Stratford has a reputation as a theatre town, but it is also one of the best small cities in Ontario for food. The Stratford Festival draws visitors who want a good dinner before the curtain, and the city has long had chefs and producers to supply them. The surrounding farmland adds fresh ingredients, and a handful of distinctive local experiences, from a chocolate trail to a craft distillery, give a food-focused trip its own shape. This guide covers the main options and how to fit them around a show.
The Chocolate Trail
The Chocolate Trail is the signature food activity and runs year round. It is a self-guided route past bakeries, chocolatiers and cafes, clustered in the downtown streets near Huron and Ontario Streets, and you pay for a set of vouchers that you redeem for treats at each stop. You can buy vouchers in person at Destination Stratford at 47 Downie Street, with a few Ontario Street shops as back-ups when the office is closed. Allow two to four hours, or spread it over a weekend, and check each stop's hours before you set out, because some close in the afternoon or on certain days. It suits families, couples and anyone with a sweet tooth, and it is as good in November as in July.
The Bacon and Ale Trail
The savoury counterpart is also voucher-based and year round, with stops that serve bacon-themed bites and local beer. It makes a fun lunch or early evening plan, and the vouchers are non-refundable and depend on each business's availability. Choose one trail per day if you want to keep your appetite for dinner, or alternate the two across a long weekend. If you are driving, keep to one drink at the pubs or arrange a taxi.
The Stratford Farmers' Market
The farmers' market is one of the oldest in Ontario, runs year round on Saturday mornings at the Stratford Agriplex and has more than 40 vendors. It is the best place to see what the surrounding farmland produces, and it is perfect for a picnic: pick up cheese, bread, pastries and fruit, then carry it to the river path or a bench in Upper Queen's Park. Go early, because the market runs from 7 am to noon, and check the current hours on Destination Stratford's event page before you travel.
Craft spirits
Junction 56 Distillery makes whiskey, gin and vodka in Stratford and runs guided tastings of 30 to 45 minutes, usually on Saturdays between 11 am and 4 pm, with cocktail classes by arrangement. Booking is by phone or email, so arrange it before you arrive, and organise a driver or a taxi. It is a good rainy-day or off-season activity, and bottles make a distinctive gift.
Pubs, afternoon tea and a proper dinner
Many downtown hotels and inns have their own restaurants and bars, and these are convenient after a show. The Queen's Cue has The Boar's Head Pub for pub fare and craft beer, The Folio for afternoon tea and The Bower for classic cocktails and local wines. Bentley's Inn has a restaurant and bar with an outdoor patio, the Parlour Inn has a restaurant and bar, and the Mercer Hotel Downtown has a restaurant and bar as well. Walk a few streets from the Avon Theatre and you will find a wide range of independent restaurants, so you rarely need a car for dinner. In season, book your table when you book your tickets, because the hour before a show is the busiest of the day.
Timing meals around a show
The simplest pattern is an early dinner before an evening performance or a late lunch after a matinee. For a 7:30 pm show, aim to sit down around 5:30 pm and ask the restaurant to confirm the time you must leave. For a 2 pm matinee, eat a light lunch beforehand and save the larger meal for the evening, when the restaurants are quieter and the walk back to your hotel is short. Some restaurants offer pre-theatre menus, so ask when you reserve.
Eating well on a budget
The markets, the trails and the bakeries make it easy to eat cheaply in Stratford. A morning at the farmers' market, a picnic by the river and a pub dinner will cost far less than a sequence of sit-down meals, and a voucher trail gives you a lot of tastes for one purchase. Coffee shops cluster downtown and near the Avon Theatre, and several inns are close enough to cafes that breakfast is easy to find.
Dietary needs
Restaurants in a theatre town are used to special requests, but the trails are built around chocolate, baked goods and bacon, so check the voucher options if you have dietary restrictions. Call ahead for the distillery and the market stalls with specific questions, and mention allergies when you book a table before a show.
