Visited Root & Bone while in Fonthill. The atmosphere is upscale yet cozy, with an open-concept kitchen that adds to the overall experience. My first visit here was when they were recognized on the OpenTable Top 100, and it's easy to see why. Chef Raymond Taylor focuses on a farm-to-table approach, and it shows in both the quality of the ingredients and the beautiful presentation of each dish. The food has consistently been well executed, and the service has always been good, making for a reliable dining experience. Overall, a polished local spot delivering quality food and a great atmosphere -- definitely worth a visit. Saluti. read more

See all

Great atmosphere, and food, we all enjoyed the duck, flavours are tasty and cooked well. Nice to have an elevated dining choice like this in the NOTL/ St. Catharines area read more

We dined here on November 14th as a party of 6 and we were all simply blown away! The restaurant is quaint and you can watch the kitchen the entire time as they work their magic. The restaurant is bright, modern and every detail is never going unnoticed. From the subtle hints of bright green in the lighting, the finishing oil on the plates and the bright green of the micro-greens standing proudly waiting to be chosen for their finishing debut, it gave a subtle nod to the freshness you'll find throughout. Chef Ray and his team have chosen their flatware in a soft rose gold color that seems not only unique but sophisticated. Colors are followed through his presentations too. There were two bottles of wine shared at the table but I opted for water so I don't even know what they were, unfortunately, other than one was white and one was red. For starters, Chef brought us an appetizer that he is thinking of adding to the menu. It was a short rib of beef filled cannelloni with a creamy, light mornay sauce, cracked pepper, green oil and a mote of Demi glaze...HE SHOULD ADD IT! It was a delicious starter that set the tone for what we were in for. I ordered the Crispy Butternut Squash for an appetizer (since I didn't know they were going to treat us with the cannelloni). It arrived delicately on the plate with miso brown butter aioli, birch syrup glaze, candied pecans and shaved Parmesan. So different, unexpected and perfect. Then the Chef threw us another curveball with the best present ever! He gave us a palate cleanser that was divine! We were presented a basil lime granita scoop on smooth goat cheese, a thin slice of pickled pear, fresh honeycomb sliver and a kiss of basil leaf. This blew my mind! I could have had this on a warm summer day for some refreshment and been oh so happy. Please add this to the menu too!! My entree was the Pistachio Honey Crusted Chicken Breast on a bed of truffle mash and roasted root vegetables. This was comfort foods kicked up to elegant fare scale so wonderful. The watched Ray plays with flavors creates such an explosion of tastes for the tastebuds. I haven't ever had a more innovative & scrumptious meal from start to finish. This is a one of kind establishment with a top tier Chef, his stellar team, beautiful ambiance inside and out! PS- They've since added a patio in the back for warm weather events too! I highly recommend a trip to Root and Bone for a special dinner or just a night out with fellow foodie friends to experience something truly out of this world! read more

See all

Great food and service from Root & Bone - a great restaurant about 15 minute drive from Niagara Falls tourist attraction area. Fridays and Saturdays are Prix Fixe 4 course menu with choice of 4 to 5 dishes per course. I really enjoyed the Crispy Butternut Squash with miso brown butter aioli. Great texture contrast with sweet and savoury umami from the sauce and garnishes. Diver scallops were great and beautifully plated. For mains, we had the pan fried cod paired with lemon tarragon parmasean risotto and the honey lavender glazed duck breast. Both were cooked to perfect temperature and accented with pickled gooseberries and wild blueberry jus for pops of acidity and sweetness. The open concept kitchen is great to observe but does get busy during peak hours with all the dishes being pushed out. The staff were very friendly and always checked in on our progress. I heard the menu changes every 5 to 6 weeks. I would visit this restaurant again when I'm in the area! read more

See all

Everything was great! I had a wonderful time in a relaxing environment there and suggest that everyone should visit.

We came for a special dinner, partner meeting family for the first time! Could not have been a more perfect evening. Inside is quaint and cozy. It's small but with walls of mirrors it feels open and inviting, with soothing lighting. The chef used to be executive chef at a restaurant in Fallsview Casino. Happy to see that he went on to open this beautiful farm to table spot. We had a bottle of a NZ sauv blanc which was excellent. They also carry a locally made sauv blanc, we will try that next time. We had the Brussel sprouts and pomme frites as appetizers, both of which were very good. The Brussel sprouts have delicious bits of pork belly mixed in-- super good. That entrees were expertly prepared. Be prepared to wait a while even with reservations. We waited for about 20 minutes but they brought out some complimentary sparkling wine for our patience. A top notch place. It was a very special evening and Root and Bone tied it all together for us. read more

Root & Bone - One of the dinner specials that evening. Char, cooked perfectly. - Gastropubs Near Me - Pelham, Ontario

See all

Root & Bone was an amazing experience! Our crew of 9 flew in late into Toronto and found this gem- we only had an hour until closing, but they welcomed us with open arms! We never felt rushed and they were so kind to stay late for us. First off, we got to meet an amazing server named Katie. She was friendly, patient with our group and explained the menu. She was incredibly accommodating and great at her job. We also got to meet the owner and chef. He did not disappoint! Most of us did the "course" option and had small plates of 4 courses. Each plate was outstanding, made fresh and so flavorful!!! He started us with delicious stuffed zucchini flowers, which was new to all but 1 of us, and they were so good. The ravioli and green salad were just incredible. The 3rd course only had meat options (which my friends loved and ate up!!) so the chef made me a wonderful veggie risotto, with freshly charred veggies that I loved. If you are any where near this place, try it!! The food is outstanding and the people are wonderful. read more

