The Opposition Bistro in Stratford-on-Avon

Nice restaurant.. seated in an alcove off the main room. Tables a bit small for our party of 4. Good quality food and ambiance.

We were thoroughly impressed by the food, service and ambience of The Opposition. We'd definitely recommend it.

A delight. We can’t wait to go back. We love the Oppo.

Food was excellent and plenty of choice. Service was efficient and friendly

Visited before a night at the theatre food was amazing, service excellent staff so friendly and attentive will certainly be visiting again.

Went for Mother's Day, my wife, my son and myself, and had a table in the front part of the restaurant. Staff were lovely, friendly and attentive. Food was excellent, served in good time, with a nice space between each course. Would happily recommend and would go back again.

Two of us had the Thai red curry which was very nice but didn't fill us up.

In my opinion, this is one of the best restaurants in Stratford. Excellent for pre theatre dining or for any occasion. Excellent value and quality of food and service.

John was the perfect host and our experience lived up to our memories from 40 years ago.

Great food and excellent service. Lively atmosphere

As reliable as ever! Good food well priced and served!

Visited for an early dinner, restaurant was busy the whole time we were there. Lovely imaginative menu, not big but comprehensive including some vegetarian choices. A good wine list and separate gin menu . All our food choices were outstanding,quality food expertly cooked and well presented . Service was very professional. Recommended and we will certainly visit again when next in Stratford

Lovely restaurant and food Good menu choice Service inconsistent

Excellent meal. Staff very efficient and friendly. Will definitely be back.

Great food, friendly & helpful service. will definitely go again

We always come to Oppo Pre-theatre and we never fail to have a most pleasant experience.

we all enjoyed our experience good to be back again

Had a main and dessert, both presented beautifully and delicious. Staff were friendly and attentive without being over bearing

We ate at the Oppo on Saturday evening. The food was excellent, the atmosphere buzzing and the staff were really helpful and friendly. I had the crispy duck starter and my wife had the scallops, we both had the lamb steak for a main and all were superb. We can't wait to go again.

Always our favourite place for pre-theatre dining when visiting Stratford, and it didn’t disappoint this time. I had the salmon fish cakes, a personal favourite which was delicious and both of my friends went for the two course set menu, one having the fish and chips and the other the pork with cassoulet, followed by Eton Mess and custard tart. The food was beautifully prepared and the service was excellent. We’ll be back on our next visit to Stratford.

Wanted early dinner pre theatre. Excellent lamb balls starter followed by Thai curry. IPA beer and rose wine. Perfect location, prompt friendly service and delicious food.

As on every previous occasion that we’ve dined at The Opposition (linked to theatre trips to Stratford from our home in Northamptonshire) the meal my wife & I plus two friends enjoyed yesterday evening was excellent. Not only was the food interesting, well prepared, well presented and very tasty but also the service was, as always, timely and friendly. (We have recommended this lovely French bistro to several friends when they have been planning a trip to Stratford and none have been disappointed). Many thanks to the whole team for yet another excellent addition to our theatre trips ! Bernie Middlehurst / 1st March 2024

Lovely food, with a great range of choices very lovely staff as well

We booked in advance and we were usher to a table crammed into what looked like an open cupboard. This put a real downer on a nice meal with friendly staff.

We really enjoyed our evening here, service was unobtrusive but great. Lovely food and ambiance so we had a lovely pre theatre dinner!

Excellent food , lovely atmosphere, recommend to others

Good menu, good food, good service. Recommended...

Always without fail a lovely dining experience..!! Great service and friendly staff makes for a perfect dinner date.. Thank you for the rice pudding...!!😆👍🏻

All very good indeed. Great service, food was fab. What more can I say

Accomplished cooking, warm welcome, attentive service, good range of wine by the glass or carafe, excellent coffee. We will definitely eat here again.

Really overpriced. Food was decent but not worth the price. Staff was lovely and very attentive.

Delicious food, served promptly, by friendly and helpful staff, in a relaxed dining atmosphere. Thoroughly recommend.

Great food from a good diverse menu. The staff were all very friendly and very attentive. Good vale for money, portion sizes were good and not overly pricey. Would definitely dine there again.

