Breaking news
Harden's says
MasterChef finalist and Bright Young Thing Adam Handling rolled out his Frog brand after just six months in E1; the new restaurant opens all day from breakfast and has an (almost mandatory these days) open-plan kitchen, large private dining room and a speakeasy-style basement bar with its own entrance.
Owner's description
Frog by Adam Handling, in Covent Garden opened in September 2017 and is Adam Handling’s flagship restaurant site. The restaurant has been heralded as a “smash hit” by the London Evening Standard and one of the “best restaurants in London right now” by Condé Nast Traveller. More recently, Frog by Adam Handling won ‘Best Newcomer Restaurant’ at the 2018 Food & Travel Reader Awards.
The dishes served at the restaurant showcase Adam’s deliciously recognisable cooking style, combining technical savvy with the freshest seasonal produce, to deliver an elevated experience. Using a range of seasonal ingredients to marry unique flavours, Adam creates consistently outstanding dishes, reaffirming his reputation as one of London’s finest chefs.
Tucked away under the restaurant, you will find Eve Bar, combining life's greatest impulsions - temptation, indulgence, hedonism - all homed in luxurious subterranean surroundings. With walls adorned with bespoke art pieces by the amazing artist JJ Adams, you’re invited to come and enjoy the best cocktails, atmosphere and experience London has to offer.
Prices
 Drinks |
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|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
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| Service | 12.50% |
Restaurant details
The chef
A highly accomplished chef, Adam Handling brings his love of intense flavours and delicate techniques to his kitchen. His beautifully presented dishes start with careful sourcing of top quality, seasonal ingredients, prepared in a number of different, creative ways to enhance their inherent properties and deliver real depth of flavour and harmony.
Adam currently operates three restaurants, two bars, an entertainment venue, and a café.
Frog by Adam Handling Restaurant Diner Reviews
"This was without doubt a truly amazing return to Frog by Adam Handling where we were treated to a sensational dining experience. From the moment we arrived until we left the food , wine & service was of the highest standard that left us with a feeling of anticipation to return once again soon. We arrived on saturday to the warmest reception you could wish for. Each member of staff were so pleased to see us and took it in turns to welcome us back. We were then in for a nice surprise as we would be seated at the chef’s counter and directly in front of head chef Cleverson who himself was very pleased to see us again. Once seated we received a complimentary glass of rose champagne to start the preceding’s. There was a card from Adam apologising for his absence and hoped that we enjoy our lunch. We were then show the menu where there was a choice of A la Carte or our choice which was the Tasting Menu. This led to our next surprise as we received a personalised menu that would include two extra courses. Next it was time to choose a bottle of wine and with the help of sommelier Nadia we chose a fabulous 2015 Vouvray Piñon Domain that was a delightful pairing with the majority of the menu. So as you can see the first thing to arrive would be a fabulous selection of snacks including the infamous Cheese Doughnut that were all absolutely delicious. This was followed by the Bread & Chicken Butter which has had a little upgrade and was just stunning. This led to our first course which was Red Prawn , Tomato & English Wasabi that was just delightful and refreshing after the richness from the snacks & bread. We followed this with the included supplemented dish ‘all about the sturgeon’ a fabulous caviar that you spread on homemade waffles and was simply devine. Our next course was a fantastic Mushroom Pasta with Parsley & Watercress. Our next dish was the amazing ‘Wagyu Lobster’ that is just simple excellence and where the ingredients speak for themselves. We then moved onto personally my dish of the day. The Veal Sweetbreads with Lemon & Truffle was an absolute flavour sensation. Now onto another fabulous dish of Cod , Lobster Bolognese & Caviar a bit lighter than the previous dish but once again delicious. Our final savoury course was a fantastic Balmoral Chicken with Baby Courgette & Basil that was simply heaven on a plate. Now it was time to finish with desserts. This started with a palate cleanser of Apple & Marigold Sorbet with Lemonade Foam. Then came dessert itself a fabulous Cocoa Nib , Yuzu & Dandelion Root which was rich in chocolate but lightened by the acidity of the yuzu. We finished with Coffee and an array of Petit Fours to bring to an end a truly fabulous dining experience. I would highly recommend a visit to Frog as it would be an occasion you would find hard to forget. I’d like to thank Cleverson and his team for some outstanding cuisine , to sommelier Nadia for fabulous wine recommendations and to Florine , Andy and the rest of the staff for their friendly & professional service. Thank You Adam , Cleverson , Florine , Andy & Nadia for a fabulous afternoon and look forward to seeing you all again soon"
