If you think a small city like Stratford Ontario can’t have an incredible culinary scene, I am here to change your mind!
This guide to the best restaurants in Stratford Ontario will quickly make you realize just how many incredible places to eat there are in Stratford.
In fact I would go back to Stratford just to eat at some of these incredible restaurants again!
Every single restaurant we dined at in Stratford had unbelievable food and incredibly talented chefs and bartenders.
Planning a trip to Stratford soon? You might also want to check out these posts:
- 20 Best Things to do in Stratford Ontario
- 8 Magical Christmas Towns in Ontario (For Stratford at Christmas time!)
And if you’re looking for more Ontario guides check out these posts:
- 38 Best Things to do in Kingston Ontario
- 29 Instagrammable Places in Toronto – Outdoor Photo Spots
- 16 Instagrammable Pink Places in Toronto
- 30 Best Picnic Spots in Toronto
- 13 Best Beaches in Toronto you Need to Visit this Summer
- 19 Incredible Things to do in Niagara Falls, Canada
- The Prince Edward County Church – The Most Unique Vacation Rental in PEC
And be sure to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. I share a lot of travel content on those that never make it to the blog!
Now, onto the guide of the best places to eat in Stratford!
Table of Contents
Best cafes and places to grab breakfast in Stratford
There’s no better way to start your day than with a great cup of coffee and a bite to eat.
Whether you prefer a hearty and filling breakfast, or a light bite, Stratford has some great breakfast options for you to try out.
Here are my favourite places to grab breakfast and coffee in Stratford!
Edison’s Cafe
- Address: 46 Ontario St
- Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays: 9am-3pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available
Edison’s is a beautiful little family owned Whole Foods Cafe in Stratford that serves healthy food, delicious coffee, and some light treats.
When you enter you’ll be greeted by husband and wife team, Buffy Illingworth and Greg Kupefer.
Buffy will likely be in the kitchen cooking up something delicious, while Greg greets you with a smile and is ready to take your order and serve up the most delicious coffee.
Many of the food offerings here are plant-based and all are made in house.
The baked goods are grain, dairy, and refined sugar free so you won’t feel guilty even though they taste like you should.
I had the avocado toast and it was hands down one of the best avocado toasts I’ve ever had. I highly recommend it!
I added an egg on top and some goat cheese and it was quite literally perfection!
The Livery Yard
- Address: 104 Downie St.
- Hours: Monday-Friday: 8am-4pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available
Who doesn’t love starting their mornings with a quality cup of java and some amazing pastries?
The Livery Yard in Stratford is a beautiful espresso bar and coffee shop offering dine-in, carry-out, and sidewalk coffees.
Whether you plan on dining in or just grabbing something to go, this is definitely one coffee shop in Stratford you won’t want to miss!
All of the pastries and sweets we tried were so good. I especially liked the chocolate twist with the nuts!
The Livery Yard is the perfect place to stop for a quick bite before heading out to explore more of Stratford.
Best restaurants in Stratford for lunch
Although most of the restaurants listed in the lunch and dinner sections of this Stratford dining guide are great for great spots for either, these are the restaurants I found particularly great spots for lunch!
el Cactus Taco Shop
- Address: 2 Ontario St
- Hours: Thursday-Saturday: 11:30am-7:30pm
- Price Range: $$
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available
- Menu: Menu available here
There’s nothing quite like authentic Mexican food, and el Cactus Taco Shop in downtown Stratford serves just that!
This vibrant little restaurant serves up some of the most delicious Mexican food I’ve had outside of Mexico, and I would go back in a heart beat.
We ordered the guacamole and tortilla chips as well as the scallop ceviche tostada to share. Both were so good!
For our mains I had the El Cochinito and the El Gringo, while my friend tried both the plant based options which were the El Cactus and the El Hippie.
No matter what you order here you can’t go wrong because every dish we had was amazing!
You can choose to dine in on their patio which we did, or grab yourself some take-out at El Cactus and head out to enjoy your Mexican meal at a picnic table in the park over looking the Avon River.
You’ll quickly see why I loved this spot so much!
York Street Kitchen
- Address: 151 Albert St
- Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:30am-2:00pm
- Price Range: $$
- Reservations: Reservations available, call 519-273-7041 or email yorkstreetkitchen@gmail.com
- Takeout/Delivery: Delivery & takeout available, call 519-273-7041
- Menu: Menu available here
If you’re a sandwich lover you absolutely need to have lunch at the York Street Kitchen while you’re in Stratford.
