The Taste Kitchen - Lion's Head

Love this place, incredible food but they have frustrating policy. We googled their hours and it said open until 8:00 We walked in at 7:05 and we're turned away. They close at 8:00 but do not take any tables after 7:00. Call before you go to be sure you will get in.

Charming restaurant with a relaxed artsy feel. Fries are amazing. Burger was good, fish and chips were great. Batter was a little greasy but fish was great and again, fries were amazing. People were super nice. I can understand complaints about speed. We were there during non peak hours so it was fine but they are just pretty chill and laid back.

Can't say enough good things about this place. Located on the main street of a small town, it would be understandable not to expect too much from this fusion restaurant (apparently their fish and chips are really popular too, but we opted for a chickpea curry and Mediterranean platter). They have an extensive menu including vegan/vegetarian options and an impressive number of home made, super delicious deserts. Food seems to be made to order, so don't expect a quick meal, but that means everything is fresh, and the flavour is exceptional. Portion sizes and quality of ingredients are also very good, making their prices quite reasonable. There is both indoor and outdoor dinning (picnic tables). There is only paid street parking available, although you could probably get away with parking on the street and watching your car if you're eating outside. Glad we found this gem and can't wait to be back!

First, Jenny, our server, was probably the most accommodating, friendly, cheerful server we have ever had. The restaurant posted shorter business hours in the Friday night in September when we visited. Jenny was the only server, had no support and apparently there was one cook in the kitchen. The owners need to give these staff a bonus as they did a phenomenal job. We ordered the samosa appetizer, shared the two-piece Georgian Bay white fish and chips with homemade coleslaw and two small dinner salads. Each dish was wonderful. The samosas were flavorful, crispy, piping hot and we loved the fruit chutney. Our fish and chips were also hit, crispy, not greasy at all or overly salty. Everything here is made in-house with wonderful attention to seasoning. The tarter sauce had the best herb flavor. Our salads had basic, fresh produce and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette that was light and the perfect accompaniment to our salads. Again, dried herbs were sprinkled on the serving bowls and had the best fragrance and taste. Not surprisingly, I spotted herb plants growing in the window sill. Jenny confirmed that the owner and head chef uses them in his dishes. We were completely satisfied with our selections and don't usually have dessert. However, the Portuguese custard tart sounded so interesting, we had to share one. It is small and when sharing, just enough to savor the flavor without ruining the day's calorie count. Sooo good. Vanilla flavored creamy yet form custard with a caramelized sugar coating ticked away in light and flaky full dough. The total cost was $69.78 with a 20% tip. Well worth this tab for an excellent meal. We enjoyed the cozy dining room but can see how it would fill quickly during the peak of tourist season. Prepare for a wait. It's worth it. Maybe on our next visit to Taste Kitchen, we won't do as much sharing. We will return.

I was stopped in lions head and figured I would grab lunch somewhere. I was excited to see no fast food places to go which meant I get something local! I opted to pop into The Taste Kitchen as the menu was appealing. I understand it's the summer months plus covid having diminished so it can get busy but it was only half full when I arrived. That's no excuse to wait 15min to be seated. I noticed other people come in and because of a long wait despite empty seats opted to leave. A couple large families came in and the resteraunt was not accommodating towards putting tables together. I got someone else's meal the second I sat down plus my waitress had no clue about anything on the menu, sure she may have been new but you need training to service customer needs fully. I guess no training was given which shows the pathetic nature of upper management toward their staff and customers. In my time at lunch, it was mistake after mistake for everybody, you could tell people were getting frustrated with the waiting. The food was good but not worth the excessive time it took in waiting to be seated and to be cooked. This place has potential with a comfortable inside and coffee/dessert bar for quick orders.