lunch spots

I spent a lot of my time in Kingston looking for great places to grab lunch with friends. I had the incredible pleasure of having my days start at 8:30 every day, leaving me a huge gap, and then ending with sleep inducing night classes most nights. Needless to say, I learned to enjoy the fine, fine, art of eating and drinking compulsively during the day.

Lukes: Lukes is a great place for lunch. Their hours are strange but if you walk by when they are open you are in luck. Lukes is a tiny hole in the wall on Princess, and it serves healthy and heaping portions of amazing food. Their homemade soups and breads are incredible. Be prepared to wait for service, but enjoy every second surrounded my giant chalkboards and mini-lights. Skip the joint for dinner though, prices are high and service is bad.

Campus One Stop: CV (College Variety) recently changed it's name to Campus One Stop, however the food and the service is still the same. Okay, fine, this is an on campus convenience store selling packaged sandwiches and twizzlers, but Jimmy and crew make it more of an institution than your average corner 7-11. Try their Brie & Apricot take-out sandwiches and sit outside KCVI with the high school kids. With a pack of M&Ms for dessert, life just doesn't get much better.

Sleepless Goat: Located at 91 Princess Street, the Sleepless Goat, or just 'the goat' as regulars call it, is a workers cooperative coffee house & restaurant serving up affordable fair trade coffees and tasty vegan fare. Come here early to grab a table, and sit, relax, study and eat for hours on end. You'll usually meet some of Kingston's most interesting characters here, and likely make a friend or two. Plus, they offer kick ass takeout.

JJ’s Good Eats: Located at the corner of University and Johnson, JJ’s is a small restaurant that offers typical diner fare. It is well known for the JJ’s challenge, which entails eating two Pluto burgers (they’re big) and two poutines (bigger) in a set period of time. The successful go on to the finals and have the potential to win cash and fame- the others vomit.

Stooley’s Café: The busyness of this place speaks for itself. There are usually crowds at Stooley’s and the place is practically impossible to get into at homecoming as a lot of alumni are fond of it. Service is ok, and if you’re looking to keep things simple- a sandwich or burger- or even something like pasta- and grab a pint at the same time, this is a good place to go. It also has good takeout. The menu also includes some hangover concoctions- whether they work is for you to find out.

Lone Star: This restaurant has a Texan theme- you may have encountered it in other areas of Ontario. We, being BC folk, are surprised at this chain’s popularity, considering the American bent. Head here for beer- there’s a bar upstairs called Margaritaville (free chips and salsa)- otherwise, enjoy some Tex-Mex cuisine (fajitas are good) downstairs in the spacious restaurant.

The Copper Penny: This is a nice restaurant- it’s not fancy. It has a bar. It has food. You should go if you want food. Sadly, neither of us have eaten here too often, but we hear they have great fries.

Mr. Dumpling: Mmm dumplings. This is a relatively indiscreet restaurant, it’s tiny, and when you see it you’ll probably think be bunged up because it’s actually called ‘Sushi.” Rest assured, the restaurant that belongs to the black banner just by Princess and Division is called Mr. Dumpling- have a look under the window. It has great dumplings, and great sushi.