Twin brothers buy historic Ontario church to revive local restaurant

An Ontario church with more than 150 years of history has been given a new lease on life as a restaurant, thanks in part to a pair of identical twin brothers, a team of investors, and the return of a local culinary institution.

Back in May, twin brothers Paul and Peter Maranger, along with three other investors, purchased the former Mackenzie Memorial Gospel Church building in Stratford, Ont., and have since transformed the historic landmark into a casual fine dining restaurant, appropriately dubbed Bijou at the Church.

The Gothic-style building previously operated The Church Restaurant, starting in 1975, but the new ownership took over the property, carried out extensive renovation work, and brought in long-established local restaurateur Bijou to operate the restaurant.

The building itself dates back to 1874, when it opened as Christ's Church. It was later known as the First Congressional Church, then Mackenzie Memorial, and finally, the Mackenzie Memorial Gospel Church.

For Bijou, the movie represents a fresh, new chapter after the culinary institution operated for 27 years before suffering a fire in 2024.

Peter, along with the managing director of Bijou at the Church, Michael Lutzmann, are both members of a men's cooking club, and the pair had previously discussed a few potential restaurant investments in Stratford.

When Bijou owner Mark Simone began looking for a new home, he and Lutzmann, a regular customer and friend, explored several potential sites.

"A 2025 pop-up on Albert Street was showing some promise but did not lend itself well to the ultimate goal of large-scale dining and events. While the 'Church' building had been for sale for some time, it seemed too huge a task to marry the Bijou vision and the state of the property," Lutzmann told blogTO.

"At the request of the real estate agent, Mark Tibeault, we met with the vendors. It was immediately obvious that the group who had owned the property for 38 years were very passionate to see this Stratford institution continue to serve its hospitality for the next generation."

Lutzmann's connection to the local restaurant scene runs deep, with bartending and serving stints at several Stratford restaurants, including The Garden Grove, Carter's and Sapori. Considering his experience — and the opportunity to bring Bijou back to life inside a historic church— the partnership could perhaps best be described as a match made in heaven (pun intended).

"The Church is an extraordinary historic building, and there was the bonus opportunity to continue a beloved local restaurant, plus the ability to host weddings and special events. It was by far the most compelling opportunity," Peter told blogTO.

Peter's professional career has been in the retail insurance and investment business for decades, but his first experience in hospitality came much earlier, when he worked as a dishwasher at the Ancaster Mill as a teenager.

"I fell in love with the energy of the hospitality business. I've also always loved dining out and experiencing restaurants, food and wine. I came to Stratford 40 years ago and have been fortunate to call this community home ever since," he explained.

The investors explained that the goal wasn't to simply recreate the former Church Restaurant or Bijou, but rather, to bring the best of those histories together to create something entirely new.

Given the age of the property, the renovation came with its share of challenges, although the group hired a professional inspector before purchasing.

"I've been involved in numerous renovations of older commercial and residential buildings, so I've learned that there are always surprises. When you're dealing with a building dating back to the 1870s, you know there will be a few!" Peter explained.

One of the biggest surprises, however, was just how quickly the transformation got underway. After closing on the property, there was a scissor lift on site the following morning, and a barn-painting company began working on the south-facing side of the steel roof, which had lost virtually all of its paint.

The interior also received a thoughtful refresh, thanks to the creative eye of the investors' spouses and partners. "They did a beautiful job giving the space a fresh new look while respecting the history and character that makes the interior spaces so special."

As renovations progressed, the building's legacy became even more apparent through the stories shared by the community. "Literally dozens of locals and visitors alike had stories about their experiences with the building," Lutzzman told blogTO. "Many 'I was married here,' or 'my daughter was married here,' as well as memorable meals and events."

Today, Bijou at the Church's menu changes seasonally, focusing on fresh, local ingredients from Perth County and the surrounding region. Chef Michael Cooper worked closely with Mark Simone to develop the menus, while keeping some of the dishes that regular diners closely associate with Bijou, including its tender duck confit and Perth County pork chop.

The cold cider and onion soup is described as both simple and complex, while the seared tenderloin tips glazed in a soy-ginger-garlic reduction are challenging the duck and foie gras terrine for favourite appetizer.

Shareables lead into heartier dishes, like the seafood fettuccine with Atlantic bay scallops, Ontario AAA beef tenderloin, pan-seared pickerel with herb lentils, and "elevated" fish and chips, made with battered rockfish, tartar aioli, grilled lemon, malt vinegar powder, and who could forget — the crispy fries.

Anyone with a sweet tooth would be remiss to skip the dark chocolate terrine (which just happens to be gluten-free), served with espresso anglaise, toasted almonds, cocoa nib crumble, and sea salt to top it all off.

Beyond dinner, the historic space is also designed to serve as a destination for events. The main level can comfortably accommodate approximately 125 guests for a seated dinner, which opens the door to weddings, corporate events, theatre and musical performances, celebrations of life and other special occasions.

"We've already welcomed Stratford Summer Music back into the building for some incredible performances this season. Guests have the option to arrive early, enjoy a beautiful dinner and then experience live music in this extraordinary setting. That's exactly the type of experience we envisioned," Peter said.

"When I came to Stratford 40 years ago, I attended a Gallery Stratford fundraiser event in this building and fell in love with the space. Four decades later, I've had the opportunity to purchase it with four other like-minded investors, whose desire is to see this unique place continue to provide memorable experiences for locals and visitors. In many ways, it's a 40-year dream coming true."

Bijou at the Church is located at 70 Brunswick St. in Stratford, Ont.