The Opposition Bistro in Stratford-on-Avon

Dined here with some family recently. Food was mostly good but there was an issue with one dish. Staff were very nice about things despite one of our party being quite difficult which was very good of them. I think they should get recognition for that!

Tasty food, great value and superb service. Centrally placed and convenient for the theatre. We'll be back!

A true bistro experience. The fixed price menu offering is from the main menu or the specials - just less of it which was just fine for us. Wine can be by the glass, carafe or bottle. Service (we were pre theatre) is timely and very pleasant. Overall you get the impression of a well rehearsed team in both FOH and kitchen, working with good ingredients and a high standard of delivery. Have been before, and will go again.

Great food and service as always! It’s the reason we have been going for over 30 years! Super consistent and great value!

Our 1st experience and will not be our last! Thank you to all of the team for making our anniversary meal a memorable one.

Friendly greeting, fast & attentive service with a smile. Set menu good value.

Excellent meal from start to finish! With attentive staff and a good ambiance.

Nice place with a lovely ambience. Food was well made and presented and the team there gave great levels of service. Recommended.

We had a lovely meal the service was great can’t fault anything

Absolutely outstanding as always.food superb and the flavours spot on. Service quick with out being rushed . Love this place and staff are so friendly and welcoming. 10 out of 10 and more

The staff were very welcoming and gave great suggestions on beers, food a desserts

Excellent food! The focaccia starter was a little overpriced for what it was, but still tasty. However, the main courses more than made up as they were both delicious - and although not large portions, were a good size and a lot better than many places. I had the pork belly/pork loin with dauphinoise and savoy; my other half had the goats cheese and cranberry filo with orange and chickpea salad. Would be happy to recommend both dishes. The dessert was the real standout though. The lemon curd and passionfruit Eton mess was the choice for both of us, and it was simply superb. Little things made it so good, like the homemade meringue that was much denser than normal meringue, and the liberal application of fruit (always a bugbear of mine with this dish elsewhere). The staff were very friendly, helpful and just seemed like a really nice cheerful bunch of folks. All in all an excellent experience. This was my first visit in almost 25 years, but I'll be back again for a third visit soon!

Great food, ambience warm, vibrant and relaxed. We thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Sadly we live too far away to be regulars but we will return again next time we’re in Stratford. The pork was superb, potato dauphinois tasty, the gin warming and delicious to sip alongside our meal. Thanks for another great evening.

All 4 of us enjoyed the food: the gluten-free meal, 2 fish and especially the 3 callabrese soup. The location was very convenient for the theatre, and the ambience excellent.

Lovely restaurant. Nice little areas to sit down not too noisy. Staff were very friendly and polite. Food was delicious. White wine wasn’t cold in the carafe, and the lamb steak only came with a rectangle of dauphinois potatoes and half a cooked tomato, so it seemed a bit steep at £26.50 with no veg. Desserts were delicious. Overall enjoyed the whole experience. Thank you

Thoroughly enjoyed our experience at The Oppo. Food superb, staff very attentive in all, a lovely evening.

I went in for a pre theatre meal with a friend. The food and service was amazing. We just had main courses - chicken salad and butternut squash and lentil kedgeree which both tasted delicious. Would highly recommend

I dine at Opposition every time I visit Stratford Upon Avon, that sums it up for me !

We are lucky if we can visit Stratford once a year to go to one of the Theatres; this year we visited in January & September: whenever we come, we always book to eat a meal at The Opposition. A very good choice of food, well cooked & the service is excellent. This time we ate before going to see 'Pericles' at the Swan Theatre (also an excellent production!) and had the set menu: the chicken chasseur was very tasty - we had to ask for spoons so we didn't waste the gravy! Our banoffi pie & hazelnut parfait were perfect. We also recommend the draught lager. We couldn't ask for a better start to our evening: at a very reasonable cost.

Interesting menu with several options for specials.

Food was amazing and staff were very friendly. It has a lovely atmosphere, If we come back for another visit to Stratford on Avon we will book again.

Superb service. Excellent choices on menu. Food was delicious. Definitely our new best restaurant in Stratford upon avon.