Excellent food, good service, friendly staff and great atmosphere.

We had the pre theatre set menu and it was very good for the price, attractively presented and tasty. Had to wait a little while to get served because the restaurant was very busy but the staff worked hard and were all helpful and pleasant. I was a bit worried at the end that I might not have time to eat the dessert I ordered before curtain up but in the end I did and it was delicious, tiramisu. Would happily go back there again but would probably book a table a little earlier at this very popular time.

Lovely meal at The Opposition to celebrate husband’s birthday. Excellent service, nice table in the corner window and very good main dishes. We were impressed and would have no hesitation in recommending to others.

Lovely place, I had the steak which was cooked how I requested. Had to cancel dessert as we had to get to the theatre, but hopefully next time will get to try the Eton Mess!

Fantastic food (fish & chips), quick service, lovely setting

Great evening with my hubby. First time visiting The Opposition as we usually dine at The Vintner or Lambs and honestly The Opposition was my favourite wish we had found it sooner and will definitely be booking to go again. The food was incredible, hot, very well presented and plenty of it xx

The opposition was not D liscious is was A licious We had escaped the kids for a night and were looking forward to good food and we were not dissapointed I had fat juicy moules frites to start -fresh and of the sea -they came with unctious home made mayo - only quibble was, give me some pain to soak all the lovely moules juice. Mrs R had the gravalax - i pilfered a morsel and it was moorish I had the pork and cassoulet - delicious and lifted further by the salsa verde and reports from the other side of the table gave the lamb and dauphanoise the big thumbs up We had the nicely balanced passion fruit and lemon eton mess for afters and Mrs R has super creamy rice pud and plumb compote With a bottle of italian plonk and coffees - the whole shabang was great value Try and oppose it !

Excellent food and service. The restaurant is an ideal place to start an even at the theatre.

Pre theatre lunch , great service, fantastic food

Food was amazing as usual we sat at a lovely cosy table 19 great for valentines I had the plaice with samphire delicious! Consistently great :)

Always great eating here. Asked for a window seat when reserving and got one. Staff food and ambiance always quality here. Thanks again

Amazing really enjoyed my time here and would certainly come back again

Been here a few times but came back for my birthday. Food was absolutely amazing. The most delicious I’ve had in a while. Wish we had somewhere like this to eat back home. The service was 10/10 they couldn’t be more helpful with everything we needed. Would come back here every time we visit Stratford.

We have been coming to The Opposition for years and it never disappoints. Lovely atmosphere and very friendly staff. Delicious food - can thoroughly recommend the monkfish, cod, pork belly, rice pudding…

A fabulous meal. Excellent food and friendly staff. Such a good meal we went again the following night. Would absolutely recommend a visit. You won’t be disappointed.

Absolutely delicious. The mussels were really lovely

Delicious food with a good choice. Friendly efficient staff . Swift service at lunchtime before a matinee.

Three of us all chose different items from the menu. We were all very pleased with our choices - Cajun chicken, Pate, Steak and Pasta with Mushrooms. Gorgeous chips too!

Absolutely loved the food very tasty and quick service . Thank you the waiting staff were excellent! Look forward to returning.

Al the reviews said it was 5 star and it really was great price and brilliant service all round thank you !

We have eaten at the Oppo over 20 odd years. It's our go-to eatery in Stratford and we've never been disappointed.

À lovely venue for lunch or dinner in Stratford. Fantastic food, good service and a great location.

Definitely our favourite place to eat in Stratford-upon-Avon. Lasagne was superb. The Cod was perfectly cooked. Staff were very friendly. Will recommend to friends and family.

My wife had delicious pork fillet and belly pork followed by the lemon custard and passion fruit Eton Mess. I had the ribeye followed by the rice pudding with plum compote. We shared a bottle of the Romanian Pinot Noir. All were delicious and served delightfully by pleasant staff. The restaurant was deservedly busy. We were glad that we had booked.

Hugely varied menu of food choices. The ones we chose were wonderful, tasty and excellently cooked. Service was superb and drinks choices plentiful.

We had a fabulous meal and the service was brilliant, really lovely staff. We all had different starters and mains and each one we thoroughly enjoyed. The setting is really nice and if I were to visit Stratford-upon-Avon in the future I would 100% be booking to go here again.

As usual an outstanding meal at an outstanding restaurant. In particular the starter of goatscheese, beetroot and walnuts was exceptional. Would always recommend this restaurant to anybody.

We were booked for a pre- theatre dinner but were significantly delayed by roadworks. We called ahead and ordered our meal. When we arrived we were greeted by charming staff and our delicious meal arrived promptly. Happily, we were able to get to the theatre in time. A big thank you to the staff of the Opposition which never fails to please.

Stratford essentially closes for dinner before the RSC performances finish so the choice for dinner post theatre is limited. Friends and our hotel advised pre theatre dining. We had a reunion with old friends so that wasnt an option, we needed a catch up. The reservation staff and the folk who served us were charming and efficient, no complaints there! The food was another matter. The plaice was stewed to a goo, the accompanying veg overcooked. Butternut squash, lentils and sweet potato together in a kedgeree is at best a misconceived vegetarian option and the spinach tortellini would be better served with either a cream sauce or pesto but to an Italian - not both. Wine, bread, olives all fine. No, i didnt send the plaice back, it always looks like posturing and to have done so would have spoiled the company of the evening and besides I doubt that any cook who let that out the kitchen would have cared or noticed. I dont like doing bad reviews of restaurants, I understand their difficulties of both finance and cooking, but this wouldnt cut it anywhere other than a captive market. I recall Loxely's 2 doors away being equally inadequate a couple of years back.

Delicious food and a very good service. Booked here for a business meeting, and they had thoughtfully arranged a quiet table at the back for more privacy. Would definitely be my first choice when in Stratford.

A great venue for pre-theatre dinner. Friendly welcome from owner/manager and staff. We've only been here twice, but each time the food has been delicious and prices in line with other similar establishments. We will undoubtedly book again, the next time we visit Stratford-upon-Avon for the theatre.

Nice ambience, staff all very friendly and efficient. Food was very good. Both our mains were excellent. Got one of starters wrong but rectified quickly. Dessert excellent Tiramisu. Tables quite close together, would have preferred more space. Overall very good and would go again if re visit Stratford.

Fantastic food, a lovely little restaurant we will definitely be back.

A late booking but everything was handled in a friendly and professional way. Lovely welcome, great service and went away smiling. Thanks all.

Lovely meal, we would definately come back when next in Stratford.

The food was delicious definitely five star, we booked for 6 as we were going to the theatre. It was a very warm and welcoming atmosphere, we will definitely book a table there next time we go to the theatre.

Excellent, as ever. The lamb steaks were particularly good.

Absolutely delicious food, lovely restaurant and great service. Highly recommended!

Helpful staff, and no problem that we were stuck in traffic and arrived 10 minutes late. 2 courses and coffee in 50 minutes before the theatre. Ideal before a show. Tasty, well presented food. Friendly atmosphere.

We had the set menu before a visit to the Swan Theatre. Very good food, served to allow us plenty of tie to walk over to the Theatre. Very good service: thank you! Glad to see that The Oppo is still one of the best places to eat!

Intimate. Excellent food. Nice helpful friendly staff

I was dining alone and was made very welcome and not stuck in the worst seat, as usually happens when you’re alone. The staff were friendly. The food was delicious. It was a very pleasant restaurant.

Lovely atmosphere, good service. Pre- theatre set menu excellent value for money.

Have frequented this restaurant for the last 25 years on and off, worked for an American air carrier out of Birmingham and this was always a hit and when they visit they still like to frequent The Opposition

Warm welcoming atmosphere, friendly efficient staff. The menu has good choices and with the specials too ensure theres plenty to choose from . Will definitely return again and recommend to friends.

We had a very enjoyable pre-theatre meal - food good, service good and would go back!

An excellent venue, great ambiance with good food and attentive service. The fixed price Menu had several options and was exactly what we needed before our visit to the Theatre.

As always, The Oppo never fails to deliver. Staff as friendly as ever. Food absolutely gorgeous and piping hot, washed down with a bottle of lovely house pink Prosecco. What’s not to like? I highly recommend a visit to The Opposition.

