Join Harden's Platinum Club for Member's Benefits - save 60% with our soft launch offer!
RestaurantsLondonTower HamletsE1

Harden's says

This Shoreditch oyster bar and restaurant is the latest offering from chef Tom Brown, whose Cornerstone in Hackney is the highest-rated seafood restaurant in the 2024 Harden's London guide. The crustacea and 'sea-cuterie' are washed down with coastal-inspired cocktails from Max Venning of Dalston bar Three Sheets.

survey result

Not enough people have commented yet

Our reviews are based on an annual survey of ordinary diners which runs in Spring each year. But this establishment has not yet gathered enough feedback for our editors to write it up.

Do you think it deserves to be better known?

Write a quick review now using our restaurant diary service. That way it might catch our attention. Next survey, you can transfer your diary entry into our survey system. Everyone who contributes 5 or more reviews in our survey will qualify for a free guide.

For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at Pearly Queen?

44 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LT

Pearly Queen Restaurant Diner Reviews

Reviews of Pearly Queen Restaurant in E1, London by users of Hardens.com. Also see the editors review of Pearly Queen restaurant.
Lloyd S
Pearly Queen This is the sister restaurant ...
Reviewed 12 days ago

"Pearly Queen This is the sister restaurant to the Michelin Star Cornerstone owned by chef Tom Brown. It’s situated on the very popular Commercial Street and a very short walk from Spitalfields and Aldgate East Station. As you enter you will see a bar with seating all the way along , behind are a row of seats that look out the street. At either end there are a couple of tables. Downstairs are more tables as well as a small open kitchen. We received a nice welcome from the team before being escorted to our table. The menu is similar to Cornerstone where there are snacks , oysters , small plates , large plates , sides and desserts all designed for sharing. After some good advice from Christina we made our decision. We started with the Sourdough with an incredible soy and oyster butter which was brought to the table alongside the Brown Crab , radishes and celery. Next to come were the Oyster where we chose the Pickled Oyster with horseradish , cucumber and the Crispy Buffalo Oyster with a ranch dressing. Now on to the small plates. Here we opted for the amazing Trout Tartare with tomato ponzu , egg yolk , chicory , the Cured Gurnard with leek and potato. Our last small plate was absolutely stunning in the form of the Crab ‘risotto’ Fritter with wild mushroom butter and celeriac. Our only disappointment was that we didn’t order one each. Now to the large plates which we started with the Cod , curry sauce , crispy potatoes. This was followed by the Turbot , roast chicken butter sauce , courgette , broad beans. We accompanied this with the grilled greens with mussel butter and the fantastic mashed potato with a Guinness and oyster gravy. We then received a nice surprise as Milo who was a credit throughout our lunch brought us a complimentary dessert from the team. The Sticky Toffee madeleines and vanilla mascarpone were an absolute treat. So now we only had to order the other two which were the Cashel Blue Cheese , walnut cake , honey and the amazing Lemon Meringue Ice Cream. This brought to end a fabulous afternoon of delicious food and very friendly service. Therefore I would definitely recommend a visit and you can rest assured I will return myself soon. Thank You Tom , Milo , Christina and all the team and look forward to seeing you all again soon."

Report this comment
Have you eaten at Pearly Queen?
Post your own review of Pearly Queen and contribute to our annual restaurant review guide.
Post your own review

What the Newspaper Critics are saying

The Guardian

Grace Dent was highly impressed by the “newish” seafood place from chef Tom Brown of Cornerstone, where she found cooking of “two Michelin star-level ingenuity going on, even when they’re only slinging oysters in the deep-fat fryer or doling out bread”.

They also do more complicated things with the bivalves, such as “oyster paté, which is piped back into its shell and topped with champagne jelly and purslane”.

Other highlights included a monkfish tail in a rich XO sauce and a dessert of warm gingerbread and Cashel Blue cheese. Pearly Queen may not be cheap, Grace concluded, “but it is a paean to fine British ingredients, and to splurging on butter and decadent dining”.

“Put simply, there will be things at Pearly Queen that you will never have eaten elsewhere, though that’s not to say you won’t do in future, once other people shamelessly rip them off.”

Grace Dent - 2024-03-25
44 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LT

Best restaurants nearby

Som Saa
Thai restaurant in Shoreditch
£48
   ££
4
Very Good
3
Good
3
Good
Tofu Vegan
restaurant in Spitalfields
£23
    £
4
Very Good
3
Good
2
Average
The Culpeper
British, Modern restaurant in Aldgate
£61
  £££
3
Good
3
Good
3
Good

View more nearby restaurants »

Restaurant news

View more ›

NEWS
Review of the Reviews

NEWS
Gary Neville signs top chef for Stock Exchange

NEWS
Churchillian dining comes to North Yorkshire