Breaking news
November 2022: Luke Selby has been appointed executive head chef at Le Manoir, and his brothers Nathaniel and Theodore will join him there, from January; James Goodyear is to take over here - he's been head chef at Adam's in Birmingham since 2021.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“A really special experience for serious foodies” – Layo & Zoë Paskin’s (also of Barbary and Palomar fame) intimate 12-seater is part of a period Chinatown pub, where they have created different venues on each level. Here in the former beer cellar, “the only option is the kitchen counter, so you are right in on the action” and the creation of “superbly executed cuisine” from a small team, which is now headed by Seamus Sam, former head chef at Tom Aiken’s Muse, whose August 2024 arrival post-dated our diners’ poll. Feedback volume and ratings have slipped marginally since Luke Selby left for Le Manoir at the end of 2022. The most critical report? “A perfectly competent meal, served in an appropriately reverential atmosphere, albeit a cramped and uncomfortable setting (but then places of worship often are) by suitably devout believers and not cheap”. But perhaps there will now be an uptick under the new chef? Top Tip – a variety of drink pairings range from ‘Firm Favourites’ to ‘No & Low’ (a mixture of alcohol-free and low ABV wines).
Summary
“This intimate little counter-dining venue” in an ancient pub that nowadays finds itself part of Chinatown “shows levels of skill and technique to compete with much better-known places that leave you with a far higher bill”. James Goodyear has taken over from Luke Selby (the latter departing to be head chef at Le Manoir), but all reports swoon over “a truly special experience” and a multi-course tasting menu that’s “absolutely exceptional”. “Love the counter-top layout of the restaurant and the chefs are very happy to talk, explaining in detail how things are made (important to me because I am a very keen cook!)”. “It has a buzzy vibe and is a bit of a squeeze (in both space and time), making it a very different formula than nearby Aulis. Having said that, the cooking is consistently delightful, imaginative and bold. The menu feels well thought-through, building and balancing as it progresses”. “File it under ‘one to watch’ as they plan to build out the ambition even further”: from mid-2023 they are opening on Monday nights and also incorporating their wine bar, The Mulwray, and the pub, The Blue Posts, into the overall offering at Evelyn’s Table.
Summary
The Selby brothers’ “very snug little basement venue for counter-top fine dining” shows “levels of skill and technique to compete with much better-known places that leave you with a far higher bill”; with cooking that’s “consistently well-thought-out, imaginative and bold”. “Ultimately there can be a clash between the expectation of enjoying fine cuisine and fine wines, while being perched on a stool with people brushing past”, so “file this under ‘one to watch’ as they plan to build out the ambition even further”.
Summary
Star chef Luke Selby (former head chef of Hide), together with brothers Nathaniel and Theo, now runs this intimate 10-seat counter experience in the cellar of the 275-year-old Blue Posts pub in Chinatown, which melds a love of British produce, Japanese techniques and classic French training. We’ve rated it on limited but outstanding initial feedback and the impossibility of getting a table – bookings are released on the first of every month, at midday.
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 Evelyn’s Table at The Blue Posts?
28 Rupert Street, London, W1D 6DJ
Restaurant details
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £135.00 |  |
|
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| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £27.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £0.00 |
| Extras |
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|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
28 Rupert Street, London, W1D 6DJ
Opening hours
| Monday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 6 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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