Proudly family owned and it shows! Some of the most welcoming and friendly service I've had anywhere. Place is quite cozy and balances being upscale with casual. I will say pastas here can be a tad pricey being around $30 for most of them, but they are so so good. I ordered the 271 west shrimp pasta ($28) and it was fantastic. Gigantic tiger shrimp that are seasoned to perfection. Extremely rich tomato based sauce, with great linguine. I was blown away by the quality as it truly was amazing. Kitchener has some great italian food it seems and this place is a top of my list. read more

271 West - 271west shrimp pasta - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Delicious pastas! This family owned place hand makes the pasta and sauces and you can taste the quality. The menu had great selection and variety and they have rotating daily special menu items. The service was great as well. read more

See all

We got here at noon without reservation on a weekday. The very first thing that stands out is the friendly and welcoming staff. The person who welcomed us seemed like the owner and was also the person who took our order and gave us recommendations on our meal. Their specialty is their fresh and hand-made pasta and bread. We ordered "Garlic Bread with Cheese" and "bruschetta" for appetizer. They both were fresh and had great taste. For entrée, we ordered "Daily Pasta (Shrimp pasta with Broccoli and cream sauce)", "Sausage Pepperonata" pasta, "271west Shrimp Pasta" with added salmon and chicken, and "Ricotta Gnocchi" pasta. They were all served with 2 slices of fresh-toasted garlic bread, made in-house, alongside with fresh parmesan and black pepper. Our food tasted absolutely amazing. The pasta sauce was creamy; great combination and amount of spices were used. I would consider it on my top 5 pasta places in Canada. The pictures on social media represent small servings, but the food will absolutely fill you up. The added garlic bread is somehow relevant. The restaurant is cozy, with Italian vibe; the wait staff and host were attentive and provided a nice experience that was a great addition to the great quality meal. It is my favorite restaurant in Kitchener and I would definitely come back! Their COVID-19 plan is well-performed and it would be a great time to order food from them to support local businesses. read more

See all

Went during the evening to celebrate a special occasion with my partner. We were promptly served and the server was very nice. We asked for a quieter table and he very generously accommodated us. The food was pretty good. We ordered bruschetta, ricotta gnocchi and a pizza, and they were all very good. Thank you 271West for a great evening. We'll see you again soon :) read more

This spot in downtown Kitchener features a small patio if you want to bask in the sun, or an interior that'll please those in any moods. There's a lot of small things that add to the experience, the servers and host were attentive and provided a nice experience that compliments the food experience very well. We got in time for lunch before a reservation was set to come, but I opted in for one of their daily pasta specials, while my friend looked to feast on the ravioli ricotta e spinaci. But to start, I indulged in their soup of day, which consisted of a light chicken broth featuring the same vegetables as the pasta: broccoli, cauliflower, with some chicken intertwined. It was a good soup, nothing that knocked your socks off, but it was a good way to transition into the entrees. The fettuccine was fresh, a perfect al dente, something that other restaurant seem to miss the mark on. It seems the pasta water was well seasoned as the noodles themselves gave that slight bite of salt. The pink sauce had a nice level of richness that helped give the vegetables that boost of flavour when it hit your palate. Tender pieces of chicken to satisfy that need for protein, alongside some fresh Parmesan and black pepper tied the dish together. Oh, and there fresh toasted bread, made in-house, with just enough garlic butter, a perfect compliment. Overall, great experience, hard to come by good quality Italian food in the downtown Kitchener core. Will definitely come back, don't tell nona. read more

271 West - Daily special featuring their fettuccine with pink sauce, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, and chicken breast. - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

The first thing that strikes out at you is the friendly service! Think about this - apparently, the waiter himself was trying to have some food too, a bruschetta at that! And when I walked in and had the same order, he was like - I have one right here, you can take it if you like to since I dont want to have you waiting. The next best part was this - i actually forgot that I walked in with just a cash of $20 while my orders were definitely worth way more than it! I had to excuse myself to walk out and get home, being near, get my wallet and then back! None of this prompted them to cancel my order or anything. And the real best piece is of course their food. The cheesecake was definitely authentic and delicious!! read more

