Harden's survey result
Summary
“Such a special place” – Mark Andrew and Daniel Keeling’s Bloomsbury five-year-old entered diners’ Top 20 most-mentioned restaurants in our survey for the first time this year. “You come here more for the wine than food (although we love both)” – “a visit allows you to meander through one of the most adventurous and imaginative lists” in town: “a real wonder, with some extraordinary wines by the glass, and passionate and knowledgeable staff who heighten the experience”. (Not coincidentally, Mark is an MW, and they publish a wine mag of the same name). By comparison, “the excellent ingredient-focused cooking” can almost become “a sideshow”. Further anchoring the experience is the “delightful location on Lamb’s Conduit Street”, and the “very atmospheric” site they inherited from the ancient 1970s wine bar Vats (long RIP). Thus, “it feels like a ‘real’ restaurant, untouched by an expensive corporate interior designer”. “The bill adds up but meals at this place are always a pleasure” – “a perfect combination of warmth and style”. See also Noble Rot Soho.
Summary
“Allied to the magazine of the same name”, Mark Andrew and Daniel Keeling’s Bloomsbury four-year-old took over the “lovely”, if “slightly cramped” premises that were previously the marvellously old-school wine bar Vats (RIP). It has a “brilliantly curated” wine list “featuring something for everyone: from small, natural and biodynamic producers using grapes you’ve never heard of (from areas you didn’t even know produced wine), to the grand marques of the first growth Bordeaux. There is something for everyone and the staff are ridiculously knowledgeable and keen to help guide you through as much or as little as you want”. The “simple” fare that accompanies it is better-than-incidental too (“sometimes outstanding”), and prepared with “an assured touch”. “It’s not a place for loony foodies of the Instagram persuasion, thank God. Just really good fun!” And “all without it being daylight robbery” too.
Summary
“Allied to the magazine of the same name”, Mark Andrew and Daniel Keeling’s Bloomsbury three-year-old took over the “lovely”, if “slightly cramped” premises that were previously the marvellously old-school wine bar Vats (RIP). It has a “brilliantly curated” wine list “featuring something for everyone: from small, natural and biodynamic producers using grapes you’ve never heard of (from areas you didn’t even know produced wine), to the grand marques of the first growth Bordeaux. There is something for everyone and the staff are ridiculously knowledgeable and keen to help guide you through as much or as little as you want”. The “simple” fare that accompanies it is better-than-incidental too (“sometimes outstanding”), and prepared with “an assured touch”. “It’s not a place for loony foodies of the Instagram persuasion, thank God. Just really good fun!” And “all without it being daylight robbery” too.
Summary
An oenophile’s dream – Mark Andrew and Daniel Keeling’s “jolly” Bloomsbury two-year-old is, for the second year running, in strong contention as “London’s best wine option, bar none”. “Old-fashioned (in a good way)”, it occupies the endearingly “dingy” ’70s site that for many years traded as Vats (RIP) and “aside from being a bit noisy, the place itself is wonderfully atmospheric”. “Staff are friendly with an expert knowledge of the wines” and the list itself is “extensive, but even for the non-connoisseur or financially constrained customer there are quite a lot of bottles coming in at less than £30”. The “well-crafted” food is “much-more-than-serviceable” too – a selection of “very tasty and reasonably priced small plates”.
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
Noble Rot Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Superb value for lunch. Great wine list with lots of unusual and rare stuff at generally very reasonable / fair prices. Great for a leisurely lunch . Inrushes, good hospitality, a slick operation and the chef (French inflected bistro food with very good ingredients) clearly knows exactly what s/he is doing."
"Professional, smoked eel with celeriac remoulade eccellent, guinea fowl with wild garlic and celeriac mash very good , well balanced and flavourful, and the almond tart with blood orange also good. Accompanying wine - burgundian pinot noir - excellent. Will visit again."
"Cosy, charming and quirky Soho spot, with fantastic wines by the glass, and delicious, unpretentious food"
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £18.00 | £22.00 |  |
|
|
Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Pudding |
|---|---|---|
| £11.00 | £29.00 | £9.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £25.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 12.50% |
51 Lamb's Conduit Street, London, WC1N 3NB
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑9:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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