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 |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £3.50 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| 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"
"Original and exceptional "
"This was our first visit to Frog by Adam Handling and I can assure you right now it will not be our last. We'd previously enjoyed the food inspired by Adam at his branch in Hoxton which due to the current situation sadly had to close. This meant we now had no excuse not to visit his main restaurant in Covent Garden. This would also give us the chance to meet up with some of the Frog team who were now working here. So on a sunny saturday we headed into town. The restaurant itself is situated on Southampton Street which was buzzing with people dining outside in the street. We arrived at the restaurant and were given a fabulous welcome from first Maria and then George. Our temperature was taken and hands were sanitized and in we went. All the tables were nicely spaced out giving the staff plenty of room to move around. It was also great to see that no one was wearing a face shield or mask. Our table was in a fabulous spot right in front of the open kitchen allowing us to watch the chefs in action. As we sat down there was a hello from Jamie & Enrique in the kitchen and also head chef Cleverson who it was a pleasure to meet for the first time. We started with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine while we looked at the menus. Here you had a choice of A la Carte or different types of tasting menus which include vegetarian & vegan. The tasting menu was ten courses if you include the supplement dish which is exactly what we decided to do. First to arrive was some of the most amazing snacks which included the famous Cheese Truffle Doughnuts. We enjoyed these along with two fabulous cocktails the British Tea Company and a Pandan Old Fashioned. This was followed by the Sourdough Bread and the heavenly Chicken Butter before we moved onto the first course of the tasting menu. With our first course came a nice little surprise as alongside the Crab , grapefruit & cauliflower the chef sent over one of Adam's signature dishes the Celeriac with black truffle , dates , lime & apple which had been adapted once more to produce this time a lighter yet still full of flavour creation. Now it was time for our second course of Cep Agnolotti , parsley & garlic. This was followed by the supplement dish and a must have it is to. This was a stunning Crispy Oyster with Caviar served in a giant oyster shell. Then our palate was refreshed with a delightful Tomato Salad. We were enjoying these dishes with a fabulous Jasnieres Cuvee du Silex 2018 from France chosen by sommelier Kelvin which was full of lemon , pear & apples and in fact a perfect match. The next course was the restaurants signature dish. This was the Wagyu Lobster that was absolutely stunning. We followed this with another fantastic dish of Cod , mussels & butter leaf. The next dish was simply delicious and it was Chicken & Chips like you've never known before. The chicken breast was topped with haggis and came with a caesar salad snack and heavenly chips. Now it was time for desserts which started with a Cheese , apple & meadowsweet that was a delight. We followed this with the Chocolate , cherry & tonka bean which was heaven and matched perfectly with another great selection from Kelvin who chose a fabulous Domaine Flumicicoli Muscareddu a rare sweet wine from Corsica that had aromas of allspice & strawberry with flavours of cherry & orange peel. We finished with coffee and petit fours to bring to an end a fabulous lunch. The food here is stunning and matched with excellent service and great wine pairings. I would highly recommend a visit and personally can't wait to return myself again soon. Thank You to head chef Cleverson and his team for the amazing food. Also thanks to George , Kelvin and the team their friendly and professional service. There really is a nice relaxed feeling to this restaurant so book yourself a table soon. Thank You to you all for a fantastic dining experience and look forward to seeing you all again soon. #SupportHospitality"
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
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
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 |