See all

I went here for my boyfriend's birthday to try something new (+ it's also highly rated) and it was honestly the best decision ever! It may seem like the servings are small in the pictures, but trust me- they're filling. I couldn't finish half of my pasta and had to take the rest home. The food is amazing, the pasta sauce is so creamy and just so flavourful and the rib eye steak was so soft. The appetizer-- ahhhh so so good!!! The staff, especially, were so welcoming and friendly. This restaurant has an ambience of Italy and I loved every minute of this visit. Will definitely come back again! read more

See all

Very good Italian restaurant! Pastas are freshly made and the garlic bread is also good! Great service and good ambiance We ordered the Penne pasta, Vegetarian Spaghetti, caesar salad and the chocolate cake with ice cream(forgot the menu name) Let's start off with the Caesar Salad, my girlfriend dubbed it as one of the beat caesar salad that she's tasted. I don't agree fully but I do acknowledge the fact that it's very good! Its different from the regular caesar salad that you would get from regular restaurants. Their dressing is not the creamy kind and you can barely see on the lettuce, it's more to the lines of vinairette than creamy. It tasted good and the croutons are really good! I suspect they make it themselves. It's a clean tasting caesar salad that doesn't bombard you with heavy sauces. Penne pasta that I ordered was different actually. I wouldn't consider it Penne, as it's longer and doesn't have the iconic pointed ends. It would be in the lines of Rigati? But anyways, it was still a good tasting pasta dish. It didn't look great tho, but once you tasted the sauce and the pasta you'll just keep eating it. Pasta was good but the sauce was a little oily, there was a bit of a oil puddle under the bowl. Over-all, might not order it again but still worth a try if you like creamy pesto sauce with Ala penne pasta. My girlfriend ordered the Vegetarian Spaghetti, but she added shrimps on the side, so it wasn't entirely vegetarian. I sampled a bit of her dish and the shrimps, the shrimps were really the highlight of the dish i think. They were cooked perfectly with butter and was really yummy! The spaghetti on the other hand was a bit weird for me, they call it spaghetti but it was more like Angel Hair or Vermicelli kind of pasta. It was really skinny and texture wise didn't really help uplift the dish. The sauce and everything else was good! But I think it needs good old fashioned spaghetti pasta. Over-All this place was above average, nothing too spectacular and nothing bad. Would come back and try some more stuff, but as of now, it'll have to be a 3/5 read more

Food is terrible and priced way too high. Service is awful. I ordered salad and a flatbread and it was $75. The staff said they take nothing less than a thirty percent tip. Well how about I don't eat there any more then. read more

The food was not great. burnt pasta and brown and wilted salad. drink order never taken. we had to ask for a drink even after ordering our meals. The server wasn't friendly. there was no cutlery so long even after getting our dishes which never came out at same time. server got parm and pepper all over the table. read more

Wonderful friendly service and delicious homemade pasta. This was our first time at their new location and the larger space is really great - especially during sunset! read more

271 west offers great food and service. The owner is very hands on and always stops by the table to make sure that everything is to your satisfaction. read more

We had been to the restaurant a few years ago and it was delicious . So we came from B.C. and wanted to take our friend to a good restaurant. And it didn't disappoint, it was wonderful. The food and service was awesome and the owner is hands on. Great family business, doesn't get any better read more

I don't understand how this place has 5 stars at the time of writing. Ordered bruschetta they were soggy and tasteless. It is impossible that a chef who even once tasted a real bruschetta delivers such a terrible plate. Then I got a pizza as a safe bet because I already had a bad feeling about this. Got the prosciutto pizza, what a disaster of a pizza -_-. This time all dried, tasteless again with dry tomatoes suddenly giving an horrible bitter and schewy bite. I have been rarely so disappointed at a restaurant. If you know and like Italian food, just avoid. read more

271 West - The absolutely terrible "prosciutto pizza". - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Great staff and the food was authentic. Everyone should check out this place! My friends and I always want to return for any sort of celebration. One time, we sat in the patio and it was nice to have lunch outside in the downtown Kitchener location read more

271 West - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

This is my favourite restaurant in KW. Their pasta is amazing and the staff there is even better. The atmosphere is cozy and you get a taste of Italy. Family run, and you can tell they spend time on making sure every customer feel apart of it. I recommend you get one of their delicious hand made pasta, with the white wine sauce. YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH THE SPECIAL! we've been there over 10 times and keep going back because they serve the best pasta! read more

