Places to eat in Stratford-upon-Avon

With so many great restaurants to choose from in Stratford-upon-Avon, we’ve dedicated an entire page to what we believe are the best restaurants in Stratford-upon-Avon, Take a look, especially if you’re interested in somewhere within walking distance of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. You’ll also get to read about a Neoclassical Italian restaurant and a canal boat that offers fine dining on the River Avon, as well as what we think is the best eatery in town.

Around the corner from Shakespeare’s Birthplace, you’ll find HR Coffee Bar on Windsor Street. Everything at this little café is top class as the owner has a wealth of catering experience from every continent.

Everything is made from scratch from the very best of local produce, plus the cake selection changes every day depending on what they feel like making. Their delicious sandwiches are made to order, the full English is spot on, and they’re justifiably proud of their homity pies.

The Fourteas on Sheep Street is a delightful 1940s tea room just a stone’s throw from the Bancroft Gardens. They’re famous in these parts for their Ivor Novello afternoon tea – a tower of top-class sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and cakes with a pot of The Fourteas house blend tea to wash it all down. Everything’s fresh, the staff are super friendly and you’ll struggle to find a better cuppa in Stratford-upon-Avon. Having said that, Hathaway Tea Rooms & Bakery around the corner gives it a very good run for its money. They’ve been serving the local townspeople since 1931 from their ornate home on the High Street, so they know a thing or two about afternoon tea.

If there were a prize for ‘Stratford’s Most Modest Independent Coffee Shop’, Box Brownie definitely wouldn’t win as they shout from the rooftops about how great their coffee is. In fact, they’ll tell you about how they’ve chosen to work with a local roaster so that they can fine-tune it to be the best it can be. They also serve up delicious cakes, sandwiches and quiches in their unparalleled artisan café on Henley Street. It’s 200 feet from Shakespeare’s Birthplace, so you’ll probably be in the area – we thoroughly recommend heading down to try their coffee for yourself.

We’ll finish things off with Boston Tea Party on Henley Street, a seven-minute walk from our Waterways Hotel. The quirky chain of cafés has over 20 locations across the country. This one in particular was once a school hall, so you won’t struggle to find a seat – it’s one of the roomiest places to take a break and grab a lunch. Plus, it’s dog-friendly, which is always a bonus.

Stratford-upon-Avon’s Farmers’ Market takes place on the first and third Saturdays of the month along Rother Street. If this coincides with your stay, you should certainly head down to sample some of the area’s freshest local produce.

You’ll find the usual suspects, such as knowledgeable butchers selling the best meat around, greengrocers practically giving away their organic fruit and vegetables, and fishmongers flogging their fresh fish.

On top of all that, the market typically sells wines, jams, eggs, cheeses, bread, cakes, plants and there’s often a selection of street foods for when all that great produce gets your tummy rumbling.