Best restaurants to visit when travelling to the British Grand Prix Published 28 June 2024
The legendary British Grand Prix at Silverstone is a staple in the racing calendar. If you're searching for the best restaurants to visit while attending the British Grand Prix, we've got you covered.
Each restaurant on our list has been anonymously inspected and reviewed by The Good Food Guide, ensuring an exceptional dining experience.
Need recommendations on the go? Explore our top restaurant reviews on The Good Food Guide app and enhance your trip to Silverstone with outstanding food options.
In a restaurant-rich slice of central London, there’s something reassuringly old fashioned about this self-confident restaurant (part of Fortnum & Mason but with its own entrance on Jermyn Street) – and that’… Read more
In a restaurant-rich slice of central London, there’s something reassuringly old fashioned about this self-confident restaurant (part of Fortnum & Mason but with its own entrance on Jermyn Street) – and that’s a large part of its charm. It’s smart, not overly dressy, with striking red banquettes and a big marble-topped bar, and comes across as somewhere that supports special occasions as much as quick business lunches. Open all day, every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the assembled crowd is tempted by classics such as steak tartare, Dove sole meunière and pitch-perfect calf’s liver with onions and bacon. This is the place if your fancy turns to savouries such as Scotch woodcock or Gentleman’s relish on toast, or bon ton luxuries including oscietra caviar. The kitchen also injects a little modernity with the likes of venison and mushroom dumplings with bone broth, ginger and chilli, or artichoke and golden beetroot salad with cashew-nut ricotta and tiger’s milk – ‘something for everyone’ is a fair description of the menu. Finish with ice cream coupes, floats, knickerbocker glory or a well-made chai-spiced custard tart with yoghurt and honey sorbet. Drink imaginative house cocktails or choose from an interesting wine list with an excellent by-the-glass selection. Mark-ups are high but the informed sommelier gives good advice.
Fitzrovia is not necessarily short of smart, efficient bistros with a switched-on city ambience, but here is one that stands head and shoulders above the competition. The layout will look familiar – close-packed tables,… Read more
Fitzrovia is not necessarily short of smart, efficient bistros with a switched-on city ambience, but here is one that stands head and shoulders above the competition. The layout will look familiar – close-packed tables, glass dividers, an open kitchen at the back – but there is a distinctiveness to both the atmosphere and the essentially French cooking. Staff are knowledgeable and voluble in equal measure, and there is no cold feeling of being processed. The kitchen, under Stuart Andrew, is conscious of making an impression – even something as humble as soupe au pistou comes out swinging, full of tiny carrot and courgette brunoise, bites of green bean, poached fresh coco beans and super-fine noodles, with a generous dot of intense basil pistou. To follow, a fillet of sea bass on spinach with mussels in a saffron-scented sauce made with the mussel liquor is a star performance, while the game season furnishes a roast partridge with boudin blanc, quince and parsley roots. The side-order of truffade (a baconed-up dauphinoise with a breadcrumb topping) is a must. Finish with something as simple as a Neapolitan triumvirate of homemade ice creams or tarte au citron with bergamot Chantilly. An impressive wine list has been meticulously selected with an eye to the quality-price ratio; glasses start at £8, and there are some real treasures on the splash-out 'cellar list'.
High-end Chinese cooking, alluring flavours and bags of creativity
Since 2012, Andrew Wong’s Pimlico restaurant has re-defined high-end Chinese dining not only in the UK but, arguably, for anywhere outside Asia. The no-choice, 30-dish tasting menu takes inspiration from far and wide –… Read more
Since 2012, Andrew Wong’s Pimlico restaurant has re-defined high-end Chinese dining not only in the UK but, arguably, for anywhere outside Asia. The no-choice, 30-dish tasting menu takes inspiration from far and wide – Hong Kong for the dim sum, Shaanxi province for the bao, Anhui for the fermented wild sea bass – but the result is unmistakably Wong’s own vision, not least in its striking presentation. A martini glass suspended over ice, for instance, contains finely chopped green beans spiked with wasabi soy encased by a quivering shell of osmanthus jelly, while ribbons of tofu wave in a limpid soup like the fronds of a sea anemone.
At its best, Wong’s cooking melds astonishing creativity with the most alluring of flavours and sublime contrasts of textures, everything held in a delicate balance by the surest of touches. Consider a candied walnut stuck onto a trio of honey-roast roast pork slices, each daubed with gravy to glue onto shavings of frozen foie gras, grated as finely as sherbet; or wagyu tartare, presented in a caviar tin and adorned with shards of crisp potato, its chilli heat balanced by the citrus jolt of yuzu when dolloped onto a barely-there ‘pancake’ of pear.
Wong’s contemporary interpretation of Chinese cooking is so compelling that when a faultless nugget of sweet-and-sour chicken arrives (an affectionate nod to his parents’ Cantonese restaurant, Kym’s), it feels like an uninvited old friend gatecrashing the party. At £200 a head for food, however, it is not unreasonable to expect this level of perfection throughout, and our most recent meal fell short of that. There were basic errors (prawns not properly shelled) and some dishes tasted of very little at all – even if they looked lovely (cheung fun refashioned as an inside-out wafer of pork or an al dente roll of Peking duck, for example).
Overall, we longed for more nuance to the flavours rather than an insistent, unremitting savouriness. These criticisms might have been easier to stomach had there been more charm to the service. Empty plates were whisked away with lickety-split haste, a neighbouring table was brought Pouilly-Fumé not Fuissé, and being moved to the empty bar to eat dessert in solitude seemed ungracious while our seat upstairs was filled with the next round of punters.
Perhaps we visited on a rare off-night; certainly, the advance planning required to secure a table here (or a seat at the counter, with its direct view into the kitchen) indicates there is no shortage of takers.
Eco-conscious fire-fuelled eatery next to the 40FT Brewery
In a foodie courtyard behind Dalston Junction, the inviting smell of burning embers and charring now mingles with the aromas of hops and freshly baked loaves. Those embers are from Acme Fire Cult – a low-budget, eco-consciou… Read more
In a foodie courtyard behind Dalston Junction, the inviting smell of burning embers and charring now mingles with the aromas of hops and freshly baked loaves. Those embers are from Acme Fire Cult – a low-budget, eco-conscious eatery devoted to fire-fuelled cooking, with plenty of noise and loud music adding to the vibe and more than half the tables outside, under cover and close to the smoky action. But this isn’t just another dude-food BBQ joint: here, vegetables are elevated to a starring role, with rare-breed meats and day-boat fish providing the support acts. There’s also much use of micro-seasonal ferments and by-products from the 40FT Brewery next door – Acme even makes its own version of Marmite from leftover yeast.
The menu is a globe-straddling line-up of unorthodox but exciting modern dishes: coal-roasted leeks with pistachio and romesco are a favourite with readers (‘salty, sweet, delicious and utterly incredible’), likewise tomatoes with green goddess and sorrel. As meat and fish are introduced, you might find chunks of lamb makhani meatballs (a homely dish with ‘subtly balanced spices’) a Tamworth pork chop with mojo rojo or whole gilthead bream slathered with guanjillo chill butter. For afters, there’s usually a choice of two seasonal offerings, perhaps saffron and honey-poached pear with sesame and vanilla yoghurt.
Saturday means brunch, while on Sundays everyone piles in for the sharing platters of grilled and smoked meats piled high on dripping toast (‘it’s the only place where I’d happily be outdoor for my roast,’ commented one fan). To drink, mezcal margaritas fly out of the bar, seven taps dispense brews from 40FT and the concise wine list is a knowledgeable, well-researched slate.
* Head chef Ayo Adeyemi has left and been replaced by Alain Ducasse alumnus Mutaro Balde. Watch for a new review coming soon.*
Judging by our most recent lunchtime visit, this Fitzrovia hot spot is a restaurant on the up and up. … Read more
* Head chef Ayo Adeyemi has left and been replaced by Alain Ducasse alumnus Mutaro Balde. Watch for a new review coming soon.*
Judging by our most recent lunchtime visit, this Fitzrovia hot spot is a restaurant on the up and up. We found the warm terracotta-toned dining room almost full to capacity, with diners occupying the well-spaced tables and thronging the comfortable counter. The £55 lunch menu is appealing, but most opt for the full tasting deal (competitively priced at £120 at the time of writing), with the option of tatale (Ghanaian plantain pancakes) with goat cashew cream and Exmoor caviar available for a supplementary £35. With chef Ayo Adeyemi at the helm, the cooking is overtly complex although the concept as a whole is straightforward: West African flavours, British ingredients. Kick off with a pair of terrific openers: waina (a fermented rice pancake) with chicken liver and Senegalese yassa, followed by a deep-fried oyster with a Gambian red pepper relish. Every dish has something exciting it wants to share with us. Seared mackerel, blackened on top, but fashionably near-raw underneath, comes with Afro-Brazilian vatapa sauce and dense cubes of moi moi (steamed bean pudding), while monkfish with grilled maitake mushrooms is paired with a fresh, fruity 'sosu kaani' chilli sauce. Meat cookery is a strength, the benefits of the charcoal grill in the open kitchen highlighted in a skewer of ox tongue suya. That said, while the dishes were individually praiseworthy, the tasting menu overall lacked a little range – smoky flavours and smooth emulsions dominated. An icy clementine and goat's milk palate cleanser arrived just at the right time during our meal. The wine selection, in service to the food, wanders from Kent to Austria and on to South Africa and beyond, with a good range by the glass. A final word about the front-of-house team, who are friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
‘Best to come in a group and order as many of the sharing dishes as possible,' is sound advice for those planning to eat at this hugely popular Palestinian restaurant which opened in 2022 after a crowdfunding campaign; baggi… Read more
‘Best to come in a group and order as many of the sharing dishes as possible,' is sound advice for those planning to eat at this hugely popular Palestinian restaurant which opened in 2022 after a crowdfunding campaign; bagging a reservation for dinner can take weeks. Akub (meaning cardoon or edible thistle) spreads over four floors, with white-painted brick walls, foliage dangling from metal keys, tiled flooring, ash-wood tables, beams, bowls piled with fresh lemons and an olive tree creating a relaxed and convivial vibe. Fadi Kattan hails from Bethlehem and offers his own take on contemporary Palestinian cuisine via a menu that is divided into ‘ard’ (land, as in vegetarian), ‘bahar’ (sea) and ‘lameh’ (meat), while showcasing the flavours of Galilee, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Start, perhaps, with a creamy risotto made with freekeh grains, its nutty flavour combined with charred green wheat infused with saffron, and topped off with dried laban jameed (goat's milk yoghurt) and pine nuts. A kofta made with a fleshy Rye Bay skate could follow, teamed with loumi (black lemon), grape leaves, coriander and tahini, while mansaf (a classic Bedouin lamb dish) is served in a trio of deep-fried filo parcels stuffed with succulent pulled shoulder, rice and garlic set atop a bright yellow laban jameed sauce. Other good calls range from the warm, soft zaatar bread topped with sumac, thyme and toasted sesame seeds (plus a drizzle of olive oil) to a rich, dark Dead Sea chocolate cake (its sweetness cleverly offset with sea salt) served with caramel and tahini ice cream. A handy drinks list features cocktails influenced by Levantine ingredients (dates, arak and apricots), beers from the region, and 25 wines (from £28) including a couple from the Taybeh Winery in Palestine.
