The Cornerstone

I love this place for breakfast and brunch. It has a nice atmosphere. The service is SLOW. Not just regular slow… extremely slow. Im not exactly sure why management has not figured this out yet, or if they really even care.
It would be nice to go to the cornerstone and feel appreciated as a customer by the staff, I really enjoy the food but am always so reluctant because it takes 20 minutes just to get a water even when the restaurant isnt very full.
Like I said, I do love this place in a lot of ways, the food is very good, but the service is so hit and miss that Im often reluctant to even bother because you never know if your breakfast will take a full hour to get to your table.

Relaxed environment, small, unique menu that caters to vegans and omnivores alike. Really good food no matter what you order.

Cool place to hang out and grab a coffee, but took forever to get our food. Found a hair in my breakfast burrito. They had no problem taking it off the bill and otherwise looked good. I’d recommend just getting some kind of coffee or tea with a cookie or something.
The crowd is sort of university hipsteresque, so expect a lot of people in that age range and atmosphere. Decent pricing.

Pretty good breakfast considering its vegan. I’m not usually one to visit these places but I was pleasantly surprised. Worth giving it a shot.

We have been to this restaurant before and would give it 4 stars — losing 1 for cold near the front windows. Lost another 2 stars today for the awful collapsed $ 12.75 pancakes (after 45 minute wait) and unasked for promise by the chef to «dock them from the bill». The waiter charged for the garnish home fries at &4.50 plus $ 5 for 2 coffees. Begs the question. Why on earth did they not make new pancakes?

Every time I go to this restaurant, it’s absolutely fabulous. Their ‘legendary antijitos’ definitely live up to their name and all the other items I’ve tried from their menu are absolutely delicious as well. Sometimes it’s hard to find vegetarian food that is tasty, but not here! The staff is friendly and the place has a cool, laid back atmosphere to boot! This is one of the best restaurants in downtown Guelph in my opinion.
My only complaint is that they don’t serve lunch until 2pm on Sundays. I understand people want later brunch on Sundays, but I think people should be given the option of lunch as well.

Good wholesome fresh food. Nice environment and feel. Rustic, antique, and natural. I love coming in here when i have time. The coffee is amazing and nutty, and they have a great menu at a reasonable price. They are also open late for evening fun!
My only complaint is service can be a bit slow.

***4.5 Stars***
Vegetarian & vegan has never tasted so good — The Cornerstone is a gem in Guelph. The atmosphere has a bit of hipster vibe but there is no judgement here. The food speaks for itself; hearty, comforting and satisfying all wrapped in one. Get their famous Anjitos (sp?) — they are absolutely delish. They also make one mean of cup of coffee. Service was great as well.
The reason they are not a full 5 stars was because they day we were there for dinner they had items that were sold out that we could not order. It was a bit of disappointment since we were only in Guelph for the day.
I would highly recommend The Cornerstone to Veggies and Non-​Veggies out there visiting/​living in Guelph.

I just moved to the area from Vancouver… so was pleasantly surprised to find something I’d call «right off Main Street» (only there were a few less hipsters… but I really don’t think it’s possible for any location to outdo Main Street in this department).
Anyway… moving on to the menu… I’ve never really had the opportunity to try reuben sandwiches… likely because they are almost always layered with lots of meat (something which I tend to stay away from). So… I was very excited to try the tempeh reuben here. I paired it with the roasted yam and maple soup. Although the latter needed some salt, I was impressed with the freshness and tastiness of each menu item.
Coming back to the Vancouver for a second… the pricing here at Cornerstone is much in line with what you’d find out west… so I can see that locals might find it a tad expensive (but honestly, the food I had so far was worth the price!)
Super excited to come back to this place!

classic environment, good place to hang out.

Great service, decent prices. I was a little skeptical when I saw it on the menu, but I absolutely loved their Pad Thai. Definitely will come back to this restaurant.

mmmmmmmmyaaaa!
Cornerstone is so delicious. Seriously tasty food. They don’t skimp on quality of ingredients (bread is baked fresh by their partner joint next door) and they are priced for student budgets. Great staff and comfy atmosphere as well.
I had the Tempeh Reuben and was blown away. Their sauerkraut and pickles knocked it out of the park! The soup of the day was a spicy carrot soup that had incredible fresh flavour. They really put some heart and soul into their food.
Can’t wait to go back for more… only problem was that the Reuben was so good that I will have a hard time trying other dishes.
I’m hooked!

I was in Guelph for 4 nights at a conference and ate at this place twice.
First night: they were having a «heatwave» by Canadian standards and turned off the cookers and AC. But were very welcoming and helpful despite such. I had an amazing vegan tofu club, great sangria, and took some vegan cowboy cookies to go with me. I was eager to try the rest of the menu so 2 nights later made it back.
Second night: amazing vegan ruben (prob not the best ive ever had but pretty damn good!) witha pint of local lager and to top it off… vegan chocolate tofu cheesecake with raspberry sauce — yum! This was a super good vegan dessert!
Thanks Guelph for having a great pub that isn’t 100% vegan but has a ton of vegan options. The staff knows what vegan is and asks about your wants/​needs on the food. I am not sure I will ever have a need to come back to Guelph but if you happen to be there, check this place out.
Ample bathrooms too so no wait — bonus!
The servers were so nice, friendly, and helpful. They helped me make my way back to my hotel via busroute and were super sweet!

For the first few years after I arrived in Guelph, the Cornerstone was my favourite restaurant.
The food is stellar, albeit a bit pricey, and the atmosphere was hard to beat. Exposed beams, original crown molding and comfortable seating really drew me in to the place. A great, friendly staff and tasty vegetarian food kept me coming back.
My tastes have changed over time, but I still enjoy sitting down for a meal at the Cornerstone whenever I get the chance. My personal favourites are the antojitos, and the pad thai. Meals will run you around 10 dollars if you want to be filled up and get a cup of coffee, which is not too terrible. It’s not exactly after-​bar food, but it’s tasty, and really good for you.
I recommend trying this place out if you get the chance!

The cornerstone is my default hangout downtown.
Though it’s dang tasty, their food is not the best in town by far. Nor is their coffee. They do, however, have one of the greatest crowds and atmospheres available downtown.
Lots of dark-​stained old wood, stone (as the name suggests), and an outdoor patio that’s sure to be full to the brim of trendyfolk taking their repose. Trendily.
They have some of the nicest staff in town, usually willing to make exceptions, replacements, et cetera to their menu (I’m one of *those* customers), always with a smile.
What’s more, they have a good selection of good beers on tap!
I guess I should mention that the Cornerstone is a vegetarian joint, and they offer a selection of vegan options that’s unparalleled downtown.
Check it out! Have a sit.