271 West is a very cute Italian restaurant sitting in the heart of downtown Kitchener. The food is homemade and delicious, the atmosphere is great, and the service is perfect. When you walk in, you'll almost certainly be greeted by the restaurant owner, a jolly Russian man who knows pasta like it's in his blood. He'll let you know about how the pasta is all home made, in a very intricate process, and how you're allowed to customize your order however you want. Personally, I recommend you just trust the chef, and listen to whatever this guy tells you to order - he knows his stuff! We ordered the daily special pasta (chicken in wine and cream with peppers on Penne) and the 271 West shrimp linguini. The plates are presented nicely, but the portions do seem a bit small. The first thing to try is the Garlic bread. You can tell its homemade from the freshness of the flour, but I do think it's too packed and could be a bit dry. Regardless, the freshness made up for everything else, and it was great. I loved the sauce on my linguini pasta, and the mushrooms were cooked beautifully. Again, the pasta itself tastes amazing, because it's homemade, fresh in smell and taste. The shrimp was very juicy, but I felt there could be more on the plate. The prices at the restaurant are in my opinion a bit too high. Both pasta plates cost 20 dollars, for medium serving sizes that might leave you a bit hungry. The ambience in the restaurant is very classy and romantic. My girlfriend and I were on a date, and we both thought the dimly lit lights and classical music made the atmosphere. The servers and the host will often walk by and make conversation with you. The host told us about his time in Yugoslavia, and how he found his passion in pasta. They are great people who make the experience so much better. read more

271 West - 271 West shrimp linguini - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

See all

Might be some of the most unauthentic Italian food I've ever had. Made a reservation and they completely forgot about it and sat us after 10 minutes. Food was mediocre at best and service was confusing and disorganized. Will not be returning and wish we had a better experience. read more

Great little place in Kitchener if you are ever craving pasta. I would rate this restaurant 3.5 stars if the option was there. I ordered the 271 shrimp pasta for lunch. The rose sauce was nicely flavored, pasta was cooked well and the garlic bread was delicious. Unfortunately, nothing stood out about this place. It simply lacked a "wow" factor for me to rate this place any higher. The place is on the expensive side, but would come back given the limited options for food in Kitchener. read more

Amazing food. Great value. Lovely wine list! Had the fresh fettuccine with white wine sauce. Hubby had the spicy sausage pasta. Riesling was great! Definitely coming back! read more

271 West - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

See all

The food was good, but overpriced for what it is. The staff were very nice. The decor could use improving though. Sitting at the window was drafty (I was there in the winter) and it was unappealing visually. Extension cords were hanging loose at the entrance and the business hours were hung in an old cheap frame. Was expecting a much better experience. read more

Great atmosphere, waiter and manager are both very nice and knowledgeable about their food. Went here for the first time last month and I really enjoyed the pasta and spinach dip was great! The spinach dip as served with bread and there was a very generous amount of cheese on top that made it taste amazing. I had shrimp in my pasta and it was honestly to die for! I loved the smokiness of the shrimp and it was very worth the price! I would go back 100% and give more stars if I could! read more

Amazing atmosphere, food and staff. The owner is very involved and accommodating to all guest. Such an great one of a kind experience.

This has been our favourite restaurant for years in KW. Family owned and operated, this gem has an array of homemade foods, but you will quickly have a favourite! Support local and family owned. You will not be disappointed! Servings are sizeable, pastas have enough for a lunch the next day if you also order an app or salad. Love the camembert appetizer or an extra garlicky caesar salad. The pastas are better than most Italian restaurants! read more

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!!! Lovely family owned restaurant in the heart of the city. Came here with a couple of my friends for my birthday and it was most defiantly an unforgettable experience! The service was absolutely amazing. Our server (who I think was the owner as well) was the funniest guy you'll ever meet. But the food was no joke. Some of the BEST Italian food in all of kitchener waterloo. Authentic HAND MADE Italian cuisine you can TELL is made with love and most defiantly NOT frozen garbage you get at chains like Boston pizza etc. CAUSAL/SEMI FORMAL STYLE. May not seem like the most high end restaurant (and it's not) but trust me it's completely worth it. Perfect for any dinner. Cozy atmosphere and great location! Price was decent. Not too much, but not a steal either. But for the quality of the food and the AMAZING service I would have been ok paying double probably. Will DEFIANTLY come here again and most defiantly recommend it. read more