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Eating at The Frog is like allowing your palate to go to a firework display” – Adam Handling and his teams create a series of dishes of “always-surprising ingenuity, with quirky presentation and mixture of ingredients” both at his Hoxton Square original and his even-more-successful Covent Garden flagship. Both locations offer a mixture of à la carte and tasting menus – the latter incorporating vegan and vegetarian alternatives as well as beer-matching and wine-matching options. The results inspire massive support,not just for being “a well-devised journey expertly executed”, but for food that’s “wow, wow, wow beyond delicious!”. In keeping with the main man’s free-thinking philosophy (and, at E1, a big emphasis on sustainability), his locations have a youthful energy at odds with the fayne dining ethos: an approach that also seems to inspire “impeccable service” from his staff (with a special shout-out to his sommelier – “I’ve never been disappointed when asking Kelvin for a recommendation!”). Where his taste is a tad more divisive is the ambience – to fans admirably un-stuffy and energetic, but to critics slightly “odd” or “nondescript”, and with “loud and dreadful music” in N1. Top Menu Tip – “those cheese doughnuts are the stuff of legend”. See also Adam Handling Chelsea.
Summary
“Eating at The Frog is like allowing your palate to go to a firework display” – Adam Handling and his teams create a series of dishes of “always-surprising ingenuity, with quirky presentation and mixture of ingredients” both at his Hoxton Square original and his even-more-successful Covent Garden flagship. Both locations offer a mixture of à la carte and tasting menus – the latter incorporating vegan and vegetarian alternatives as well as beer-matching and wine-matching options. The results inspire massive support,not just for being “a well-devised journey expertly executed”, but for food that’s “wow, wow, wow beyond delicious!”. In keeping with the main man’s free-thinking philosophy (and, at E1, a big emphasis on sustainability), his locations have a youthful energy at odds with the fayne dining ethos: an approach that also seems to inspire “impeccable service” from his staff (with a special shout-out to his sommelier – “I’ve never been disappointed when asking Kelvin for a recommendation!”). Where his taste is a tad more divisive is the ambience – to fans admirably un-stuffy and energetic, but to critics slightly “odd” or “nondescript”, and with “loud and dreadful music” in N1. Top Menu Tip – “those cheese doughnuts are the stuff of legend”. See also Adam Handling Chelsea.
Summary
“A new star in London’s dining scene!” – Adam Handling’s “outstanding” year-old Covent Garden branch is proving just as big a smash hit as his E1 original (which, in mid 2018, moved to a new, 60-cover site on the corner of Hoxton Square, together with a bar and coffee shop). His “clever and delicious” British tapas feature “brilliant taste combinations” yet “without being prissy or overly expensive”; while the “chilled” atmosphere is “that so hard-to-achieve balance of professionalism with perfect relaxation and excitement”. Service, too, gets a big thumbs up: “top class and efficient but not obtrusive, and so friendly”. See also Belmond Cadogan Hotel.
Summary
“Bold British tapas, with interesting combinations, textures and flavours” goes down a storm at Adam Handling’s “superb newcomer” – an “echoey”, rather “Spartan” operation in Brick Lane’s Truman Brewery, where “you observe the fierce concentration of the chefs, who also serve you”; and which achieved top marks for food in spite of significant grumbling even from fans over its “unbelievably high bills”. He must be doing something right, as in September 2017 he’s already opened branch number two, in Covent Garden. Top Menu Tip – “the best mac ’n’ cheese in London”.
For 30 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 Frog by Adam Handling?
35 Southampton Street, London, WC2E 7HG
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Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 5 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 5 pm‑11 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