Part of the MW Eat group (Veeraswamy, Chutney Mary and the Masala Zone mini chain), this classy Belgravia grill restaurant tucked down a passage beside the Pantechnicon has been plying its trade since 2004. Swathes of polished dar… Read more
Part of the MW Eat group (Veeraswamy, Chutney Mary and the Masala Zone mini chain), this classy Belgravia grill restaurant tucked down a passage beside the Pantechnicon has been plying its trade since 2004. Swathes of polished dark wood and seductive lighting create a contemporary, luxurious feel to the generously spaced dining room, which is bookended by a smart bar area and an open-to-view kitchen with tandoor ovens and tawa grills in full view. Several notches above your average curry house, it continues to tease and satisfy, experimenting with herbs, spices and ketchups via a line-up of bijou grazing dishes. Smoky and spicy jumbo-sized ocean prawns, fired in the tandoor are succulent, fleshy and spiked with ginger and tomato, while seared scallops are pearly pucks of similar stature in puddles of fresh coriander and coconut sauce. Oysters, crumbed and grilled, sit plumply in coconut milk (from whole nuts cracked open in the kitchen) with ginger, turmeric and chilli. Meat receives similarly impressive treatment: a marinade of spices and cheese helps to point up a beautifully tender black-pepper chicken tikka (with chilli paneer, date and sesame), while subtle spicing gives heft to a pair of juicy tandoori lamb chops, accompanied by puffed-up naan bread, glistening with ghee and showered in truffle. For a short season, there could also be chicken biryani with wild garlic, cooked in its sealed pot and opened at table to wafts of herby, garlicky steam. A typical meal might kick off with crispy cabbage and noodle salad with nuts, pomegranate and grapes bound by a splash of balsamic vinegar, while desserts are given an Indian twist – perhaps a miniature lime tart sharing the plate with a blueberry compôte infused with anise and a wobbly limoncello jelly. Service, led by a gracious maître d’, is quick and efficient. Contemporary cocktails mingle with a carefully assembled, spice-friendly wine list including almost two dozen selections by the glass (from £11).
Established in the mid-1980s, at a time when London was just beginning to tire of the artful conceptualism of nouvelle cuisine, Andrew Edmunds brought informal bistro dining back to one of the lesser-known back-streets of north So… Read more
Established in the mid-1980s, at a time when London was just beginning to tire of the artful conceptualism of nouvelle cuisine, Andrew Edmunds brought informal bistro dining back to one of the lesser-known back-streets of north Soho. Despite the eponymous owner's sad death in 2022, nothing much has changed: the Georgian townhouse still feels homey, with candles stuck into old Burgundy bottles on the clothed tables. The handwritten menus have moved on a little and now feature the likes of burrata with agretti in romesco, although the pulsing heart of it all is the kind of straightforward food you could cook at home, but which takes on a patina of glam when eaten out. The spring season ushers in buttered asparagus to start, while the mains deal out pork chops in mustard and skate with capers, or perhaps something a little more elevated in the shape of roast pigeon on a braise of peas and broad beans. Get your geographical bearings for desserts of Paris-Brest or New York cheesecake. Not the least attraction of the place is a legendary – and legendarily kindly priced – wine collection that boasts reference producers all over the show, including such endangered wine-list species as fine German Rieslings, mature cru Beaujolais, pedigree Californians, and a honour-roll of all the major port shippers.
It may feel a little counter-intuitive to find a seafood-leaning restaurant up in the clouds, but the ascent to the seventh floor of the South Place Hotel is worth it. It's a bracing location complete with a heated terrace and che… Read more
It may feel a little counter-intuitive to find a seafood-leaning restaurant up in the clouds, but the ascent to the seventh floor of the South Place Hotel is worth it. It's a bracing location complete with a heated terrace and chef's table, and one worth enjoying as the backdrop for a highly refined approach to contemporary cuisine. Following Gary Foulkes move to Cornus, the kitchen is now run by Craig Johnston (formerly of Marcus Belgravia) – although Foulkes is still acting as ‘consultant executive chef’ behind the scenes.
A set lunch menu is offered as an introduction to the style (think cured chalk stream trout with horseradish yoghurt and dill or smoked halibut with Maldon oyster, potato and cod’s roe), although Angler's offer also extends to an eight-course taster with stunning canapés and a manageable carte that favours spare precision over indulgence and bulk. Our first course of roast Orkney scallop was divided laterally in two, bedded on squash purée and offset with sweet caramelised onion and a dusting of powdered cep – although we thought the dish needed a little more textural bite. Following on, there was excellent balance in a centerpiece serving of perfectly steamed wild turbot in dashi stock with shards of crispy enoki mushroom and squid-ink noodles.
If meat is what's required, look to a tenderly expressive dish of squab pigeon breast with silky beetroot purée and chanterelle persillade in green peppercorn sauce. There is also great ingenuity when it comes to the dessert stage – from citrus tart matched with basil semifreddo, bergamot curd and olive-oil jelly to Provençal figs with fig-leaf ice cream and honey parfait. A wine list to suit the setting comes at unsurprisingly lofty prices, but there are good glass selections from £10.
* Restaurant permanently closed, following the departure of head chef Anthony Raffo and restaurant manager Maria Danzanvilliers.*
The neon sign outside reads ‘Anglo’. Once through the door, however, all the signs woul… Read more
* Restaurant permanently closed, following the departure of head chef Anthony Raffo and restaurant manager Maria Danzanvilliers.*
The neon sign outside reads ‘Anglo’. Once through the door, however, all the signs would seem to suggest ‘Scandi’. The furs slung over chairbacks, the mid-century furniture and the concrete pots of twigs feel very late-noughties Nordic. Anglo is a tiny space, with no more than half a dozen tables, where diners partake of a seasonal tasting menu of nine courses and a shorter lunch version on Fridays and Saturdays only. Chef Anthony Raffo has a distinctive style, using texture, temperature and acidity to vivid effect. His dainty, artistic creations aren’t just balanced; they’re an exploration of balance, of how far you can take contrasts without knocking the whole thing off kilter. A mature Cheddar tartlet is a powerful opening salvo, with acidity coming from the pickled walnut ketchup concealed within. The next dish arrives warm: celeriac layered with fermented spelt porridge and piped with mushroom, celeriac and onion purées, plus pickled ramson capers for some sharpness. It is cooking that commands attention, and is well suited to textured wines of a natural persuasion, including those on the list of around two dozen bottles (some from England). The succession of dishes builds to a meaty, if not exactly huge, main course such as squab pigeon paired with charred kale, sweet caramelised onion, broccoli purée and perfumed, pickled spruce. Desserts play with sweet and savoury, for example a Tunworth cheese ice cream with prune or dehydrated and rehydrated beetroot with buckwheat ice cream and a honey tuile dusted dramatically with beetroot powder. Service is sincere and friendly. Not the kind of restaurant you might expect to find this close to the Square Mile.
A little south of Oxford Street, Chantelle Nicholson's Apricity might one day come to define London dining in the new 'twenties'. Amid the plutocrats' boutiques of Duke Street, it styles out its defiant scruffiness, with scoured, … Read more
A little south of Oxford Street, Chantelle Nicholson's Apricity might one day come to define London dining in the new 'twenties'. Amid the plutocrats' boutiques of Duke Street, it styles out its defiant scruffiness, with scoured, undecorated walls, small café tables and light fixtures that look artfully dusty. Low-waste, vegetable-based cooking is the wave of an ecologically anxious future, and if it comes out as innovative and interesting (as it does here), nobody need feel deprived. Artisan farms supply much of the produce, as in a first-course of miso-roasted cabbage with pickled kale in a smoked emulsion. Not everything is vegetarian, however: a generous starter of pollock tartare with pickled kohlrabi, topped with broken linseed cracker, was full of freshness and bracing bite. To follow, there might be something earthy and carb-heavy such as discs of baked celeriac on a carpet of Black Badger peas, given a nice kick with a seasoning of cultured gochujang, or you might go full carnivore with a cutlet and rib serving of excellent lamb, alongside hunks of beetroot and a gentling splotch of labneh (though nothing of the promised mint salsa). Desserts expect you to have left your sweet tooth at home. Rhubarb with raspberry granita and cashew cream goes full-on with vegetal flavours, while the little plum and rapeseed tart, garnished with underripe plum, has little of the almond richness of traditional frangipane. Wines by the glass could do with broadening their horizons – the textures and fruit flavours fall within a fairly narrow band for each colour – but the selections themselves are good. We won't gag at Ferraton's St-Joseph in a month of dreary Sundays. Staff run the place with impressive coolness, not writing anything down. Don't turn your phone off, whatever you do: the menu is accessed via a QR code on a stone, or by navigating to the website.
