tasty vegan desserts. Really couldn't ask for more...a nice meal, relaxed atmosphere, friendly service.
Read morePros: good selection of vegan food, relaxed atmosphere
Guest
Carley
Points +36
Meh - Edit
The food was good, but it wasn't like outstanding, I fully enjoyed eating it, it wasn't gross by any means, but it was just mediocre. I found the service rude, It seemed like she had bigger and better things to do than serve me, i actually would not go back because I was quite offended by this.
Read morePros: Good food
Cons: Bad service, Messy location, Small
Guest
bovverbhoy
Points +54
the "local" - Edit
If it were a pub, it'd be the local. I have no problem stopping by for a good bite to eat on a fairly regular basis. You can pretty much always expect good food (would love more vegan), a sometimes crowded seating situation, fair value and service a bit on the slower side.
Read moreI like it best in warmer months when you can sit outside and enjoy the downtown atmosphere.
The Cornerstone might not blow your socks off but it shouldn't let you down either.
Pros: good food, local beer, location
Cons: slow-ish service
Guest
Soviet Canuckistan
Points +57
Cornering the market by being the only competitor - Edit
I come to bury Cornerstone not to praise it......... *joke*
Read moreI think the Cornerstone is a GOOD restaurant but it is so far south of great or excellent it's worth considering why.
Don't get me wrong some of the staff are good, most however are sort of all caps *DUH* type servers. I'm not going to pick on anyone in particular, but there are two who I keep chiefly in mind when I say that. I always seem to have the bad luck of going when they are there too. I've never had a bait and switch like one of the other reviewers described with cheese and margarine. I have however had orders get 'forgotten' one memorable time after 20 minutes being ignored on the patio and the beer I ordered never coming, I just said screw it and left.
Most of the food is quite good, but as someone said in relation to the Club, I for one find it a bit much paying $10 for The Tempeh Rueban which wasn't all that good.
Another thing that I think keeps them from the excellent category is they don't stray from their menu, EVER, it's been the same unchanging set in stone choices for the past year and a half I've gone there. I'm not saying reinvent the whole menu every few months but it'd be nice to see a bit of switching up from time to time.
If a more competent competitor opened up I do believe they could snatch up a lot of the people like me who go there simply because there is no real alternative.
Guest
Ken4057
Points +1200
Utopia - Edit
Local Draft Beer & 100% Vegetarian. What could be sweeter (100% vegan maybe, but we can all dream)?
Read moreMy lady friend and I came here for brunch AND dinner and drinks during our day trip to Guelph. That's how much we loved it.
For brunch we had the huevos rancheros and scrambled tofu. the scrambled tofu was mostly veggies and very little actual tofu, but I needed it to recover from the night before, so that was okay. The toast was perfection, covered with margarine, which made the dish (it's the little things that matter), and the roasted potatoes weren't too bad. The heuvos rancheros were hearty, but needed some heavy spicing. Lots of salad made it a pretty healthy first meal.
For dinner we had the tempeh reuben and 'pad thai'. I loved the 'pad thai', which was a veggie stir fry with rice noodles in a sweet, brothy soy/sesame oil sauce. Nothing remotely pad thai about it other than the noodles. I guess it's a Guelph thing. Very tasty though and generously portioned. The reuben was perfection: thick, juicy, with lots of textures and flavours. I would eat it every day if left to my own devices.
The real draw to The Cornerstone is the staff, atmosphere and clientele. The staff are friendly and with it, the building is all beautiful stonework and woodwork, and the community is student-based and artsy, but not hipstery, thank jebus. They have music on Sunday evenings.
I could live here, seriously. 7 stars out of 5.
Guest
dbowland
Points +61
Great to see more Vegan Food! - Edit
We really enjoyed the food and we were just happy to find another restaurant with real vegan food! And it was a nice place with good tasting food to boot! My TOP recommendation is the club sandwich. It totally rocks. The bean dip and bean burrito were good and the chili was good but a bit thick. My wife raved about the tofu chocolate cheese cake and she loves her cheesecake. One server was awesome and the other not so awesome. But we loved it and are just thankful for the place even existing.
Read morePros: tasty vegan fare, cool atmosphere, club sandwich
Cons: not the friendliest, not much live food
Guest
veggiewoman
Points +374
yummy in my tummy - Edit
Cozy, friendly, bistro atmosphere. Delicious food. Awesome tofu chocoalte cheesecake, antijitos, and black bean burger. Daily specials.
Read moreIt's not just a hippie hangout, a lot of people seem to overuse that word in Guelph. It is my favourite place to eat in Guelph by far. Great place to take non-vegetarians as well.
Pros: cozy, delicious, unique food
Cons: small breakfast menu
Guest
pheonix
Points +59
Solid as a rock - Edit
I was recently visiting Guelph and decided to stop in at the cornerstone after hearing so much about it. While it looks like a fancy bistro outside, inside it's a small bustling place with hippies abound. The age group is university (19-25). My waitress was very helpful. At first, the menu was disenchanting and seemed small. Don't be fooled, take a good look. Mostly college fare. Gilled cheese, hummus, pizza. I had the burrito. It was huge and like most other things came with a side salad. I think from now on I'll call this burrito the "Burnin' [censored] Burrito" because I could only eat half due to spice (8/10 jalapeneos). The side salad looked good but I couldn't eat it because of this cabbage stuff. The dressing was lovely though. There was also a tomato paste paste thing on my plate. Very good stuff. The tofu (vegan) chocolate cheese cake gave me wicked cramps but was worth it for the few minutes of pure indulgence. Check out the strange bathroom arrangement. I like it.
Read morePros: Awesome decor, Good Value, Great service
Cons: Limited menu, Very small, Typical veggie fair
Guest
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