Buon Gusto Restaurant — Restaurant in Guelph

Brought my corporate team here following a day of team building. (Team of 14).

I have organized many dinners for our team over the years but the process was made so simple by the staff at Buon Gusto, which I greatly appreciated. Arguably the best booking experience I have ever had.

We sat in a wonderful open, yet, private room that felt like we had our own space but were not excluded from the atmosphere of the restaurant (which was very nice).

The magic started when we walked in the door as we were greeted by the owner! He made certain to show our group to our seats and asked if there were any questions about the space, wonderful touch.

We had the pleasure of having Kelly as our server, she was wonderful AND EFFICIENT. None of our group ever had to wait for a drink or an appetizer, she was seemingly always present but never in the way. A true professional.

The food was fantastic, we had calamari, meatballs (the meatballs, do yourself a favour and order double whatever you think you want - they are unbelievable). The bruschetta was a big hit with our group as well.

Lots of options for beers, and non-alcoholic drinks, the cocktails were very well received (the grapefruit mojito was my go to for the evening).

Overall the food was exceptional, the pizza's are obviously the best you're going to eat in the Tri-City but the homemade pastas are phenomenal as well. I had the lobster ravioli, outstanding option if it's available. The specials were also a big hit with the group as well.

We ordered dessert (the cheesecake) and ended up ordering more as they were delicious.

Overall this is clearly an establishment that is a well oiled machine. The staff are exceptional, the food is made and crafted with care and passion. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a quality meal in an exceptional space (and if you're looking for a big group event - do yourself a favour and book with Buon Gusto, these people are professionals and will make you look...

I don't even know where to get started, I had such a horrible experience as I walked in I was not even able to eat.To summarize it short, customer service and hospitality was 0/10!

The person who greeted us was Corey/Korey. We asked for a table of 5 he said WE DONT DO TABLES of 5 .... at 3 pm then I asked to sit at the bar he said to go right ahead.As we proceeded we saw another group of 4 in line they asked, and Corey asked if they booked online. They verbally said NO they weren't able to. He then looked around and found a table for them within 2 minutes.

Then as I saw Corey pass my group at the bar I asked, "Is there a table for 4?" He sharply and quickly said NO. WHEN THE RESTAURANT WAS HALF EMPTY !!  remember it was 3 pm, there were approx 15 seats with empty tables available. (I wish I took a photo!)

I was talking to my friends and I said "This is interesting there's a table for them but not us" Corey overheard us and said loudly with a firm voice "Actually they've booked a table". I was so confused because the bar is near the front door and I was observing their conversation in depth to see how Corey would respond/ react to the group. Corey did not ask the group for their number, their name or any personal information regarding the booking that Corey demanded us that they booked prior. Quick after he said, "Actually they've booked a table". I was shocked with no words he then YELLED to us "You know what get out" and told the server out LOUD in public "Stop serving them" I was deeply embarrassed and shocked! He also stated to my friend and me " You are not welcomed here" At this point my friend said we should go right now he would probably do something bad to us. So we left quickly with no words. In my WHOLE LIFE I never experienced such discrimination before I was so upset I cried so much.

I will never EVER forget his name and this...

On Saturday I originally planned to dine at Sugo on Surrey without a reservation. My guest and I (party of two) walked in around dinner time and were greeted by a hostess who said they had only a few tables available until their next reservation, she checked with her manager about seating us in the dining room, and as we waited we overheard the manager very loudly mention(within earshot of other patrons) that they didn’t want to “create more work bussing a table, because we didn't have a reservation.” The hostess returned to offer us seats at the bar, but by that point, we felt unwelcome and decided to leave.

We then walked into Buon Gusto and what a night-and-day difference. Despite not having a reservation and the restaurant being fully booked, we were warmly welcomed by Ali, who went out of his way to find us a table. I was genuinely surprised to discover Ali is the owner, personally greeting guests at the door. It’s rare to see that kind of hands-on, heartfelt hospitality. He recognized regulars, shook hands, and made sure everyone was smiling as they were seated. That level of care is something truly special.

Our server Ally was absolutely fantastic—attentive, friendly, and full of great menu suggestions. Allison was at bar, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and we candidly joked that they all had the same name, just spelt differently! (the trifecta) I highly recommend starting with the Calamari Arrabbiata and the Limonata al Gusto. Both were delicious.

Bon Gusto is a gem. The food was outstanding, but what truly stood out was the warmth and kindness of the staff . My guest was visiting Canada for the first time, and this experience made a lasting impression. I look forward to returning. Thank you to the entire team for such a...