‘We have been going for over 13 years and it never fails to delight’ is just one testament to the consistently high standards achieved by chef-patron Laurie Gear and his wife Jacqueline over more than two decades at the Artich… Read more
‘We have been going for over 13 years and it never fails to delight’ is just one testament to the consistently high standards achieved by chef-patron Laurie Gear and his wife Jacqueline over more than two decades at the Artichoke. The plaudits continue, but this attractive, classy little operation on Old Amersham’s main street refuses to stand still. A recent refurbishment has introduced an artichoke colour scheme (as in ‘globe’, not plebeian ‘Jerusalem’) and an etched-resin screen that can be drawn open to reveal the kitchen. This allows diners near the inglenook fireplace – there’s also a private dining room on the first floor – a prime opportunity to watch the chefs patiently creating the components for the various tasting and set menus. Lunch might begin with an appetising cupful of foamy parsnip velouté enhanced by a dainty dollop of truffle cream, both main flavours clear and true. Bread (a miniature loaf of warm wholemeal laced with Chiltern Black Ale) and starters are of equal calibre: lightly smoked trout matched with pungent horseradish cream, rye bread crisps and salty bursts of trout roe, for instance, or a roundel of tender local pork belly, its fat luscious, its accompaniments (cubes of fresh apple, sliced fennel, marigold leaves) adding complementary textural and flavour dimensions. Seasonality suffuses the oft-changing repertoire, so a springtime main course of braised lamb shoulder shares the plate with white asparagus, springy fresh morels, herb couscous (large grains, resembling petits pois) and a wild garlic pesto – the dish made still more mouth-watering with outstanding gravy and a garnish of precisely cooked sweetbreads. Tip-top ingredients are treated with care and skill – witness skrei cod (the salty fillet brilliant white and succulent) with earthy Jersey Royals and plump mussels providing admirable support. The best dessert at inspection was a perfectly wrought passion-fruit soufflé, the zesty fruit also enlivening an accompanying scoop of ice cream. ‘Extremely well-drilled’ staff ensure a meal here is thoughtfully paced, while a knowledgeable sommelier administers the highly impressive wine list. France, Italy and the fruits of the Rothschild vineyards are the strengths, but the collection also ranges from Uruguay to Croatia and Corsica. Even the entry-point glasses (including an Armenian red and an Austrian Riesling) hold ample interest and flavour. The main drawback? Everything at the Artichoke is ‘rather pricey’, but Amersham regulars mind not a jot.
No-frills neighbourhood Italian with an infectious vibe
A dark frontage punctuated by full-length windows reveals a spare-looking café-like interior, a narrow room with plain white walls and a constantly changing chalkboard menu – in short, Artusi is a ‘perfect neigh… Read more
A dark frontage punctuated by full-length windows reveals a spare-looking café-like interior, a narrow room with plain white walls and a constantly changing chalkboard menu – in short, Artusi is a ‘perfect neighbourhood restaurant’. Down some steps at the back, there is a chef's table for eight, with views of the open kitchen. This is Italian dining, Peckham-style, and none the worse for it.
The infectious straightforwardness of the approach is reflected in a dinner menu that offers three choices at each stage, with a couple of intervening pasta options. Start, perhaps, with a pretty plate of roasted fennel, Russet apples, ricotta and walnuts before moving on to cod with butter beans, purple sprouting broccoli and preserved lemon aïoli or braised featherblade of beef accompanied by confit garlic mash and cime di rapa. Don't want to miss the pasta? Ravioli di erbette (stuffed with wild greens, ricotta and sage) may well have your name on it. The Italian way with carbo-desserts then produces an irresistibly toothsome pistachio and chocolate cake with crème fraîche.
Lunch is a simpler affair (but similar in style), while Sunday brings a great-value set menu. Wines are not exclusively Italian, but those represent the best way of entering into the spirit. They've also got some oranged-up Sicilian Catarratto, if Pinot Grigio now seems a little vecchio cappello. A second outlet is now open at the Underbelly Boulevard in Soho.
Tucked in an alleyway linking Wardour Street and Dean Street, this offshoot of Simon Rogan’s Aulis in Cartmel (home to L’Enclume) has undergone a thoroughgoing makeover. Expansion into the small shop next door has crea… Read more
Tucked in an alleyway linking Wardour Street and Dean Street, this offshoot of Simon Rogan’s Aulis in Cartmel (home to L’Enclume) has undergone a thoroughgoing makeover. Expansion into the small shop next door has created a proper entrance leading straight into a tiny bar-lounge where pre-meal drinks and snacks are served. The reconfigured kitchen continues to offer high-stool counter dining, although the seats themselves (now 12 in number) are better spaced and more comfortable. The style remains the same, an astonishing, multi-course tasting experience prepared and explained in front of you (there’s is no printed menu), with dishes passed over the counter. Unfussy, serene and slightly spartan, it’s run with relaxing warmth by charismatic head chef Charlie Tayler and sommelier Charles Brown. Regular deliveries from Rogan’s Cartmel-based farm are supplemented by tip-top produce from elsewhere in the UK, and Tayler's supremely assured culinary approach is all about inherent simplicity, clever balance and pinpoint precision. Snacks are bijou masterpieces of the genre, from a brilliant mini truffle pudding caramelised in birch sap with fermented black garlic and a heap of shaved Welsh black truffle on top to a nugget of Launceston lamb belly glazed in ‘our miso’ with perilla and ‘capers’ (a clever riff employing pickled green elderberries). To follow, Newlyn crab custard is a deft conceit involving a sauce infused with rosehip vinegar, plus dabs of marinated trout roe adding pops of saltiness, while a raw, sliced Orkney scallop surprises with its rich, buttery, smoky sauce of wild chamomile, buttermilk and smoked pike roe. And then there is the turbot, served with a wondrous sauce created from a stock of smoked turbot bones and swirled with lovage oil. On the side is a tiny English muffin to mop up juices, while heavenly oven-fresh Parker House rolls (made with 100% beef fat) accompany a piece of 45-day dry-aged Hereford Breed beef garlanded with kale leaves. Like everything else on offer here, desserts are seasonal, clever and innovative – standouts at our last visit being frozen Tunworth cheese ice cream drizzled with London borage honey (so simple yet so satisfying), as well as a joyous summertime assembly of strawberry (fruit and sorbet) with buttermilk custard and apple marigold. With no menu to consult, knowledgeable wine advice comes as standard. Charles Brown’s recommendations are always fascinating, whether you are seeking guidance or opting for one of his suggested wine flights.
A local institution with creative Indian food that's a cut above
‘Serving up exceptional curries since 1985,’ Forest Hill’s beloved Babur just keeps on rolling – and it's still the go-to option for locals wanting prettily plated Indian food that’s a cut above … Read more
‘Serving up exceptional curries since 1985,’ Forest Hill’s beloved Babur just keeps on rolling – and it's still the go-to option for locals wanting prettily plated Indian food that’s a cut above your average high-street curry house. It’s also family-run, ‘rooted in the local community‘ and run by kindly staff who give everyone a ‘genuinely warm welcome’. Over the years, it has become increasingly stylish and distinctive, with a hand-painted kalamkari horoscope in the foyer, low-hanging lights, exposed brickwork and wooden partitions holding elaborate floral displays.
Meanwhile, the kitchen scours the Subcontinent for regional ideas while offering dedicated menus for those with special dietary needs. The full repertoire bypasses kormas and dhansaks in favour of more intricate, modern ideas such as goat tikka with a cumin puff and aubergine mash, steamed shoulder of lamb (marinated for 100 hours) with beetroot rice, or spiced stone bass with chana masala yoghurt and papaya chutney. Vegetable dishes and sides are also full of promise – think garlicky spinach with sweetcorn and mushrooms or thinly sliced fried potatoes dusted with mango powder.
To finish, try the milk sponge cake with saffron gel or the chocolate fondant spiced with cumin.On Sundays, Babur’s ‘help yourself’ family buffet is something of a local institution in its own right. The wine list has been knowledgeably assembled with food in mind, but it would be remiss to ignore the zippy Asian-themed cocktails.
A much-hyped brunch spot in an unremarkable location not far from Rectory Road station, Bake Street’s expanded Americana-infused menu runs at weekends only; during the week, there’s a shorter selection of pastries, coo… Read more
A much-hyped brunch spot in an unremarkable location not far from Rectory Road station, Bake Street’s expanded Americana-infused menu runs at weekends only; during the week, there’s a shorter selection of pastries, cookies and toasties to go with excellent coffee. The tiny kitchen does well to keep on top of such an original scratch line-up, doling out everything from messy birria tacos with twice-cooked lamb and consommé to must-order mandarin ice cream sandwiches. Unlicensed; outside seating only (come prepared).
Hand-crafted pasta is king at this sleek Covent Garden venue, and passers-by can watch as the virtuoso chefs fashion all manner of sheets, ribbons and parcels in the front window of the restaurant. Bancone means ‘bar’ … Read more
Hand-crafted pasta is king at this sleek Covent Garden venue, and passers-by can watch as the virtuoso chefs fashion all manner of sheets, ribbons and parcels in the front window of the restaurant. Bancone means ‘bar’ or ‘counter’ and the best perches are at the expanse of shiny marble that runs the full length of the long, narrow space (although readers warn that it can get hot). Alternatively, diners can book a place at one the smart booths in the atmospheric dining area (think exposed ducts, Edison light bulbs, grey leather banquettes). The restaurant’s serially Instagrammed showstopper is the poetically named ‘silk handkerchiefs’ – soft, glistening rectangles of fazzoletti dressed with walnut butter, sprinkled with nuggets of crunchy walnut and topped with a golden confit egg yolk. Other artisan pasta hits might range from mafalde with spicy pork and ‘nduja ragù to tagliatelle with Cornish cod or rigatoni with salt-baked celeriac, almond and lemon. Bold regional flavours also come to the fore in antipasti such as fried polenta chips with Gorgonzola or a kale salad involving soft egg and bottarga (cured mullet roe), while desserts bring limoncello semifreddo or praline cannoli with crystallised hazelnuts. Prosecco and reasonably priced Italian wines (from £27) are supplemented by a ‘cellar’ list of more prestigious bottles.
