Tried pumpkin spice latte and coconut banana cream pie milkshake. Both of them were delicious. Pumpkin spice latte was less sweet compared to Starbucks but relatively good. Nice setting for dine in but it was busy when I went. It can crowded really fast during busy time. Friendly staff! Free parking is available but parking can get filled up pretty fast. read more

See all

I returned to Williams, located in the University Plaza, to soak in the nostalgia from my recent Waterloo trip. Despite the plaza having many changes with more cool new restaurants, Williams is still here, and most things have stayed the same despite the years since I've been--lots of room to study. Also, I think this is probably the perfect "coffee date" for any University student as it's so close to campus. I ordered a simple iced coffee that day, but my friends and I remember that their waffles are pretty good, (though I haven't tried recently to confirm). read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Inside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Nice cafe, pretty spacious, great breakfast/ brunch spot. Staff was friendly and service was quick. You can also order online through their app. Food tasted pretty good and was served quite fast. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - a bowl of soup with croutons - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

Ordered a cinnamon bun waffle. Asked for strawberry sauce. They wanted to charge an extra 1.85 for the strawberry sauce. I said fine. This is what I got. Barely any cinnamon cream cheese or strawberry sauce. I don't mind paying, but if you're going to charge me almost 2 dollars, at least make it worth it. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - a plate of waffles with whipped cream and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Came here to study with friends before and I was surprised to see that they offer smoothies here. I decided to try the mango banana pineapple smoothie - unfortunately I was disappointed as it tasted more like frozen pineapple juice. I decided to give Williams another try as I heard the food is pretty good. We arrived here on Sunday evening and it was quite busy as the booths were all filled. We ordered the chicken ceasars wrap and chipotle turkey club which came up to around $20. Both dishes came with salad on the side. The chicken was flavourful and the lettuce added a nice crunch to the wrap. It tasted fresh and it was a pretty filling meal. Plus the atmosphere was cute n' casual. I'd definitely come back to try other things on the menu - just not the smoothies haha. I'd recommend coming here if you're hanging out with friends or looking for a chill place to study! read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Hot chocolate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

With Williams Fresh Cafe being very close to my university campus, this is a great place to go for group study or individual study. I tried one of their paninis and to say the very most, it was above average. The pesto flavour was very apparent and the slaw that came with the panini tasted fresh. The panini itself tasted like it came out of a microwave which was not quite expected... however, the flavour was great. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Chicken pesto panini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

This location is super convenient for students as it's in the university plaza. The store is large and has lots of seating but because there's so many students sometimes I can't even get a table. *There are no plugs in the store!!* Don't expect to be able to charge your laptop here. The environment is also a little noisy and the wifi is often slow. The food is average but I do have to say that their breakfast is quite good. Today I got the iced coffee and I was disappointed in the flavor but I've had a lot of their other stuff and it's not usually this bad. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Regular iced coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Recently renovated, lovely atmosphere for catching up with a group of friends, your significant other, or sitting by yourself to study if you're good at working in loud environments. If you want to do a group project, expect to project your voice. The only problem with this place is that the items are a little overpriced, but I seem to come here over and over again. They have a great selection of cakes, sandwiches, cookies, salads that are of decent quality. I love their paninis, and their waffles are fairly filling. I've also come for their breakfast specials which are usually pretty decent. Their fruit smoothies and London fogs are great as well. Free wifi is always great, but it can be spotty at times. They will come by to take away plates and drinks from time to time, the staff are usually really friendly and service is quick. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - magic bar. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

Great place to grab coffee or a small bite to eat. I don't think it's a great place to get dinner though. Even though they have a lot of options like rice boxes or Mac and cheese, the portions are not as filling as you would think. I think the best things to come here for are the waffles or smoothies which I really enjoy. The atmosphere is quite loud and busy so I don't think it's the best place for studying or reading. There are also no outlets anywhere so if you do bring your laptop make sure it's charged. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Applewood smoked salmon ~$16 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

I originally came to Williams to get their smoked salmon spinach salad, which I love. But it's not on the menu anymore, bring it back please :(!! So I ordered the mac and cheese instead and it sucked. It was definitely not worth the $9. The portion was very small and it was topped with cherry tomatoes. You have the option to add bacon or chicken, but who puts tomatoes in mac n cheese?!! I think it's baked in the oven, so the cheese was melted and gooey but there were still tiny bits here and there, which is weird. So something is off with the cheese. Definitely would not get it again. Having kraft dinner would be better than this. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

