People think of Kitchener-Waterloo as a tech hub — home to the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier, a booming startup scene, and Google’s Canadian headquarters. What they don’t always realize is that KW has a nightlife scene that punches above its weight.
Uptown Waterloo is the cocktail bar district — walkable, increasingly sophisticated, and home to a growing number of venues with serious craft programs. As the tech money has flowed in, so have higher-end bars and restaurants that know their audience.
King Street in Kitchener has its own energy — the downtown Kitchener corridor has developed considerably in recent years, with new venues sitting alongside long-established institutions. Encore Nightclub and venues in the Kitchener downtown core deliver proper club experiences for a crowd that includes students, young professionals, and the tech cohort.
The Aud (Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex) and Centre in the Square bring larger concert and event energy to the region, which drives nightlife activity in the surrounding area on show nights.
KW is a 1.5-hour drive from Toronto, which makes it viable for a weekend getaway. The cost of a night out here is noticeably lower than Toronto, which is its own kind of appeal.