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-Thu 8:00am-12:00am, Fri-Sat 8:00am-1:00am, Sun 9:00am-12:00am.
Categories: Vegan-friendly, Lacto, Ovo, Take-out
21 Reviews
First Review by pheonix
Contributions +22
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!
Pros: All vegetarian cafe with numerous marked vegan opt, Scrambled tofu an option instead of eggs.
Contributions +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.
Pros: Location, Environment, Great food
Contributions +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!
Contributions +45
Cornerstone - Edit
Awesome tofu scramble and vegan huevoros rancheros
Contributions +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.
Contributions +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.
Updated from previous review on 2017-01-13
Pros: consistently delicious food, Local beer, Outdoor seating in summer
Cons: Occasionally super hot inside
Contributions +236
rueban - Edit
The 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
Contributions +27
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.
My 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
Contributions +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.
Pros: good selection of vegan food, relaxed atmosphere
Contributions +24
Service Needs Revamping - Edit
The food at The Cornerstone was okay. The service was not great. Our server did not check on us regularly. In fact, she leaned on the counter, talked to the other staff and tried very hard it seemed to avoid eye contact. Water was not refilled and I actually had to call out to get someone to come over to us for a water refill.
Pros: Daily Specials
Cons: Bad Service, Not Enough Vegan Choices, Too expensive for what you get.
Contributions +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.
Pros: Good food
Cons: Bad service, Messy location, Small
Contributions +34
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.
I 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
Contributions +57
Cornering the market by being the only competitor - Edit
I come to bury Cornerstone not to praise it......... *joke*
I 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.
Contributions +1195
Utopia - Edit
Local Draft Beer & 100% Vegetarian. What could be sweeter (100% vegan maybe, but we can all dream)?
My 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.
Contributions +31
New favourite - Edit
The Cornerstone is a great vegetarian restaurant. I'm a vegan and have eaten the Pad Thai (mild version! Which is quite spicy, but if you don't mind a bit of kick it's perfect) the two times I've been. Absolutely delicious! The best vegan Pad Thai I've had. My friend got the chickpea burger and really enjoyed it. I had a few bites and I've got to say that it's the best chickpea burger I've ever had. I love, love love the atmosphere of the restaurant. It's really friendly and inviting, and it smells wonderful. Anyone would feel at home! My only complaint would be that there aren't enough vegan desserts. The chocolate cheesecake is good, but not the best I've ever had.
Pros: Great atmosphere , Delicious food
Cons: Not enough vegan desserts
1 Response
Vegan.Mamma 06 May 2016 - Warning I have just found out the Pad Thai is not Vegan :(
Contributions +47
My favourite place to eat in Guelph - Edit
I can't say enough good things about the Cornerstone. I've lived in Toronto for over three years now and every time I go to Guelph I eat at the Cornerstone as much as possible. A week ago we spent two days in Guelph and ate at the cornerstone three times-two brunches and one dinner.
While this is a vegetarian restaurant the majority of its clientele are not vegetarian. Cornerstone is best characterized as a restaurant that just happens to be vegetarian. Its definetly a great place to take non veg friends and family.
Don't let the small menu throw you off, everything is good. The brunch is fantastic. I am vegan and my partner is vegetarian. They always have a tofu scramble, toast (with vegan margarine) and potatoes meal available for vegans along with other vegan options. This past week i had a vegan quiche which was out of this world. My partner always has eggs and says they are always fresh and perfectly cooked. The brunch specials are always amazing.
While brunch is always great I actually prefer the regular lunch and dinner options. Our favourite (and something we get every time we are in Guelph) is the cornerstone club. Smoky tofu, avocado, lettuce, tomato and vegan chipotle mayo on the best bread i've ever had. I usually get no tomatoes and my partner gets cucumber subbed for tomatoes. This is by far our favourite vegetarian sandwich we've ever had anywhere.
My partner also loves the pad thai (brought back due to popular demand). Soups are always good and quite often vegan. My meat eating step father still talks about the curried egg sandwich he had and that oh so marvelous bread.
Everything on the menu is great-but do try the club sandwich pretty please. Deserts are also excellent-specially the tofu cheesecake. I really can't recommend Cornerstone enough. This place is loved my meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike. If you want a casual place to chat, grab a bite or have a great meal this is it. Also has a few patio tables in the summer which is great for afternoon or evening drinks. Do not miss if you are in Guelph.
Pros: food , atmosphere, bread
Cons: none
Contributions +48
Uncomfortable - Edit
The Cornerstone has a nice artsy cafe feel to it, definitely a plus. I decided to order the labeled VEGAN pizza, for which you can choose a variety of toppings. I ask the waiter if the pesto is a soy pesto, to which he responds sharply, it only has basil and olive oil in it. OK, last time I checked, pesto had cheese in it, but alright. I next asked about the mozzarella, on the yes, vegan labeled pizza, to which he proclaimed WE DO NOT HAVE SOY CHEESE! Fine with me dude. I was just asking. Learn to freaking label. Pizza was delicious though. I'll give them that.
Next day we came in again and ordered the hummus sampler, also labeled vegan. It comes with one side of sliced cucumbers and one side with sliced, BUTTERED bread. Great. That's just great. (I admit, the day way not going well, so I was a little pissy.) Eventually we found out that said butter was actually margarine. Thanks for telling us. Also, the West African peanut dish could too easily be recreated at home, especially considering the price.
Pros: Atmosphere, Varitey
Cons: Price, Labeling, Staff
Contributions +16
kind of a let down - Edit
We checked this place out after reading this sites reviews.
pros
We liked the eclectic vibe (no 2 forks the same, etc.)
We thought the club was good, but 8$ for a single sandwhich (regular sized), with no sides, was a bit too much to swallow. (remember its in guelph, not toronto)
Like the selection of local (toronto) brew pub beers on tap.
Liked the pad tai as it was the hottest we have ever had, Matt actually couldn't have more than 3 bites.
Cons
The Cake was "alright", not anywhere close to the accolades it recieved on this site. We've made better vegan cheese cake at home.
Not a tone of seating,we saw no board games, and were placed near the front and were cold. (In fairness it was the first snow of the year)
The menu was at first glance was exciting, but then we realized they also catered to vegetarians, a vegan spinach dip would be a great appetizer, it was of course vegetarian. Also the breakfast menu items are only availabe at breakfast, which is too bad as they sounded great.
Overall it was 3/5 and we will go back
Contributions +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.
Pros: tasty vegan fare, cool atmosphere, club sandwich
Cons: not the friendliest, not much live food
Contributions +316
yummy in my tummy - Edit
Cozy, friendly, bistro atmosphere. Delicious food. Awesome tofu chocoalte cheesecake, antijitos, and black bean burger. Daily specials.
It'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
Contributions +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' Butt 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.
Pros: Awesome decor, Good Value, Great service
Cons: Limited menu, Very small, Typical veggie fair
Link to this page from your site. Entry info .
Return to Guelph Vegetarian Restaurants & Health Food Store Listings
Business Owners, if you see an unfair review, read this.
Why was my review removed? - details / Review guidelines
Reviews are not endorsed by HappyCow - review terms
Has The Cornerstone closed, shut down, moved, or changed? Please use the Update Form.
This page has been viewed 9076 times.
Nearby Listings
View MorePierre's Poutine
Guelph Farmers' Market
Crafty Ramen
Guelph Caribbean Cuisine
Crust and Pie