Saturday afternoon , moments before 2 pm lunch end , I gather they close how a few hours then start a dinner service til 9or 10 pm We shared a fish and chip lunch , it was great and fries with a aioli , the fish was with a tasty home made dill tartar sauce Great red beer and a South African Shiraz Service was friendly and efficient and welcoming We will be back And await a new restaurant theme upstairs called Briaa ? Sounds good and must experience South African fire bbq and good read more

Came here for a dinner on a Saturday night with the SO. We made reservations and sure enough, people started trickling in right around dinner time. Service was EXCEPTIONAL. Except for one leeetle thing (see below). We couldn't decide between the duck liver pate and the ploughman's board so we ordered one of each...and the waiter promptly told us that the ploughman's board comes with the duck liver pate! This was helpful! So, we decided to order the "large" ploughman's board so we could share. It was HUGE. Like, enough to nearly fill us up. We still ordered mains which were delicious but we could barely finish. The one negative is that we asked for a doggy bag for the rest of the ploughman's board, and the waiter took the plate and brought us back the container. When we got home, we saw that the waiter didn't give us any of the duck liver pate (there was 1/3rd left over). Its a real shame because that's probably the thing I wanted the most. Otherwise, great place. It didn't *look* fancy but the food and service was definitely top-notch. Prices reflected that too. I would probably recommend this place, but I know Stratford has a lot of amazing restaurants and I have yet to try those. read more

I have been in and out of Stratford for 30 years and this is my first choice for dining. Fish and chips are the best in Stratford bar none. They smoke their own salmon and it is not unusual to find house smoked duck on the menu. I was there today and ran into the US Ambassador who was there, surprise, surprise, for fish and chips. And likely a play. Great wine list. Great atmosphere. Thai duck curry is worth the trip alone. If you like beef, try the tenderloin. Call for reservations, it is usually full with regulars. Like me. read more

This concerns the restaurant, Keystone Alley, though it is attached to the Key'd Inn, which I'm sure is fantastic. Keystone is definitely in my top five favorite restaurants in Stratford. Great food and service make it a definite recommendation from me, though I also recommend making reservations unless you plan to arrive when they first open. This last visit they were not as crowded, but it has not been unusual in the past to be unable to get in during peak times. The place itself is fairly small, though it does seem to keep going the further in you walk. At the back near the kitchen there is a small bar, but most the seats are tables and booths. Decor is....I suppose contemporary casual is the word I'd choose. Very nice with comfortable lighting that manages to be both bright and dim at the same time. Clientele is usually all adults in nice clothes - clean jeans and a polo shirt are fine. And the food... well, it's pretty amazing. We dropped in for lunch, which is usually when we go for some reason, and partook of our typical custom of ordering one of the soups of the day. This time I gave the tomato-lentil-orange soup a try. At first bite, you mostly taste the tomato and chewy lentils, but after a second, the orange kicks in, leaving a mild citrus after taste. It was very different and I really liked it. The carrot ginger was also amazing - very thick and creamy. Honestly, though, you really can't go wrong with whatever soup they've come up with. Main courses... My Mom had the quiche of the day which was salmon and broccolli. Whatever the flavor, the quiche is always exceptional, though, with a flaky tender crust and creamy, eggy insides. It is served on a bed of greens and can be extremely filling. Dad tried a seared salmon which had me questioning why I generally am not fond of salmon. Meaty flavor with a bit of tang, and absolutely no fishiness. If they have it, both of my parents would heartily recommend any sort of poached salmon they have too. When available, it's one of their favorite dishes. I, meanwhile, opted for an old favorite - the crepes gourmet. This consists of three pan-sized tender crepes, filled with a sprig of asparagus wrapped in ham. This is covered with a cap of melted swiss cheese, with a dash of Kirsch thrown in for a bit of a tang. It is gooey deliciousness, though it can be a bit messy. I also have fond memories of a welsh rarebit they served one year, so if it's a special, try it. Dessert.... definitely worth it. This visit, I tried a chocolate pecan tart, which was like eating super creamy fudge. Very rich but not too sweet, it went wonderfully with the tasty cappuccino. My Mom tried a trio of creme brulee - amaretto, Irish creme, and orange. They were all amazing, with very strong flavors. I especially liked the amaretto. And Dad had the amazing flourless chocolate cake, which again, reminds me more of fudge than cake. Service is great. The lady who waited on us this time was very sweet and efficient. Prices....well, Stratford. Lunch isn't bad, though, with most meals around $10~14 for the entree,and the portions are good and quite filling. Dinner is about twice that price, but some of the entrees and appetizers sound (and probably are) absolutely amazing. So yeah. Definitely on my list of recommendations, and my list of favorite restaurants period. read more

