Matt and Shane

"Shane and I had our first date at the beginning of 2020. He drove up from Cincinnati to Toronto and stayed for the weekend before heading back home. At the time, it just felt exciting and new. We had no idea that a few weeks later the border would close, and that long distance would suddenly feel even further.

When the border finally reopened, Shane drove straight to Stratford for a weekend that felt like everything we had been waiting for. He met my parents for the first time, saw the house we had only experienced together over FaceTime, and we finally had our official first dinner date at Café Bouffon.

That night, we closed down the patio. We talked for hours about the future, about what our life in Stratford could look like, and about all the things we wanted to build together. It felt like the start of something real. Café Bouffon will always be part of our love story."

Rebecca and Lucas

"We have been to Pazzo for many celebrations - it’s our go to celebration spot!

We have celebrated our move out to Stratford, a couple of wedding anniversaries, our child being cancer free (and the anniversaries of that news!), birthdays, and more. We also bring any visitors we have to Pazzo because we love it so much & want to support this amazing local business!

We love coming to Pazzo because we always feel so welcome and walk away having an amazing meal and feeling taken care of!"

Jen & Tyler

"..My husband and I discovered Pazzo’s years ago strolling through Stratford. He was a pizza connoisseur (to put things lightly) and when we sat down to eat Pazzo’s for the first time, I knew he was in love (with the pizza). Of course he loved me too. We spent 14 wonderful years together before he passed away suddenly in June 2024.
His daughter is now turning 17, and her and I are always hunting down the best pizza around in his honour - because that man would’ve eaten pizza 365 days a year if he could have."

Shannon & Steve

"It was going to be a second marriage for each of us…and we wanted to celebrate with our family and friends in a comfortable but classy place. Low-key vows at City Hall, on March Break, so our teacher friends could attend. Where should we go for dinner afterwards? To be sure, there are lots of great choices in Stratford. Instantly, I knew—Friday nights at Pazzo’s. Half price pizzas and cheap pints! We could celebrate our wedding in the way that felt so very authentic to us as a couple: pizza, beer, friends and family (while enjoying a deal!).

Pazzo’s has been a go-to spot for date nights, reconnecting with friends, work celebrations, and taking the kids to a special place for their birthdays. But my favourite night was getting to eat pizza in my best clothes with my best people :)"

Elysse and Lucas

" Luke and I first started going to Pazzos together once we began dating, and it quickly became our place. I was from Stratford and Luke was from London, but no matter where he was, Pazzos was always his favourite spot. Even when Luke was in London, he would remind me that we needed to go back, and whenever he was in Stratford with me, Pazzos was a must for dinner. It was also the very first place we took our parents, where our families finally met. Now, as we get ready to be married this summer, Pazzos unfortunately won’t be at our wedding:( but we’ll definitely be having it the next day. Perfect place to celebrate anything! You can never have enough Pazzos. It will always be our favourite date-night place."

Jayme & Perry

"Our love story began long before we knew about Pazzo , sixteen years ago to be exact! Stratford, with its many restaurants, picturesque riverside walks and beautiful houses, has long been our favorite spot for date nights. Every visit is a new adventure, exploring interesting shops and discovering secret corners of the town.
We had walked by Pazzo Pizzeria on many occasions, and after hearing how good it was, we decided to stop in for dinner in January of 2025. After loving the food and the cozy ambiance, we quickly booked another table for our Valentines date.
We returned once more for my birthday, this time it was more like a tradition, a place where we would always come celebrate our special days, where we knew we would enjoy the drinks the food and the vibes. We have even begun to place a takeout order after we’ve finished dinner so we have something to enjoy and make the following day a little more special too.
Pazzos is now our go to spot in Stratford, I should admit we always order the same thing, but I believe that like love, once you’ve found the one why keep looking? 😉"

Janis & Tom

"We love Pazzo and we love to celebrate our love at Pazzo! What is better than enjoying each other and an excellent meal at our favourite restaurant in Stratford! ❤️🍕🍷"

Helena & Brad

"Pazzos was one of our first dates together over 12 years ago. What’s now marriage and days filled with laughter and lots of love it all began in a little pizzeria we have too fallen in love with and continue to have dates at.
It’s only seems fitting to share a picture of one of our dates here in the dining room of pazzo restaurant!"

Sharon & Iain

"How have Pazzo and Cafe Bouffon been part of our love story? Well, quite simply, we love good food and we love enjoying it together - and over the years we’re happy to keep coming back. When we were dating, the occasional Friday night pizza and pint were enjoyed (because that’s always a good idea). Then in 2019 we got married, and soon after life really changed with “Covid-times”. For quite a while, our treasured dates and dinners out were on hold. However, once things started to open up, we decided to get back out there - and we planned a nice dinner date for Iain’s birthday at Cafe Bouffon. We soon got past any initial awkwardness of Covid dining when we discovered….. the duck confit. Foodie heaven. We returned a few months later, ready for more, only to hear it had sold out. Rest assured, we still ate well - and discovered another new favourite, Lambrusco sparkling red wine! Other memories include:
-a time I was feeling a bit blue and Iain took me to Cafe Bouffon for a light bite. I quickly felt better and we agreed there wasn’t much a good cheese fondue with focaccia (and wine) couldn’t fix.
-ringing in 2023 on the dance floor at Pazzo, with friends, locals, and some great staff!
-What do I want for Mother’s Day? Brunch at Cafe Bouffon 🙂
-taking in Lights On Stratford and stopping in our tracks with the boozy-hot drinks poster in the window at Cafe Bouffon (followed by a delicious stop at the bar)
Overall, your restaurants are “Stratford”, and they are part of our love story because we know we can come back any time and have a different experience - but the same cozy feeling… together. Happy Valentine’s Day!
"

