[[HIGHLIGHT]]Just one star off for the priciness, but otherwise really delicious, really pleasant environment, and a super helpful and friendly server.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The French onion soup was really thick with cheese at the top, perhaps a bit too much so. The carrot salad was really pleasant to eat and felt healthy. The burger had a nice flavor and texture to it; the bun was a bit sweet, and the fries were tasty, but not super crisp though crisp enough, and a bit salty. The leek tartine was a bit monolithic, the leek being too oily and the bread a bit flat. It was overpriced by about $6 or $7 in my opinion. Wish there was as little more going for it. The crepes were decent; the nutella crepe was particularly sweet. For dessert, the roulé au chocolat was top notch, with a freshly whipped cream accompanying a sturdy and flavorful chocolate roll cake. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Music was good too![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]All in all a good way to spend time eating and having a bite with friends and family prior to a show.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was lovely. I loved the bright colours and chandeliers and art deco gold stencils on the one wall.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was good. Our guy was on top of things, good descriptions and always there when we needed him. The food was yummy but not mind blowing. I loved that you could do half fries and half salad. The frite were soooo goooood and the garlic aioli was delightful. The rest was just good. I didn't think the "crispy" added a lot to the eggs benny but it was interesting to try. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice place if you want to have a fancy little brunch before a play[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Cafe Bouffon - Brunch menu - French Near Me - Stratford, Ontario

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This is a very cute café that upon entry felt like it transported us to Paris. There were crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, swan "heads" with playful masks on the walls and mirrors like they have in Versailles. Our server was great! He was attentive to details and friendly. Their cafe mocha was reminiscent of Paris cafés where they use actual chocolate instead of chocolate syrup. I'm not sure if this is the case, but it tasted like it was. It was delicious! We ordered a buckwheat ham crêpe since that's what savoury crêpes are usually on, but our server said it was just an option for gluten free preferences. It was a bit on the smaller side (compared to other crêpe places) but it was very good. The crispy eggs Benedict was interesting because they poached the egg, coat in panko and air fry. The inside was still very runny. We liked having the option of 1/2 frites and 1/2 salad on the side. The little kid ordered a Nutella crêpe and said it was "the best Nutella crêpe" he's ever had. The older kid ordered the burger and also included it on his top 10 burgers-to-date. All-in-all, if we find ourselves back in Stratford, we'd come back for brunch. read more

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This was a wonderful discovery!! I now wish we'd eaten every meal here, except one at the Japanese restaurant. They even havr sn attached cooking school, where you can learn to make the wonderful French meals that are offered here. There's even a cookbook if your very diligent. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]They seemed slammed. Not a surprise for a pre-theater meal.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everything was good. Recommend the bread service. The steak and frites are highly recommended! There were four of us and everyone had some. The tenderloin steak was cooked exactly as I asked. read more

If you're hungry go somewhere else. [[HIGHLIGHT]]First of all, the decor was extremely nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] But..... Reservation: 6:00pm Seated immediately but wasn't greeted until 6:15. Ordered drinks and that was last time we were asked if we wanted another one. 6:30 ordered dinner and waited for a salad until 7:15. We waited another 20 minutes for dinner. Food was good; however, I asked for medium and my steak was very rare . I was so hungry I didn't return it. We were not only ones waiting a long time. Diners around us in same situation. The waiter did not say thank you when we paid our bill, even though we didn't make any complaint that evening whatsoever. read more

We stopped into Cafe Bouffon for an afternoon cocktail and snack while on vacation. It appeared to be a popular location. Cafe Bouffon is located right downtown and is easily accessible. As far as I could tell it was the only French restaurant in the area. The playful name made me chuckle. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The decor was pleasing and most seating looked out onto the street.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our cocktails were refreshing and service was good. We would stop in again when we are in town. read more

