We had several flavors of ice cream among our party of five. The flavors were all good but some…read morewere quite icy. (I suspect that can change day to day.) Also, it seemed a bit pricey. But it was tasty!

You know the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (think Gene Wilder, not Johnny Depp)? This…read moreplace reminds me of the opening scene where the dude in the candy store goes all nuts singing about the candyman and throwing candy at all the kids. Simply put: This. Place. Is. Awesome. All sorts of candy bars (mostly just different varieties of chocolate), interesting "homemade" candies (like peanut butter cups and nut clusters), candy dipped apples, fresh made fudge... and on and on and on. Not to mention- it's all GOOD. Except for the stuff I didn't like, but... well, someone else must like it because it's there. They also have seasonal candy. It's October now, so they have HUGE jack-o-lantern chocolate things. I imagine near Easter they also do the traditional bunny. Thanksgiving yields chocolate turkeys. I don't know why I find this fascinating, but I do. I wish I lived in Stratford just so I could come ever every holiday to get that holiday's mascot in chocolate form. I can't imagine walking in this place and not walking out with at LEAST $15 in candy. Maybe that's not much to some, but it's a lot to me... especially for just candy. Expensive? Yes... but damn well worth it. Maybe not always in size- but what they lack in quantity is more than made up for with quality... and sometimes that's even better. If you've even got the slightest hint of a sweet tooth and find yourself in Stratford, you're doing yourself a disservice by not checking this place out. You'll also miss out on seeing the dudes who make (and pack!) the fudge during the day. Oh yeah, I went there. Really though... Go. NOW.

Such a cute shop with vibrant decor and fun vibes. They said they have the best malt shake in…read moreOntario so I had to try it. It's the best malt shake I've ever had! So delicious! Very friendly service and high quality ingredients.

Nice place to cool down on a summer day! The ice cream tastes great and the price is reasonable.read more

Scoopers is a great local spot for ice cream, shakes, slushes, sundaes, the equivalent of a…read moreblizzard at DQ or McFlurry at McDonald's, malts, and frozen yogurt. They have probably 30 flavours of ice cream from different suppliers. I counted two kinds of cheesecake ice creams, several chocolate ice creams such as gold medal ribbon, chocolate, chocolate brownie, Rolo, espresso flake, two kinds of moose tracks ice creams, and fruity flavours such as strawberry, raspberry, and peach. We chose a single scoop of peach ice cream on a wafer cone. The peach ice cream had bits of peaches in it. The serving was generous, enough for hubby and I to share. Cash or debit payment only. They have seating outside where you can enjoy your frozen treats.

Found out about this place by a local. Located just off the main downtown street beside Boomers…read more Friendly service and a variety of flavours to choose from. My choice was raspberry bugaboo; raspberry ice cream with flecks of moose tracks and raspberry filled mini chocolate cups. Must stop by again when I'm in the area!

We have loved Bijou for years. it is still our favorite Stratford restaurant. We had an excellent…read moretime this year. Although we miss the shabby chic of the old place, the decor at the new location is lovely and the seating is more comfortable. The staff is the same and still excellent. Put Bijou on your list for your Stratford visit.

Brought my mom to Stratford for the first time for a show. I took her to Bijou to be fancy... and…read moreBijou did not disappoint! Mom got adventurous and had the halibut which she enjoyed every bite with her eyes closed to enhance the flavours she described as phenomenal. I had, the only vegetarian (not vegan...as there is no vegan option on the menu) option, the Ukrainian dumplings... all I can say is WOW!!! The flavours from first bite to final notes were fresh, creamy and delicious!!! The prices were a little steep, and a little taken aback to have to pay for bread and butter, but even their home made focaccia was moist and crispy at the same time and the perfect tool to ensure all the sauce was where it belonged from our plates to our tummies! Our dinner was paired with a bottle of their cabsauv without any regrets. Make the reservation... your taste buds will thank you!!!