They serve some of the best sandwiches I have ever had in my life, and the sides are pretty darn good too!
I opted for the Gobble-Wich which is a smoked turkey sandwich with cranberry mayo, cheddar, cucumbers, tomato, and lettuce on a sourdough bun. I had it with the sweet potato fries and an incredible curry mayo dip.
My friend had the Wellesley which was a black forest ham sandwich with apple butter, mayo, lettuce, green pepper, and cucumber on ciabatta.
We both loved our sandwiches at York Street Kitchen and said we would go back in a heartbeat! It was the perfect place to go for lunch in Stratford.
York Street Kitchen also has an adorable little garden patio out back which is the perfect place to enjoy your lunch if the weather is nice.
The Planet Diner
- Address: 118 Downie St
- Hours: Thursday-Sunday: 11:00am-8:00pm
- Price Range: $$
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, call 519-305-5888
- Menu: Menu available here
One of the best and most highly recommended (mainly) plant-based restaurants in Stratford is hands down The Planet Diner.
Many restaurants in Stratford cater to a wide variety of diets but one of the best plant-based menus can be found at The Planet Diner.
The Planet Diner is an adorable retro-inspired diner with bright red booths that will make you feel like you stepped back in time.
But not only is The Planet Diner cute, the food here is insanely good!
They’ve got a mostly vegan menu, but don’t worry, they still have a few options for us carnivores.
In fact, their slogan is “Where Herbivores can bring their Carnivores”.
At The Planet Diner you can enjoy all sorts of classic comfort food faves made with plant-based ingredients.
Although I am a meat eater myself, I’ve heard their plant based chicken is to die for!
Sirkel Foods
- Address: 40 Wellington St
- Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:00am-3:00pm
- Price Range: $
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, call 519-273-7084
- Menu: Menu available here
Another great and highly rated lunch spot in Stratford is Sirkel Foods.
In fact, they’re rated #2 of all the restaurants in Stratford on TripAdvisor so you know this is one Stratford restaurant you can’t miss!
Sirkel is a small takeout restaurant located right by City Hall.
Here you will find a menu jam packed with some of the most delicious sandwiches you’ll find in Stratford.
They also have hearty soups and plenty of sweet treats available.
You definitely need to grab lunch at Sirkel Foods when visiting Stratford!
Best restaurants in Stratford for dinner
These Stratford restaurants feature not only amazing cuisine, but great cocktail lists too making them the perfect places to have dinner.
The Common
- Address: 80 Wellington St
- Hours: Friday-Saturday: 5pm-9pm, Sunday: 5pm-8pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: Reservations available, call 519-271-0999 or email commonrestaurant@gmail.com
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, call 519-271-0999
- Menu: Menu available here
You’ll definitely want to enjoy an incredible dinner and drinks at The Common during your visit to Stratford.
The Common’s cuisine is an eclectic mix of comfort food from all over the world, and every dish will have you drooling and yearning for more.
Blending and elevating traditional dishes with contemporary, The Common uses only the freshest local and responsibly sourced ingredients.
You can tell a lot of thought and care went into the making of the menu, and everything we had was delicious!
Rather than getting our own dishes, we opted to share a few starters which was a great decision. We had the mussels, charcuterie for 2, and the pork belly bao.
By the way – if there’s one cocktail you try here it has to be the Piquante Margarita. As long as you love spicy as much as I do you’ll fall in love with this spicy margarita!
Revival House
- Address: 70 Brunswick St
- Hours: Thursday-Saturday: 11:30am-9:00pm, Sunday: 11:30am-8:00pm
- Price Range: $$$$
- Reservations: Reservations available, call 519-273-3424 or reserve online here
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, order here
- Menu: Menus available on this page
Revival House is definitely going to be your most memorable dining experience while in Stratford, I can guarantee that!
Revival House is an incredible restaurant that’s in a beautiful old church and it truly is a sight to see.
If you’re lucky enough to visit during the warmer months, make sure to ask to sit on the patio. It’s absolutely gorgeous there.
Make sure to take a peek inside though before you leave. The interior of the church will leave you in awe. It’s amazing what they’ve done with the place.
For our meal, we started with the caramelized (baked) brie with nut-free basil pesto, red pepper jelly, toasted pine nuts and grilled baguette.
