British, Modern Restaurants in Covent Garden
1. Frog by Adam Handling
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
35 Southampton Street - WC2E
The “stunning innovation” of Adam Handling’s “clever”, but “not crazy” cuisine (“the breads with chicken butter and crispy chicken skin were out of this world!”) wins a paean of praise for his Covent Garden HQ. And even some who feel that “not every dish totally works” award the “spectacular” cooking full marks on account of the “degree of talent and creativity on show”. The “great front of house staff” also get a big shout-out for their “friendly” style, which adds life to the simple interior with open kitchen (more casual in style than is typically found around such fancy food). A new outside terrace is a recent addition, as is delivery service ‘Hame’ (“the absolute king of the home delivery options we tried”).
2. Cora Pearl
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
30 Henrietta Street - WC2E
“Cosily atmospheric”, with a “stylish theatrical ambience”, this little sister of Kitty Fisher’s in Shepherd Market (both are named after historical courtesans) is “particularly welcome in Covent Garden”. There’s a “delicious short menu” of “sophisticated British comfort food”, and “efficient but personal service which creates a warmish glow”. Top Tips: “the chips are to die for” and the kitchen “does rose veal like nowhere else”.
3. The Ivy Market Grill
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
1 Henrietta St - WC2
“Always ambient and fun” – Richard Caring’s stretching (twisting?) of the Ivy brand is easy to snipe at but has so far avoided degenerating into farce. For sure, “the food is certainly nothing superior”: fans may claim it’s “more than adequate”, but its overall ratings nowadays are only just the right side of poor. That said, even critics of the cooking often feel that the “lovely” interiors and “welcoming service” provide compensation, and fit the bill for making an occasion of a meal. In the capital, the most mentioned outlets are The Ivy Chelsea Garden (“delightful garden tables and ideal for a noisy girls’ night out”); and The Ivy Kensington Brasserie (“huge fun, loads of buzz” and “always a treat”). The Ivy City Garden and Canary Wharf’s Ivy in the Park follow along in terms of volume of feedback. The newest member of the spin-off family is The Ivy Victoria – a vast space with 300 guests over two floors.
4. Clos Maggiore
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
33 King St - WC2
“The perfect way to a loved one’s heart” – this “oasis of calm and tranquillity amid the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden” yet again tops our annual diners’ poll as London‘s No 1 spot for romance. “The best tables are in the conservatory” – “intimate, elegant and florally stunning” – which is “like being whisked away to a beautiful spot in the countryside” (but don’t despair if you don’t nab one of the prime slots as there are also may “soft, dark and secluded” tables elsewhere). Another “star attraction is the wine list of biblical proportions”, showcasing its “brilliant” and “fairly priced” cellar. In prior years, we have always said the food and service are surprisingly good for somewhere with so many other competing attractions, and many reports do still laud its “very good modern British cuisine”. There’s no glossing over a big slide in ratings here though this year. No single complaint was to the fore, standards just weren’t rated as excellently as usual. Hopefully a blip.
5. Balthazar
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
4 - 6 Russell Street - WC2
“Comfortable and inviting” – this glam-looking offshoot of the famous Manhattan joint (brought to Covent Garden by NYC founder Keith McNally, and nowadays owned by Richard Caring’s Caprice Holdings) features decent “brasserie-style” cooking. But even those fans who say (slightly ambitiously) that “it’s a place to see and be seen” note that it’s “not as good as the NYC namesake” and can feel a little “robotic”, especially as “staff can struggle with the volume of people”.
6. Plume by Grays & Feather
British, Modern restaurant in Westminster
26 Wellington Street - WC2E
2021 Review: Promising, if limited, early feedback on this modern ‘wine parlour’ – recently opened by wine expert Andrew Gray (a merchant with a business at the Southbank Food Market) on a corner-site near Covent Garden (the erstwhile office-space of a Mr Charles Dickens); and with an excellent list of 70 wines: “limited food, but what they do is lovely; tiny space, but it’s gorgeous, and well worth a visit, especially as staff are so lovely”.
7. Indigo, One Aldwych
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
1 Aldwych - WC2
2018 Review: This hotel mezzanine boasts a “brilliantly convenient” West End location – “get a table overlooking the Lobby Bar for atmosphere and fun” – and “makes a great place for meetings” of many kinds. “It’s especially a joy to be able to take people who are coeliac or can’t eat dairy to a decent restaurant” – the “clever” menu is entirely dairy-free and gluten-free.
