Harden's survey result
Summary
“The food is typical St John” – although the ‘nose-to-tail’ eating is in a small plates format – at this “noisy and crowded”, characteristically austere Spitalfields canteen: the long-running offshoot of Fergus Henderson’s iconic Smithfield venue. “My go-to venue for when I don’t know where else I fancy – more accessible and casual than its big sibling, with ‘big’ St John the pick for a celebration or blow out”. Top Tip: “the madeleines remain unbeatable. Always order half a dozen on your way out”.
Summary
Home of “possibly the best bacon sandwich in London amongst all the faddishness and superficiality of modern Spitalfields” – this “carnivore heaven” is “more accessible and less full-on than the original (and still best) St John”, but still serves “excellent nose-to-tail food” from breakfast to dinner. Its white-walled, canteen-like quarters are echoey and not especially comfortable, but somehow avoid seeming as grimly utilitarian as they otherwise might. Top Tip – the baking is gorgeous: “an Eccles cake here will offer all the benefits of a warm hug”.
Summary
Home of “possibly the best bacon sandwich in London amongst all the faddishness and superficiality of modern Spitalfields” – this “carnivore heaven” is “more accessible and less full-on than the original (and still best) St John”, but still serves “excellent nose-to-tail food” from breakfast to dinner. Its white-walled, canteen-like quarters are echoey and not especially comfortable, but somehow avoid seeming as grimly utilitarian as they otherwise might. Top Tip – the baking is gorgeous: “an Eccles cake here will offer all the benefits of a warm hug”.
Summary
“You can’t beat a great bacon sarnie and a range of other delicious breakfast specials” at this long-established spin-off from Smithfield’s St John, near Spitalfields Market. At other times this utilitarian canteen serves its “very good, if sometimes overly quirky” offal-centric British menu alongside a “wine list full of vintages you’ve never heard of, but which are always enjoyable”.
For 31 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 St John Bread & Wine?
Restaurant details
St John Bread & Wine Restaurant Diner Reviews
"I now prefer B&W to the original, it's more lively and wears the 'nose to tail' cloak a little more lightly. Food was cracking. "
"Cracking venue for a Christmas bean feast. Delicious food, buzzy place. Only negatives, slightly haphazard (but very friendly) service, and the wine list doesn't have any sub £30 bottles."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £35.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
94-96 Commercial St, London, E1 6LZ
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
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