Harden's survey result
Summary
“Story never fails to surprise and delight, and isn’t that what eating out is all about?” – so say fans of Tom Sellers’s “creative, clever and delicious” cuisine at his “special” venue near Tower Bridge. “The menu is a puzzle and you only know what it means when the food arrives. Presentation is awesome. And the paired wines are impressive too.” “It’s not cheap… but it’s an adventure that keeps you on your toes.”
Summary
“Take your taste buds on a stimulating journey” when you sample the “truly memorable, eight-course or ten-course tasting menu spanning three to four hours” at Tom Sellers’ “extraordinary” venture, near Tower Bridge; where reporters are “blown away” by the “sensationally presented cuisine prepared with exceptional care and perfect flavours… it’s hard to find enough superlatives”. “Somehow the staff find a way to do fine gastronomy with the fun but without the pomp” contributing to an all-round “quite magical experience”. That’s the majority view anyhow, but ratings are again dragged into the middle ground by a determined minority of refuseniks who find it “an overhyped concept”: “ill-judged and wildly expensive”. STOP PRESS: throughout August and September 2019, Tom and team decamped from London to Cornwall to run ‘Story by the Sea’. At the time of this review, the presumption is that after their return, it’s then back to business as usual in SE1.
Summary
“Take your taste buds on a stimulating journey” when you sample the “truly memorable, eight-course or ten-course tasting menu spanning three to four hours” at Tom Sellers’ “extraordinary” venture, near Tower Bridge; where reporters are “blown away” by the “sensationally presented cuisine prepared with exceptional care and perfect flavours… it’s hard to find enough superlatives”. “Somehow the staff find a way to do fine gastronomy with the fun but without the pomp” contributing to an all-round “quite magical experience”. That’s the majority view anyhow, but ratings are again dragged into the middle ground by a determined minority of refuseniks who find it “an overhyped concept”: “ill-judged and wildly expensive”. STOP PRESS: throughout August and September 2019, Tom and team decamped from London to Cornwall to run ‘Story by the Sea’. At the time of this review, the presumption is that after their return, it’s then back to business as usual in SE1.
Summary
“Superb innovation” delivers a series of “sensational dishes” say devotees of Tom Sellers’s acclaimed culinary temple, near Tower Bridge, where between eight and eleven courses of his experimental cuisine are delivered according to the evening’s ‘story’ (with a four-course format at lunch). However, opinions diverged on the experience this year, with doubters who “don’t understand the hype” and who find the concept “confused”, “misjudged”, or “so expensive”. As the survey was concluding it emerged from a big refurb in May 2018, perhaps heralding a more consistent return to form?
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 Story?
Restaurant details
Story Restaurant Diner Reviews
"While the food was nice, and the ambience was great, I do struggle to balance the price with other similar menus nearby (e.g. hide). The wine pairing was delicious, but I think some of the dishes missed the mark slightly. "
"Amazing flavours from beginning to end - the chef isn't frightened of including strong flavours and rich unctuous sauces. The service was friendly and we were given extra bread (to soak up the sauces) and a second rhubarb pudding, just because my husband said that he could eat it again. I'm just disappointed that I didn't return sooner and that they're due to shut for six months.. "
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £45.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £0.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 10.00% |
199 Tooley St, London, SE1 2UE
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | CLOSED |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6:30 pm‑8:30 pm |
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