The service here is always exceptional (and particularly good if you're didning pre theatre. The food is excellent and the value for money very good.

As always, The Oppo never fails to deliver. Staff as friendly as ever. Food absolutely gorgeous and piping hot; washed down with a bottle of lovely house pink Prosecco. What’s not to like?! I highly recommend a visit to The Opposition.

We eat here at least twice a month as our favorite in Stratford. Haven't been for a month as we've been away. Meal last night was best ever! John and all staff re fantastic. Soup was incredibly tasty and main course of Cod with Welsh Rarebit was out of this world. We always have Tiramisu as this is the best ever dessert. Even the music was perfect as background.

Best place in Stratford upon Avon for food and service - and location!

Very good restaurant. Friendly staff, peaceful ambience, good quality food. Very delicious dishes. Highly recommend.

Very well looked after with prompt service through out the entire meal

Food was nice as always, as was service. Menu could do with more rotation.

The menu was what had attracted us to book and we were glad we did. We were greeted on arrival with no wait and shown to our table. A drinks order was taken and arrived promptly. Our food was absolutely delicious - we both chose fish main courses. I really liked that on the dessert menu you could order just one scoop of ice cream rather than a full portion. All in all a very lovely evening and one we hope to repeat next time we are in Stratford.

Very enjoyable with excellent service. Delicious food.

We arrived early but it didn't cause a problem at all. The waitresses were very attentive but not pushy. The restaurant was smaller than I'd imagined so the seating was compact but still comfortable. There was an excellent choice of dishes including veggie and vegan on the menu. The food arrived promptly, was beautifully presented, delicious and reasonably priced, considering the location is a tourist hub.

Liked the look of this place from the outside and it displayed an interesting and varied menu. Booked for the following evening. Arrived five minutes early (to avoid the rain) and were shown directly to our table. Lovely ambience: music there in the distant background. Place was half full when we arrived but quickly filled over the next 30 minutes. But at no time was it noisy. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. They had the knack of knowing when you were ready for the next course. All very polite. The food was cooked to perfection and there was plenty of it! The worst bit was having to leave the restaurant and face the raging rainstorm outside. This place deserves its reputation.

Fantastic restaurant. We live in Stratford and have eaten everywhere. We think this is the best food in Stratford. Super friendly service. Great bottled beers e.g. The Tempest which is my favourite. Wonderful old building and decor.

This was our first visit to the Oppo and is unlikely to be our last. Based on reputation, we made our booking in June, without having a clue what the menu or arrangements would be. We weren’t disappointed, and it was quite refreshing to find somewhere that hadn’t inflated their prices because of the date. Food was excellent, service very attentive and unrushed, and the atmosphere was lovely. Thank you for a really nice evening.

Visited for the first time as a pre-theatre dinner. Service was attentive with food and drinks delivered at an appropriate but unhurried pace. The menu was varied and imaginative, with a number of dishes in each course offering something a little unusual. Our party of four tried a number of items, from Goan King Prawns to Cod Loin with Welsh Rarebit, Sweetcorn Fritters to Pork Loin with Bubble and Squeak - every dish was well presented and of an excellent standard. We were not rushed, service was marvellous and the overall experience was fantastic, it was also very reasonably priced and below the cost we might have expected.

Great place for a pre-theatre meal. Great food & quick service.

A perfect place for a pre-theatre meal. Friendly helpful staff and excellent food. Great atmosphere.

We visit Stratford several times every year and always eat at the Opposition at least once. The welcome is warm, the meal is always good and the service is friendly and efficient. There are always a number of fish options available and the portions of vegetables are generous. The atmosphere is warm without being too noisy. Heartily to be recommended to those looking for a good quality, healthy, low fuss meal in a pleasant atmosphere with good service.

Fantastic food great stuff. Absolutely love it here. Nothing is too much trouble. Only Downside last night was that there were 3 very young children in the restaurant (after 8 o’clock) who were crying and whinging and whilst they were seated outside of the main part of the restaurant, it spoilt the atmosphere. We wouldn’t have expected young children to be out and about at that time as not the type of establishment I would take children to

Another super meal at The Opposition. Consistently high standard with much to choose from and, as always, excellent service