Stratford’s built heritage has found a new culinary life. In a Victorian landmark that first opened its doors in 1874, a new restaurant called Bijou at the Church launched this summer, promising a locally anchored menu, boutique events and live entertainment in the heart of the city’s theatre district.
The former Christ’s Church at 70 Brunswick St. has undergone multiple reinventions since the 19th century. After serving as a place of worship, the Gothic‑style structure later housed restaurants and performance spaces. The latest chapter opened on July 24 and is being led by Stratford restaurateur Mark Simone with managing director Michael Lutzmann, supported by investors Paul and Peter Maranger.
Space, atmosphere and a sense of place
The appeal of Bijou is as much architectural as it is culinary. The dining room retains the dramatic vertical space of the original sanctuary: exposed timber trusses, stained-glass windows and heritage lighting that together create what the restaurant describes as a room that builds atmosphere even before a plate arrives.
“Soaring sanctuary-style volume, stained glass, timber trusses, heritage lighting, and gallery spaces create a room with atmosphere before the first course arrives.”
That setting positions Bijou to operate beyond conventional restaurant hours — accommodating weddings, private functions and performance-driven evenings in a way that feeds Stratford’s steady flow of visitors for festivals and theatre seasons while offering locals another year-round hospitality option.
Food rooted in Perth County and southwestern Ontario
Central to Bijou’s pitch is a menu described as “locally inspired,” drawing on produce, meats and artisanal products from Perth County and the broader southwestern Ontario region. The kitchen emphasises seasonal sourcing and the flavours of nearby farms and producers rather than fixed, imported menus.
Menu highlights include (but are not limited to):
- House-smoked Ontario Lake Trout Salad — a starter built around a regional freshwater fish.
- Roasted heritage beet salad with whipped Ontario goat cheese, candied walnuts and a maple-balsamic dressing.
- Small plates featuring an Ontario cheese board and a house-made duck and foie gras terrine.
- Entrées range from a Seafood Fettuccine with Atlantic bay scallops to an Ontario AAA beef tenderloin and a Perth County pork chop.
- Dessert offerings continue the local theme, incorporating Ontario-grown fruit such as musk melon.
To give a quick snapshot, the following table summarises prominent menu elements and their local ties:
| Menu Item | Local Connection |
|---|---|
| Lake Trout Salad | Ontario freshwater fish |
| Heritage Beet Salad | Ontario goat cheese, regional produce |
| Seafood Fettuccine | Atlantic scallops; regional preparation |
| Ontario AAA Beef Tenderloin | Provincial beef designation |
Local economy and cultural fit
Bijou’s model intersects with two important strands of Stratford’s economy: agriculture in surrounding Perth County and the city’s cultural-tourism industry. By placing a premium on regional ingredients, the restaurant creates a potential steady buyer for local suppliers and showcases product provenance to visitors who come for the theatre season and festivals.
At the same time, the venue’s capacity for private events and live nights helps smooth the restaurant’s demand curve beyond peak tourist months. That could be particularly valuable in a city where seasonal visitation is a familiar pattern, and where businesses increasingly look to diversify revenue through weddings, corporate bookings and off‑season programming.
Practical info for diners and visitors
Bijou is positioning itself as a year-round destination within Stratford’s compact downtown. Those planning to visit should note the emphasis on seasonal menus — dishes will reflect market availability and may change with local harvests. Reservations are recommended for weekend evenings and during theatre performances when demand in the district rises.
Whether the new venue will become a sustained community fixture will depend on how well it balances the expectations of local diners with the tastes of visiting theatre-goers. But its combination of restored heritage space and regionally focused cuisine marks a clear vote of confidence in Stratford’s continued appeal as both a cultural and culinary destination.
Bijou at the Church adds another chapter to a long history of adaptive reuse in the city — one where architecture, agriculture and performance converge at the table.