During our trip here we've been here 3 times. Coming back every time for the lattes here. The breakfast is pretty good, fresh ingredients but definitely a bit too pricey for what they offer for food. Baked Pastries: 4 / 5 Lattes: 5 / 5 Breakfast: 4 / 5 (priced higher than average for item sold based on quantity/ quality) Service: 5 / 5 read more

This is an excellent place for a hearty, healthy meal and if you're looking for a place to study or have a chat with your coworkers after work. It has a very clean, casual look. The prices are ok but the food is quite tasty! My favourite so far is the chicken pesto flatbread. The rice bowls are a bit more bland unfortunately. (Although if my memory serves correctly) they used to have a rice box and that was super healthy and super tasty. I find the prices for food to be adequate $10-15 but the drinks are a tad pricey. read more

See all

Went for dinner on a Monday evening while visiting my son at University. The entire plaza was crazy busy but I was able to get a parking spot in the Free parking area of the plaza. The cafe was very busy with students but we were lucky enough to get a table. The food is not cheap for what you get considering it's clientele is mostly students. I had a strawberry salad but it was mainly lettuce and was $9 and my son's sandwich was around the same price. The atmosphere is busy and noisy but basically what is expected. The restaurant was clean enough but we didn't know where to leave our used dishes when we were done as people were hovering over us to get the table. You can have water in a glass from a dispenser at no charge, which is great since I pretty much only drink water:)) read more

Went to Williams with the family once open after Covid Use to go three times a week. ( we were on the patio) my 87 yr old father and three adult kids . Dad always orders the western sandwich on multigrain .... they changed to Cheap grade of bread . My daughter ordered egg and sausage breakfast. The sausage was so gross I wouldn't even serve it to the dog , eggs were cold This was by far it was the worse breakfast ever!!! They need employ adults to get proper service . Definitely amateur service . Will not be coming back!!!! read more

Great places to stop for coffee and dessert before going to school or in between classes. Their funky monkey waffle is so good! Don't order their ice coffee since it just taste like a lot of water plus coffee read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

Williams is a great alternative once you are tired of Tim Hortons' coffee on school campus. It's a huge coffee shop where you will find all sorts of people (just hanging out, studying, trying to finish an essay etc). I like to think of Williams as another Starbucks. Except they serve a larger variety of foods and beverages. For example, Williams has an amazing selection of cakes. Although a bit on the pricy side, but definitely worth sharing one with a friend. They also serve rice boxes which I was told were also very good. In terms of grab and go, I really enjoy their wide selection of pastries. I persoanlly am a huge fan of their chocolatine and the banana chip muffin. The chocolatine is comparable to Tim Horton's chocolate danish but more buttery flavour. In terms of coffee their normal double double is actually sweeter than usual. So if you usually get double double at other coffee shops I would suggest trying 1 milk 1 sugar first! read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Small coffee and chocolatine! ~4 dollars in total - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

Williams is a great space to study and get some food close to campus. I really liked the latte and had no compliants. The soup as well was really good. The second time I tried this on a different day though, the bread was a different whole wheat one rather than the one in this picture. However I think it could've just been that one time. Also, if you're planning on studying there, there aren't very many outlets everywhere. I've never found a seat at Williams with an outlet beside it so keep in mind if you plan on staying a long time. Overall, a great place to study and grab some food. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Pumpkin spice latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

See all

Love the ambiance of this place :) Perfect for sitting down with your friend and just having a nice chat. It's lovely sitting out on the patio in the breeze during the summer and cozy to be sitting in one of the booths during the winter. The menu is kind of over-priced but I guess you also kind of pay for the service of the nice place & the food is brought to you. read more

See all

Great place to have breakfast and coffee! Love their cheesy egg and bacon wrap! It's also a popular study/work place for students and professionals. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Gingerbread latte with almond milk and a cheesy egg and bacon wrap. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Great panini - I recommend it - , burnt espresso (and burnt latte). I hear the pizza is good too, and the strawberry milkshake a friend had was apparently mediocre. You can't expect great food from a chain store but at least don't overextract & burn the coffee please. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Large latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Speaking purely on the clam chowder soup... It's okay. Not very good, not very bad. It's saltier than I would've liked though, as I ended up being quite thirsty at the end. Service is decent, though I had to yell over the employees for them to clear off my table, since all the other tables were occupied. Their coffee is good though. read more