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We had a large group of seven for dinner on a Thursday night. The food was beautifully presented and delicious. Service had some small hiccups, but nothing that stopped us from enjoying a wonderful evening in time for the show! Apparently there have been some changes for the better here. There was a good range of fresh, local ingredients all tastefully prepared. read more

Keystone Alley - Pickerel from Lake Huron. Beautifully prepared. - Cafes Near Me - Stratford, Ontario

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This restaurant is one of the many finer dining areas in Stratford the location downtown is easy to access and parking is plentiful the decor matches the concept and is warm and friendly the staff is very efficient and friendly the food choices on the menu are not great there are very few choices and not what you'd expect for the price range in this restaurant however the portions are large the quality and presentation and taste of the food is excellent read more

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The charcuterie board is beyond amazing, great selection of beer and their fresh perogies are some of the best I have had

We love eating here when we visit Stratford. We have never been disappointed with the quality of our food and the service has always been above average. read more

Talk about amazing meals! We will definitely remember this one and happily return to Keystone Alley when we are next in Stratford. For starters we had beautiful salads and my husband had the duck liver pate, which he says is one of the best he's ever had. It came with a brûlée covering and was accompanied with a delicious chutney. For the main course my son had the steak frites, which was cooked perfectly to order and we were all trying to sneak some of those delicious fries! My husband had the brisket which was fantastic and my daughter and I had the hippie bowl, a healthy and satisfying choice. For dessert we had the cake pops (yummy), chocolate torte (good but not a standout) and the toffee pudding which was the hit of the night - served warm with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream - awesome! Another cool thing about this restaurant is that you can order a "six pack for the kitchen". We were a little confused until the table next to us, who were celebrating their wedding anniversary, did so. The kitchen staff yelled out and rang a bell. What a fun, unique way to thank the staff for a great meal! read more

Only had a main, but just made us not want to go back. I had the fish of the day, which while cooked well, had little flavour and the sauce just didn't go well with it. I had hoped for more than just a single cauliflower head, half a piece of broccoli, a small carrot, and two very small beans for the side of vegetables. A potato mash came with it, but it wasn't smooth. I also didn't like the bread enough to eat more than a bite even though I was quite hungry. My partner had the feature of the day, which was a pan-fried duck. The duck was very, very chewy. So tough, I could barely chew through and swallow on a couple of the pieces I tried. The mushrooms also had an overpowering taste, which did not go with the rest of the dish at all. And again, the potato mash just wasn't puree well enough. Service was okay, but somewhat inconsistent, because our waitress wasn't even the one to ask us whether we wanted dessert. Overall, service was somewhat slow though the restaurant wasn't full. read more

This restaurant was highly recommended and did not disappoint. I was told by many friends to get there early and request the patio. We were there diligently at 4:50 for our 5:00 pm reservations. We were seated in the patio and it was lovely. However, we were seated directly across from the door where everyone comes and goes from the patio into the restaurant. I would suggest they move the table back a little further so as not to feel one is seated "by the kitchen". We were sitting beside a living plant wall and it was lovely except for when a gust of wind blew and well....we got showered with pollen. So into my wine and my plate of food which luckily enough I was already finished with. They quickly tried to rectify the issue and rolled out the awning. The servers were very friendly. Now, onto the food. The menus were printed with the Lunch menu on one side and the Dinner menu on the other side. My friend whom I was treating really wanted the fish and chips and Caesar salad from the Lunch menu, only to be told that the lunch items are not an option. So my suggestion to the restaurant would be to not have both the lunch and dinner menus printed on the same menu which would avoid any future customers from being disappointed. That said, we moved on and chose from the Dinner menu. I chose the chicken which might possibly be the best chicken I've tasted from a restaurant. The chicken is organic and perfectly cooked with the right amount of tenderness and juiciness and filled with just the right amount of the fennel based pesto. The roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus were perfectly done. So I would definitely recommend The Keystone Alley as a dinner option before the Theatre or after for a dessert and nightcap. I can only imagine how pretty it would look on the patio with lighting and candles all turned on. read more