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We dined here before going to see a play. Our reservation was for 5:30, but we were early, and they seated us right away. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable about the area. This was their opening night with their new menu. Each of the four of us ordered a different entree, and shared bites. Everything was delicious. But... the best was yet to come. Salade Lyonnaise. 4.5. Out of 5 Agnolotti- good...say 4 out of 5 Chicken supreme- delicious. 5 out of 5 Poissone- fine- 3 out of 5 Frites- damn good with a fancy name and aioli. 5.5 Green Salad- good green salad The couple beside our table order the doberge. A chocolate lemon cake that is billed as an ode to NOLA. It was so pretty, we knew that would be happening at our table. Ultimately, we each ordered different desserts. The creme brulee was exactly as it should be. The doberge was amazing. This was my first time trying lemon and chocolate flavors in tandem. Ohhh My.... Yes please. However the star of the sweets was the shortcake! It was special. And we would all go back just for that. read more

Friendly waitress, small menu with great choices - glad we stopped in before our show.

Beautiful spot for brunch in Stratford! The ambiance and well thought out decor is breathtaking. I loved my smoked salmon eggs benny. The poached egg was breaded & deep fried on the outside while the egg was perfectly soft & runny on the inside. It gave this nice crunchy texture while taking a bit of this scrumptious dish that was served on brioche toast. My husband had their morning bun & it was so yummy that I ordered one to go. I also had the London Fog tea and an eclair that was equally as impressive. The service there was impeccable! Food and drinks were brought out quickly even though they were really busy. Everything was done with extreme care. I honestly wish this was in the city as we would frequent this place. Now I gotta make a 2 hour drive for amazing establishment! read more

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Date of Visit: October 19, 2025 Reservation Time: 10:00 AM Occasion: Engagement celebration for my little sister This was the worst service I have ever had. From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere felt cold, unwelcoming, and as though our group was an inconvenience. I have never felt so uncomfortable in a restaurant before. We booked our reservation two weeks in advance for a group of 25 to 35 people, and ultimately had 29 guests attend. Despite the advance notice, the restaurant never called to confirm final numbers and was completely unprepared when we arrived. There was not enough seating, and when I politely asked about adding a table, the manager, Carly, cut me off mid-sentence and very rudely said, "Are you Thea?" followed by, "I was told 25." When I suggested adding a small table to the end of our row, she sharply responded, "No, all the tables are reserved." [[HIGHLIGHT]]This was hard to believe considering the restaurant was at least 50% empty during our entire visit. There was even a two-person table at the end of our row that I asked if we could use to better accommodate our group. Carly rudely replied, "That's reserved," yet it remained empty for our entire stay.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Her dismissive tone and attitude were unprofessional and set a negative tone for what should have been a joyful engagement celebration. While trying to arrange seating, Carly also snapped, "By the way, it's a two-hour seating limit," as if we were being a bother rather than guests celebrating a special occasion. To make things worse, the waitress was also rude and impatient during the confusion. While we were simply helping guests find their seats, she said sharply, "You need to stop moving, I'm trying to take orders and it's confusing." A little patience, professionalism, and basic kindness would have gone a long way, especially since the lack of organization was entirely on their end. Once we were finally seated, we had only one server for 29 people, which was unreasonable. Our group was split between two long tables, and it took over an hour from the time we ordered to when the food actually arrived. One table was served long before the other, so by the time the second group received their meals, the first group had already finished eating. Even when the food arrived, it was disappointing. The eggs Benedict was bland and lacked flavor, and the overall quality did not match the high prices. The food simply did not reflect the cost or reputation that this restaurant seems to claim. Throughout the entire visit, there was no warmth, hospitality, or care shown by management or staff. Instead of being welcomed and celebrated, we were made to feel like a burden. The engaged couple, who should have felt happy and relaxed, instead felt uncomfortable and tense. I left feeling embarrassed for my guests and genuinely disheartened by how poorly this special occasion was handled. I rarely leave negative reviews, but the level of disorganization, poor service, lack of professionalism, and rudeness from both the manager and the waitress made this experience completely unacceptable. I will not be returning to Café Bouffon and will absolutely be sharing my experience with others, as poor service seems to be a recurring trend at this restaurant. A place that takes large reservations for special events should know how to treat its customers with at least basic courtesy, care, and respect. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fantastic environment. Very warming.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend the high price wine Wednesdays along with the cheese fondue. Celebrated a milestone wedding anniversary as well and the staff helped make the celebration a memorable one. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Such a beautiful location[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and our brunch was outstanding. Service was excellent as well!