Like the Covent Garden original, this Soho offshoot majors in counter dining, although there’s much more space throughout: chatty groups congregate around the olive tree planted in the centre of the room, couples prefer the … Read more
Like the Covent Garden original, this Soho offshoot majors in counter dining, although there’s much more space throughout: chatty groups congregate around the olive tree planted in the centre of the room, couples prefer the discreet booths with green-leather banquettes; there’s also a semi-secret basement that doubles as a cocktail bar. Praise still rings out for the faultless hand-made-pasta – ‘absolutely on-point, with perfect textures and zingy, punchy sauces.’ The signature ‘silk handkerchiefs’ of fazzoletti with walnut butter and confit egg yolk continue to steal the show, although many dishes have been recommended: fusilli with spicy pork and ‘nduja; courgette, lemon and ricotta ravioli; pappardelle with a ragù of braised ox cheek laced with Barolo vinegar. Bold regional flavours also shine through in antipasti such as kale salad with soft egg, lemon and bottarga or burrata with salt-baked beeetroot, while desserts bring praline cannoli with crystallised hazelnuts or a confection of cranberries, lemon confit, vanilla and meringue. ‘Truly lovely, smiling staff’ ensure that dishes arrive at just the right temperature. Prosecco and reasonably priced Italian wines (from £27) are supplemented by a more prestigious ‘cellar’ list.
It may have started out as a ‘gazebo with a cool box’, but the dinky original branch of hot-ticket Taiwanese bun specialist Bao is now something of a legend among the capital’s ‘walk-in’ restaurants. … Read more
It may have started out as a ‘gazebo with a cool box’, but the dinky original branch of hot-ticket Taiwanese bun specialist Bao is now something of a legend among the capital’s ‘walk-in’ restaurants. Long queues snake down Lexington Street whatever the weather, but it’s worth the slog once you’re inside and have the tick-box menu in front of you. Fluffy steamed bao buns are the main event here, ranging from the classic braised pork with peanut powder and fermented greens to fried chicken marinated in soy milk with Szechuan mayo and golden kimchi. Just add some tantalising xiao chi snacks (pig’s blood cake with soy-cured egg; mapo aubergine on chi shiang rice), plus sides such as sweet potato chips with plum pickle ketchup. Also order a glass of homemade peanut milk and don’t forget to put your final tick against the fried bao filled with Horlicks ice cream. Although the food is made for sharing, this branch is perfect for singletons and even has a special ‘long day menu’ promising ‘a perfect moment of solitude for the solo diner’. A shot of bao-friendly ‘weeping saké’ does the trick or you could investigate the kooky ‘dream drinks’ (grape soda with aloe vera foam, say).
A useful address on Kingly Street, this tiny corridor of a wine bar – high stools, tapas-style tables, a scattering of outside seating – is the place to come for a glass of wine and tasty, snacky food ranging from plat… Read more
A useful address on Kingly Street, this tiny corridor of a wine bar – high stools, tapas-style tables, a scattering of outside seating – is the place to come for a glass of wine and tasty, snacky food ranging from plates of Neal's Yard cheese and Cobble Lane coppa to an excellent beef sando (with a vibrant purée of dill and pickled cucumber). An interesting and unusual list of low-intervention wines from European producers, plus a couple of cocktails, keep this relaxed spot nicely buzzing.
Ahoy there landlubbers! You don’t need to have your sea legs to enjoy the unique experience of dining at Barge East, a floating (but not moving) restaurant on the river Lee at Hackney Wick. The carefully preserved Dutch barge ha… Read more
Ahoy there landlubbers! You don’t need to have your sea legs to enjoy the unique experience of dining at Barge East, a floating (but not moving) restaurant on the river Lee at Hackney Wick. The carefully preserved Dutch barge has been moored there for five years, and has grown during that time to include a street kitchen and canalside garden and to adapt to the needs of visitors to the area which now include West Ham football fans (check for home fixtures before you book) and besequinned devotees en route to the ABBA Voyage Arena. Inside the barge, it’s more hygge than hectic, with upcycled wooden tables, cushions and little vases of flowers. The vibe is romantic, quirky, and charming. While the cooking is fairly up-to-the-minute – zero-waste techniques feed into the menu – it’s all very approachable. You don’t have to be Gen Z to understand what you’re eating. We were impressed by a nicely made ham hock and pistachio terrine with ajo blanco, and by classical venison loin with pomegranate, parsnip and bread sauce. Loquat purée and mushroom XO don’t do an awful lot for English asparagus, but the produce can’t be faulted. Other dishes might include whey-brined chicken with braised spelt and wild garlic pesto or spiced cauliflower with cauliflower-leaf bhaji and rice cakes. Finish with sticky toffee pudding, sweet cicely panna cotta or an inspired cheese course of ‘lost bread’ with Wigmore, walnuts, celery. A list of European wines (from £34) includes around half a dozen by the glass. The bill takes the form of a message in a bottle. The message being, you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy a meal out in London.
Handily located on a corner site in Covent Garden’s theatreland, with all the hallmarks of the Barrafina group – from the prime time queues to the counter seating at a marble-topped bar and the cooked-to-order menu of … Read more
Handily located on a corner site in Covent Garden’s theatreland, with all the hallmarks of the Barrafina group – from the prime time queues to the counter seating at a marble-topped bar and the cooked-to-order menu of Spanish tapas classics. Top-notch ingredients are at the heart of things and the cooking is deceptively simple, whether you’re after one of the made-to-order tortillas (perhaps prawns with piquillo peppers) or something from the charcoal oven (milk-fed lamb’s kidneys or dry-aged sirloin with oloroso sauce). Para picar nibbles such as pan con tomate or Padrón peppers get the juices flowing and it’s also worth taking a serious look at the little chalked-up board of daily specials for further inducements. Here you might find inviting star turns such as cuttlefish croquetas, lemon sole with citrus butter, whole turbot with ajada sauce or smoked calf’s tongue. For afters, check out the crema catalana or the milhojas (stacked layers of puff pastry with a creamy mix of condensed milk, sugar and vanilla). To match the food, there’s a spot-on list of Spanish regional wines (many available by the glass or carafe) as well as sherries in all styles.
While the popularity of other London tapas bars has waxed and waned, Barrafina has remained a standard-bearer. This, the fifth iteration of the group, launched in summer 2022 and is set within a Victorian railway arch at Borough Y… Read more
While the popularity of other London tapas bars has waxed and waned, Barrafina has remained a standard-bearer. This, the fifth iteration of the group, launched in summer 2022 and is set within a Victorian railway arch at Borough Yards, a new development bordering Borough Market. It’s in good company, with other Harts Group eateries nearby, including the El Pastor taqueria on Stoney Street, their Parrillan grill restaurant next door, and an entrance to Bar Daskal (a Spanish wine, sherry and cocktail bar) at the back. This place, however, is all about counter-top dining. From the long marble bar with its fixed stools, you can watch the chefs prep while you scan the placemat menu of para picar (nibbles), seafood, tortilla, meat, vegetables and desserts. You might just fancy a chilled manzanilla or a bright Albariño and a couple of croquetas, some Padrón peppers and their famed tortilla, but it would be a shame not to branch out and try something more innovative from the chalked-up specials board – perhaps calçots with romesco, or torreznos (fried pork snacks) given heft with a scattering of fried jalapeño and shallots, or perhaps a caldereta (stew). At inspection, a daily special of plaice in a light-as-air batter was superb. Finish with the delectable fried Catalan bunyols (doughnuts). As with most Barrafinas (except Dean Street), counter seats are bookable, with a few places held back for walk-ins; there are high-top tables, too, for larger groups. The drinks list (sherry, cava and wine) leans heavily on Spanish grapes; otherwise, Estrella beer is on tap.
It seems fitting that the Hart Brothers should choose the fashionable enclave of Coal Drops Yard for the fourth – and biggest – branch of Barrafina, their gently expanding group of tapas bars. Located on the upper tier… Read more
It seems fitting that the Hart Brothers should choose the fashionable enclave of Coal Drops Yard for the fourth – and biggest – branch of Barrafina, their gently expanding group of tapas bars. Located on the upper tier of the development (above Casa Pastor), it chimes perfectly with the laid-back, metropolitan vibe of its neighbours and ticks all the now-familiar Barrafina boxes: counter seating; plain-speaking tiled interiors; clued-up young staff and a menu of skilfully rendered tapas classics prepared and cooked in an open-to-view kitchen. Para picar nibbles of boquerones, chipirones (baby squid) and mojama (cured tuna) pique the taste buds ahead of various made-to-order tortillas, black rice, chicken thighs with romesco or stuffed courgette flowers. Desserts are limited to ice creams, sorbets and crema catalana. Like its siblings, this branch also parades a chalked-up daily board of specials (notably seafood) that lift the cooking up a notch or two: perhaps oxtail croquetas, confit cod with leeks, hake with roasted peppers or the thin, elongated cut of Ibérico pork known as lagarto. A tight list of Spanish regional wines, cavas and sherries in various styles completes the picture.
