Pilot Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Waterloo

We actually were in the area visiting and planned to go to Starbucks across the street but when we parked, I noticed Pilot Coffee Roasters so we decided to stop there instead since it's not usually within reach for us.

As we walked in, I noticed the open concept and minimal decor and fell in love with it! We were greeted by both the employees working right away and I must say, the customer service was perhaps the best part of the entire experience. We were never rushed to order as they gave us plenty of time to debate the menu and when it came time to order, the gentleman was very thorough and helpful with the sizes of drinks, explaining the milk alternatives which are free of charge, order was clarified to ensure it was correct - all in all, you could feel he took his time to get things right for us. When our iced matcha beverages were handed off, he realized he didn't let us know they come Una's a default and there, he offered simple syrup or vanilla syrup of our choosing since we do prefer our matcha sweetened. After tasting, we told him two pumps wasn't sweet enough and he kindly added more syrup for us. I personally ordered the seasonal white chocolate matcha as a hot beverage which was tasty but a little too sweet - I would request for half sweet next time. I also got the sea salt chocolate chip cookie as I couldn't resist (it looked so good in the pastry display!) It turned out to be absolutely delicious - the edges being the best part. My mom said it paired well with her Americano which was made with their Heritage blend. Speaking of which, before my mom ordered her coffee, she was offered to try their brew before buying which was really helpful as it ended up being too acidic for her. The Heritage blend was much more her preference with the nutty notes.

All in all, a nice place to study and/or grab a coffee and snack to go! I'd highly recommend anyone to visit if...

Navigating flavors in tea or coffee is often akin to charting a course in the skies – each sip is an exploration of taste. When commandeered by the right pilot or barista, both journeys are utterly enjoyable. My visit to Pilot Coffee Roasters (114 King St S, Waterloo, ON N2J 1P5) provided me with the opportunity to navigate a great beverage. With over 10 locations across Southern Ontario, Pilot Coffee has earned several accolades for their in-house tea leaf and coffee-bean business, along with their state-of-the-art equipment supply, and most importantly, their delicious beverages! Their location in Uptown Waterloo made me realize why they were so popular all across the province - a quiet location that was great to study at with friends, the café was the perfect blend of modern and cozy.

Onto what I ordered! Hoping for a light beverage after work, I got the honey chai latte. A velvety, amber-hued drink that blended a robust black tea with warming spices including cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, and the delicate sweetness of honey, the drink was utterly delicious. Despite being slightly watery, the cup of tea was utterly comforting and helped soothe my nerves after a busy work day. The service provided by the staff made the experience even better - quick service and friendly conversation made the vibe even more amazing than it already was.

With locations across Downtown Toronto, Oakville, Richmond Hill, and Waterloo, Pilot Coffee Roasters is deservedly making its way across town with delicious beverages and a great aesthetic. Definitely keep an eye out for a store opening in your location too. Highly recommended!

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Unpretentious, really good coffee and great service. I have visited them often since they opened. It’s a little pricier than Starbucks across the street but well worth it for the quality of coffee and service. All the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable about the coffee.

They have all the usual drinks on the menu (americanos, lattes, cortados, flat whites, etc.) but they also have a beetroot and tumeric latte available year-round! They’ll also sometimes have a featured seasonal drink available.

Their non-dairy options are oat or almond milk. They might be cashless but I’m not 100% as I always pay with tap. They have a great loyalty program that is super easy to collect points - you just enter your number the first time and every time you pay with your card, it automatically loads the points to your account. No scanning apps/barcodes to collect points and you can link multiple cards to your number! It’s so convenient not having to download an app and make an account but they do have an app you can download if you ever want to order your drink ahead of time.

Free parking is available in the Uptown lot behind the LCBO building or street parking on King St on the opposite side of the street to the...