Bloom Restaurant — Restaurant in Waterloo

All signs seem to say they are open. At noon today, the security at the front door would not let me go to the restaurant, yet I could see the dining room (the other side of the front lobby) with a few customers in it. Security checked with a security supervisor, then surmised that it's only open for staff and students (Covid I would think). Mixed and frustrating messages both online and on the property! I also tried calling beforehand and only got voicemail, which did NOT state the restaurant was closed to the public. We have eaten there in the past and found the actual food served to be exceptional. You need to go in expecting very inexperienced service (this is a training venue), to then reap the rewards of very good cuisine. I just wish the management would make an effort to get their messaging to the...

We dined at Bloom this evening. The restaurant is designed well and feels very elegant.

The servers and cooks are all students in the culinary or hospitality program at Conestoga College. You can see that they are trying their best but they are new to everything.

The prices are very inexpensive. $21 for 2 courses or $25 for 3 courses.

I ordered the tuna ceviche for the appetizer and Cornish hen for my main. My husband ordered the Bibb salad and ricotta gnocchi.

All in all, the food and presentation is very good. I found the appetizers had a few too many flavours but that’s just my opinion.

My husband ordered the 3rd course which was a dark chocolate tart. It was lovely!

If you are open to trying new things and would like to support the students, be sure to book a reservation for this...

I absolutely adore this place! The food and drinks here are great! What's even better is that they switch up their menu every term, so there's always something new and exciting to try, which I absolutely love! Plus, the restaurant itself is stunning. It's got that whole fancy restaurant vibe going on, and you'd never guess it's inside a college.

That being said, everyone is still learning, so be nice and supportive! The guy who oversees the students is a real gem too, always keeping an eye out and being super attentive.

As for my go-to orders, anything with flank steak or chicken is hands down my favorite. About the prices, it's typically around $30 to $33. So, it's pretty budget-friendly for the quality...