8. The River Restaurant, The Savoy
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
The Savoy, 91 The Strand - WC2
It’s ‘Back to the Future’ at this fine chamber, whose window seats have majestic views over the River Thames. It has traded since 2013 as Kaspar’s Seafood Bar & Grill (RIP), but is now going back to its original (1890–2013) identity as ‘The River Room’. Gordon Ramsay Holdings – who already run The Savoy Grill – will relaunch it in autumn 2021.
9. J Sheekey Atlantic Bar
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden
28-32 St Martin’s Ct - WC2
“There’s something about eating sweet, delicious oysters from the half shell and listening to jazz….such a relaxing experience after a hard day” – Sheekey’s adjacent seafood bar is more chilled (you eat at the bar) than in the neighbouring dining rooms, but “lovely”, and higher rated than the rest of the operation this year.
10. The Ivy
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
1-5 West Street - WC2
“Nowhere near as exclusive as it once was, but still a formidable competitor” is perhaps a fair summary of the disparate views on the original Theatreland icon that Richard Caring used to inspire his national brasserie chain. That it’s “now no better than the lookalikes across the country” certainly carries a lot of weight when it comes to its middling comfort food: “there was plenty of sparkle and fun amongst our fellow diners but none on the plate: I’ve had better pub food!”. Still, it continues to inspire an impressive amount of feedback, especially amongst romantics who feel “its seductive interior is still great for dates” (“not the glamour spot it was, but can still impress!”).
11. Spring Restaurant
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
New Wing, Lancaster Place - WC2
“Brilliant, beautifully presented combinations of fresh ingredients”, elegantly served “in a lovely space in Somerset House”, show a restaurant really hitting its stride – with chef Skye Gyngell now matching in central London the accolades she earned over a decade ago at Petersham Nurseries in Richmond, with “fabulous, simple Italian-themed food”. Top Tip: it’s a romantic venue, too: “recommended this restaurant to my son for an early date – he’s now happily married and we have a grandson!”
12. Heliot Steak House
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
Cranbourn Street - WC2
“My go-to comfort venue” – it’s worth knowing about this surprisingly good steak restaurant overlooking the floor of London’s biggest casino, on Leicester Square. It serves a wide range of dishes, but undoubtedly the biggest culinary draw is the selection of USDA steaks, which is something of a point of pride for casino owner Simon Thomas (as is the superior wine selection). It’s all super-handy and “very reasonably priced”.
13. Gordon’s Wine Bar
International restaurant in Strand
47 Villiers Street - WC2
“Still a great place for a glass of wine, any time of day” – this ancient wine bar near Embankment tube (London’s oldest, dating from 1890) has a superb interior, including a cavern where it’s hard to stand vertically, and a huge outdoor terrace. Its buffet-style food offering of cold cuts, cheese, salad and dishes of the day is primitive but at least relatively cheap, and in summer there’s also a BBQ on the terrace. Just about every London office worker has visited it at some point… in many cases, though, recollections are hazy…
14. Pivot by Mark Greenaway
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
3 Henrietta Street - WC2E
Opening in September 2021, on the first floor of a new Covent Garden restaurant development (see also El Ta’koy), this new venture is named for its monthly changing menu from accoladed Scottish chef Mark Greenaway. From the website, we are told to expect spectacular views of the piazza, an open kitchen, and a choice of four- or eight-course menus.
15. St Martin's House
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
4a Upper St Martin's Lane - WC2H
This new all-day British brasserie in London's Theatreland occupies the site formerly occupied by Tredwell's (RIP).
16. 26 Grains Neals Yard
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
1 Neal's Yard - WC2H
In late 2019, the team from well-known café, 26 Grains of Neal’s Yard, opened a big sister over the road from Borough Market. It’s a casual, tastefully decorated haunt serving simple food; and where at night, the vibe is less café, more wine bar. In late 2020, Tom Cenci (the ex Duck & Waffle head chef, whose own Loyal Tavern venture did not survive the pandemic) took over what has become an extended residency. The cooking (by him and one other chef) centres on sustainability, and less-used cuts of meat (particularly Irish beef).
17. The Jones Family Affair
British, Modern restaurant in Covent Garden
40-42 William IV Street - WC2N
Sibling to Belgravia's Jones Family Kitchen; this Theatreland site has 150 covers spread over two floors, with a private dining room for 30.
18. Ochre
British, Modern restaurant in Westminster
The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square - WC2N
After extensive refurbishment, the food offering at the National Gallery relaunched in Spring 2022 with a cafe (Muriel's Kitchen) and this restaurant, both run by South Kensington brunch spot Muriel's Kitchen.
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