Blackfriars, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

It’s “all about the wine, as you might expect” at James Dawson’s “relaxed” wine-bar group, whose branches boast a “splendid list” of “high-quality and well-sourced” bottles. The food is very much “second fiddle”, though “unobjectionable”, while the most interesting venue is the original one, off Fleet Street, “hidden in the vaults of St Bride’s Church”. Top Tip – “go on a Monday night for wine at shop rather than restaurant prices”.

Founded in 1895 in Paris, the famous ‘Le Cordon Bleu’ culinary institute hit London in 2012 in Bloomsbury; and then opened here in the Lutyens-designed former Reuters HQ in 2022. All reports agree this in-house restaurant is “a beautiful room” – “light and well spaced” – if occasionally “lacking a bit of spark”. Service is “correct” and the modern European menu focuses on “seemingly simple dishes”, whose “realisation ranges from exemplary refinement to the merely satisfactory”.

“OK, but I have always thought it too expensive” is sadly one of the more enthusiastic reports we received this year on this South Bank landmark, whose “great views” over the Thames and St Paul’s are less of a rarity than when it first launched in 1996 with the opening of so many rooftops nowadays. Over three-quarters of feedback here are nominations for either ‘most overpriced’ or ‘most disappointing’ meal of the year in our annual diners’ poll. The modern British menu is too often judged “expensive and tasteless”, which it shouldn’t be when a bowl of chips costs £9. “It’s so disappointing because its great views and location should make it a fantastic restaurant”. “A tourist trap if ever I’ve seen one”.

“A most enjoyable meal in an attractive setting” is reported by just over half of reporters visiting the cheaper section of this rooftop landmark on the South Bank. The remainder, though, “expect much, much better at these prices”: “it has a great view but very disappointing food and service – trading off its location!”

Easily missed, “near the Millennium (wobbly) Bridge” directly opposite Tate Modern, Neleen Strauss’s “sparse” riverside venture is worth investigating. The focus is simple: “great steaks (from Yorkshire) with everything else – including passionate rugby support – from South Africa”. Star of the show is, some would say, the “Saffer wine list – a reasonably priced one, too”.

“This beautiful space by the river” – the stylish dining room of a South Bank hotel, designed by Tom Dixon – has “a wonderful view if you get a table by the window” and “plenty of space between the tables, so conversation is easy”. Standards in other respects, though, have been up-and-down over many years.

“A great wine list from all corners of the globe” has helped underpin the ongoing popularity of this modern wine bar chain, despite a year that saw it sold out of administration and the closure of its popular King’s Cross branch. Although this period inspired iffy marks and the odd report of “totally disorganised” service, the four remaining outlets still inspire tons of, albeit slightly lukewarm nominations as a handy option “for a simple meal”: “don’t expect any sort of culinary fireworks” from the “straightforward” dishes “but there are some very nice, reasonably priced wines” and the interiors are “definitely pleasant”. Top Menu Tips – “lovely cheese croquettes and steak ’n’ chips”.

Gordon Ramsay’s comfortable, upscale brasserie chain continues to inspire feedback that’s very mixed and surprisingly limited for the sizeable empire of an international megastar. Naysayers reckon: “What a disappointment! Average food is served in a cavernous space by staff who seemed unhappy to be there”; or that “they no longer seem like they care, just serving formulaic, bland food”. This year’s most positive comment? “It was actually much better than I expected, having no great hopes. Service and speed were pretty laid back, which suited us. The food was well-cooked and presented, even if menu choices (mains especially) struck me as a bit weird and perhaps trying to cover too many bases”.

“A wonderful location overlooking St Paul’s and the river” – complete with “fantastic view of the Thames” – creates a “gorgeous”, if unavoidably touristy, setting for this South Bank pub, which is incorporated into Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Locals support it too though: in particular it’s “a lovely spot for afternoon tea” and “even if the teas are Shakespeare-themed, they aren’t over-tacky”. The contemporary British food is also well-rated at other times.

“What could be more romantic than a lovely meal and a bouquet of flowers from the in-house florist?” Ed & Dee Reid are striking a good tone with this City yearling on a picturesque alley north of Mansion House tube. Oysters and steaks to share and a selection of cheeses are featured on the focused menu of dishes sourced in the British Isles. End result: “relaxed ambience with good food” and there’s also “a varied and interesting selection of wines”.

“Sourcing from their 600-acre estate in Argyll and fish farm in Loch Fyne”, the Landsberg family have – with this “traditional-in-a-good-way” Smithfield yearling – “created a restaurant that serves a Best of British menu that is, generally, a roaring success”. “Sustainably sourced food is expertly cooked” and “while it emphasises nose-to-tail cooking, it does so in a much more restrained manner than nearby St John”. “There’s an interesting short wine list (including from their own vineyard in Provence) at quite modest mark-ups, particularly for the City”. “Coupled with friendly service, the result is awesome!”. Top Menu Tips – “Black Pig, Rabbit, Duck and Foie Gras terrine, which draw together its various meat components into one delightful whole”; also “a very good Clam & Mussel Chowder, quite a refined Morteau Sausage with well-flavoured Puy lentils; and first-rate faggots in an intense jus”.

“Every course of the tasting menu is a revelation”, say fans of Johnnie Crowe, Luke Wasserman & Toby Neill’s “calm” and “imaginatively decorated” two-year-old, which enjoys fine views of St Bartholomew the Great and its cloisters through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The cuisine is strongly rooted in the British Isles and results can be “stunning” – “well deserving of the star” the tyre men awarded swiftly after it opened. Perhaps reflecting increasing prices (now £160 per person for a six-course menu), it didn’t quite achieve the top ratings this year that it did in last year’s annual diners’ poll, and the odd critic feels it risks becoming “too cool, up itself and expensive”.