After spending a fortune on food and drink (which was good), we did not want a dessert but asked for a few amaretti biscuits. We were told that we couldn’t possibly have any because they were to go with one of the desserts on the menu! We found this extremely peevish and will bear it in mind when dining in Stratford in future.

On our infrequent visits to Stratford to go to one or other of the Theatres, we always book to eat at The Opposition: great service & super food.

We had a fabulous pre- theatre dinner yesterday. Great atmosphere, charming decor, excellent service and delicious food. I would highly recommend. We will definitely return.

Really nice experience with great priced drinks and very good food. The service was first class.

The Opposition delivers good food, friendly and engaging service and we always leave smiling. Thanks all at Oppo.

The food was delicious but the staff were either indifferent or surly. It was such a shame as it was for a birthday meal. Really, we just wanted to eat & get out as soon as possible.

We like this place & food is tasty, but was disappointed in starters & desserts (I'm not a fussy person) but would have liked more choices... Will still go back next time after a menu change though 😋

Another pleasant pre theatre early evening dinner. The fixed price menu offered enough choice and the limited range ensured that food left the kitchen promptly. The staff are pleasant and efficient, being geared up to diners needing to be served quickly. Drinks are reasonably priced and the high standard of the food makes this good value for money.

Warm welcome, relaxed atmosphere, lovely food and drink and good value.

What a lovely place and what a fabulous atmosphere. We are returning next weekend fir some more of your fabulous food!

A busy and popular pretheatre venue. The pretheatre menu is great value and delicious - well presented and imaginative. Very efficient and friendly service.

Wonderful decor great location fantastic food and great service

Another great meal at our favourite restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon

Lovely everything The service is charming and attentive Good menu choices for health6 eating and vegetarians

A great gluten free choice. Excellent service, very friendly service. First time in a restaurant that I have had such a hood choice of gluten free desserts! It was my birthday and the dessert came out with a candle. I will definitely be going back

Really great meal at the Opposition, our first time but we will be back.

Interesting menu. Food excellent - delivered quickly & on hot plates. Service was charming & efficient. The limited space means small tables & a bit cramped.

Lovely atmosphere, great food and friendly informative staff. We had a lovely pre-theatre meal.

Great place to eat pre-theatre. Fabulous food. Friendly staff.

Easy to book a table on line. We received a warm welcome on our arrival, and the owner and staff were friendly and helpful throughout the evening. The menu was varied and included several gluten free options, one of the reasons for choosing this restaurant for our Anniversary meal. The staff were knowledgeable about the food on offer, and made helpful suggestions about our order. We had three courses, all of which were excellent. The mains in particular were delicious and of high quality. Everything was served hot and well presented. The seating was comfortable and the ambience relaxed. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and will definitely be back on our next visit to Stratford-upon-Avon. We recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking a relaxed evening with good food and friendly staff.

Superb Dinner and service.. food was amazing - highly recommend and appreciated restaurant fitting us in - suggest you book in advance

Absolutely my favourite restaurant ever! Love the Oppo and have been going since 1989.

Everyone is so welcoming and they are set up well for theatre lovers. Service is super efficient and friendly. Food is delicious.

A warm welcome awaits you at The Opposition. A reliable, long established restaurant ,and such great value. Menus are always varied and food is of a high quality, and perfectly cooked. Love the shortbread biscuits served with the excellent coffee. A nice touch. Service is amazing, and the staff remember repeat customers and are very accommodating. Can’t wait for a return visit.

Good value pre theatre menu, food was good as was the service.

This restaurant never disappoints. The staff are friendly, efficient and service is second to none. The food is delicious. I took a friend who had never been before and there was so much choice on the menu, it was difficult to decide what to have. She said she would definitely return, as will I. Highly recommend - you won’t be disappointed!

Pre show dinner, everything was prompt and lovely. Food delicious, and our dietary quirks dealt with efficiently and in a friendly manner.

Staff were very attentive providing excellent service plus the food was excellent too. We’d like to thank the staff who were a great help at the end of the evening when one member of our party experienced a medical incident we very much appreciated their quick thinking and support. Pleased to report everyone is fine. Would certainly recommend this restaurant and we are already looking forward to a return visit.