It was such a unique baked brie and we loved the flavours which were so different from your typical baked brie.
For our mains we had the Tuna Tataki Salad and the Pomodoro pizza. I just love how much cheese and toppings they put on the pizza there!
By the way – you have to try the white sangria. it was amazing!
Braai House
- Address: 34 Brunswick St, Second floor
- Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 5:00pm-9:00pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: Reservations available, reserve onlin here
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, order online here
- Menu: Menu available here
Braai House is arguably one of the best restaurants in Stratford and it came highly recommended!
In fact, it’s actually rated #1 restaurant in Stratford on TripAdvisor!
If you’re craving some seriously tasty African-inspired eats, Braai House is the place to be.
They’ve got the whole open-fire cooking thing down pat, and the atmosphere is super laid-back and homey – just like a traditional braai in South Africa.
There are so many great items on the menu, but you don’t want to miss the bobotie appetizer and the duck, trust me on this one!
And their pizzas? To die for, and they all have such unique flavour combinations!
Braai House is the perfect spot for a casual dinner with friends or a chill hang with the fam.
This is one Stratford restaurant you definitely won’t want to miss!
Bijou Restaurant
- Address: 74 Wellington St
- Hours: Thursday-Saturday: 4:45pm-8:30pm
- Price Range: $$$$
- Reservations: Reservations available, call 519-273-5000 or reserve online here
- Takeout/Delivery: No
- Menu: Menu available here
Another absolutely incredible dinner restaurant you need to try in Stratford is Bijou Restaurant!
Bijou offers a highly acclaimed and locally inspired farm-to-table menu, and has been in business in Stratford for over 23 years.
They really are a premier destination for French bistro cuisine in Stratford with a farm-to-table focus.
Their regular prix fixe menu features the finest locally-sourced ingredients, expertly prepared in a variety of innovative and tasty ways.
These dishes are perfectly complemented by a selection of small craft wineries and classic old world options.
Bijou proudly honors the tradition of French culinary excellence while embracing the spirit of regional, fresh ingredients.
You are sure to have an absolutely memorable dinner at Bijou!
Braaibar
- Address: 34 Brunswick St
- Hours: Thursday: 5:00pm-11:00pm, Friday-Saturday: 5:00pm-12:00am, Sunday-Monday: 5:00pm-8:00pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: Reservations available, reserve online here
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, order online here
- Menu: Menu available here
Another great spot you need to check out during your visit is Braaibar.
Braaibar offers South African flavour profiles in a casual & comfortable setting.
I highly recommend making this a dinner stop as they have some pretty unbelievable cocktails you won’t want to miss out on!
Every cocktail and dish we had was so unbelievably good. You definitely won’t regret coming here!
For dinner we split the Albacore Tuna, Korean Fried Cauliflower, and the Short Rib Bo Ssam.
Each dish had an insane amount of flavour and it would be really difficult to pick a favourite.
Since I visited the menu has changed and now it focuses on South African flavours rather than Asian influences, but the menu still looks incredible!
My favourite cocktail was definitely the Rocket Fuel. This unique and surprisingly delicious cocktail is made with Lot 40 Rye, anchor reyes, salted grapefruit, pomegranate, molasses, and Vietnamese coffee.
It came served in a pretty little china teacup and literally tasted like coffee. It was the perfect way to end our meal!
Best Places to grab a drink in Stratford
Beyond the Common, the Alley, and Revival House which all serve amazing cocktails, I wanted to add a few more “chill” places to grab a drink while in Stratford.
These watering holes are the perfect place to grab a pint and some casual eats, and just relax after a day of sightseeing!
Mercer Kitchen & Beer Hall
- Address: 108 Ontario St
- Hours: Sunday-Wednesday: 11:30am-10:00pm, Thursday: 11:30am-12:00am, Friday-Saturday: 11:30am-11:00pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: Reservations available, call 519-271-1888
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout & delivery available, order online here
- Menu: Menu available here
If you love beer you absolutely can’t miss Mercer Beer Hall which has the most impressive craft beer list in all of Stratford.
At the Mercer Kitchen and Beer Hall you can expect delicious food and an incredible beer list featuring all sorts of local favourites.
Mercer is actually one of the stops along the Bacon and Ale Trail too (listed below). You can see what we got during our stop along the trail above!
