Mexican and Latin American Restaurants in KW

*A guide to Mexican street food, Salvadoran restaurants, pupusas and Latin American grocery-eateries in Kitchener-Waterloo.*

Last reviewed: July 21, 2026 | KW Foodies Editorial Team

Mexican tacos, Salvadoran pupusas and Latin American grocery counters are different traditions, so this guide keeps them apart while putting them on one page. For other cuisines, see 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
• Mexican restaurants and street food
• Salvadoran restaurants and pupusas
• Latin American grocery-eateries and food discovery
• Tacos, pupusas or a grocery counter?
• Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides
• How places are chosen
• Frequently asked questions

Quick picks

• Downtown tacos: Casa Toro 88, Downtown Kitchener
• Sit-down Mexican in Waterloo: The Cactus Mexican Restaurant
• Salvadoran comfort food: The Guanaquita Restaurant, Downtown Kitchener
• Pupusas near the market: Pupuseria Latinos
• Food plus groceries: America Latina Grocery and Eatery

Mexican restaurants and street food

From a downtown street-food spot to a family dining room.

Casa Toro 88

28 Benton Street, Kitchener | Best for: tacos and a meal before a downtown event

Mexican street food inspired by the cooking of Puebla, with tacos, house-made salsas and vegetarian and gluten-free options.

The Cactus Mexican Restaurant

465 Phillip Street, Waterloo | Best for: family-owned Mexican dining

A family-owned Mexican restaurant. Choose it for a sit-down meal rather than quick tacos.

Back to quick picks

Salvadoran restaurants and pupusas

Pupusas are thick stuffed corn tortillas from El Salvador, which is a different cuisine from Mexican food.

The Guanaquita Restaurant

273 King Street West (second floor), Kitchener | Best for: pupusas and a casual full meal

A long-running downtown spot for Salvadoran and Latin American dishes.

Pupuseria Latinos

25 Eby Street South, Kitchener | Best for: Salvadoran pupusas, homestyle

A Salvadoran kitchen near Kitchener Market.

Back to quick picks

Latin American grocery-eateries and food discovery

Grocery-eateries serve prepared food and sell ingredients you can take home.

America Latina Grocery and Eatery

Kitchener | Best for: prepared food and specialty groceries

A long-standing eatery and grocery with products from Mexico, Central America and South America.

Mi Tienda Latina

103 Ontario Street South, Kitchener | Best for: Latin groceries and prepared food

Check when the kitchen is serving; it can differ from store hours.

Back to quick picks

Tacos, pupusas or a grocery counter?

Go to Casa Toro 88 for tacos, and The Guanaquita or Pupuseria Latinos for Salvadoran pupusas. Grocery-eateries combine prepared food with ingredients to take home, and their kitchens may keep shorter hours than the store.

Explore other Kitchener-Waterloo cuisine guides

• Kitchener-Waterloo Cuisine Guide
• Italian and Mediterranean Restaurants in Kitchener-Waterloo
• 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
• 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

Are Salvadoran restaurants Mexican?

No. They're different national cuisines. This guide puts them together only to make them easier to find.

What is a grocery-eatery?

A shop that sells groceries and also serves prepared food. The kitchen may keep different hours from the store.