Whether you are visiting the Town of Stratford, Ontario during the festival season or on the off-season, there is plenty of unique spots to check out and indulge in. I used to live within a 20-minute drive to Stratford and loved walking through the local shops and going to the cafes and restaurants. The great thing about these recommendations is all places listed are locally owned* so by spending some money at these places, you will be supporting local and small business owners.
Dine
Lady Glaze Doughnuts
If you love donuts and are looking for a very aesthetically pleasing spot, then you will find everything you’re looking for at Lady Glaze Doughnuts. They always have a huge selection of donuts to taste with the flavours changing with many being themed to the season. You can buy them as singles or opt for a box of 6 to try more flavours and cut them up to be shared between yourself and anyone you’re with.
Instagram @lady_glaze_doughnuts
Pazzo Pizzeria
Pazzo Pizzera is an Italian restaurant with the main floor right off the street as well as a wine cellar in the basement. I went here with my family and we dined in the wine cellar downstairs that has a lovely ambience with soft music. With so many tasty options on their menu, you may want to consider sharing meals with your table to taste multiple dishes.
Mercer Kitchen & Beer Hall
The Mercer Kitchen is part of the Mercer hotel and is a great spot to enjoy lunch with a beer or cocktail. I went to Mercer with a friend from Hamilton (Ontario) and we absolutely loved the dishes and overall ambience. In the summertime it’s lovely sitting on the patio and enjoying drinks while the inside feels cozy and welcoming. Mercer has a great selection of food with a beer selection from local breweries in Southern Ontario.
Instagram @mercerbeerhall
Drink
The relic lobby bar
The moment I walked past the Relic Lobby Bar I knew I had to stop in for a cocktail. Looking into the front windows the bar resembles a speak easy with vintage looking chairs and a relaxed ambiance. Inside, the bar has a great atmosphere with the decor and overall vibe of the bar is vintage with an eclectic design. They have a great selection of cocktails while offering non-alcoholic cocktails too.
Instagram @thereliclobbybar
Revel Café
Revel Café is located directly across from City Hall sitting between several shops and a restaurant. They make some delicious lattes finishing off the drink with some latte art for an Instagram-worthy drink. In the summertime, you can bask in the sun on the patio in the back, while in the colder months you can enjoy it heated with an enclosure. I visited Revel with my brother in the early summertime for what I thought was some bonding time that turned out being a way to distract me only to return home to a surprise party for me.
Click here for Revel Cafe’s location and hours of operation.
Balzac’s Coffee
You may have seen Balzac’s Coffee sold at Indigo or maybe you remember seeing them on the Dragons Den. While Balzac’s has grown, something you may not know is that the first Balzac’s Coffee was opened in Stratford. Their Stratford location is the original location and on the main strip in the downtown. Asides from having a cute interior, the coffee is tasty with choices of hot or iced and different treats to pair with your drink.
Instagram @balzacscoffee
Shop
Harmony
I have shopped at Harmony for years and absolutely love their selection of jewelry, especially their necklaces and rings. Harmony’s jewelry is locally designed, handmade, and offers personalization to many of their pieces. If you’ve been searching for beautiful, dainty pieces, and haven’t had any luck in person, you are sure to find a piece you will fall in love with at Harmony. While at their store, you can also find some other home decor items and clothing pieces.
Instagram @harmony.online
Gregory Connor Antiques
If you love antique shopping, then Gregory Connor Antiques is for you. It’s a small shop located on the backside of the main street close by the river. You can find furniture, textiles, maps and prints here with much of their selection being from the 17th century.
Click here for their store hours and location.
Wills & Prior
Asides from having the cutest little store front, Wills and Prior has some great home décor selection. While the front of the store is catered towards decorative home goods, at the back of the store they have many textiles from bedding to towels as well as different fabric options for window coverings. I went here at Christmastime where they had a large portion of a wall dedicated to unique Christmas ornaments. I don’t believe they have this year-round, but if you happen to go around the holiday season you can find a unique ornament to add to your Christmas tree.
Instagram @willsandprior
Sweat
Modo Hot yoga studio
After indulging on dinner, cocktails and donuts, you can sweat off the calories by attending a hot yoga class at Modo Hot Yoga Studio. A Canadian born company, the Stratford studio is independently owned by a local who teaches many of the classes there. I went to several hot yoga sessions at Modo Stratford and absolutely loved the intensity of the different practices they offer. Christa (the owner) and the teachers at Modo are all very friendly and welcoming which really makes the practice impactful.
Instagram @modoyogastratford
Entertain
Gallery indigena
The Gallery Indigena is a Canadian indigenous art gallery with a gift shop of items which are all made by Canadian Aboriginal Artists. While I’m not completely sure if the gallery and shop are locally owned in Stratford, supporting the Canadian Aboriginal people is a small step we can make to support the First People.
Click here for Gallery Indigena in Stratford’s location and hours of operation.
*Note: All businesses listed above are owned within Ontario, though some started from cities such as Kitchener and Guelph but have under 5 locations all within Southern Ontario.
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