If you love fruity beers you have to try the Fairweather Fairy Floss. It was an incredible delicious fruity and sour beer that quickly became my new favourite!
Boar’s Head Pub
- Address: 161 Ontario St
- Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 11:30am-9:00pm
- Price Range: $$-$$$
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, call 519-271-1400
- Menu: Menu available here
Looking for a place to kick back and sip a few pints with the locals?
Then the Boar’s Head Pub is for you!
This casual and friendly pub features a menu of english favourites and I’ve been told the Shephard’s Pie is a must.
The staff here is also super friendly and will make you feel at home right away.
Best Dessert Spots in Stratford
JENN & Larry’s Ice Cream
- Address: 49 York St
- Hours:
- Price Range: $
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Takeout available, order online here
JENN & Larry’s Ice Cream Shoppe is a cute little ice creamery in downtown Stratford.
Starting in the ice cream industry circa 1967, JENN and Larry’s were voted Stratford’s Favourite Ice Cream Shoppe and named one of the Best of Ontario for their Malted Shake!
Located just steps away from the Avon River, it’s the perfect place to grab yourself a treat that will cool you down on a hot summer day.
If you’re doing the Chocolate Trail I definitely recommend using one of your tickets here.
You’ll get a delicious chocolate and peanut butter sundae that’s a very generous size.
(more on the Chocolate Trail further down in this guide!)
Rheo Thompson Candies
- Address: 55 Albert St
- Hours: Monday-Saturday: 9:00am-5:30pm
- Price Range: $-$$
- Reservations: No
- Takeout/Delivery: Pick up & Delivery available on all orders made online
Don’t miss out on stopping at Rheo Thompson Candies while in Stratford.
They’re the most famous chocolatiers in Stratford and the chocolates there are just divine!
At Rheo Thompson Candies, the goal is to make the finest products using only the freshest and highest quality ingredients.
They make a variety of hand made chocolates, hard candies, specialty nuts, nutty pop, and much more.
Be sure to try out a mint chocolate smoothie, they’re famous for them!
Best unique ways to eat in Stratford
Although the following aren’t restaurants per say, they’re a great way to try out many of Stratford’s restaurants in one go.
If you’re looking for a unique way to try a selection of Stratford’s best food (and booze) offerings, you have to try out the Chocolate Trail or the Bacon and Ale Trail.
The Chocolate Trail
Who doesn’t love indulging in delicious chocolate treats?
Stratford just happens to be home to some of the best chocolatiers and there’s only one way to truly experience the best of the best in Stratford’s chocolatey goodness… Through The Chocolate Trail!
The Chocolate Trail is a self-guided tour that will take you to some of Stratford’s best destinations for all things sweets.
Your Chocolate Trail purchase costs just $30 and gives you 6 coupons to redeem at the 6 stops of your choice.
The Bacon and Ale Trail
If chocolate treats aren’t your thing (or if you just want to experience even more of Stratford’s delectable food offerings) you have to try out The Bacon and Ale Trail!
The Bacon and Ale Trail is a self guided tour that introduces you to Stratford’s pork and brewing history.
Each stop along the way (and there are 15 to choose from) features a bacon and/or ale offering that will leave your mouth watering.
Each Trail purchase costs $30 + HST and gives you 5 coupons to redeem at 5 stops of your choice.
To be honest I am not even a big bacon or beer person but I loved every single stop and both the food and beers offered were so good!
Final Thoughts
By now you’ve probably come to realize that Stratford has a pretty amazing culinary scene.
One of my favourite parts of visiting Stratford was getting to try some of the many amazing restaurants and bars there.
We didn’t have a single bad meal and I would go back to every single restaurant we went to.
Planning a trip to Stratford soon? You might also want to check out these posts:
- 20 Best Things to do in Stratford Ontario
- 8 Magical Christmas Towns in Ontario (For Stratford at Christmas time!)
And if you’re looking for more Ontario guides check out these posts:
- 38 Best Things to do in Kingston Ontario
- 29 Instagrammable Places in Toronto – Outdoor Photo Spots
- 16 Instagrammable Pink Places in Toronto
- 30 Best Picnic Spots in Toronto
- 13 Best Beaches in Toronto you Need to Visit this Summer
- 19 Incredible Things to do in Niagara Falls, Canada
- The Prince Edward County Church – The Most Unique Vacation Rental in PEC
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