Wonderful. I've had lunch here twice in the past month and it did not disappoint either time The mushroom crepe was delicious but could have been a bit more generous, however, great things come in small packages. On my previous visit I had the Croque Monsieur which was a generous portion of perfectly smoked ham, fresh baked bread and a creamy cheese sauce. Coupled with their delicious frites it was a lunch to remember. The ambiance and service was wonderful making for the perfect pre-theatre dining experience. Highly recommended. read more

Food was just ok. Service was very slow, we had to flag our server down multiple times. And over priced for what you get. Prix fixe isn't even worth it, you don't really save. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance is cute I'll give it that.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Great food & ambiance. Service wasn't very good. Café Bouffon is a great place for Brunch. Big sunny windows with beautiful, tasteful décor. The food was excellent. We wanted everything on the menu! We started with café americanos & fresh squeezed orange juice. My husband had eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. The eggs were delicious and unique- breaded, almost like a scotch egg, but with piping-hot, beautifully runny yolk. I had crêpes provançal which were perfectly cooked. Lovely! The service was fast (they are clearly used to ensuring that their patrons don't miss their theatre times.) We were in and out in 1 hour without feeling rushed. However the service was perfunctory at best. We felt like we were inconveniencing the staff by merely placing our order etc.. That said, I still recommend Café Bouffon. Reservations necessary. read more

Girlfriend and I went out to the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford this past weekend (on the Avon River ironically...) and decided on a pre theatre dinner. Staff was very accommodating despite no reservations. It's a delightfully vintage locale with a great eclectic mix of patrons as well. The resto is actually a two floored affair: French upstairs and a bar/pizza joint below. Coming from a New York/Connecticut orientation, French was much more preferable.. We had the salt cod croquettes (underwhelming but good idea...more potato than cod), pickerel (which in the Great Lakes is walleye...a lot of it near here since we aren't far from Lake Erie) which was excellent, and a Crepe Provencal which was quite good as well (confit of eggplant in it w feta). Dessert was creme brulet..classic and a good hard shell on top. Very pleasant place and would even come here for cocktails after work if I lived here. Very relaxed millennial staff (they seem better trained here than where I live...our town has the cell-phone-eyeball-rollers-doing-you-a-favor-with their presence...). Will be back next year for sure. read more

Great food and excellent service. I had the best mussels of the season! Savory sauce. Cocktails started the afternoon off perfectly. Can't wait to go back. read more

We came across Cafe Bouffon several times as we were walking towards City Hall, as it has a prime location on Ontario Street. Cafe Bouffon stands in what previously was an Italian restaurant, now reincarnated into a quaint French bistro. The interior is lovely, as are the great physically distanced patio areas outside and extending into some tree-covered areas adjacent to the property. Lisa (one of the staff) was sooo lovely, helpful and friendly and you can tell she enjoys her job. She gave very helpful suggestions for menu items. We ordered two lattes to go : iced caramel latte and vanilla latte. Both were delicious! We definitely plan to return to try their mussels and frites, and some of the other items on the menu! read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]the restaurant is gorgeous[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], food is incredible and staff go above and beyond. We have never had a bad experience and always look forward to coming back. read more