This spot-on take on the classic tapas bar is authentically, some say irritatingly, reservation-free – unlike Barrafina's other branches in the capital (Adelaide Street, Drury Lane, Borough Yards and King’s Cross)… Read more
This spot-on take on the classic tapas bar is authentically, some say irritatingly, reservation-free – unlike Barrafina's other branches in the capital (Adelaide Street, Drury Lane, Borough Yards and King’s Cross). Inside, just 28 high stools are lined up along the length of the L-shaped kitchen counter to accommodate diners (there are some pavement tables too). The attraction is not only the lively, informal vibe but also the theatre of dishes cooked in front of you – a line-up of top-drawer tapas rendered as simply as possible. Freshness is the key (especially when it comes to seafood) and you can sample the results by ordering from the standard placemat menu: made-to-order mini tortillas, croquetas, chipirones, gambas rojos, pluma Ibérico with confit potatoes. Even better is the little specials board, a daily changing roster of more creative dishes along the lines of fresh grilled mackerel slathered in a bright, garlicky chimichurri sauce or a plate of lamb's sweetbreads with fresh peas, cooked in a richly lip-smacking sauce that we found especially impressive. Crema catalana and Santiago tart are the never-off-the-menu desserts. Spanish regional wines by the glass, carafe or bottle match the food perfectly, likewise a big choice of sherries – including the Hart brothers’ own-brand manzanilla.
Post-lockdown, Barrafina’s hugely popular Drury Lane branch briefly morphed into seafood-themed Barrafina Mariscos, but now it’s back to normality – much to the delight of its many regulars. Like its near neighbo… Read more
Post-lockdown, Barrafina’s hugely popular Drury Lane branch briefly morphed into seafood-themed Barrafina Mariscos, but now it’s back to normality – much to the delight of its many regulars. Like its near neighbour on Adelaide Street, this venue is a godsend for Covent Garden’s theatre crowd, with the bonus of a covered terrace. The marble-topped bar and red stools may be reassuringly familiar but there’s always something new to eat, whether you opt for the regular placemat menu or pick something more creative from the daily specials board. Arroz negro (seafood rice blackened with squid ink) is something of a speciality here, but don’t discount the meat and vegetable options – a plate of Iberian pork ribs from the charcoal oven, perhaps, or a dish of fennel with ajo blanco. Para picar nibbles never disappoint, likewise the perfectly runny, made-to-order tortillas and patatas bravisimas. As for that specials board, expect anything from mussels cooked in Basque txakoli wine to skate wing fritura or turbot with confit potatoes, as well as the occasional pig’s head or calçots with romesco. Desserts such as crema calatana and Santiago tart are fixtures, although the board might also list yoghurt sponge or chocolate tart (terse descriptions conceal more than they reveal). Drinkers can sip their way through a cracking list of Spanish regional wines, alongside various sherries and zesty vermouth cocktails.
To put it mildly, ’this is really a place for people who love spice,’ commented one visitor to Barshu – a no-nonsense exponent of uncompromising, full-throttle Szechuan cuisine on the fringes of Soho Chinatown. Spread over t… Read more
To put it mildly, ’this is really a place for people who love spice,’ commented one visitor to Barshu – a no-nonsense exponent of uncompromising, full-throttle Szechuan cuisine on the fringes of Soho Chinatown. Spread over two floors, it’s dressed up with stone carvings, Chinese opera masks, colourful wall panels and shrines with fruit offerings. Expect a cosmopolitan crowd, who are here for palate-tingling thrills and gastronomic curiosities: anyone for marinated bran dough, a broth of braised pig’s stomach, 'pock-marked old woman beancurd' or deep-fried glutinous rice cake with melted brown sugar? Ingredients are variously ‘water-boiled’, dry-wokked, pounded, smacked and stewed – and that’s just the beginning. To order, simply mark up your choices on the sheets of paper provided. The roast sea bass is a best-seller, a crisp-skinned whole fish enlivened with two types of Szechuan peppercorns, various chillies, garlic, lotus root, cauliflower and tofu skin; order a bowl of steamed rice to soak up the signature ‘numbing and spicy sauce’, plus some greens such as garlicky stir-fried morning glory. If you really can't stand the heat, there are also some milder dishes including steamed scallops with bean-thread noodles. Portions are big, flavours are bang-on authentic and it’s great fun – just don’t expect to hang around for too long: speedy, efficient staff are rigorous when it comes to table turning. Drink Chinese wine, sake, beer and/or tea.
The idea behind Behind, Andy Beynon’s restaurant on the ground floor of a new development in London Fields, is to foreground what usually goes on behind the scenes. The restaurant, more spacious than its 18 covers might sugg… Read more
The idea behind Behind, Andy Beynon’s restaurant on the ground floor of a new development in London Fields, is to foreground what usually goes on behind the scenes. The restaurant, more spacious than its 18 covers might suggest, is open plan with no distinction between kitchen and dining room, front and back of house. The chefs get to enjoy the abstract paintings and the excellent soundtrack too. No wonder they look happy. Although it’s a self-described ‘chef’s table’ set-up, Behind differs from others of this ilk because the counter is a single high table that curves around the room in a near full circle, quite apart from the culinary workspace. Service is delivered entirely by the chefs themselves who come over only when they have a dish to present or a wine to pour. They know their stuff. Beynon, who has worked under Claude Bosi, Phil Howard, Michael Wignall and Jason Atherton, offers a fish-focused daily ‘menu surprise’ at £98 for an eight-course dinner, £54 for a six-course lunch (tremendously good value). He introduces the concept personally and personably, explaining his approach to ethical sourcing and seasoning (he likes to use seawater, not salt). From a waiter, it’s a spiel; direct from the chef-patron, it’s a statement of belief. The first wave of dishes served at our lunchtime inspection expanded on the statement: an intense shellfish broth made only of prawns and wine; lavosh flatbread pressed with microscopic shrimps (‘bycatch’ that would otherwise be wasted); and a sashimi-like sliver of the powerfully flavoured top side of mackerel cured in tiger’s milk. Did the cured trout in seaweed with bonito flakes and a full-bodied mustard and chive emulsion need a buttery laminated bun on the side? No, not really, but who would turn down such excellent baking. Delica pumpkin tortellini made of duck-egg pasta in crab soup was the pinnacle of the meal: rich, sophisticated, complex, clever. The main course, a take on fish pie, with a beautiful glassy piece of skate, oyster leaf, beurre blanc and trout roe, seemed conventional after the pasta. Standards remained high for an 82% chocolate dessert with ricotta ice cream, sesame and black olives, and an optional cheese course that paired blue cheese with sweet plum jam and a frangipane tart. The wine list goes from £39 to £390, with just a handful below £60. But we’d argue that cooking this confident is worthy of a special bottle.
Archetypal Mayfair brasserie that oozes class and civility
Run with consummate grace and decorum by ever-present Gavin Rankin, this archetypal Mayfair brasserie feels as if it has been around forever – even though it only arrived on the scene in 2004. Inside, the green banquettes ar… Read more
Run with consummate grace and decorum by ever-present Gavin Rankin, this archetypal Mayfair brasserie feels as if it has been around forever – even though it only arrived on the scene in 2004. Inside, the green banquettes are almost an institution in themselves, and everything about the beautifully appointed dining room speaks of discreet civility and understated class – no wonder the late Queen Elizabeth felt right at home here.
In fact, everyone is most welcome and the whole place exudes genuine warmth – thanks in part to ‘truly exceptional’ staff and classical service of the old school. The menu is built on precisely executed, canonical specialities with Provençal overtones – think asparagus with hollandaise sauce, iced lobster soufflé and jambon persillé ahead of steak tartare with Pont Neuf potatoes, red mullet with anchovy butter or entrecôte of beef with pommes frites.
Many dishes have impressed of late, from devilled eggs (rich and creamy) to Dover sole, executed with consummate elegance, flair and copious quantities of butter – plus a dash of seasoning to bring it home. Desserts are well-tried classics, from île flottante, Marina’s chocolate cake and tarte tatin to Bellamy's famous 'soft' ice creams. Otherwise, a bowl of Minstrels (often brought out by Rankin himself) provides the final satisfying flourish. The lunchtime table d’hôte is a steal, and the fiercely Francophile wine list (from £30) offers terrific value across the range.
* The restaurant relaunched at the beginning of 2025 with a dramatic new interior design and a new menu. Watch for a review coming soon.*
Ascend a flight of stairs to a spacious, plush, low-ceilinged bar and sumptuously furn… Read more
* The restaurant relaunched at the beginning of 2025 with a dramatic new interior design and a new menu. Watch for a review coming soon.*
Ascend a flight of stairs to a spacious, plush, low-ceilinged bar and sumptuously furnished, low-lit dining room – a fittingly luxe setting for Benares' Berkeley Square location, where commercial rents are among the highest in the world. Here, Sameer Taneja and his kitchen brigade deliver cooking that goes way beyond your standard Indian. There are several menus, each offering different dishes, so making a decision can be somewhat tricky. We settled on a tasting option and enjoyed flashes of inspiration throughout the meal, from a puffy potato fritter served alongside a cone filled with chickpea masala (a tribute to Indian street vendors) which arrived in a pot with a small tree to a hand-dived Scottish scallop, served in its shell, complemented by a superb Malabar sauce infused with coconut and gentle spices. Elsewhere, tender muntjac, given a spicy marinade before being cooked in the tandoor, had its gamey flavour offset by garlicky yoghurt and a chilli chutney. Top-grade produce was again on show in the shape of baby poussin tikka masala – a twist on the popular dish, which was taken to another level of refinement by precise spicing. Staples such as black dhal and laccha paratha are faultless, too. Finish on a high note with a milky rasmalai made more interesting thanks to a raspberry and ginger jelly topping. Overall, our experience left us in no doubt that Benares is currently serving up some fine Indian food. Service is provided by a crack team, sociable and gracious in equal measure. Nudging over 400 bottles, the wine list is varied and diverse, with prices starting at £38 and 30 by the glass (from £9).
A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, reg… Read more
A ‘very reliable’ Mayfair fixture since 1916, the self-titled ‘grand dame of Swallow Street’ is still shucking oysters with a vengeance under the stewardship of chef/patron Richard Corrigan. These days, regulars agree that its two great assets are the ground-floor Oyster Bar and the spacious gem of a terrace on Swallow Street itself (heated and covered for year-round bonhomie).