It is definately one of the best place in Uw plaza for have meals. The service is good. Although sometimes it will be a little slow. The whole place is very busy in the morning and lunch time. The place is clean and spacious, which makes me feel very comfortable when sitting there. The food is good. And it is a little expensive. Especially the waffle and cakes. Drinks are good as well. I always order the London fog. But If you are a big fan of coffee, you would be disappointed with the coffee there. read more

See all

I have come here three times in the past week. Two out of the three times, my drink has been served well under full. I have ordered a blended iced cap with almond milk (no whip) each time because I have a dairy allergy, and only 1 time did I actually get my money's worth. Just because someone skips whip doesn't mean their cup should be served 3/4 full. I am not trying to be an annoying customer but I've worked in the restaurant industry for several years and I know that it is unacceptable. read more

Williams is good place to study but their prices are really high. I usually just get a tea when I want to study here but I have had some food of the menu and it is really overpriced for the quality and size of the food. read more

Williams is kind of like KW's Tim Horton's. Okay, not really, Tim Horton's is flourishing in KW too but there certainly seem to be as many William's coffee locations as Tim's in the city. Williams serves coffee, obviously, but it also serves a wide array of sandwiches, smoothies and desserts. They actually have a kitchen where they prepare meals. They also have free wifi which keeps this place packed with university students and professors alike, all camped out in the booths working on their lap-tops. There's also a small patio. You order and pay at the counter in exchange for a big number you put on your table so they know where to bring your food or drink when it's ready. This location is always buzzing with people so don't expect to get any quiet reading done here, but if you like a bit of background noise, this is the place for you. read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

A solid place for plaza food and caffeine. I always end up here on the way to class. I typically end up getting either an London Fog Latte or Green Tea Fog Latte. read more

Went here for lunch this past Friday and got to sit outside on the patio which was lovely. I haven't been back to Waterloo in years but was back interviewing students from the university and had a 1 hour break. I was able to walk from the campus, order and have my goat cheese and beet salad (7.99) served with salmon (4.99) and get back in time with 10 minutes to spare. My coworker had a chipotle turkey club panini (7.49) that also looked quite good. I was impressed that the salmon that was added was only 4.99 because it was a substantial piece. You also have a choice of tuna, chicken, and roast beef too. The salad also had some candied pecans and sliced apple and a yummy Acari berry dressing on the side. Good service and good food. Their muffins and other treats looked yummy as did other items on the menu. Worth checking out! read more

How fitting is it that my first review for my hometown of Waterloo is the first review of Williams Coffee Pub? I remember when Williams first opened. It was early 1996 and I was in Grade 12. Before, there was really no place else in Waterloo where high schoolers could loiter in style. There was nowhere to sit with friends just to hang around, to see and be seen by every other teenager in town. On summer nights in 1995 and earlier, we resorted to drinking Slurpees at the park. There were just no other options. Then Williams appeared with its fancy coffee drinks, its big, shareable slices of cake and its 24 hour opening time. It was just what the Waterloo kids needed! The hours are now reduced to 6:30am to 1am, sadly. However, Williams is still busy busy busy all the time. The drinks and food are mostly ordinary stuff, but this remains a default spot to meet friends for a chat or for students to taking refuge from the university libraries. Most of the booths are occupied by one person who has taken over the space with textbooks and laptop paraphernalia. My retired mother likes to meets her other retired lady friend here for a cappuccino, although she does complain that the place can be a little bit noisy for her taste. This is the heart of student land, so that's not surprising. Also, there is free wifi at this Williams location. Tangent: when I first started hanging out here, the Internet was only available via dial-up at the school library and we needed parental permission in order to purchase a school board-approved e-mail account. read more

Hard to sit down and actually find a table when it's full of university students, 1 per table, working on their computers or assignments! Just took my meal back and cancelled my order because I couldn't find a table or counter to sit at to eat! WTF. Can't the students study at the university library??? I usually go Monday nights but I think I'm going to start patronizing other establishments. Every usable tonight has only 1 person at it, even booths for 4 or 6 have one person! Wake up Williams! They aren't your only customers! read more

Coffee and snacks are ok, but I prefer coffee culture. Was surprised to find no outlets to charge my laptop, and WiFi was limited to 1 hour. Really? A coffee shop limiting your WiFi to 1 hour? I mean, the place is not even busy and most people are coming here to get work done. It seems inconsiderate to paying customers to find that when you log in to the WiFi there is a timer indicating how much time until you get kicked off... read more

