Twenty Kitchen & Bar — Restaurant in St. Catharines

I can't begin to express how exceptional my birthday dinner at Twenty Kitchen & Bar in St. Catharines, Ontario, was. The culinary prowess on display here deserves nothing less than a Michelin star.

The food was simply 10/10. I ordered the gnocchi and brussels sprouts, which were divine and cooked to perfection. The yuzu cocktail and mango/peach sour beer were both beyond refreshing and complemented the food delightfully. Compared to other restaurants in St. Catharines, the food quality, taste, and imaginative plating put Twenty Kitchen & Bar in a league of its own. Seriously, they're playing a different game!

What sets this place apart is not just the food, but the overall experience they've curated. The restaurant is tucked away inside an apartment building—a stellar deviation from the norm that added to the intimate and laid-back atmosphere. With limited seating—just eight twin-top tables and five bar chairs—the place is cozy and filled with a calming aura. You can hear the light R&B serenade from the front-of-house kitchen, which is so small it could barely fit two! That being said, the output from this tiny space outranks many established kitchens in terms of quality and flavor. The restaurant's single host/server/bartender (a tattooed and bearded chap) added to the incredible experience. He was super friendly, striking up social interactions when appropriate, and maintained a professional ambiance. How can I forget the complimentary champagne offered after I indicated through my reso that we were celebrating my birthday?! This celebratory toast was a delightful personal touch, making our visit even more memorable.

I feel the owner must be incredibly proud of the unique and captivating culinary experience they’ve cultivated here at Twenty Kitchen & Bar. They've done a phenomenal job!

To all my friends and anyone I know visiting St. Catharines, I'm not just recommending this place - I'm raving about it! This has been one of my top-notch dining experiences, and I urge anyone visiting the city to put Twenty Kitchen & Bar at the top of their dining destination list.

So thank you, Twenty Kitchen & Bar for making my birthday an unforgettable event. I will be back...

Ok but not more than that. It lacked creativity and refinement. The Burrata board was reasonably good - and they get points for good quality Burrata but there was not much else interesting on the board - a couple of slices of baguette, some crostini which were crispy but overly oily, roasted garlic cloves, three small pieces of prosciutto, and little pots of honey, house pesto (nicely done) and balsamic and olive oil.

The charcuterie plate for one had very small amounts of prosciutto, 4 small triangular slices of a very ordinary hard cheese and more roasted garlic cloves.

The bison tartare was a supreme disappointment. On the positive side it appeared to be hand cut but the portion of meat was barely bigger than the egg yolk on top so it swam in the yolk - the ratio was so off it was impossible to actually mix the yolk fully into the meat and there was so much yolk and so much grainy mustard you couldn’t actually taste the meat. Look at the yellow on the plate in the accompanying picture and the meat lost in it and that pretty much tells the tale. Furthermore it was served with deep fried saltine crackers that were just way too greasy and we couldn’t eat them. I don’t think the chef here actually understands tartars. The service, however was lovely and we got some good advice from the waitress on portion sizes.

Edit: I just noticed someone else posted a picture of their bison tartare about 6 months ago. Interestingly they seem to have gotten AT LEAST twice as much bison as I got. In my serving you almost couldn’t see the bison under the egg yolk on top and their portion was twice as...

Where do I begin! My fiancé and I have really enjoyed every meal we’ve had here, as well as the delicious assortment of drinks Twenty offers. The restaurant is small but cozy, with a funky vibe and great staff who are casual but extremely knowledgeable! Now… the Twist. My fiancé and I wanted to incorporate some of our favourite food & drink spots into our engagement photos. Twenty welcomed us with open arms! Not only did they save us the best booth in the house, they kindly stored our things so that we could take photos in and around the downtown area. They even allowed us photos behind the bar, which we were incredibly shocked (and grateful for!) - they were overall just beyond hospitable and kind. They made us feel so welcome, and it was an experience we’ll never forget . While we’ve always loved the food and service here, this experience just speaks to how kind and welcoming the owners & staff of this establishment are....