Restaurants in Stratford

Chef Bryan Steele's dinner menu showcases a variety of contemporary French dishes carefully crafted with ingredients from local growers. During the restaurant's dining season, which takes place May through October, diners flock to The Prune Restaurant's scenic Garden Room to savour gourmet fare and views of the historic building's courtyard. Once diners have chosen their favoured menu items, the warm and professional staff lends informed advice to help them pair their dishes with wines from a sommelier-assembled list comprised of both local and international varietals. The Prune Restaurant also hosts a number of small group classes, where guests come to taste and learn about wines or join forces to create a multi-course meal after finally conquering the chef's complex scavenger hunt to find the ladle.

Chef Kevin Greaves spent years travelling the world studying the spices and cuisine unique to each region. Of all that he tasted, the foods that stood out in his mind and palate hailed from three distinct locales: Thailand, Louisiana, and the Caribbean. Rather than limit himself to a single favourite, the head chef of Jambalaya Restaurant incorporated flavours from all three regions into his eclectic menu.

The menu highlights traditional dishes from each region, including pad thai from Thailand, gumbo and jambalaya from the Louisiana bayou, and curried goat from the Caribbean. In addition, Chef Greaves prepares some dishes with a fusion twist, adding jerk spices to vegetable pad thai or moulding a plate of shrimp creole into the shape of Thailand. The chef flavours each dish with the restaurant’s signature brand of spices and sauces.

Situated within Quaker Barrel Unique Antique & General Store, The Mad Hatter's Tea Room is a memorable Talbot Trail destination for flights of fine loose-leaf teas. The tea room's bright red door opens to a carefree, homestyle atmosphere with furnishings and decorative flourishes that evoke the beloved children's tale Alice in Wonderland. A whimsical menu of light fare and myriad loose-leaf specialty teas are complemented by frequent appearances from the fully costumed Mad Hatter himself, who emerges to reclaim his Mad Hatter's table or gossip about who wears a toupee with guests on Alice's couch. A selection of for-sale _Alice in Wonderland_–themed collectibles includes decorative china plates and framed prints, with the fanciful, all-things-Alice mood spilling out onto the Queen of Hearts outdoor seating area complete with a grassy, wood-fenced garden.

With a turn-of-the-century dining room soaked in stained glass and shades of mahogany, The Parlour extends its opulence to a menu of gastropub and international cuisine. A half-pound burger sports a crispy beret of bacon and old cheddar ($16), and grilled beef tenderloin lounges on a divan of sweet-pea risotto ($30). Diners can also peruse the substantial wine list or hide behind it for impromptu games of peek-a-boo. Additionally, The Parlour's Sunday brunch adds a dash of elegance to weekend routines, warming bellies with salads ($8–$10), egg dishes ($9–$12), and sandwiches ($9–$12).

Chefs at HeyDayz whip up a vast menu of delicately spiced burgers, fried seafood, and seven sauce-soaked poutine platters. The basic burger ensconces a juicy beef patty atop a fresh kaiser bun crowned with red onion and tomato, inviting hands to break from cat's-cradle competitions and hold the hefty burger in a loving embrace. For an additional fee, patrons can also invite cheddar cheese or bacon strips to mingle atop their patty. Dining companions also nosh on french fries and spoon up creamy coleslaw to smother lingering hunger pangs.

A statue of the elephant deity Ganesha watches over guests as they dine in his domain of red walls and gauzy curtains. Warm lighting and traditional Indian artwork harmonize with the vibrant tones of curry and tandoori dishes from around India. The banana pakora appetizer represents Curry's unique culinary sensibilities with banana slices dipped in chickpea batter and taught the Greek alphabet. Of an extensive selection of chicken, shrimp, lamb, and vegetarian entrees, some are cooked in Indian-style yogourt sauce and all are seasoned mild, medium, or hot to order. Milder dishes include a traditional goat curry from western India, and the spicy menu includes Bombay potatoes inspired by British cuisine.