Twelve Twenty in Chiltern

There are no words to describe the incredible food at Bistro Twelve Twenty. Absolutely every dish on the menu is exquisite. I visited with family on Saturday, my daughter is Coeliac, Mark the Chef, went out of his way to make her visit memorable and she said it’s the best meal she’s had since being diagnosed.

Excellent in every way. The food is high quality and inventive with a fine dining vibe and yet has a wholesome homeliness to it with no pretentiousness at all. The restaurant is small, comfortable, cosy and intimate. The chef is very passionate about the food and also a really nice guy, he came out to talk to us during our meal. The fact you choose multiple dishes is extremely enjoyable and amazing for those of us who wish to try multiple things on the menu. This place is one of the finest gems in Amersham.

All the flavour without any pretentiousness! As someone who doesn't often get the opportunity to try such an inspired menu, this is somewhere I will definitely return to! The creativity is off the charts and it's so clear how much time and effort goes into designing the menu. It's certainly an elevated dining experience! Nothing but praise for the staff here, friendly and welcoming!

What a great place food is absolutely amazing ,staff very knowledgeable about the food and wine .set in a beautiful little venue thanks For an amazing evening, will be returning again soon

Very good, food was very good, service was perhaps hampered by the fact that on our night a new member of staff was being trained, so I had little idea of what to expect. My only gripe, the insistence of blow torching nearly every single dish, I’d suggest this can make an amazing dish, just good.

Second time here - for the uninitiated the routine here is that the meal revolves around small plates and two or three per person is the norm - as there were four of us we ordered a wide selection - this is an unusual but extremely enjoyable experience - the flavours and aromas are great - Also Izzy the wine ‘person’ is really helpful and helped select a really nice wine that wasn’t on the list ! - Mark the owner/chef appeared out of the kitchen at the end of the evening to have a chat - try this but book as it’s tiny - I think 1220 applies to the fact that’s there’s between 12 and 20 seats !

Had always overlooked bistro 1220 for the bigger eateries in Old Amersham but my goodness will definitely return. If you’re a foodie and always want to try a bit of everything please do come here . Small plates to share from a carefully curated small menu and all of it amazing fresh seasonal ingredients. The dishes come to the table as and when they’re prepared so you could call this relaxed (tapas style) dining . Not cheap but not too spenny. I’d rather come here once then eat sub standard twice. . Service , food and drink all exceptional.

Excellent food. Had lunch and really enjoyed the food. Good vegetarian options.

Wonderful food and wine, with original and delicious flavour combinations. A cosy, intimate ambiance. Hard to pick a favourite dish, but the bean and watermelon taco was divine. Everything was 10/10!

This is the best restaurant I have ever eaten in England. Delicious food: local, fresh ingredients and dishes designed down to the smallest detail, with appropriate prices in a beautiful and peaceful location. Excellent table service, with very friendly, kind and nice waiters and chefs. Magical experience that I recommend to everyone!

Went to twelvetwenty tonight on recommendation. First class . Lovely friendly service . Top quality food & very reasonably priced. Every mouthful was full of flavour and was freshly prepared and beautifully presented. We will definitely return . The chef/owner ? and his team have got it right . What a lovely bistro . Thanks twelve twenty

A last minute book for a birthday. Food was absolutely amazing, service was fab. A real find we will definitely be returning.

One of the best places to eat outside London Fabulous food & great service Just brilliant

We visited here as a treat for my mums birthday lunch and I was really impressed from entering the door. Having remembered this from childhood as being a newsagents, it was unrecognisable. Cosy and warm and welcoming with a real Bistrot feel they have delivered exquisitely, absolutely fabulous. The staff I cannot fault, they took the time to explain how the dishes worked and were attentive throughout, incredibly helpful when we asked questions which we really appreciated. Being a belated gathering for my mums birthday it was such a great choice! We asked to move to a bigger table when another party left before our food was ready and they moved us without a murmur, moving the table decor and wiping down immediately. The wine was delicious (we had a bottle of the rose prosecco) and as it was not cold, they brought us a small glass separately while they chilled it down, no charge applied for that. I’m amazed by their service!! The food is tapas style so comes out as and when it is ready and the menu really does not describe what you receive. The presentation was superb and needed no further salt or pepper. We ordered 10 dishes in the end between us (for three) and I love the tapas style sharing theme. The chips were amazing either way the Bombay mix, wow! The mushroom with focaccia was so innovative it looked like they were nestled in perfect Yorkshire puddings and the pea mousse so fresh it popped with zing in your mouth. The buttermilk chicken so tender yet crispy, and the charred broccoli is something you do not want to miss. Also the belly pork with its crispy popped skin and the tagliatelle was so full of flavour. We also had a sharing course of desserts and cheese so we could all try a bit of everything. 3 pm came and they took the bill but told us to take our time. Absolutely lovely and personable staff. Thank you twelve twenty for a truly fantastic birthday lunch. Your dishes are inspirational and delicious and you treat your clients with respect. We would definitely return again. Well worth the cost of the meal!! And we left completely full.

Phenomenal cooking. Small , imaginative plates, with some remarkably wonderful seasonings and textures. We had a wonderful meal. Thank you

mark and the team are sending out simply incredible food. the attention to detail, whilst remaining unfussy, is what makes Twelve Twenty stand out. Keira is a terrific and knowledgeable host, offering a fab selection of really interesting wines and the tiny kitchen masks an output of immense taste, variety and execution. They truly deserve to be full for every service and if you can't get a table, get on the waitlist- it is so worth it!

Totally astounding meal all prepared by Marc. Hugely impressive and brilliant value. As a previous review has said ‘Michelin standard’ Get in now before you can’t get in!! Small tasty dishes but full of flavour…. Miss this and you’ll regret it..

Interesting menu of small plates, great service, worth a trip.

Absolutely incredible food and ambience at reasonable prices

Absolutely fantastic - so much to praise, and absolutely a restaurant I'd recommend. This is a venue with charm - lovely ambiance, atmosphere and staff, all led by a chef that clearly knows how to run a top restaurant. The menu is small plates, and having had the majority of it, I'm confident in saying each course is a delight - delicious, well-presented and innovative, but crucially not just innovation for the sake of it. Well worth a visit.

It used to be amazing coffee and wonderful people. Now Twelve Twenty is a stunning bistro with a fantastic menu. Comfort food like Welsh Rarebit presented in a beautiful and delicious variation. Meat dishes to indulge and veggies that are bursting with flavour. And Mark is the best combination of exquisite chef and happy person I have ever come across. What a delight. Have been now several times and four of us one time ordered the entire menu. Every dish was so much fun. Bursting with flavour and joy. Textures that match the flavour. Almost tempted to use the word 'mouth feel' but I won't. Mark keep it up and looking forward to seeing you soon again.

This place is special. On the night i attended it was run by only two people. The chief works miracles and the lady at front provides barely noticeable yet empecable service. The quality of food is easily Michelin star level.

This place makes me sad to have moved out of Amersham, it is THAT good - absolutely fantastic small plate food meaning lots of variety - and with great wines.

Honestly my favourite place to eat in the area. Such an incredible menu it’s hard to choose between the innovative and delicious dishes. Each plate is expertly prepared and presented and the service is warm yet efficient without ever being “over done”. The pork belly cannot be missed. Thank you for another superb evening.

A last minute lunch with my daughter resulted in our new favourite place to eat. Absolutely delicious, unusual, pack a punch sharing plates. Excellent friendly service with a chilled atmosphere. Unbelievably delicious, well done Bistro 1220 team

We had a lovely lunch at Bistro Twelve Twenty for my wife's birthday. Great food & friendly service. They specialise in small sharing plates which were delicious and beautifully presented.

We had a pleasant Friday night here. If you are looking for a personal dining experience,Twelve Twenty will be your good choice. Chef Mark’s cuisine is delicious and reminds us of our meal in the Michelin star restaurant in Paris.

Today just a quick meal off their light lunch menu. Same great friendly service and creative delicious food but kinder on the pocket and suited our limited time

Just dropped in for food off their light lunch menu as we were short on time. Same great friendly service, cosy welcoming surroundings and delicious clever food.

Before I get into the detail about my fabulous experience, I’m afraid that I must tackle the review below, left by Didihipp. Dear Didihipp, firstly, I am wondering why you seem surprised that a restaurant was quiet on a Wednesday and why you inferred that it was a bad thing that you were allowed to decide where you wanted your party to be seated. Secondly, if I read your review correctly, it is obvious that you booked a celebration meal and were given the menu in advance to prepare a preorder. I am writing this review two days after your review and I found plenty of healthy choices and lots of vegetables: you just didn’t choose them!!! Therefore, you knew before you booked exactly what you were going to be eating, what menu you had chosen and how much it would cost. Inspite of this fact you decided that you and your friends would go ahead with your booking and moan about it afterwards. I’m sorry to say but either you are below average intelligence or you are a pathetic human being who would rather right a bad review of your experience than accept responsibility for your own poor judgment. By the way, if you could point me in the direction of a KFC that serves chicken as crisp and delicious as the chicken here ( served by the way with a generous amount of a fresh sweetcorn and mango salsa!!!) I would be very grateful. Life is very tough for restaurants, overheads are through the roof and what you ate was made from excellent quality ingredients and cooked fresh to order to fulfill your personal preference. If you can’t appreciate what this restaurant created for you and your friends then I think everyone should be very happy to learn that you won’t be rushing back! Heaven help the next poor restaurant you choose to frequent! Well now that’s sorted I can say what a wonderful experience I had in this lovely charming bistro. We turned up without booking and were warned that the table would be required for 8pm. I’m so glad we stayed, the service was excellent, polite, efficient, personable and attentive. In a word faultless. The menu was packed with delicious food and exciting choices. Everything was delicious, comforting but with new and exciting choices. Even the pre dinner cocktails were unique. Someone very clever and talented has put a lot of thought into every aspect of this business and it shows. We particularly loved the smoked pea mousse and the brisket and were surprised to learn that broccoli curry is wonderful! Please visit this gem of a bistro! It should always be packed to the rafters!

Sadly our experience of this cute little Bistro was very different to most other reviews I have read . We booked for a celebration meal and found when we arrived it was very quiet indeed , we could even choose our own table . The menu was in our book, pretty limited and when the food came we felt it was very poor value for money, it was not dissimilar from that of KFC … everything seemed to be deep fried … or at least the food we ordered was. Chicken was popcorn fried Chips of course ….. Pepper and Brie was like a vegetarian version of chicken kiev again deep fried … We paid a lot of money for a very poor and unexciting meal . The best part was the Sangiovese wine , even the water was luke warm ,we had to ask for ice . Shame there isn’t a more healthy option with more vegetables ., we won’t be rushing back .

This place never fails, we’ve been going for years! With great food, great service, and great wine! Well worth a visit..

A really super-good little restaurant. High quality food and wine with very friendly service. Plates are quite small but delicious. I really don't like fried chicken but this has a beautiful fried chicken dish I could eat all day with a 🍍 and sweetcorn salsa.

Me and my wife came for dinner for our anniversary. We had an incredible meal. The service was brilliant, lovey intimate atmosphere. Both the food and wine were great. I also really enjoyed their play list as it contained a mix of modern and older classic songs that fitted in well with the classic old bistro vibe. I thoroughly recommend and we will definitely be visiting again.

Came for lunch on a wet Tuesday afternoon. The food is so well cooked and presented. The wine is high quality, the service is top class and the room is very nice. High end small plate dining that is absolutely bang on. Not the cheapest place in town but worth every penny

Went to this lovely place on recommendations. We were not disappointed Very clever ideas and food Great service and accompanying drinks

We met our daughter here for an early dinner, and what an enjoyable experience it was. Cosy, but not cramped, comfortable but not fussy: a lovely balance between fine dining and relaxed, friendly local. Bistro1220 recommends 2/3 plates per person, however between the three of us we tried all of the small, sharing dishes on the menu because it was difficult to choose...!. Our favourites were tagliatelle beef ragu, buttermilk fried chicken, romano pepper, and smoked pea mousse - these were standouts! The Merlot was delicious and the desserts divine. I opted for the chocolate and orange mousse and my husband and daughter for the doughnuts. The service from Kiera and Robin was friendly, efficient and we enjoyed chatting to them. We also spoke briefly to chef, Mark Durman whose brainchild this is. Sharing plates with delicious creations sourced locally and divinely inspired. We'll be back, and I highly recommend you try it too.

My wife and I took our 5 year old for an early dinner at this beautiful little restaurant. The food was sublime with the tapas style meaning that we could sample a range of the wonderful dishes - every dish we had was well balanced and full of flavour comparing favourably to dishes which we have eaten in Michelin starred restaurants. The lady who looked after us could not have been more accommodating and arranged a child friendly meal for our son (Which was still delicious by adult standards). The service was immaculate, the atmosphere was friendly and the wine list was also very good with some interesting selections from lesser known regions. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Amersham.

Really delicious meal, had Ragu with tagaletelli, just right for lunch with glass of French Rose too. Will definitely return.

Fantastic team of just 3 people run this bisto of excellence. A class leader, in our opinion. The food is all produced by Mark and only him! Not classically trained and still young with a humble but enthusiastic attitude that radiates through his team. Tastes that will blow your mind and terrific wines. If you're a foodie, a chef, or restaurant owner, you will love it.

I could not recommend this bistro enough, amazing experience all round. The food was faultless, we got 4 dishes that were brought out in stages by our lovely waitress, Keira (special shout-out to you, you were a star!). The food, atmosphere, and service was second to none. We highly recommend going at lunch time as it was quieter and we got a longer slot to enjoy our food and drink. Thanks again 1220, we’ll be back!

It’s been a long time since we’ve been to a restaurant and been wowed by every dish. We’ll definitely be going back

Small food dishes. Tasty but expensive.

A wonderful boutique bistro. Clever, original, different, beautifully inventive and tasty small plates. Hugely recommended.

Fantastic small plates by Mark. Relaxed atmosphere. Good drink recommendations to accompany the tapas.

The food is OUTSTANDING and cosy atmosphere. Could not recommend more highly

Always excellent - been here many times now and will continue to do so. Innovative, delicious plates for sharing with new dishes appearing on the menu regularly. Excellent choice of wines and really clean, balanced cocktails. Great for lunch, drinks and snacks, dinner - all of it. Standouts for me are the watermelon paloma, sourdough, pork belly, fried chicken, chips, both sorbets, chocolate mouse. Good service and lovely ambiance without fail. Thank you !

Wonderful cosy little restaurant with a great tapas selection. Mark is a real passionate Chef who truly knows how to share his love for food and wine, all served in a charming setting with genuine flair and taste... A must go place in Amersham. Love from Sandrine and Eldad at Darmon 🙏

Wow!!! The food here is incredible, service perfect, pace was great, the beef ragu was divine. You won’t be disappointed!

Superb small plates and a lovely glass of wine. The food is really excellent and service is perfect. Highly recommend.

Beautiful setting and fantastic food!

I came here with my boyfriend and his Mum and Dad. What a brilliant choice it was for a long awaited catch up meal. We were greeted by Kiera on front of house who seated us in the beautiful snug area, it felt like we had the restaurant to ourselves. Kiera expertly talked us through the wines, we were all so impressed with her knowledge of the brands but also in describing the tastes to the letter. She even got us excited about an orange wine that is coming soon. We ordered one of everything and then went on to order more of what we liked. The food was truly exceptional. Mark the Chef came out to deliver our dessert, which was the orange chocolate mousse, we had that with the desert wine. It was absolutely Devine! Mark even spoke us through some of his creations and why he had come up with the ramiro pepper dish. The expertise, friendliness and warmth we received really made us feel welcomed and at home. We will most certainly be back to try the orange wine! Thank you so much for such a fantastic evening.

An unforgettable lunch here with the family. Chef Mark clearly choses the best local ingredients for his dishes, which are all passionately created with personality and love. They also have an amazing selection of wines from unexpected countries, which adds to the unique experience for your tastebuds! Can’t wait to go back!

What a fantastic dining experience! Taste explosion overload!!! This chef is a genius! Cannot recommend highly enough!!!

This is a very pleasant small bistro, food and service very good.

Went for lunch today, specifically for their vegan gyros. Delicious food, lovely wine and really friendly staff. Would recommend! Will be going back to try their vegan evening menu. :)

Peaceful, relaxed, intimate ambience. Beautiful and interesting food. Excellent value for money. Sorry no pictures of food, never think to do that. Two of us had four sharing plates after a very long walk, too full for pudding.

Impressive wine knowledge from the manager and the food was incredible!

Really pleased I managed to find this incredible bistro at last minute and they were kind enough to give us an early bird table! The food was exquisite in every respect and the staff were lovely. A small selection of perfectly put together drinks and dishes, making it very easy to choose, because each one is expertly put together! I highly recommend!

An amazing meal with excellent service. Shared plates were unique and truly delicious. Unlike any other dinner out in Amersham. The pork belly and broccolini stood out, alongside fried chicken with a charred vegetable salad. A friendly atmosphere finished off a great evening. Thank you!

Outstanding food and wow how do they do it for that price. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming and stylish as well. We love food and we love visiting this place. Definitely try it you won’t be disappointed in lunch or dinner

Fabulous! Enjoyed every mouthful ❤️

Amazing service and excellent food. Can’t fault a thing. Perfect small plates for sharing with a great wine list that pairs well.

Absolutely delicious lunch. We had several plates and they were all superb with great flavours. Will certainly visit again.

Loved it - great food and wine!

A really fantastic lunch - great smoked pea mouse and lemon salted chips but the absolute standout dishes were the pastrami the chicken and the sorbet…I know…raving about a sorbet but seriously the passion fruit and the melon sorbets are the dish I will remember

We had a very special meal here, a small and wonderful space with friendly staff who advised excellently on food. Thanks for having us!

We had dinner here last night for a birthday. Fantastic food - great veggie and vegan options - and excellent service. We can’t wait to come back. Thanks Bistro Twelve Twenty team!

What an excellent evening - the food was superb. We went as a table of four and ordered everything on the menu (not as extravagant as it sounds - it was the perfect amount of food for four). Every dish was a hit - the pastrami was a particular joy. Even the side of chips was different and delicious. We'll be going again... and again.

Wow… I’ve always said there’s a big difference between filling up your stomach with food vs. having a memorable meal that brings you joy and satisfaction… @bistro_twelvetwenty you gave me the latter 🙏 hands down one of the best meals I’ve had in the UK! Thank you for making my tummy happy. Every dish was simply amazing, There’s not one single dish I didn’t like.

The newly opened Bistro Twelve Twenty. Looking fantastic, classy yet comfortable. Dylan running front of house was attentive and informative. Small plates to share, which ironically is something you don’t want to do as the food is incredible. The Sourdough, Maple Jelly and Lemon Dukkah was simply scrumptious and you’ll certainly be fighting over the last bite of Pepper and Orange sausage. Great drinks list to accompany the food. Can’t wait to try what’s next from Chef Mark and Team Twelve Twenty.

If fine dining in the evening is your thing then definitely visit this bistro. The format is akin to a tasting menu / tapas and perfect for sharing. The staff were warm and friendly and the chef also took the time to come out and talk with the diners. This bistro is a hidden jewel in the Amersham culinary crown.

A wonderful walk followed by take out coffee and cake from Twelve Twenty. Super friendly service and the cakes were delicious. Lots of choice... I want to try more so will be back.

Excellent service, and a brilliant place for a super tasty lunch time sandwich. The coffees and teas are well made - matcha latte is a defo must to try

Fantastic breakfast, coffee home cooked food and service. I love this place the owner knows his cooking and that’s shown by the dishes that are served. Great easy cafe.

We visited here most weekends before lockdown and have used the takeaway a few times since. There hot meal of brioche buns with different fillings are always delicious. They make every effort to produce different food all of which is delicious

Very nice coffee, lovely food, friendly staff. Can only say positive things and highly recommend a visit

Superb coffee. Great blend. Had 2 lattes in 2 days and both excellent. Consistency is the sign of a great barister.

We had been to Twelve Twenty a few times before Covid for brunch and lunch and always thoroughly enjoyed it, but in lockdown it has been a real joy to have great takeaway food and drinks available to fuel us on our many walks in the local area. It’s not the cheapest but the food - and I have tried plenty of the hot and cold specials on offer! - is always delicious and there is a great range of options. My husband tells me the coffee is fantastic too. A real gem.

beautiful food and drinks excellent

£4.75 for a small piece of cake .....the price list is outside but I didn't see it or I would not have ordered. Two coffees that were barely hot & two pieces of cake for just under £15! I expected the best cake ever & was disappointed!