Came here a few weeks ago with my boyfriend because we heard their pasta was great. Service was definitely scattered as there were 2 waiters on the floor who seemed to be going table for table as opposed to sections. We were seated as soon as there was a table available, but the man who seated us (who I assume is the owner?) didn't give us any menus so the server had to go back & grab us some. Amazing pasta, & the 271 Shrimp appetizer was amazing, but the other mains are mediocre. Boyfriend ordered the regular salmon entree & it was alright, but the salmon came on plain rice as opposed to the vegetable pilaf that was listed on the menu, & the fish itself was nothing special. We could have cooked something nicer ourselves at home. read more

Delicious food, excellent personable service, interesting, comfortable decor. 2 children, ages 5 and 3 and 3 adults ordered 3 pizzas and 2 pastas of the day. Presentation was pretty, including all the food served at nearby tables. All our dinners were excellent. The pasta tasted homemade and the added ingredients were plentiful and delicious. 3-year-old was falling asleep, but still managed to eat 3 pieces of pizza. Servings were generous. Improvements? Children's menu, eliminate the slightly musty odour in the front part of the restaurant. I didn't notice it a half hour later. We will return! read more

Service: Familial Atmosphere: Classy and elegant Food: delightful Would return? Absolutely. My girlfriend decided on this place after doing a quick google search for top K/W restaurants. Again google did not lie. We were greeted by some soft French jazz and the very kind proprietor. The space was well lit with a quaint bar, and the walls lightly decorated. Once seated we were given a quick run down of the establishment. We were pleased to hear that 271 West makes all of its pasta from scratch, its fish is brought in fresh, and its sauces and desserts are all made in house. We worked our way to the drink menu choosing a chardonnay and a Manhattan. The wine wasn't as dry as most and had a nice fruity finish, and the cocktail was nice; a little heavy on the vermouth but still a smooth drink. Also, just a note there was no garnish on the Manhattan. Nothing groundbreaking, but for people who need things done the traditional way you might not find it here. Looking through the menu we found that it was varied, not just focused on Italian dishes. We decided on the cheese garlic bread for an appetizer. For the main, my mind was made up when the special was mentioned, and my girlfriend settled on the salmon, holding off on the mushrooms. The bread was so soft and its natural taste was a great accent to the garlic and cheese, which was not overpowering in the least. It was clear that bread was made fresh that day and it wasn't too filling like some others. As stated before, I order the special which was fettuccine alfredo with chicken, red and green peppers, mushrooms, and green onions. It was a great dish, with the sauce being creamy, but not drowning out everything else. The chicken was cut into nice, tender chunks and the greenery added a wonderful variance to the entree. It also came with two slices of garlic bread; it was a nice surprise to get a second helping. The salmon champignon, which I guess should just be called the salmon, had a great lemon and wine reduction with cambozola cheese, served on top of rice pilaf, with some vegetables on the side. The fish had a great flavour that wasn't too fishy, which was a good change of pace. For dessert we decided on the flourless chocolate cake, which was crumbly and rich, with walnuts baked in. It was served with a great helping of french vanilla ice cream, which wasn't necessary due to how moist the cake was. Still the combination was great and it was a wonderful ending to a delicious meal. In the end it was an excellent evening with great food, kind and friendly staff, and fairly good cocktails. I will definitely be returning here and trying out some of their pizza. read more

See all

Absolutely amazing Italian place. Wow I was blown away by how friendly the owner is. Food is of great value. For $12-20 a plate, we got wonderfully cooked pastas that you can expect to pay $30-40 in Toronto. Excellent place for spend the evening with your spouse. read more

271 West - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

The pasta and appetizers were very fresh. we waited 20 minutes for our mains but I think it was not the norm as the we got the appetizer on the house for the long wait. I took a star off since the pastas we had were good, but not amazing as I would've expected from the price. read more

