This famed area, one of the oldest commercial streets in North America, features trendy restaurants offering various types of cuisine including seafood, Asian and Indian, as well as pubs and tearooms. Several accommodations, as well as shops are also located here.

The earliest record of St. John’s appears as Sao Joao on a Portuguese map by Rienel in 1519. When John Rut visited St. John's in 1527 he found Norman, Breton and Portuguese ships in the harbor.

St. Jehan is shown on Nicholas Desliens world map of 1541 and San Joham in João Freire's Atlas of 1546. It was during this time that Water Street was first developed, making it the oldest street in North America.