Cafe Pyrus

Love this place. We've been a few times now and loves everything we've gotten.

This is the first vegetarian/vegan friendly cafe I went to. I love how close it is to my house. The food is very good. I love the quiet environment. They have free WiFi. It is a great place to study too.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 1st and 2nd experiences at Cafe Pyrus! From out of town visiting, this was a pleasant surprise and new addition to the veg scene since we visited KW last.
Delicious vegan treats!
*not completely vegan, cafe does serve organic dairy as an option, but the focus is definitely vegan.

I could eat here 3 times a day. Every menu item is full of flavour and fresh ingredients!!

The Club is outstanding and most everything can be made gluten free if you ask.

Currently, Cafe Pyrus is the best vegetarian and vegan eatery in KW, with hearty and affordable meals.

Their house-made, vegan, peanut butter cookies are a treat and they have an arrangement of vegan cupcakes made by Fairly Frosted Cupcakes that are also worth more than just a ton of calories.

"the angry vegan" is their best sandwich, because you can add this extra old organic cheddar from a Québec cheese vendor - L'ancêtre.

Also, their feature soups are always delectable and the feature sandwiches are so good that I've always devoured them before thinking of sharing a picture of its awesome-ness with you, HappyCow reader. I will try harder for this, in the future.

T'il then - bon app!

My wife and I had dinner here recently on a Sunday evening. For the most part, we enjoyed our dinners, a veggieburger thingie and a vegan-not-really-cheese quesadilla. However, there wasn't anything really special about them. The desserts, a peanut-butter-and-chocolate scone and a chocolate doughnut, were disappointing. The iced coffee and iced chai were really nice.

Overall, I'd say it's a good alternative to scouring the menu at a general restaurant trying to find vegan or vegetarian options, but it's not worth going out of one's way to eat there.

LOVED IT! Got a gluten free wrap with hummus / spinach / & carrots. was great!...but was upset when i got a pickle and chips on the side.. haha maybe next time i'll say something ahead of time :') cause i'll be going again/
Updated from previous review on Monday January 27, 2014

I was staying in Kitchener-Waterloo to visit the University of Waterloo campus and I looked online for a vegan restaurant in town and found Cafe Pyrus. I went for breakfast with my mom and we were both thoroughly impressed with the menu options, our meal, the music, atmosphere, staff, price, and just about everything. I was very pleased to find that it is right across the street from one of the GRT stops and I am looking forward to visit Cafe Pyrus on a regular basis next year while at university.

Pros: location, variety of options, all vegan, inexpensive, staff, atmosphere, ect.

Go-to vegan restaurant in K-W. I recommend it highly. Super affordable and amazing staff. Food is always tasty. I'd recommend the rad thai and the club sandwich as my faves. The baked goods are always changing and are a great treat. Super relaxed roomy space. High quality coffee and tea. Regular hang out spot for me or place to go when you are hungry.

On second visit, was much less impressed. Food very average, at best.

Did notget a chance to eat there but stopped in for coffee and a scone and was very impressed. Nice cozy space with delicious coffee. Scone was solid too! Cant wait to try the weekend brunch!
Updated from previous review on Thursday March 08, 2012

Went here for the first time and had a chai shake (made w/ almond milk) and a g-f pb cookie. Both were delicious! Can't wait to go back and try some more of their foods. :) Their prices seem pretty reasonably, too.

For the most part I love Cafe Pyrus. Sometimes I love what I get...other times I'm not impressed at all. I will need to try more items to make a completely fait judgement. The drinks they offer are amazing though! Their version of a london fog made with almond milk is that best i've ever had :)

I've been going to Cafe Pyrus now for the past year and a half, and I have never had a bad experience! The coffee is incredible! And its great to be able to choose between different roasts! And the tea selection is just as good! The staff not only treat you like gold, but they pour and cook gold too.
All my life, I have been a Timmys drinkin', red meat eatin' son of a gun. But now, since Pyrus, I've realized what good food and drinks should taste like. I'm still a meat eater, but if there's any place that could convert me (and is VERY close to it), it would be Cafe Pyrus.
It's not very common for a new small business to have such a great impact in its community so early in its life. But they have, and continue to do so. They know what people want, and they provide it!
Be it a quiet place to read or surf the web (free WIFI and books/magazines/games), give bands a great music venue, hold gatherings/meetings/parties, or just to stare out their huge street side bay windows, Cafe Pyrus has what you need!
It's refreshing to know a place like this exists....finally! I look forward to being a customer of theirs for a long time!