What a wonderful experience! Stopped in for lunch before our afternoon show. Truly did not expect such an authentic French cafe. The atmosphere, the service, the food. All exceptional. Whoever runs this restaurant is a real professional, and has hired staff that understand friendly and helpful service. I enjoyed the Cardamom morning bun, and a Croque monsieur. Both were delicious, and presented quickly after ordering despite a packed restaurant. The Cardamom flavour really woke me up and I love the extra caramel added to the base. My sandwich was perfect. Bread was light and fluffy with perfectly crispy crust. The ham and cheese were both very fresh and I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch. My wife ordered the Eggs Benedict, and I must say the preparation was nothing short of amazing. The eggs are poached, battered, and deep fried, and somehow through all of that cooking are still so delicate and full of creamy yolk. I had to let the staff know what a great job they were all doing. We will certainly be back to try your dinner menu. read more

We arrived a bit late but were promptly seated and served. Wine options were good and the food was outstanding. We tried the onion soup and found it to be a cure for a long day on the road. Entrees were also excellent. Beautifully presented and delicious traditional French cuisine. The overall quality would make Cafe Bouffon a strong contender in Chicago or Toronto, but in a smaller town, it's a great find! Highly recommended. read more

Cafe Bouffon - Amazing mushroom en croute ... savory mushrooms in a slightly sweet dough ... delicious! - French Near Me - Stratford, Ontario

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The restaurant is very cute inside; well decorated and suits Stratford. We had a great waiter. Bit of an attitude until you got to know him and then he was awesome. We went for crepes and they were very good. I had the Ham and Cheese and my friend has the Mushroom. However, they were so unbelievably small. 4 bites and gone. That was hugely expensive at $16. Add a side of salad $8. So while it was tasty, it was outrageously overpriced. I was still hungry. read more

We stopped in during a weekend with two festivities going on in Stratford. We waited 30 minutes for water! The menu was limited to 8 entrees. Food was good but I don't know if it was worth the price. read more

4 of us had a very pleasant lunch here. I had Steak Tartare - excellent. 2 of us had crepes - one crepe was burned on bottom and they didn't charge us. My wife had a salad and bread...ok but nothing special. Espresso after lunch was bitter. Good waiter. Would go back. read more

While Carly, who was our final wait staff was wonderful, and the food was delicious (many compliments to the chef), the experience was awful with our first wait staff, Stevie. He was rude from the first statement of "What water do you want?" up to and including where I was trying to fix our wobbly table and he demanded I get up from the floor where I was crouched. After that we got dirty looks from both him and the front of the house manager until we were done. We watched many tables around us be treated to smiles and jovial conversation but not us. Carly was the only one who was pleasant and kind. So the two stars are for Carly and the chef. read more

Our lunch was a real mixed bag. The pros: the crepes were delicious. The ambiance was charming. The London Fog tea was excellent. The hostess was so welcoming and a complete delight. The cons: the crepe sizes were smaller than hoped for. (To be clear: they weren't unreasonably small. Just not quite what hungry 15& 20year olds were ready to tuck into. The croque Monsieur and frites were much more substantial) Most notably, the waiter seemed exasperated. (Maybe it was us? ‍ I did ask for oat milk and some advice choosing between two dishes.) I would return but hope for a different wait staff member. read more

Fantastic restaurant. Chef is outstanding and consistent with traditional French cuisine at its finest level. Decor is beautiful and very reminiscent of a fine cafe in Paris. Servers are the best we've seen, very knowledgeable and amazing people. Music selection can be extremely lame at times... house type music or South American just doesn't work in a french style restaurant. You can't be two things at once. Lastly the striped shirts and jeans do not fit a top shelf french restaurant. Jeans are for pubs ONLY pubs..striped shirts are for mimes and clowns not a classy french restaurant where two can easily spend 300$ on dinner. Overall a great place however its needs to add some class to match the theme. Go for the food and service its 5 star all the way. Im sure the rest of my concerns will follow...Jeans, striped shirts and lamé music choices are all minor compared to the good no...great points. read more

The best food in Stratford. Their weekend brunch is a must and the service is amazing!