271 West - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

My friend picked out this place for dinner after seeing its high ratings online. The atmosphere was warm and intimate, and the service was top notch. Our server was the owner himself, and he was beyond friendly and accommodating. I was impressed to hear they made their own pasta and bread in house, but it bothered me that they offered to customize your dish however you wanted (ie. you could change the sauce, meat, pasta noodle, vegetables) - I think it belittles the hard work a restaurant puts into coming up with their menu. I like ordering straight from the menu because I know I'm getting a dish the way they intended it to be. I ended up ordering the salmon with mushroom and cambozola cream sauce that came with rice pilaf and vegetables. I have to say, I was surprised with how perfectly cooked my salmon came out, and the sauce was delicious without being overly heavy. My only slight complaint would be the wine list: all wines by the glass come from the same winery (Pelee Island Winery, I believe). I would have liked more variety, but I ended up enjoying my glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and would order that wine again anyway! read more

Service is fantastic! Restaurant is well laid out. The gnocchi was fantastic. Salmon very good. Sausage pasta was great. My steak was unfortunately cool and the veggies needed seasoning. The dishes didnt all come out at the same time for the party of 9. read more

My boyfriend & I went here for dinner (based on the reviews) & we were not disappointed. In fact it was more than we expected. We are from the GTA & never been to Kitchener but we were in town for a concert. It was winter time - snowing- & we took the cab. When we entered the place, there were no customers & I thought "oh man". The place itself is intimate. I think i read it somewhere saying to change the interior but i like it the way it is. The owner greeted us & showed us our table. He was very friendly & nice. He told us the chef's daily special (pasta - I forgot the name though). I decided to get it, my bf got steak. While waiting, customers started coming. The owner brought our orders & it was delicious.the only thing I have to complain about is the size. It was too much... I couldn't finish it. I eat a lot & I mean A LOT - more than my bf + I'm Asian. I think it's because it's pasta, that's why it's filling? Anyways we left & waited for the bus. We were talking about how we will come back here when we're in town again. We're waiting & waiting but no bus showed up! So we went back to the restaurant & asked the owner if he could give us the cab number. He was too nice&called a cab for us. 10 mins passed & no sign of our cab. So he called again. He's really awesome! He made our visit in Kitchener a good one & the fact that the concert was epic as well. We'll definitely come back!!! Hopefully it's still the same owner! read more

The single best Italian meal I have ever had. We were planning on going to a different restaurant up the street but we stopped to check out the menu in the window when the owner came out to talk to us. After a short conversation we were convinced. Everything is homemade and it shows in the quality. The atmosphere was cozy rather than trendy. My date and I both had the gnocchi the way it comes but the owner informed us that any item on the menu could be modified in almost anyway. An all around fantastic experience and A definite go to in Downtown Kitchener. read more

Stopped by for lunch and after hearing that all of the pasta was made in house, I ordered the gnocchi. The dish was delicious and our waiter was also very attentive - all in all a good experience and I look forward to my next visit! read more

271 West - Ricotta gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Kitchener, Ontario

Best italian, canadian restaurant in town. I had the ricotta gnocchi. Wow it was so delicious! All food is made from scratch and fresh! You can taste the difference. Many options... Even good for small childrens... Prices also so great for the quality of the food! The owners are so friendly and kind!! read more

Absolutely loved our experience..our apps were so delish!! Bruschetta and Caesar salad.my husband said his salmon was incredible. I had the pasta with shrimp and chicken. Portion was huge !!! A very cozy place...definitely should make a reservation. They will still try to accommodate if haven't. Our first time here and will definitely will go back next time we are in Kitchener read more

See all

I've been to 271 West for dinner and I really like the ambiance of the restaurant. The server was very well versed in the menu and helpful with helping us make a good selection, delivered with a smile. However, I found the pasta and appetizer to be average and not really worth the extra few bucks. It is however, a nice place to spend an evening with a great wine selection and friendly people. read more

If you're in downtown Kitchener looking for pasta, this is the place to be. The restaurant gives a very intimate home feeling. Everything is freshly made in house. I've only tried pastas here and they are delicious. You can switch up the ingredients as you wish. I eat quite a bit and have even asked for extra pasta. The owner is very friendly and caters to your needs. The service is wonderful as they even walk you out the door at the end. Absolutely would recommend it. read more

Food was subpar. Pasta was overcooked and flavorless or oversalted. Service seemed to be confused that day as we had three different servers check up on us. read more