Stratford Times September 20, 2024 . 15 | ALEX HUNT Times Correspondent The Starlight, located in downtown Stratford, has been named one of Can- ada’s best new restaurants of 2024 by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine. Starlight owners Megan Jones and Tim Pritchard say they are honoured to make the list but continue to stay community focused with the hope of attracting more visitors to the Stratford [yp hospitality sector. “We were surprised. We are trying to get people to see us as more than just a bar,” said Jones. “I think being on a list like that affirmed that people think we are a restaurant. We have been work- ing really hard to develop our food pro- y gram within our business.” Jones and Pritchard are gearing up to celebrate their one-year anniversary of The Starlight at the end of the month. They are proud to build something in the city they can call their own, as well as of their hardworking team that helped them establish their vision. “I’m just proud that we were able to do it; it's a much-larger project then what we were used to,” said Jones. “We managed to cultivate a wonderful, hardworking team and they have been with us since the beginning. I'm most grateful to the people that have worked for us and helped create our vision.” Jones and Pritchard have established CANADA'S TOP 30 BEST sats RESTAURANTS wegen Jones, ee say they’re honoured to be mauueinn 30 best new restaurants. _ — a late-night food and beverage scene ieee from left to right are a se Starli more food cishesaand bg hosk Check your hearing. Your hearing helps you stay connected to those who matter most, enjoy all the sights and sounds around you, and maintain a good quality of life. But, if you're not hearing clearly, you can miss out! That's where Connect Hearing can help. Our licensed Hearing Care Professionals can help you find the right hearing solution for your budget and lifestyle. Now save up to 30% on hearing aid technology with your CAA Membership!* Get new hearing aids and all-inclusive warranty from $168/month with our Hearing Care Plan.” Try our latest hearing aids with a professional in-clinic demo!” ! Connect REFERRED _‘Hee#ing CarePan a Hearing we cee Pal Wet ae ve we rn gua hts ee no 9 hex nn at PaO Pe ne a a ese Oe et pac en Ne espresso cng xh apres ael mene ad aloe pr ‘hearing demented roe by eninge Prsesonaland dest tafe at Stratford restaurant makes Canada top-30 list at The Starlight and plan to continue building their food program, stating they want to be in Stratford for a long ime. A big challenge was getting people to know we do have food. We did have a strong kitchen team in place (and) we are also open late nights and seven days a week,” said Jones. “Getting the word out on that was challenging when people might assume we’re closed for Sundays and Monday or at earlier times. We have had great support from the local community. The hospitality industry in Stratford is very welcom- ing and have helped us along this jour- ney.” Pritchard says the best part of run- ning a business in Stratford is meeting the residents and establishing relation- ships with business owners and cus- tomers, and he is thrilled to be a part of the community. As for the drink menu, Jones said they try to make everything local and focused on bringing just a little bit of everything to the table for everyone to enjoy. “We try to cater to everyone, and this is a place where absolutely everyone is welcome. There is no niche,” said Pritchard. For The Starlight’s future, Jones and Pritchard want to continue innovating in nays including collaborations with other local business owners, creating ent: