Cats and suds 🍻, what a tag-team combination!!!

Within sight of the Trenton-Morrisville Bridge, the one that says “Trenton Makes, The World Takes”  is a new feline- themed brewery.  I met up with fellow Curator, Christopher Gentile for a holiday drink-up.  Our experience was so positive, we agreed that a view/review on Route1Views was in order.

Bitchin’ Kitchen Brewery cleared our first hurdle, with ease.  They serve excellent beer, made on the premises.  I quaffed a “Minka”, a coffee flavored porter that made me forget the December chill in the air after a few sips.  Chris gave the Gentile seal of approval to their hard cider and a chocolate flavored stout they call “Choc-o-Cat”.  By now, you should be getting the real meow on the way they name their dishes and brews.

It all started with a cat named “Shadow” who drank a white Russian cocktail, thinking it was some milk intended for her.  According to brewery owner Michael Crosson, Shadow spent some time deep in the shadows before recovering from her mistake.  From that point forward, she avoided anything with alcohol.  When Crosson moved in with his wife, Brigitte, the cat avoided Michael’s home-brew and Michael, too, earning “Shadow” the “bitchin’ kitten” nickname.  Michael started branding his home-brew as Bitchin’ Kitten that year.

Fast-forward 2 decades when Brigitte and Michael had a chance to open their own brewery in November of 2021.  They supercharged their branding and their beer production simultaneously.

Okay, enough about beer, for now….. 

Bitchin’ Kitten easily clears the second hurdle, too.  The food is satisfying and well prepared.  If you’re hungry for fried food, you’re in luck.  I had fried onion rings that were some of the best I’ve ever eaten on Route 1.  We shared some garlic chicken wings that could have used some more garlic, but were a tasty way to start the meal. I also had a generous portion of their fried chicken sliders that were amazingly flavorful and crispy. Chris had pizza. I can’t eat cheese, so you’ll have to take Chris’ word for it that the pizza is really good, too. A couple sitting next to us was sharing a Bavarian pretzel with mustard that looked like a really good thing to have with a pint of beer.

The final hurdle is ambiance.  That’s where this place excels.  There are cat puns all over the menu (sour puss ale, Saint Nick Claws-us Christmas ale, Kitten Mittens IPA, and Bougee Cat wheat beer), cat art on the walls and shelves, cat icons on the beer taps, cat-shaped plates, and fabulous custom artwork of a black angry kitten on their shirts, hats and glassware.  For those of you looking to busy your mind while you drink, the brewery has a number of regular events like Happy Meowers (Happy Hours), quizzo, and some one- off music, meetup and comedy events, too.