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I came here with three friends and had a great meal, surrounded by beautiful scenery. The customer service was great, considering we are teens. The only complaint I have is that this is on the pricier side. I chose the caesar salad and chose to add grilled chicken. The few pieces of chicken were an additional seven dollars, which totalled my rather small meal to about forty dollars. All accept the price of some items were perfect. My meal tasted amazing. Would definitely recommend. read more

Keystone Alley - Cafes Near Me - Stratford, Ontario

Very good food, nice atmosphere, friendly waitstaff. I'd definitely eat here again and recommend to others.

We both ordered the Quarter Chicken and a beer and enjoyed a beautiful night on the patio. The meal was tasty, and very well presented - a chef who knows their craft. The portions are very small - perhaps an out of place attempt at high-end bistro fare. The prices are medium-high. If you are looking for fine, wonderfully presented food and a nice atmosphere - this is your place. The patio is a great escape from the heat and fast pace of summer. If you're looking for a FULL meal and an excellent beer selection then keep looking - there are better places in town for that (I wish could consult on their beer list). Also their staff is oddly informal for this type of restaurant - more appropriate for "Roadhouse" atmosphere. I think once their new staff adjust a bit and the menu becomes more approachable, Keystone could become a Stratford classic. For now, this is a pricey but good tasting light meal, and a restaurant which needs to find their identity. read more

Hail to Keystone Alley's "Hippie Bowl": delicious tahini dressing poured over warm rice, adorned with crisp fresh veggies, crispy, tasty kale chips, plentiful almond slices and crunchy chickpeas. I enjoyed mine with a piece of salmon that was more than adequate for dinner, and cooked EXACTLY as I had ordered! My table mates ordered the same, but with chicken, and all four thumbs were up when they weren't busy happily forking it in. And more thumbs up for the crispy brussels sprouts, bolstered with an indescribable slather of what the menu say is a smoky squash maple sauce, but to us tasting like joy would if you could put it on a plate. Lovely venue and service with a smile. Thank you, chefs...I owe you a six-pack! read more

Here for lunch recently. The menu is small, the beer and wine list smaller. Service was slow and they seemed understaffed for a Saturday theater-time lunch even though not crowded. Fish and chips and the special pork burger were good. The "meat and bread" special of a pork schnitzel flatbread suffered from too much breading on the schnitzel and the lamentable choice of a red cabbage slaw placed under the schnitzel so that it immediately bled through the bottom fold of the flatbread, making it unappetizingly red and too soggy to handle. Pretty basic chef stuff gone wrong. read more

We found great service and mouth watering food and drink through and through at Keystone! Sitting in the shaded patio for dinner was excellent. Diverse wine menu of bottles you won't find elsewhere, priced reasonably. Be sure to save yourself for dessert as they have a delectable selection of in-house made ice creams and other desserts (I had the carrot cake and whatever my wife would let me steal of her ice cream). Highly recommend checking out Keystone! read more

Six of us had dinner last week. It was our first visit but it will not be our last. While the scallops one of us ordered were disappointing, the remainder of our first courses and entrees were all outstanding. The wine list was not huge but with a wide selection of varieties and well priced. The kitchen was also very gracious in meeting the dietary needs for one of us. read more

Had lunch here with 3 friends. The service was impeccable and the food was delectable. Definitely a favourite of mine when I visit The Festival. Make sure to make a reservation though. At 11:30 there were a few table but by noon it was packed. Had the Asian Spring Rolls to start and then finished with the That Red Curry Prawns. Yum! My husband had the Duck Parfait appetizer and the Chicken Thai salad for his main, Again, YUM! What we loved most about this Cafe was the friendly service, the well presented and incredibly tasting food. Will definitely be back again next year. read more