The Starlight is vintage, relaxed, a cozy neighbourhood bar

Stratford’s newest bar, The Starlight, is bringing the Festival City a relaxed new destination for late night snacks and drinks.

Owner Megan Jones and her partner, who also own a bar in Toronto called the Gaslight, moved to Stratford just prior to the pandemic.

“We have some relatives here and we thought Stratford would be a great place to work because there are so many excellent restaurants, so we were drawn to the city for that,” explained Jones. “Then the opportunity came up to open our own business and we thought: ‘why not?’’”

Jones and her partner have transformed the former Red Rabbit restaurant space into a cozy, neighbourhood bar.

“The design is inspired by a retro motel lobby,” said Jones. 

Vintage rugs, wood panelling, dim lighting and an antique piano give the bar an inviting, lived-in vibe that captures the essence of a beloved local watering hole.

“It’s a comfortable place for people to just come and hang out,” said Jones. 

The Starlight is also setting itself apart with its late-night hours – a rarity in Stratford of late. Jones says the bar plans to be open until 1 a.m. Thursday to Saturday and until 11 p.m. Sunday to Tuesday.

The menu, which was curated by Yva Santini and the team at the Flour Mill in St. Marys, focuses on approachable bar snacks that are made to be paired with drinks. There’s an antipasti spread of cured meats, artisanal cheese, pickles and house bread; McIntosh Farms pork sausage puff pastry bites; and cheesy arancini, among other nibbles. 

“It’s elevated bar snacks but you could also make a meal out of it,” said Jones.

For drinks, The Starlight emphasizes local craft beers, a wide-ranging selection of wines and whimsical cocktails. Brewers on tap include Black Swan, Shakespeare Brewing Company and Jobsite. Jones says the rotating line-up of cans also highlights local suds. 

“We have a little bit of everything,” said Jones of the wine list. “Old and new world as well as some organic and biodynamic wines.”

The Starlight has its own house canned cocktail called the Starlight Spritz, which is made with aperol, grapefruit soju, cava, soda and sage. Espresso martinis and margaritas are on tap. 

Other tipples include riffs on classic cocktails, such as an orange pekoe old fashioned, plus a solid line-up of non-alcoholic beers and cocktails.

“They’re delicious, easy-to-go-down and pretty to look at,” said Jones of the cocktail list.

Jones says The Starlight hopes to host live music nights as well as events like kitchen takeovers and pop-ups. “We have this really awesome kitchen, so we’re planning on doing some fun food events throughout the year,” said Jones.

The bar is already partnering with Yva Santini and El Cactus Taco Shop’s Alondra Galvez for a Día de los Muertos pop-up dinner on Nov. 1.

“Everything here is supposed to feel familiar, but we also have some playful things, too,” said Jones. “The idea is that there’s something for everyone and it’s just a ‘good time’ place.”