Italian and Mediterranean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo

*A practical guide to pasta, pizza, Greek comfort food, Mediterranean family dining and occasion-ready restaurants across Kitchener and Waterloo.*

Last reviewed: July 14, 2026 | KW Foodies Editorial Team

Italian and Mediterranean food in Kitchener-Waterloo covers a lot of ground: house-made pasta downtown, pizzerias, Greek family restaurants and an Uptown wine bar. This guide sorts them by the kind of meal you want. For every cuisine in the region, start with the Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide.

Hours, menus and ownership change often at small independent restaurants, so check the restaurant's own page or call ahead before you go. If you have an allergy or follow halal, vegan or gluten-free rules, ask the staff directly; a menu label doesn't tell you how the kitchen handles cross-contact.

On this page

• Quick picks
• Pasta, pizza and Italian dining
• Greek and Mediterranean family restaurants
• Wine-bar and occasion dining
• Match the restaurant to the meal
• Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides
• How places are chosen
• Frequently asked questions

Quick picks

• House-made pasta: 271 West Restaurant, Downtown Kitchener
• Pizza with a full menu: La Cucina, Downtown Kitchener
• Family pasta night: Ennio's Pasta House, Kitchener and Waterloo
• Greek family meal: Mediterraneo, Waterloo
• Date night or business dinner: Solé Restaurant and Wine Bar, Uptown Waterloo

Pasta, pizza and Italian dining

Decide first whether you want house-made pasta, pizza, a broad family menu or a downtown dinner.

271 West Restaurant

60 Charles Street West, Kitchener | Best for: house-made pasta, lunch and special occasions

A family-founded downtown restaurant serving lunch and dinner. Pick it when you want a full sit-down Italian meal rather than a quick pizza. It takes reservations, so it also works for anniversaries and group dinners; ask about group menus when you book.

La Cucina

320 King Street West, Kitchener | Best for: pizza, pasta and a central location

A pizzeria with a full Italian menu behind it. Pizza stays at the centre, but a group can still order pasta and larger plates.

Ennio's Pasta House

Kitchener and Waterloo | Best for: familiar pasta dishes and family dining

With locations in both cities and a broad, familiar menu, Ennio's suits mixed-age groups and regular neighbourhood dinners.

Casa Rugantino

709 Belmont Avenue West, Kitchener | Best for: homestyle Italian and a family-run room

A family-owned Italian restaurant with a smaller, more personal dining room than the big downtown places.

Back to quick picks

Greek and Mediterranean family restaurants

Grilled dishes, salads, dips, bread and platters make Greek and Mediterranean restaurants easy for families and groups with different appetites.

Mediterraneo

425 University Avenue East, Waterloo | Best for: Greek and Mediterranean cooking, family-run

Mediterraneo cooks Greek and Mediterranean food from scratch. A practical choice for a sit-down family meal in Waterloo.

Kypreos Restaurant

305 Lancaster Street West, Kitchener | Best for: Greek dishes alongside familiar family choices

Family-owned since the 1990s, with a menu wide enough for diners who want Greek food next to people who don't.

Three Kretans

151 Frederick Street, Kitchener | Best for: Greek home-style cooking downtown

Central enough to pair dinner with a downtown event or a trip to the market area.

Back to quick picks

Wine-bar and occasion dining

Some restaurants are chosen as much for the room and service as for a specific cuisine.

Solé Restaurant and Wine Bar

83 Erb Street West, Waterloo | Best for: date nights, business meals, patio and wine

An established Uptown restaurant and wine bar with Mediterranean influences. Go for the setting and the wine list rather than a strictly traditional menu.

Back to quick picks

Match the restaurant to the meal

A pizzeria works for a casual shared meal; a pasta dining room or wine bar suits a longer evening. Greek family restaurants are the flexible option for mixed appetites.

Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides

• Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide
• Indian and South Asian Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Chinese Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Japanese and Sushi Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Korean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Vietnamese, Thai and Southeast Asian Restaurants in KW
• Middle Eastern and Shawarma Restaurants in KW
• Mexican and Latin American Restaurants in KW
• Caribbean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• Ethiopian and East African Restaurants in KW
• German and Central European Restaurants in KW

How places are chosen

This is an editorial list. Restaurants cannot buy inclusion or a higher position; paid content is labelled separately.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Italian and Mediterranean here?

Italian means pasta, pizza and Italian dining rooms. Mediterranean covers Greek family restaurants and places like Solé that draw on the wider region.

Are there vegetarian options?

Pasta, pizza, salads and dips usually give you plenty to choose from. Ask about stocks, cheese and shared fryers if it matters.