See all

The atmosphere is quite nice and the service was attentive. It has the feeling of a cozy, small restaurant that feels like a successful passion project as it was quite busy. Had the daily special lobster bisque and also the bison tenderloin for entree. Also had a side of brussel sprouts. The food was not bad but I think it did fall short of expectations considering the reputation of the chef and the general atmosphere of the place. I guess my expectations were set a bit too high. Having said that, the food wasn't bad at all, but just no real 'wow' factor. Just kinda solid food. Really wanted to love this place, but in the end I liked it ok. read more

I ordered every main course on the menu. The portions are really big. The mushroom bison pasta with truffle is really good along with the duck breast ( larger than most). I would say they were all close but if I had to rank The bison pasta Duck breast Mint crusted lamb Miso fish of the day Beef tenderloin Parking in the back and the patio closes at the end of October. Side story: our group was late because one driver blew a tire. The whole restaurant was so considerate. Unbelievable service read more

See all

Amazing service and food! Our first time tonight for a late celebration of my bday this week. We went early and there were already a good number of tables seated. The kitchen is visible from just about everywhere and the aromas and view! Our servers were so warm (Sharon in particular was a tie for first in reasons to go) and the decor was spot on for the season. We had apps, the sourdough bread, mains and desserts and a bottle of wine... just the perfect season and local selections... enough for variety on the menu but not so many as to not be able to give attention to each drink or dish or dessert. Creative and delicious seasonal dishes! Cannot wait to go back with more and more friends! read more

See all

Very good meal, and definitely worth the trip (Fonthill is not on the beaten path). We gave it a 4 because the appetizer portions were small given the price, the menu wasn't perfectly seasonal (some entrees were a bit heavy for later summer), the beers we wanted to pair with our meals were sold out, the majority of wines were non-local (Niagara has some fine wines, eh?), and every bite wasn't a delight. That said, ''twas some good eats. So if you want to impress, go. Service was wonderful with attentive staff. Lovely, not overly formal decor & comfy chairs. We love being able to see into the kitchen. read more

Food is reasonable, not great but generally worth a visit providing you don't mind service which in our case was awful. We ordered a burger and specifically asked for no pickles, guess what there was a pickle. We tried to bring this to the attention of the wait staff, but nowhere to be found, in fact we had three different servers. When we did mention it when requesting the bill, the response was, well "Just take it off" Another visit service was good, but food mediocre. read more

We had been wanting to come here for a while and had an amazing experience! The ambiance was very conforming and warm, with low lighting for intimacy. The food was perfect and we could not stop eating. The mussels, pork belly, and butternut gnocchi we so satisfying and perfect. We cannot wait to come back and try more of the menu! read more

Fonthill seems to be full of surprises, and Root and Bone was a pleasant one! The environment is cozy, with attentive service and an open kitchen to see all the action. The menu is creative, featuring local Niagara produce and affordable local wines. We tried the cast iron roasted scallops with a creamy pine needle sauce and morels, the ricotta spinach gnocchi with pesto and bacon, and the mustard crusted lamb loin with potatoes and a leek puree. It was all delicious and well excuted, though I would pass on the gnocchi - while it was flavourful if you had a bite with the bacon and pecorini, it was a bit bland on its own and it didn't have any chewy bite to it. There are many different flavours on the menu, and I hope we can return to try a few more! read more

Having been now a couple times I can safely say that this place is amazing. The food is excellent, the menu well curated. The drinks are great. The service phenomenal. The small space with open kitchen creates a chefs table experience at every seat. Highly recommend read more

Amazing food great service. Sat at the bar with a front row view to the kitchen and the bar. Must try the pork belly. Cocktails are great too. read more

We had a delicious meal at Root and Bone this evening. Both the patio and restaurant are very welcoming - this time we chose to eat inside. They have managed to create safe separation between tables while maintaining a cozy and engaging environment. Service is great. We chose crab cakes and scallops as apps - both were delicious, however only 2 scallops for $20 seemed a bit mean... No such issues with the entrees however, both the lamb and strip loin steak were amazing and more than adequate - we had no room for dessert. We shall return - only 2 scallops short of a 5 star rating read more

This restaurant is my absolute favourite restaurant in Niagara. I have several allergies and restrictions and the farm to table model is spectacular to allow me to dine out. I have been lucky enough to travel extensively with my work and have experience spectacular restaurants with Michelin stars. I would easily put Root & Bone against any of those menus. Service is friendly and informed and the wine menu is local and well curated. This is a must try location! read more

FANTASTIC! What a lovely night! This cozy initiate spot is worth the drive to Fonthill. Cozy tucked away restaurant with a bustling atmosphere and full of locals. FOOD and WINE are delicious! We ordered apps, entrees, and desserts. The service is Excellent and giving us their personal opinions. Super welcoming and lots of TLC in all the details. We all ordered something different off the menu and everything was delectable. Farm to table! We will be back without a doubt! read more

Root & Bone - From left Lamb Loin, Chefs special Ribeye, Chefs Special Fish - Gastropubs Near Me - Pelham, Ontario

See all

Desperate for food and not knowing where we should eat, we found this spot quite by chance. What luck. This is a new restaurant but the Chef Ray has years of experience. A cute, cozy place with a bar and casual environment but also some more private tables along the windows. Attractive decor. The food can be described as farm to market with lots of local vegetables and fruit showing up in soups and entrees. The Golden Tomato Soup and Braised Pork Belly hit the spot nicely and were followed by tasty entrees and dessert. We paired things with local wines that were very enjoyable. We thought everything we had was attractive and delicious and would not hesitate to go back. Being new, they are settling in with some new staff which is compensated by their friendliness. Not a problem as the place has the feel of a a local night out where everyone knows each other or is very welcome. Congratulations on your lovely and thoroughly enjoyable restaurant. We can't wait to return. Good luck with the venture. read more