I find Cafe Pyrus to be a quaint little cafe. Its in a great location and the prices are very reasonable. I would love it if they took a few more risks and experimented with more depth of flavors. The present the food very nicely but I found that they need to either add some more seasonings or invent some condiments for those who like more flavor to their food.

Vegan food is delicious! They knock themselves out to give you exactly what you need. Will go there as often as possible, great food, friendly, helpful staff, and the coffee, it's simply the best! Atmosphere is creative and changing, family with children friendly, old people friendly, relaxed living room/dining room, artwork new and exciting or occasionally not so great, but fun just the same. Highly recommended from a vegetarian of 35+ years.

This restrant is truely amazing, not only is the atmosphere calming and inviting but absolutely everything (and I mean everything) on the menu is amazing. I have never had a bad experience, th staff is always very kind and friendly. And the coffee is amazing! Fresh brewed and organic, not to mention delicious. I reccomend trying the super shake for sure, and the samoa cookie. As for a main meal, take your choice they always have fresh new specials every day and I am never disappointed. Defiantly take the time to visit this place, I promise it won't be your last

I was very disappointed with my experience at Pyrus. It was one of the worst experiences I have had at a restaurant (or in any other area of customer service.)
I went in search of some vegan baked goods to surprise my sister on her birthday. Since the options were limited, I tried to buy 8 little cookies but was told I could not as "that's like almost our whole stock of those cookies", asked if I could alternatively buy just a couple cookies (even though the original response made no sense to me, since they are in the business of selling cookies), and the girl then sighed and told me they were actually closed.
Since the door was open when I arrived and they had begun taking my order, I'm not sure how this could be the case. When, disappointed, I said I guess I would leave if it was too much trouble and the cash registers were already shut down, she explained to me that she might have been willing to help me if I had just wanted something easy, but since it had "kept getting more complicated" and I wanted "a lot more stuff" she changed her mind.
I am still pretty dumbfounded by this experience and I will definitely never go back! (on a brighter note, I did find a delicious chocolate orange muffin for my sis, down the street at another cafe where the staff were super friendly!)

High ceilings, couches, Valu Village furniture, board games, local art, grassroots event info all over. I immediately took a liking to this place.

My partner and I had the breakfast bake for $8. It came with bread and jam, tofu scramble with daiya cheese, fruit and two small tempeh sticks. Everything was cold. The scramble was much more veggie than tofu. Cheap tho.

I'd still come back if I lived here.

Wonderful is the word for Cafe Pyrus. I had a small birthday gathering of mostly carnivorous friends and family in October a few weeks after opening. Everyone agreed the food was absolutely delicious, the toasted sandwiches getting the best reviews. The chai lattes are lovely, creamy with dairy options for those who prefer it. The pastry chef who's in a couple times a week made us chocolate peanut butter cupcakes, quite an indulgence, half is more than enough. Staff have all been excellent and friendly. This is something to come to Kitchener for!

I have been meaning to try this place out since it opened. I didn't have time to hang out today but the interior is warm and inviting definitely not the sort of place that'll boot you out if you're hanging out with nothing but a cup of coffee.

I got a peppermint tea which was good but HOLY LIFTIN' was it ever hot, the first sip scorched my tongue and it was only suitable to drink after sitting with the top off for a good while.

I ordered "the grill" sandwich which was great and I'll definitely order again.

The food wasn't that great...and the baked goods were waaaay overpriced. Maybe next time will be better.

Raw mocha may not be an entirely accurate name as the coffee is still from roasted beans and the soy milk (or milk or almond) was still steamed; but the chocolate, oh the chocolate, made from ground cocoa, coconut cream, raw sugar---yummy. it did take forever to make and it wasn't on menu the next time I went; if you go make sure you ask for the RAW mocha, because they have a normal good, but average. Food seems a bit pricey, I have yet to try it.