Had a wonderful lunch time experience prior to going to Stratford races. The service quality was excellent and the food quality similarly so. Will definitely return if in the area again.

very friendly service, good food, and lovely atmosphere

We’ve been coming here for >40 yrs in its various guises. Good food, geared to pre theatre, good value. Would happily recommend

We had come to Stratford to see a show at the RSC and never even thought of booking somewhere to eat. We walked up the main road and found a couple of nice restaurants but these were all fully booked. We were pinned in the direction of The Opposition and they offered us a table but we only had it for about 2 hours, plenty of time. We are led into a side room and sat at a living table. Lovely menu with a decent pre theatre menu at a decent price. Food was exceptional and were very rarely have the courses but were drawn in. Great find with very pleasant staff. Would head here again when going to the theatre.

The food quality was passable at best and the service sketchy. No absolute negatives but we wouldn’t eat there again

Excellent food and brilliant - very entertaining service - great menu and excellent wine choice - highly recommend

Good meal, restaurant, position in Stratford-upon-Avon and very near to RSC Theatre. Well worth it.

The Opposition is lovely friendly restaurant with an interesting menu and excellent service. If you like a gin and tonic there is a splendid range of both gins and tonics that are sure to suit your taste, but there is also a wonderful range of other drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) to tempt you. The food was cooked to perfection and delicious. The hake was served in a white bean and chorizo cassoulet, and the rump steak was presented exactly as ordered. We were able to select suitable wines to match our mains from the wine list. There was an attractive range of desserts and the rice pudding with plum compote was delicious.

A great choice for a pre dinner meal at this bustling restaurant just a couple of hundred yards from Shakespear's theatre. Booked well in advance at is a popular place. Great table placing, great helpful staff and something for everyone on the menu. Drink orders straight away and arrived in no time. A good list of specials, some fixed price options as well as a la carte. Sensibly priced meals and some old favourits like prawn cocktail as well as some very different options. All four of us agreed that is one of the nicest meals we had sampled for some time. One advantage was that with many dishes you could choose between having the item as a starter or main course. With their excellent prawn dish you were offered the choice of on or off the shell. A good wine and beer selection also.

Pre booked the restaurant to eat prior to visiting the theatre. Food arrived promptly despite restaurant being busy, which enabled us to get to the performance in good time. The menu choice was good, with a mix of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes and a reasonable fixed price two course option, which we chose. The a la carte menu seemed a bit pricey. Drinks were also quite expensive but we don’t eat out very often these days, so we might have lost touch with market prices. Service was efficient and reasonably friendly.

The clientele were of a similar age group aiding the athmosphere and pace of a delightful pre theatre meal The manager and staff friendly and helpful to speak with Thank you!

Delightful restaurant - food was delicious (Cajun chicken was beautifully cooked) and so lovely to see popular desserts on the menu. Banoffee pie was awesome (just about managed to resist rice pudding and Eton mess!). Staff very accommodating with some tweaks we wanted to our order. Highly recommend.

Great option for food in Stratford Upon Avon. The food was fresh, hot and really good value for money. We would highly recommend the set menu and also the rump steak! A key hint is get the basket of bread! Amazing bread baked locally!

Service was great and food was delicious. Priced well.

First but not last visit to the opposition, food was excellent served by friendly cheerful staff. 5 stars

Always a nice warm and friendly welcome. No rushing. Excellent service and really fab and good value food. Above all we are always looked after.

Fabulous meal. We had the set price dinner which was excellent value. Will definitely return.

Very nice meal at the opposition. We were initially seated at a terrible table for 2, squeezed into a niche and very cramped both in available space and too close to the back of adjacent customers, but we were moved when we asked if there was a better one available. The food, wine and service were all very good, although the requested water never arrived.

Great food and service. The fish was cooked to perfection. My crispy duck starter was fantastic and the mexican chicken salad was very, very tasty. We'll definitely be back.

This is an excellent restaurant. Value is good including set meals and a la carte. Service is very good and friendly. Great for pre-theatre dining. We are regulars.

Lovely staff and excellent food.

Came here with a friend for lunch, and the food was absolutely divine! Service was quick and friendly, and the prices were reasonable

Lovely restaurant with very attentive service. Food also very good quality. Thank you.

