Food and a drink
Eating at Kawartha Downs
Two places to eat at Kawartha Downs are covered here, and they keep very different calendars. The Player's Lounge & Café on the slot floor is there all year, while the buffet in the Grandstand Dining Room upstairs runs only while the horses do, May to September.
By the Out to the Downs crewChecked October 14, 2026
A lounge on the slot floor
Once you are through the door, the Player's Lounge & Café is right there on the slot floor. On offer are light refreshments plus modern casual dishes ordered a la carte, with a menu covering breakfast, lunch and dinner. A fully licensed bar rounds it out, and Kawartha Downs calls the lounge fully accessible.
The lounge admits guests 19 plus, with ID. Anyone who appears younger than 30 will be asked by Great Canadian to show photo ID issued by a government, in its original form. Staff may also request a second piece, so carrying a spare card in your wallet helps. For menu questions, call the lounge at 705-940-0237.
When the lounge is open
From Monday to Thursday, the Player's Lounge is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday it stays open an hour longer, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday goes back to 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The slot floor opens at the same 10 a.m. but runs until midnight, seven days a week. So on any night, the lounge shuts before the machines do. Holiday hours for the slots are not posted ahead of time; the slot line at 705-939-2400 can confirm them.
Upstairs over the track
The Grandstand Dining Room is upstairs on the second floor, and it looks over the track. It is wheelchair accessible, too. Its buffet dinner runs only in the harness racing season, which goes from May to September.
Reservations are recommended for that buffet, so plan ahead rather than just turning up. The dress code is semi casual. The race schedule sits on the track's harness racing page at kawarthadowns.com, and watching costs nothing.
Food from home stays home
Food and drink brought from outside are not allowed at Kawartha Downs events, so the picnic basket is better left at home. Seating at outdoor events is limited. The track suggests bringing a portable chair, sunscreen and a hat. One more thing for card holders: Comp Dollars from Great Canadian Rewards are accepted at the Kawartha Downs slots. Members of the card program are 19 or older.
Side note
Planning to stay past 9 p.m. on a weeknight? Eat first, because the lounge closes before the slots do.
Questions
Quick answers
Short answers from the checked facts. Tap a question to open it.
Is breakfast served at the track?
Yes, the Player's Lounge & Café on the slot floor serves an a la carte menu from breakfast through lunch to dinner. It opens at 10 a.m. every day.
How late is the lounge open on a Friday?
On Friday and Saturday the Player's Lounge is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The slot floor itself stays open until midnight.
Does the upstairs dining room run in the winter months?
The buffet dinner in the Grandstand Dining Room runs only in the harness racing season, May to September. Outside those months, look to the Player's Lounge on the slot floor.
Can someone under 19 eat at the lounge on the slot floor?
No. The Player's Lounge admits guests 19 and older who carry ID. Anyone who appears under 30 will be asked by Great Canadian for original government-issued photo ID.
Next stop
- The clockKawartha Downs Hours, Day and NightKawartha Downs slots are open 10 a.m. to midnight every day. Player's Lounge hours by day, holiday hours by phone, and the Peterborough table hours.
- Summer racesSummer races at Kawartha DownsHarness racing at Kawartha Downs runs May to September and is free to watch. Schedule on the track's page, plus its history and event rooms.
- Before you goKawartha Downs before you set offBefore the drive to Kawartha Downs: 19 and older, photo ID if you look under 30, smoking and cannabis rules, the rewards card and access.