If you’re indoors, the best seats are indubitably at the marble-topped bar counter, where you can watch the chefs expertly flashing their thick-bladed oyster knives and doing the business on ‘natives’ and ‘rocks’ from places as far apart as Donegal, Oban and Jersey – although one fan reckons the Pembrokeshire specimens deserve a special mention. Otherwise, squeeze into one of the close-packed tables for a more formal and ‘extremely fresh’ piscine blowout – perhaps scallop ceviche dressed with jalapeño, mint and lime ahead of Dover sole meunière or pan-seared turbot with olive-oil mash and langoustine sauce.
Readers have praised the impeccable Cornish fish stew packed with myriad different species in a tomato and saffron broth, although you can also feast on classics such as fish and chips, fish pie and Bentley’s handsome shellfish platters. Pudding might be crème caramel with Armagnac-soaked prunes or a bitter chocolate mousse embellished with cherries, gold leaf and amaretto. The classy fish-friendly wine list is priced for Mayfair’s big spenders, although it does offer some excellent bargains by the glass.
Under the arches in Haggerston, Josh Katz's team just keeps on grilling – and the effect is as lively and compelling as ever. Meze including spiced chicken wings with garlic sauce are as smoke-licked as larger plates such as… Read more
Under the arches in Haggerston, Josh Katz's team just keeps on grilling – and the effect is as lively and compelling as ever. Meze including spiced chicken wings with garlic sauce are as smoke-licked as larger plates such as wood-roasted pil-pil prawns or smoked lamb neck mechoui, while the things they can do with a vegetable (check out their cauliflower shawarma) are pleasing indeed. There are now two siblings, Carmel in Queen's Park and Shawarma Bar in Exmouth Market.
'Thumbs up to the JKS restaurant group (some thirteen restaurants across London, including Hoppers,Gymkhana, Sabor, Bao and Kitchen Table) for supporting diverse cuisines to tease the palates of Londoners,’ cheered an i… Read more
'Thumbs up to the JKS restaurant group (some thirteen restaurants across London, including Hoppers,Gymkhana, Sabor, Bao and Kitchen Table) for supporting diverse cuisines to tease the palates of Londoners,’ cheered an inspector after visiting this snug, dimly lit Persian hangout. Apparently named after the handfuls of brightly coloured toasted rice eaten as a snack at Iranian funfairs, Berenjak channels the spirit of Tehran’s tiny hole-in-the-wall kebab joints –but with more style and class. Exposed brick, scuzzy plasterwork, stained glass windows and mosaic floors set the tone, while the open kitchen is dominated by a mangal barbecue and tandoor oven. Eat at the counter, bag a brown leather booth or head to one of the tables beneath a skylight at the back. The menu is divided into meze, kebabs and khoresht stews, so kick off with soft aubergine (cooked over charcoal) with tomato and Cacklebean eggs – perfect with a rectangular-shaped sangak (wholewheat flatbread baked on pebbles). To follow, perhaps order a ‘wonderfully tender’ kebab of minced lamb shoulder paired with fluffy, buttery saffron rice. Low prices and charming service ensure regular full houses, and it’s worth getting into the mood by flirting with one of the ‘sharbats’ (fruity cordials swizzled with green herbs and spiked with spirits).
The capital's Indian restaurant scene is booming, with openings across the spectrum from street food to high-end cuisine, yet this venture from the JKS group (Sabor, Lyle’s, Hoppers, Gymkhana, Bao etc) is one of the most exc… Read more
The capital's Indian restaurant scene is booming, with openings across the spectrum from street food to high-end cuisine, yet this venture from the JKS group (Sabor, Lyle’s, Hoppers, Gymkhana, Bao etc) is one of the most exciting to date. A short distance from Selfridges, and fronted by an outdoor heated terrace, it’s a bijou space, long, narrow, dimly lit and dominated by an open-plan kitchen. Most seats are at the counter overlooking the chefs at work, though there are some black-leather booths along the opposite wall; the vibe is sociable, aided by a lively soundtrack and a highly charged service team. It’s a great platform for chef Chetan Sharma, who has L’Enclume and Moor Hall in his culinary DNA. He doesn't disappoint, experimenting with ingredients and techniques while fusing different culinary influences into his own individualistic style – although everything is rooted in traditional Indian cooking. The result is an innovative, contemporary menu (two tasters and a carte) based around small plates, chaat (street food) and grilled dishes. Layers of flavour are built up gradually: a raw scallop is provocatively paired with blood orange and Indian lemonade ('a beautiful marriage between the soft, sweet mollusc and the citrusy pop’); tender grilled Lahori chicken comes with a cashew and yoghurt whey. Elsewhere, okra is given a lift with peanuts, sesame and fermented chilli, while 'sides' such as roomali roti or pilau rice cooked in a little chicken broth and topped with deep-fried onions merit a central role. The ‘addictive’ sweet-spicy notes of puffy sweetcorn nuggets served with Kashmiri yellow chilli and corn-husk mayonnaise make a brilliant opening salvo; saffron and white chocolate kulfi 'in the shape of a Magnum ice cream' provides the perfect finale. Wines have been thoughtfully assembled with the food in mind, although prices aren't cheap.
Tailor-made for the Square Mile, this branch of the Blacklock mini chain peddles its reimagined chophouse wares in the cellar of a Grade II-listed building a couple of minutes’ walk from Monument tube station. Inside, it has… Read more
Tailor-made for the Square Mile, this branch of the Blacklock mini chain peddles its reimagined chophouse wares in the cellar of a Grade II-listed building a couple of minutes’ walk from Monument tube station. Inside, it has the now-familiar stripped-back feel, with old brickwork, stained glass partitions, concrete floors and booming music providing the soundtrack. There's a cocktail bar too, if you fancy a sharpener before tackling the hefty servings of prime British-reared meats (butcher’s prices for various cuts and weights are chalked on pillars in the dining room).
The best deal for sharing is the £27 ‘all in’ option (a stack of beef, pork and lamb piled high on herb-flecked chargrilled flatbreads to soak up the juices); otherwise kick off with, say, pig's head on toast plus a 'boat' of proper gravy, before gnawing on a plate of blushing-pink ‘skinny chops’ (grilled using vintage Blacklock irons). 'Doorstop-thick’ prime ribs, lamb rumps and grass-fed, dry-aged steaks with moreish sauces, sides and salads are also in demand; if you make it to pudding, you might be tempted by the white chocolate cheesecake, which is doled out tableside.
Lunch-break staples such as burgers and steak sarnies go down well, while Sunday means Blacklock's hugely popular family-style roasts, including an 'all in' offer of three meats that's custom-built for groups – not forgetting ‘the best Sunday roast gravy ever’. Apart from jazzy cocktails, drinks include wines on tap (as well as heavyweight bottles for serious drinkers), plus some own-label beers.
Secreted on a quiet side-street away from the frantic bustle of Covent Garden, the West End outpost of Blacklock is a softly lit basement room sandwiched between walls of wood and brick, run by expertly attentive staff in surround… Read more
Secreted on a quiet side-street away from the frantic bustle of Covent Garden, the West End outpost of Blacklock is a softly lit basement room sandwiched between walls of wood and brick, run by expertly attentive staff in surroundings that are probably fated to be considered masculine. Chops, steaks and meaty things are the order of the day, and there is a determined refusal to beat about any bushes.
Start with pig's head on toast (not the whole thing), or a gravied 'cull yaw' crumpet made with the meat of a mature ewe. All the meat comes from Philip Warren in Cornwall, and shouts its pedigree, even in the high-hat burgers, which ooze forth their cheese and are packed with onions caramelised in vermouth. Chips, naturally, are done in beef dripping. There are some vitamins too, in the shape of braised cauliflower with sprouts and chestnuts or broccoli and walnut salad, but the kitchen can't resist barbecuing the baby gems and lapping them with rich anchovy dripping. Enormous sharing steaks come with the likes of well-made béarnaise or chilli hollandaise.
Finish with a traditional crumble, accompanied by ice cream or custard, or the signature white chocolate cheesecake, served from a big tray. Blacklock's Sunday roasts are also memorable, and groups can take advantage of an ‘all in’ offer promising three meats plus all the incidentals, including some of the best gravy in the business. Drinks run from own-label beers and lagers (brewed by the Harbour Brew Co in Cornwall) to idiosyncratic wines (including some on tap) personally selected by the owners.
All-round appeal, a boisterous vibe and egalitarian prices are three reasons to be cheerful at this branch of the Blacklock mini chain, housed in the shell of an old furniture factory not far from Old Street station. The decor is … Read more
All-round appeal, a boisterous vibe and egalitarian prices are three reasons to be cheerful at this branch of the Blacklock mini chain, housed in the shell of an old furniture factory not far from Old Street station. The decor is standard-issue industrial-chic, the food reinvented chophouse victuals – deliciously crusted, smoky hunks of meat in various guises. Get started by ordering some ‘pre-chop bites’ (potted meats fired up with kimchi, say), before tackling the bigger stuff.
The chain takes its name from the vintage Blacklock irons used for grilling its blushing-pink ‘skinny chops’, but you can also feast on ‘doorstop-thick’ prime ribs, lamb rumps and various grass-fed, dry-aged steaks – although the top deal for sharing is the £27 ‘all in’ offer (a stack of beef, pork and lamb piled high on herb-flecked chargrilled flatbreads to soak up the juices). Sauces, sides and salads bump up the offer, rendering the limited choice of puds almost superfluous (althout it wouild be a sin to miss the white chocolate cheesecake doled out with ‘say when’ generosity.
Blacklock is also famed for its nostalgic Sunday lunch. Whole joints are roasted the old-fashioned way and the revelling continues through the day – be warned, bookings are at a premium. If you're in a group, order the ‘all in’ offer of three different meats with sides, veg and limitless gravy. Own-label beers, wines on tap and trendy cocktails from the trolley ensure that the good times roll.