Pretty hilarious. Nothing says welcome to Waterloo like a stop at Williams. For those new to Ontario, Williams is like an upscale Tim Horton's with a selection of cakes, sandwiches, and drinks in a diner style atmosphere. Service is almost comically inept. It's almost worth it to come just to experience how bad it is. The manager and trainers should be fired, or at least sent to Tim Horton's for remedial training. The coffee and food is surprisingly good, if your point of reference is, like I said, Tim Horton's. They also have a couple of big screen TV's for watching sports or whatever. It is a popular hangout place for UW students being literally the nearest possible cafe off campus. The raspberry, white chocolate cheesecake was pretty good, and priced reasonably well at about $5 incl tax. Richy, creamy, lots of raspberry flavor. read more

Frequently go here but it's really awful. The food is extremely small portions and it seems like the manager is always finding ways to give the customers less. Sandwiches are all bread and never have any filling. If you get a side with an entree it's extremely small and not worth the $3.50 extra. Avoid this place if you can. It's more expensive than Tim hortons and of lower quality. Poor service as well. I've noticed this location is particularly bad compared to others so I wouldn't write the whole chain off but definitely this location read more

Good price point and many options, but I didn't have a great experience. I ordered a salad togo and asked for dressing on the side. I was told that all togo salads have dressings on the side. Great! I get my order and of course, the dressing has already been tossed in. I don't really want to be that girl and bug them about it since they looked pretty busy. So instead I'm complaining about it in a review lol. Perhaps there should be better communication between restaurant staff. Coffee was fine. read more

Probably my favorite cafe at Waterloo. Love their paninis and waffles!!!! If you wanna enjoy an afternoon with your friends, this is definitely the place!!! read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Their food is generally good. I like their half salad, half panini offer, for instance. Yum! But, just ordered the breakfast (egg, bacon etc). Probably the worst I've had. The scrambled egg was dry and crunchy and tasteless (tasted like overcooked scrapings from the bottom of the pan). The bacon also had almost no flavor. Homefrys were okay, and the toast would have been good (it was a bread with seeds and Yumminess) if it hadn't been burnt crisp. The burnt characteristics of the meal in general could have been the result of a busy kitchen, but the tastelessness is more difficult to explain away. Approach the breakfast with care--or better yet, go for the panini and salad. Or anything else on the menu. They have lots of yummy stuff that is definitely worth trying! read more

Although you certainly can't expect a gourmet dining experience here, Williams - fondly dubbed "Willys" - is a great place to sit and catch up with friends. I like to share a waffle and sip on a London Fog, it makes me feel like I'm a tween again. As other reviewers have mentioned, the atmosphere is quite loud and the patrons are mostly students, save for the one older man who sits in the corner playing backgammon every day. The ambiance is nice, with a bunch of cool booths and an exposed brick wall featuring funky paintings and art. Service is generally pleasant and prompt, unless your server can't find your table number and wanders around the joint looking lost for several minutes, which is more amusing than it is irritating. The large chalkboard menu is attractive and boasts a large drink and food selection. I can't speak much to the food options, however, as I usually stick to beverages or desserts. I've had the grilled veggie and goat cheese panini several times, which is good but slightly overpriced for what it is. read more

this place is awesome for having having iced coffee drinks on a summer day or hot soup on a winter night. It's great for meeting friends to study or just to chat. I would come here over starbucks, second cup or any bubble tea place (unless you are craving bubbletea of course)! read more

Located in the middle of the University Plaza, it is a great place to catch up with friends. Food and drinks are a bit over-priced but I think of it as paying for seating - I find it nearly impossible to grab a two-seater table at the Starbucks down the street. I can enjoy a calm conversation without getting pushed from knapsacks and feeling like I am hogging seats. Same reason why I would have breakfast here over Mel's. The food may be less homey, but at least I can eat it in peace. Their Big Breakfast comes with toast, sausages, bacon, eggs, potato wedges, waffles, and coffee. Yum! read more

Williams Fresh Cafe - Willam's Big Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Williams is awesome to get your fix of coffee if you ever get tired of the five Tim Horton's on the UW campus. Pretty good place to study, hang out, and meet with others too. It is really loud in hear though. You will only be able to hear the people sitting around you seriously. read more

Great breakfast bagels here, their eggs are amazingly soft and fresh, and very reasonably priced if that's all you're getting. Solid breakfast option in the plaza. read more