Best ground coffee in Stratford, IMHO…read more And that is a potentially volatile statement - as Stratford is the birthplace of Balzac's Coffee (now in Toronto's Distillery District too - This is my Dad's go-to place as well (he loves the French Vanilla flavoured beans, ground to order at the counter. It's my favourite flavour too, but I have a soft spot for the chocolate raspberry beans too)! Owner Nancy (Hotson) is AWESOME! She's half the charm of this place - ask her anything! You'll see. She knows everything there is to know about all the products she sells - coffees, teas and cigars, for the most part. Extra tip: You can now order their coffee beans online! YAHOO!

There are plenty of worthwhile shops in Stratford (one of the only touristy towns where I've found…read morethis to be true), and Buzz Stop is a great place to drop in for some coffee and/or tobacco. I was shopping for my best friend's bachelor party. Being from the States, Cuban cigars are impossible to find here, so he was hoping to smoke some while we were in Stratford. I had called ahead and, sure enough, they had plenty. Walking in, it smelled more of coffee and I thought for a moment I was shopping for the wrong thing; perhaps I should have planned to pick up a pound of some coffee too! Nancy, the proprietor, was very friendly. Not knowing much about cigars, I didn't know what I wanted, but she was very happy to help me decide what kinds to get. She even suggested some of the inexpensive ($5 per) cigars, saying that for my money, those would probably be best. She suggested that Cubans are not necessarily better cigars, so I ended up with a mix of cigars, both in origin and price. For a dozen guys, not all of whom love cigars, this was invaluable. Next time I'm in Stratford, I will definitely drop in!

The prices are really reasonable for the quality and service here! We went here several times…read moreduring our visit. We didn't stay at the hotel, but got a nice tour of it and liked how many nooks there are to read or play games in, how different rooms/floors are Shakespeare-themed, etc. It seemed very well thought out - not just another basic hotel chain. Steel Cut Porridge: If you love dessert for breakfast, this is excellent. The banana is caramelized (flambeed?) and the oats are perfectly cooked and sweetened with the birch syrup. I got this twice and it's just the right amount. Avocado Parfait: This was weird, but edible and very filling. I wouldn't get it again - the avocado was a weird choice. Like a sweet guacamole? Pain au Chocolat: Fresh and warm, a little soft (I like them a little more crispy on the outside and soft inside). Decent amount of quality chocolate inside. Crispy Smoked Bacon: Okay this one was maybe not as well priced as you only get three pieces of bacon, but it was tasty and I didn't have any regrets. Thin cut, wide, fatty slices. Maple Breakfast Sausage: No complaints, nothing too special, so it was a little pricey at three sausages. Better of course dipped in maple syrup! Bruce Blend Tea: This was quality black tea, but also just okay for me personally. I appreciate that they tell you how long the tea should be steeped and give you a timer for it. Apricot Tea: I liked this a lot on its own, but I liked it even more with some maple syrup, which made it taste like peach rings. Lychee Tea: This was nice and also I liked it better with a little maple syrup. Fabulous service. On weekends you get hot towels, which I thought was kind of funny. There is a path just outside that leads to the Stratford Festival Theatre, which is nice. I don't know that I could afford to stay at the hotel, but I would definitely come back to the restaurant.

Good food... EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. Beautiful dining room. Excellent high-end pre-show dining.read more

An amazing place to eat in the heart of Stratford's Theatre District…read more Excellent service, elevated versions of pub classics like fish and chips and fried chicken sandwiches. An extensive list of draft beers, well decorated, and moved to get you to the theatre on time.

We were walking around Stratford and looking for a nice lunch place and looked online and the…read morereviews and menu for Mercer Hall looked good so decided to check it out. The menu seemed a combo between Western standards with Asian twist/influence. We ordered the mushroom miso soup as well as the tofu bao, the fried chicken with macaroni salad and the fried chicken with fries. the tofu bao was really good, the tofu was a big size and nice coating. the mushroom miso soup was average, not great. the fries that came with the chicken were fantastic! the macaroni salad was ok, but hot mac n cheese would've gone better with the hot chicken. the chicken and the biscuit were decent. overall good portion size food and decent flavor in a nice ambiance