Good choice on the set menu, all served promptly ((pre-theatre)

Always a warm, friendly welcome with excellent food and attentive service. We live in north Wales but when we are in Stratford upon Avon we always dine at The Oppo knowing it will be a delightful experience

Our favourite place to eat in Stratford: impeccable but not snobby. Food is delicious and it’s great to be able to get a carafe of wine; when there are two of you, a bottle can sometimes be too much. We never felt rushed and it was a lovely evening.

Always a pleasure to eat here. Good service with well priced menus and wholesome food.

We were disappointed with our main courses- lasagne which didn’t seem freshly prepared at all (like a ready meal) and sea bream with Mediterranean vegetables. The bream was fine but it was served on a bed of soggy, oily vegetables. Both like disappointing pub meals and not at all what we expected from the website or the general ambience. The goat’s cheese starter, on the other hand, was delicious as was the ice cream. Overall a pleasant atmosphere and welcoming staff but the tables are quite close together at the front (we had booked).

The food was the best we’ve had in a long time. The staff were lovely and very attentive.

First class food with fresh ingredients and cooked by someone who knows what they’re doing. Very good prices & excellent value with decent size portions. Definitely return- start your theatre visit with a great meal!

We chose the Opposition for a birthday meal treat. The waiting staff were very pleasant without being over attentive, the food was excellent and served in a timely manner, the portion size just right and great value for money. We will definitely choose The Opposition in the future.

Unusual food, beautifully cooked and presented. Staff very friendly and professional. Tables quite close but that is part of charm

Excellent from arrival until departure. Service was timely and friendly. The food was good too. Would recommend.

A really fantastic meal, excellent food, friendly staff and good value wine options. Thoroughly enjoyed our first night in Stratford.

Another great meal at The Oppo this time with some friends who really enjoyed their meal

Had the mussels special..... Very tasty. Staff friendly and attentive.

As always, great food and service. Very helpful and friendly staff

Friendly staff and fast efficient service. Went for a pre-theatre dinner at 5.30 and we were out by 6.45 well in time for performance starting at 7.15. Very close to RSC and parked on Sheep Street just outside on meter for 1 hour max payment pre 6pm and free afterwards. Had 3 course set menu, which was well presented and hot, but chicken curry and corn fritters were lacking in flavour. Other menu items very ordinary and quite expensive.

We came here once before and the experience wasn’t so great! But the food is excellent! So we decided to try it again, this time everything was very good, the staff attentive, the food arrived efficiently and was delicious. We wild go back again next time we visit Stratford. We would recommend for sure

What wonderful restaurant! Staff are so friendly but professional! Food was very tasty, seasoned well & it came on a warm plate which I’m always happy about. We both enjoyed our pre drink & the rose wine was special!

The perfect experience. Table in the front window. Had the Plaice fish special, prawn cocktail and banofee pie. All was excellent and brilliant. Best restaurant on my 5 day trip to England.

Very friendly, professional and delivered a fab lunch experience. Always a lovely time at The Oppo.

Warm welcome, attentive service, great food - and all done in good time for curtain up.

This is perfect for a pre-theatre meal, for which they are well prepared. The staff are friendly, welcoming and efficient. There's an informal feel to the place which makes very good use of every nook and cranny: even when full and busy you feel your private conversations are not overheard. The dishes are beautifully prepared, and they are not afraid to play with various cuisine. The 2 or 3 course offers are good value, and narrow down the choices if you struggle to make a decison with the main menu. Every taste is catered for.

Excellent food & service Very pleasant & helpful staff Great value for money Excellent atmosphere Made to feel welcome & valued

Greeted with a smile. A dairy free menu for lactose intolerance... so helpful. Great care to ensure all was good without feeling overwhelmed. Overall, a lovely meal served with care.

Excellent all round. Great food and service lovely atmosphere

Nice place and food was good. The only real problem was the peppercorn sauce. It was like dirty water with some peppercorns in it..that is not a sauce. Rather don't offer a sauce. My wife's pepper dish was superb.

Brilliant - food and atmosphere spot on. Attentive and informal service - will definitely come again. Dairy free menu perfect too!

Every time we visit the area we go to this restaurant. The staff, food, atmosphere, and quality of service never falters. Highly, highly recommended.