Named after the vintage Blacklock irons used to grill its ‘skinny chops’, the original branch of this meat-loving mini chain channels the spirit of London’s old chophouses but gives the whole idea a trendy spin. … Read more
Named after the vintage Blacklock irons used to grill its ‘skinny chops’, the original branch of this meat-loving mini chain channels the spirit of London’s old chophouses but gives the whole idea a trendy spin. It may be housed in a Soho basement once occupied by a brothel and a notorious lap-dancing club, but everything is above board these days: dark panelling, parquet floors and bare wooden tables set the scene for a menu that positively revels in animal protein.
Eagle-eyed readers will spot that the meat comes from butcher Philp Warren’s farm in Cornwall, which guarantees naturally reared, grass-fed quality – whether we’re talking about lamb T-bones, pork ribs or bone-in sirloins. The best deal is the £27 ‘all in’ sharing offer, which brings a stack of different meats piled high on herb-flecked chargrilled flatbreads. That said, some of the best things are the supporting acts: ‘pre-chop bites’ such as potted meats with kimchi; sides including sweet potatoes roasted in ash for 10 hours, and all sorts of extras – from chilli hollandaise and garlic marrow spread to the near-legendary Blacklock gravy served in old-fashioned ‘boats’.
Lunch brings burgers and steak sarnies, while Sunday is reserved for Blacklock’s’ sell-out roasts. If you with a party of friends, opt for the unbeatable all in offer of three meats (beef, pork and lamb) with splendid accompaniments and limitless quantities of Blacklocks' now-legendary gravy. Keep your spirits up by summoning the cocktail trolley or picking from the list of own-label beers and non-spendy wines (some on tap).
Locals heap praise on this amiable, daytime-only bakery/café, piling in for breakfast, morning coffee, sandwiches and one-plate lunchtime dishes. Blake's is the real deal. Zealous sourcing is key to the kitchen’s effo… Read more
Locals heap praise on this amiable, daytime-only bakery/café, piling in for breakfast, morning coffee, sandwiches and one-plate lunchtime dishes. Blake's is the real deal. Zealous sourcing is key to the kitchen’s efforts, with bread, cakes and savouries baked daily and just about everything else made to order. The cinnamon buns are justly famous (60,000 produced in 2023), fine weather sees outside seating under a sail awning come into its own, and the café emphasises its 'village hub' feel by incorporating a post office counter. There are branches at Soho Farmhouse near Chipping Norton and on the Buscot and Coleshill Estates (NT) – but we say there should be a Blake's Kitchen in every village.
As a neighbourhood bistro of the old school, Xavier Rousset's Comptoir, just off Marylebone High Street, fits its London purlieu to a T. Tables squeezed into a higgledy-piggledy set of spaces, keyed-up French staff, a general air … Read more
As a neighbourhood bistro of the old school, Xavier Rousset's Comptoir, just off Marylebone High Street, fits its London purlieu to a T. Tables squeezed into a higgledy-piggledy set of spaces, keyed-up French staff, a general air of warm-heartedness and a commendable wine list specialising in the expansive fertility of the Rhône region all contribute to the appeal. Sharing dishes suit the mood – think a baked Camembert with onions and pancetta followed by a great hunk of côte de boeuf with skinny frites and peppercorn sauce. We enjoyed a chicken and chanterelle tart positively blitzed with capers, and a more off-piste serving of juniper-cured sea trout in teriyaki dressing with slivers of ultra-ripe mango. Pork in the form of a rump steak with a black-pudding croquette, creamy morel sauce and mash are what bistro cooking is all about, or there may be hake with a chargrilled tiger prawn in sea herbs and lovage oil. For pudding, our pear tarte fine lacked a little dessert energy, but its accompanying vanilla ice cream was the business. If the broad French boulevards of the main list don't haul you in, look to the separately printed glass selection. Who could resist the siren-like call of Xavier Gérard's Condrieu?
On the third floor of the 'Cheesegrater', Sir Richard Rogers' late-modernist monolith, Bob Bob Ricard's City branch doesn't have the jaw-dropping views that a higher floor would provide, but (and it's a big but) the real jaw-dropp… Read more
On the third floor of the 'Cheesegrater', Sir Richard Rogers' late-modernist monolith, Bob Bob Ricard's City branch doesn't have the jaw-dropping views that a higher floor would provide, but (and it's a big but) the real jaw-dropper is Shayne Brady's flamboyant interior design. It's shimmeringly opulent. If that, and the dress code ('Elegant, ties not required. Formal fashionwear is welcome') rings alarm bells, this place might not be for you. Sister to the Soho original, BBR City is the perfect home for this blend of glamour and modern comfort food. Every table is actually a booth (complete with its own 'Press for Champagne' button) which adds to the sense of exclusivity, while the menu of British and European classics has an egalitarian appeal. Vodka shots (served at -18°C) and three caviars (served with crème fraîche and blinis) are perfect openers in such surroundings, but things don't have to get out of hand. Menu prices aren't too terrifying given the setting. Stinking Bishop cheese soufflé is an opening course of distinction, or how about escargots en persillade? Classics and comforts continue into main courses of chicken and Champagne pie, cassoulet with crispy confit duck leg, or beef Wellington with truffle jus for two to share. Finish with a shot of Limonnaya vodka (-18°C, naturally) and/or rum and raisin rice pudding. The wine list opens with Champagnes galore and doesn't stint on the French classics – just don't expect many options below £40 a bottle.
‘Bob Bob Ricard confused me at first and I couldn’t really work out who it was for, but with a little distance and on reflection I think I rather like it. It says "have fun, don’t take life so seriously" which mi… Read more
‘Bob Bob Ricard confused me at first and I couldn’t really work out who it was for, but with a little distance and on reflection I think I rather like it. It says "have fun, don’t take life so seriously" which might be what we need right now.’ So ran the thoughts of one visitor. Fuelled by ice-cold Nemiroff vodka shots and a mighty contingent of classy bubbles (let your fingers do the walking towards the ‘Press for Champagne’ buzzers on each marble-topped table), this extravagant Soho hot spot offers luxurious decor and a fabulous welcome from the staff. Art Deco styling sets the scene – polished leather booths, swathes of marble, shiny trimmings and bling galore – while the indulgent menu promises Anglo-French comfort food with a Russian slant and lashings of caviar to boot. Steak tartare, Caesar salad with smoked chicken and egg classics every which way are listed as ‘favourites’, but the line-up also cheers and soothes with truffle and potato vareniki dumplings, Stinking Bishop soufflé, chicken and Champagne pie, salmon en croûte and a take on mac and cheese offered, luxuriously, with lobster (of course). Otherwise, share a chateaubriand or beef Wellington. To finish, it has to be tarte tatin, rum and raisin rice pudding or the signature gilt ‘chocolate glory’ with a glass of honeyed Château d’Yquem at £32 for a 50ml sip. Low margins and easy navigation make the steeply priced wine list surprisingly accessible – but who’s counting the pennies.
As the hurricane of voguish London dining whirls on, it is momentarily easy to forget how much of a gust of fresh air Bocca di Lupo was when Jacob Kenedy opened it way back in the distant land of 2008. If places can struggle to ge… Read more
As the hurricane of voguish London dining whirls on, it is momentarily easy to forget how much of a gust of fresh air Bocca di Lupo was when Jacob Kenedy opened it way back in the distant land of 2008. If places can struggle to get noticed in the Soho bustle, Bocca suffered no such indignity. Getting in at all was more often the problem. It still delivers an infectiously dynamic ambience, the best seats being the counter perches facing the kitchen, while the menus still change fast enough to make yesterday vanish without trace. Home-baked bread is the business – focaccia and ciabatta are served gratis with olives and oil while you ponder. What the kitchen deals in is regional Italy, not just generic Italy, with ancestral dishes accorded their provenance, no matter how recent or ancient the tradition. Pasta is naturally everything you would expect: a generous plate of orecchiette in a vibrant green sauce of chard, garlic and pecorino, or even simpler rigatoni coated in a luscious cream sauce of nutmeg and more pecorino. Main-course proteins are hearty presentations of top-spec ingredients. A pork T-bone is grilled golden and neatly sliced, awaiting a side of, say, datterini tomatoes and borlotti beans, plus some glisteningly braised chard for good measure. Eye-catching fish dishes could include a collar of grilled amberjack with gremolata or bream baked in a 'sarcophagus' of salt. Bocca's famous salad of radish, celeriac, Parmesan, pomegranate, truffle and parsley still gets an outing, and is still worth trying as an object lesson in the combinatorial arts. Finish with the Gelupo ice creams (also starring just over the road), or something like crème caramel with rhubarb. Service could relax a little, and it could be a little more clued-up. A regionally discerning collection of Italian wines adds to the lustre. Prices at the more affordable end seem pretty reasonable for the location, with small glasses from £5.80.
Anyone who has seen the movie The Lunchbox will know about the ‘dabbawalas’ who bike thousands of tiffin tins to office workers across Mumbai and other Indian cities. This casual sibling of Jamavar brings some of that … Read more
Anyone who has seen the movie The Lunchbox will know about the ‘dabbawalas’ who bike thousands of tiffin tins to office workers across Mumbai and other Indian cities. This casual sibling of Jamavar brings some of that homespun subcontinental spice and flavour to central Mayfair, with plenty of (Bombay) bustle and noisy chatter to go with the smoky aromas. Against a slick Art Deco backdrop inspired by the city’s first-class railway carriages, the kitchen doles out dishes full of up-front punch and invigorating freshness, with touches of glamour and panache thrown in for good measure. Some of the best things are the small plates – pao buns stuffed with lamb keema, peppery spiced scrambled eggs with truffle oil and naan, crispy new potatoes with Tulsi chilli chutney. If something more substantial is required, look to the line-up of tandoor-fired dishes, biryanis and curries – from Goan-style stone bass tikka with chilli paste to Malabar lamb or a version of chicken Madras involving coconut milk and ‘southern spices’. Dhals, vegetables and sides will please all palates and persuasions, while dessert might bring masala chai panna cotta with strawberries and figs. On Sunday, the Bombay Bustle 'brunch bundle' is a local hit. To drink, east-west cocktails are quite the thing here, (try the signature G&T made with Nagpur orange bitter and gin distilled in a 100-year-old copper pot); otherwise glug a bottle of Indian beer or something from the global wine list.
