Nestled away in THE HUB, between two thriving universities; UW and Laurier, Exotica is a quaint little café with art filled walls and an easy going ambience.
We serve a wide range of beverages including espressos, teas, mojitos and more. We start from scratch and that means being thoughtful about the ingredients and products we select so you savour each bite guilt-free knowing we put all the thought into it.
Every sandwich starts with delicious, fresh bread. We source all our breads from one of Waterloo’s finest European bakeries offering ‘preservative free’ artisan breads. Between the slices of these rustic breads are meats made in-house by us. Our sandwiches are made to order; nothing instant nothing hasty; all baked with a focus on fusion taste and made with care.
Swing by and enjoy the ambience as you wait in anticipation for a deliciously hand-made gourmet fusion sandwich that you savour as you eat and feel good after.
JOURNEY TO EXOTICA
Nikhil and I were colleagues at an American company based in Waterloo working in different departments. 8 months into our jobs, the company closed operations in Canada; our departments were the first to be hit and we were let go. A few days after the dust settled, we thought… Why not do something on our own, bring a taste of food that Waterloo hasn’t had yet. The dream was always there, the moment had arrived and it all came to the forefront.
Nikhil, a trained Chef, with an MBA in Banking & Finance, a passion for everything food from tasting, tweeking around and creating his own unique tasty versions of recipes, took the first leap into the dream. Me, on the other hand with a Master’s Degree in Psychology, no formal culinary background, a passion for eating natural, tweeking around recipes to healthier versions, a love for stirring up something exciting in my home kitchen since I was a teen, this seemed like embracing a new and familiar beginning. Close to our Indian roots with our style of cooking; putting time, attention and care from scratch to finish; and with our love for flavours, aromas, spices and teas (….. try our Kashmiri Chai, it’s steeped in-house for 2 hours!), we started on our adventure of kitchen experiments. After trials, tests and kitchen disasters we came up with a menu. Our learning curve was steep, making it through survival jobs to pay the bills while building Exotica, making a tonne of mistakes and ‘after thought eye-openers’, our journey was about getting past the next big step and the drive to ‘Make It Happen’. We ‘Opened’ in October 2018 with a lean chalk board menu of 2 pockets, a salad and a handful of drinks. From a Café to a Fusion Kitchen and Café Pub, we have something for everyone.
Enjoy the vibe – Soul Soothing Classics, Romantic Spanish Guitars, Easy Regae, Smooth Rythmn & Blues, Latino Beats or the latest in music, all within a cosy, warm ambience; and fusion tastes that feel familiar. We’re a little tucked in to THE HUB, come find us…..
Decadent moist alcohol infused cake truffles savored warm
Roasted in Salerno, Italy, our Arabica and Robusta blend makes you a creamy espresso with an intense richness and a smooth taste
GALLERY
What's Exciting!
Where to find us
EMAIL:
TEL: 226-476-1779