Andrea & Chad

"Our Pazzo's journey began with our first date seven years ago, tucked into the corner booth where our nerves eased and the conversation flowed. Years later, that same warmth filled the room during our wedding rehearsal party, surrounded by friends, family, and the same comforting atmosphere. Now, we return each year for our 'Love Anniversary, to toast the journey that started with a single meal and became one of our beloved traditions."

Anna & Tim

"Can a place embrace us, creating a feeling of landing, familiarity and welcome - where the world can just go ahead and do what it must while we take a moment just for us? There are a few favourite places we’ve eaten around the world that do this for us, but we’ve always felt lucky to have Pazzo’s in our’ backyard.’This is our ‘go to’ place for making memories.

We know that memories are cemented when emotion is heightened, and we have such vivid recollections of our many occasions at Pazzos. Through out each of our meals here, during every experience, the moment that holds power for us is when we meet one another’s eyes- above the heads of our people, or across a table…perhaps the look is one of amazement…we did this together…connected two vastly different worlds by choosing one another all those many years ago. We are such different human beings- but we share a passion for family and for marking all of the important occasions with intention.

We can still taste the lobster risotto with preserved lemon that we shared when our teenage son requested Pazzo's for his graduation from high school 12 years ago. And we recall the delight of celebrating our granddaughter’s second birthday and my mother-in-law’s eighty-eighth- side by side. It is at Pazzos that we learned from a friend of how the peppery sharp taste of arugula is amazing on pizza, and it was here that we also learned to pour spicy olive oil on, well almost everything- for those of us who enjoy it! From 2 years old to 90 years old (and hopefully beyond) our family asks to eat here for their special occasions. It is woven into our family story.

Romance is not only about two people sharing a connection. My father taught me at a very young age that romance is ignited when we delight in our senses, breathe in fragrances, notice ambiance, laugh with abandon and relish in the moment. For me, Pazzo’s invites this…it is easy to revel in the senses: the smell of pizzas baking in the brick oven, the taste of salt and olive oil, the full-bodied richness of a glass of red wine, the deep earthy aroma of mushrooms the comfort of familiarity, the welcome in the way we are greeted. The bright greens and reds of fresh salad next to a golden crust, the hum of conversation around us, the anticipation of an evening with friends or family — it all draws us in, again and again.

We recollect one night, while sharing a meal with dear friends, when we were startled by sirens blaring outside. The energy shifted, and we were of course dislodged from our state of comfort as people came in from the street, talking about a huge blaze- full of concern, some leaving to see what was happening, others returning with stories. Yet inside where we stayed put and protected, glasses of wine in hand, knowing we were okay…we felt immensely grateful…for each other, for the sense of safety, of connection, and community. And of course for being nurtured with the best food!

In a world of turmoil and challenges, it is important for us to find spaces and places where we can rest. For us, romance grows in the spaces between…and somehow Pazzos has come to be one of those spaces for us."

Sarah & Tom

"It was a storm-lashed winter night in 2010 when my husband and I arrived from Toronto, hearts open and full of hope, to imagine a life in Stratford. We had loved this city from afar through evenings at the theatre, first as a couple and later with my parents, but we had never truly known her. Still, we felt the pull, a longing to raise our young family somewhere defined by warmth, connection, and care.The storm had other plans.

Snow whipped sideways through the streets, fierce and blinding, and we quickly realized how unprepared we were for winter beyond the city. Restaurants were few and far between in the off-season, and just as the cold pressed in, we found ourselves descending into a glowing, basement haven, Pazzo Pizzeria.

The door opened and the world transformed. Steam-softened windows, rich and comforting aromas, laughter and conversation layered like music. The room was full and alive, and the only seats available, at the bar, felt like destiny. Over a glass or two of something fortifying and a meal that warmed us clear through, we looked at one another and smiled. In that moment, snow still clinging to our coats, we fell in love, not just with each other all over again, but with this place. We knew with quiet certainty that Stratford was calling us home.

That night became the first chapter of a love story we are still writing.

In the years since, we have returned again and again to mark life’s milestones. We were welcomed from the beginning, even before we belonged. Our daughters grew up under that same warmth, always greeted with kindness and care. It taught us something true about love, beacuse when you least expect it, the smallest signs can mean the most about the life you want to build together.

Stratford is our home now. We love her deeply, completely, and without question. Thank you for revealing her heart to us on a snowy winter night, and for helping her shine in the most unexpected and unforgettable way."