Delicious soup, sandwiches, sausage rolls, cakes and pastries. Probably the best Cinnamon Roll in the UK served with scrumptious coffe or smoothie. Always service with a smile

Fab service, great coffee and tasty food. Such friendly staff and a lovely experience. It’s so obvious there are many regulars as the manager knows people by name and what people drink. There’s a reason why, over lockdown, there is a long (safe) queue at 1220 and the Grocer opposite is pretty empty. It’s worth queuing for. Thanks!

Great place, yet coffee isn't consistent. I guess different baristas were doing it. One was great, they over below average. Great pastry though. Very friendly staff!

Excellent coffee and food is always tasty

Great coffee and great service today!

I've only had a latte here and it's good; the coffee blend could be richer so I would rate the coffee 4 stars. However, the cafe clearly appreciates that good coffee needs a variety of good milks (both dairy and non-dairy), and this cafe wisely chose Minor Figures for its oat milk (when they could have settled for a cheaper brand that uses inflammatory fillers in their milk). For this reason, I'm rating this cafe 5 stars.

Went there today for first time. There doing take away food and coffees. My daughter had a hot chocolate and she fussy regards her hot chocolate but drank the lot. Coffee was excellent great flavor only my husband Latta wasn't hot enough. Could have been as they where rushed a huge line developed. We also had the Bakewell tart and pistachio both where delicious. Would return

Adapting to covid rules has not stifled the friendliness of the staff, nor quality of food served by this gem of a cafe. Tiny in size and gigantic in every other way, I cannot recommend Twelve Twenty enough. A pared down takeaway menu still provides variety to suit anyone's tastes and the cakes are worth every calory! Line up and take away!

I’ve eaten so much takeout during these challenging times which has been lacklustre. This however was a full on foodie moment that I live for. Get down for lunch and try this now! Coffee is equally quaffable.

Think its about time I gave a review to this great establishment. Hubby son and daghter in law have often eaten here. Since the lockdown I have had several take outs brought to me by my son or hubby and a few delivered by Joe. Having underlying health issues I can't go out and mix with the public - I really look forward to the next gastronomy lunch brought to me from 1220 - everything is so fresh and so tasty, obviously only the best quality ingredients are used. I would honestly be happy with anything as each offering is better that the last. We used to enjoy going out for meals most weekends and I really miss this now, I really look forward to my lunches from 1220 as its like the new going out for a lovely meal. Can't wait untill we can come back to this wonderfull little gem. Who ever is thinking of trying a great coffee or take away meal or snack - don't delay the food is fabulous and your taste buds would thank you for it. Can't wait for my next fix!!

Happiness is Finding a Coffee House! Wherever I am, I have to try a new coffee shop. So when I discovered Twelve Twenty wouldn't be far from where we would be staying while in Amersham, I definitely planned to go! Such a charming coffee house and cafe! Enjoyed tumeric lattes & a lovely ginger molasses cake! I will be back before we leave the village. By the way, I am going to go back home to the U.S. saying "coffee house" instead! Definitely stop in when visiting!

Nice coffee and cakes but I found the lady serving to be quite passive aggressive and borderline rude.

My work colleagues and I visit frequently and their lunches are AMAZING! Cooked food utterly delicious and the special lunches even better. Good choice for vegetarians, however, I'd love to see more! Keep an eye on their Instagram stories for their lunch specials as it's so worth it!

fantastic food , wont disappoint you !!!!

This place is absolutely the best cafe in Old Amersham. The food is beautiful and service is perfect. There Cinnamon buns are worth the visit alone.

Only a cheeseburger and a coffee but a very tasty cheeseburger and coffee and very glad I stopped for a quick bite. The customer distancing and doorway operation worked well but I'll be glad when things are back to normal.

Had a delicious takeaway coffee from 1220 today, was the best coffee I’ve tasted in a long time, served with a smile, great friendly service and the only cafe open in Old Amersham - social distance rules well organised 😃

This café is a firm favourite. Always a friendly welcome and they do the best lattés and the best breakfasts, especially the veggie one 😊

Top full English the black pudding is to die for