Are high-profile restaurants above pubs becoming a thing in London? On the first floor of the Three Compasses pub in Farringdon, this reworking of Henry Harris’s famed (and much missed) Racine in Knightsbridge revives the ch… Read more
Are high-profile restaurants above pubs becoming a thing in London? On the first floor of the Three Compasses pub in Farringdon, this reworking of Henry Harris’s famed (and much missed) Racine in Knightsbridge revives the chef’s avowed mission to provide resolutely French food and drink after a gap of seven years. Reached via steep stairs, it’s a pleasant, light-filled room, where a lot of effort has gone into creating a mood that is warm and unpretentious. Come here if you want straight-talking Gallic brasserie classics, dishes straight out of Larousse Gastronomique. Escargots à la bourguignonne, perhaps, or Bayonne ham with celeriac rémoulade, then rabbit with mustard sauce or côte de boeuf with sauce béarnaise. All dishes are chosen from a large, densely written blackboard menu, hoisted from table to table – a convincing slice of France if it weren’t for the mainly English accents of the on-the-ball waiting staff. Our meal opened with a gutsy, rich scallop dish (one of the evening specials), served with its coral atop a purée of fennel, lemon and olive oil, ahead of a Racine classic – tête de veau with a punchy sauce ravigote (one of the best-selling items on the menu). To conclude, we enjoyed a hard-to-fault pot de crème aux griottines. The mainly French wine list is a good one, with about 14 by the glass (from £7.50), and bottles from £29.95.
Bastion of French-accented cuisine in Swiss Cottage
Ticketholders heading for the nearby Hampstead Theatre take full advantage of the fixed-price supper menu on offer at Simon Bradley’s neighbourhood stalwart, which has been a diamond for the denizens of Swiss Cottage and bey… Read more
Ticketholders heading for the nearby Hampstead Theatre take full advantage of the fixed-price supper menu on offer at Simon Bradley’s neighbourhood stalwart, which has been a diamond for the denizens of Swiss Cottage and beyond since 1992. Fans appreciate the fact that the chef serves up ‘excellent ingredients in a relatively simple and unfussy way’ – no wonder locals pack the good-looking dining room with its pastel shades, big contemporary canvases and spotlights twinkling from the ceiling.
Simon’s cooking may have a noticeable French accent, but he buys British – procuring oysters from West Mersea, seafood from Cornwall, lamb from West Country farms and Scottish beef for his Sunday roasts. This translates into dishes such as steak tartare with spiced parsnips and pickled walnut ketchup, wiener schnitzel or gurnard with ratatouille, wilted greens and a side order of gratin dauphinoise.
There is also plenty of finesse on show when it comes to desserts such chocolate pavé or black cherry and orange soufflé with vanilla ice cream – although there’s also traditional comfort in the shape of blackberry and apple tart. Service is ‘spot-on, precise and knowledgeable without being overly formal,’ observed one regular. Prices are ‘exceptionally reasonable’ – and that includes the wine list, which does its job admirably (note the terrific section by the glass).
Buzzy up-tempo brasserie with decent Med-accented food
Walton Street is abuzz night and day, and this up-tempo brasserie is regularly packed with all-comers – from university academics to locals from Jericho’s desirable residences. There’s ample space, with a bar (mo… Read more
Walton Street is abuzz night and day, and this up-tempo brasserie is regularly packed with all-comers – from university academics to locals from Jericho’s desirable residences. There’s ample space, with a bar (modern art, a chandelier and picture windows), a dining area (bare brick walls and parquet flooring), function rooms and a garden terrace at the back, plus a daytime café/deli next door. Not surprisingly, it's also great for large parties.
The menu, while short on thrills, does its job well enough, with Italian cooking to the fore – including a choice of four pizzas and a trio of pastas. Young staff with ‘all the right attitudes’ plonk excellent focaccia and olive oil/balsamic onto every table as an introduction. Maybe start with a warming bowl of borlotti bean and Swiss chard soup or one of the zingy salads (perhaps grilled halloumi with roasted butternut squash, tenderstem broccoli, chicory and fregola). Impressively proportioned mains cover a lot of ground, from fish stew with chickpeas and rouille to Moroccan lamb kebabs with harissa flatbread, bolstered by steaks and burgers.
Desserts end proceedings on a high note, offering anything from a brownie sundae with vanilla ice cream, raspberries and chocolate sauce to a lemon tart of rare delicacy. To drink, the decent Sicilian house white is supported by a pertinent selection of Old and New World choices, with almost everything available by the glass.
What was once a pole-dancing bar is now a wood-panelled restaurant devoted to 'live fire' cooking. This is Tomos Parry’s flagship Brat (he also runs Climpson’s Arch in Hackney, where the concept originated) and, loosel… Read more
What was once a pole-dancing bar is now a wood-panelled restaurant devoted to 'live fire' cooking. This is Tomos Parry’s flagship Brat (he also runs Climpson’s Arch in Hackney, where the concept originated) and, loosely, it pays homage to Basque cooking. Indeed, the first thing to hit you as you ascend the stairs – it's above Smoking Goat – is the smell of the grill; the second is the sound of diners eating, drinking, chatting and laughing. There’s no such thing as a quiet lunch in this tightly packed dining room. The thing to do, if funds allow, is to come with friends and enjoy a whopping great turbot (from £150, to feed four) or a juicy beef rib. Otherwise, fear not, the menu covers a lot of ground, from Menai oysters and seasonal vegetables (such as peas or young English corn) to crustacea, sausages and chops. It’s often the simplest things that surprise. Peppers from Flourish Produce in Cambridgeshire are essentially pimientos de Padrón, grilled, oiled and salted in the Spanish style but here tossed with chopped herbs. The addition is a revelation. Next, the grilled bread with anchovies, famous on Instagram but surprisingly underwhelming in reality (there’s no shortage of blistered buttery naan in east London). Velvet crab soup looks spectacular with its crown of crab shells and bobbing mussels, and it tastes profoundly of the sea – a bold dish. Main courses might be plaice pil pil with cockles, lemon sole or paella-esque roast duck rice served with the bird's heart and slices of rare breast. To finish, crème caramel is a textbook example. The wine list fits a page of A4, with a good choice of styles and grapes from across Europe, at fair-for-Shoreditch prices.
Brat’s Tomos Parry first did a residency at Climpson’s Arch, a coffee roastery near London Fields, back in 2013. He returned after lockdown and has stayed put. On offer is a rollicking inside-outside operation, wi… Read more
Brat’s Tomos Parry first did a residency at Climpson’s Arch, a coffee roastery near London Fields, back in 2013. He returned after lockdown and has stayed put. On offer is a rollicking inside-outside operation, with tables in the courtyard by the wood-fired grill, and also inside the railway arch where trains rumble overhead. Service starts in perfunctory fashion. ‘Have you taken a photo of the menu?’ passes for 'hello' (the menu is written on a blackboard, so you need to snap a pic). But what a menu! It reveals Parry’s affinity with cooking from the Basque Country. Many come for the mammoth grilled whole turbot (around £150 and enough for four) and Flintstone-esque beef ribs. Lighter ideas include grilled peas in the pod, salted pollock crudo, young leeks with fresh cheese, and a fritto misto of Flourish Farm produce (including, but not limited to, mint leaves, asparagus, broccoli and a whole red chilli). A top tempura chef could hardly better the lacy batter, pristine frying and impeccable produce on show here. Parry is even better known for his fish cookery, and it’s refreshing to see cuts such as hake collar with aïoli and a soothing, traditional hake pil-pil with kokotxas (cheeks) and big creamy beans. Basque burnt cheeecake has become very fashionable of late, thanks in no small part to Parry; his version, with a puddle of vanilla sauce and rhubarb compôte, is a good one. Excellent cocktails including Climpson’s Espresso Martinis, natural wines and cold Estrella Galicia on draught provide the lubrication. On a busy night, the place is packed, the staff harried, the atmosphere unparalleled. Great fun.
We could tell you about the mackerel and fresh gooseberries, or the salt brandade with egg and agretti, or the duck with beetroot and quince, but they’re unlikely to be on when you go; such is the ever-changing nature of Bra… Read more
We could tell you about the mackerel and fresh gooseberries, or the salt brandade with egg and agretti, or the duck with beetroot and quince, but they’re unlikely to be on when you go; such is the ever-changing nature of Brawn’s super-seasonal menu. A steady presence, however, are puffy Parmesan fritters, excellent charcuterie, and the arrestingly simple Cantabrian anchovies with rosemary oil and lemon (all of which you’ll find at little sibling Sargasso in Margate, too). Brawn was as busy as ever at inspection; the chatter of young and no-longer-young east Londoners drowning out whatever vinyl was on the turntable. Records, loaves, wine posters, and empty double magnums from what must have been fun nights, provide decorative colour. The above-mentioned mackerel, gently grilled and carefully seasoned, was clever and understated – the brains to the brawn of tremendously good paccheri served with a powerful sauce of chicken liver and Marsala punched up with sage. Chef-patron Ed Wilson and new head chef Chris Trundle show a command of both registers, though we’ve observed a shift over time to a sharper, more visual style. To finish, the iciness of apricot granita with honey custard and shortbread is a good call on a hot day, though it doesn’t ‘eat’ well, the impeccable pastry lost in the snow. Brawn holds one of London’s finest low-intervention wine cellars. 'The list is strong on France and a pleasure to read,' notes one reader. Eccentric producers, up-and-coming regions, and textural skin-contact wines are par for the course. Non-drinkers are also well refreshed with hip sodas, kombuchas, even sparkling Gamay grape juice. Friendly staff remember a face; always nice.
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