Harden's survey result
Summary
“Still at the top of their game” – Daniel Willis, Johnny Smith and chef Isaac McHale’s famous trailblazer within Shoreditch’s monumental old town hall put in a very assured survey performance this year. The odd report did query the “astronomical pricing”, even while acknowledging that a meal here is “a great occasion”. But for the most part there was nothing but veneration for the “top service and evolving tasting menu”: “intense flavours from the hands of an artist” twinned with with “an amazing wine pairing” (and a non-alcoholic matching drinks option is also available).
Summary
In terms of media profile, Daniel Willis, Johnny Smith and chef Isaac McHale’s groundbreaking, east London seven-year-old is one of the capital’s culinary titans: the highest UK restaurant in the famous World’s 50-best ranking of global gastronomic champions (one of only two UK names to be thus-recognised). Occupying a neutrally-decorated chamber within Shoreditch’s gracious old town hall – with blue-tiled open kitchen on view – the experience features prodigiously-edgy combinations using seasonal British ingredients, and is centred on an extended tasting menu (although there is also a cut-down version available Monday to Thursday, which has a mere six courses; as well another cut-down option at lunch of just four courses). The restaurant also makes a particular feature of thoughtful non-alcoholic and ‘ambient tea’ drinks pairings to complement its more traditional wine options – an innovation other big names would do well to follow. Does it live up? For many reporters the answer is still yes, with lavish praise for its “lush”, “exceptionally creative cuisine”, “unusually knowledgeable service” and “remarkable wine”. However the “pretentiously unpretentious” interior (no tablecloths of course) lacks charge for somewhere now so famous; and overall the average ratings here are starting to look thoroughly middling in terms of London’s other ‘heavy hitting’ names, by which yardstick its Top 50 placement just doesn’t stack up. Flabbergasting pricing is another issue: even fans acknowledge “you need to remortgage your home to go”, and 1 in 3 reporters now vote it their most overpriced meal of the year. Oh, and you have to pay in advance…
Summary
In terms of media profile, Daniel Willis, Johnny Smith and chef Isaac McHale’s groundbreaking, east London six-year-old is one of the capital’s culinary titans: the highest UK restaurant in the famous World’s 50-best ranking of global gastronomic champions (one of only two UK names to be thus-recognised). Occupying a neutrally-decorated chamber within Shoreditch’s gracious old town hall – with blue-tiled open kitchen on view – the experience features prodigiously-edgy combinations using seasonal British ingredients, and is centred on an extended tasting menu (although there is also a cut-down version available Monday to Thursday, which has a mere six courses; as well another cut-down option at lunch of just four courses). The restaurant also makes a particular feature of thoughtful non-alcoholic and ‘ambient tea’ drinks pairings to complement its more traditional wine options – an innovation other big names would do well to follow. Does it live up? For many reporters the answer is still yes, with lavish praise for its “lush”, “exceptionally creative cuisine”, “unusually knowledgeable service” and “remarkable wine”. However the “pretentiously unpretentious” interior (no tablecloths of course) lacks charge for somewhere now so famous; and overall the average ratings here are starting to look thoroughly middling in terms of London’s other ‘heavy hitting’ names, by which yardstick its Top 50 placement just doesn’t stack up. Flabbergasting pricing is another issue: even fans acknowledge “you need to remortgage your home to go”, and 1 in 3 reporters now vote it their most overpriced meal of the year. Oh, and you have to pay in advance…
Summary
“Top-end, creative dining without pretensions” has carved a global reputation for Daniel Willis, Isaac Mchale and Johnny Smith’s “relaxed” blue-tiled chamber within Shoreditch’s fine old town hall (whose renown is sealed by achieving the UK’s highest position in the ‘World’s 50 Best’, ranking at 33). The results from the open kitchen via a five-course or ten-course tasting menu focus on British-sourced produce and are “phenomenally good, exceptionally interesting and always innovative”. As well as “inspired wine pairings”, the forward-thinking approach is shown by “(surprisingly) good non-alcoholic pairings” too. “Staff have amazing knowledge of the food and wine” and their “real care” adds a lot to the experience (“my veggie boyfriend never feels like he’s an inconvenience here like at so many other restaurants”). Gripes? The setting is quite “Spartan”. More significantly, whereas most reports say it “exceeded our sky-high expectations”, ratings here softened this year, with the chief complaint being a feeling that it’s becoming “hugely overpriced”: “even if the food’s a wow, it’s so expensive”, and some feel “it’s beginning to rival the River Café for non-value!”.
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).
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Restaurant details
The Clove Club Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Plenty of food. Small well appointed restaurant that has the right number of staff to serve at two star standard. After 102 michelin stars, it’s something I am used to.the only thing they don’t do is the choreographed serving of plates to groups. Each course was well presented and very pretty. The spider crab amuse bouche was exceptional. Every course was an interesting culinary journey presented artistically. Special mention for the unusual sorbet with habanero chilli palate cleanser. Slight glitch of a surprise price for the tea pairing drinks, properly resolved in my favour. It’s unquestionably not cheap but the food is good. Not the best Michelin food I have had but still very good. Disabled toilet was offered as facilities clean and functional."
"Fabulously inventive cookery. Buttermilk chicken should be available for everyone at the end of a night out. Friendly professional but not intrusive service. You can run up a bill quickly but it’s worth it."
"Absolutely brilliant food. Lots of invention and not slaves to "classic" cooking. I liked that they had a soft pairing - an alcohol free drinks pairing - but whereas a wine pairing would elicit an interesting explanation about the wine and why they felt it would match, the soft pairing (particularly infused teas etc) was just poured and left unexplained. It really felt like the poor cousin. With people drinking less it is great to recognise an alternative to just water. But give it the due care."
"Wonderful food with a well-balanced tasting menu and great wine too (have the wine flight between two if you want to be able to walk home afterwards). Always a huge (sadly not cheap) treat."
"Beautifully prepared meal, was the perfect post Lockdown2 welcome back to life. Intense flavours from the hands of an artist. Why anyone serves up pollock defeats me but the Club surrounded it with enough interest to justify use of this nonsense fish."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £65.00 |  |
|
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| Cost | Availability | Courses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu1 | 145.00 | Always available | 10 |
| Menu2 | 95.00 | Lunch only | 5 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £65.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 14.50% |
Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old St, London, EC1V 9LT
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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