London Clapham Restaurant Guide

Adam Byatt’s “classy” Clapham star is “at the top of its game” and there are only a few restaurants south of the river that give it a run for its money: “a trip always feels special, no matter what the occasion”. “Outstanding”, contemporary cuisine (from a three-course, or four-course menu) is at the heart of a “wonderful”, straightforward formula incorporating “service that’s always on point”, plus the “relaxing atmosphere” of a room whose “exterior view is much improved now the public WC has been demolished and the area landscaped!”. “Really good cocktails” and a “diverse and interesting wine list” complete the picture – look out for vintages marked ‘Chef’s Cellar’. See also Trinity Upstairs and Charlie’s at Browns.

“One of south west London’s best restaurants with a great team and food ethos” – Robin Gill’s “very casual and hipster” haunt provides “imaginative, skilful small-plate cooking in the heart of Clapham, with good use of seasonal ingredients and information on their sourcing”. A “trendy and stripped” space, “it’s a bit long and thin, so some tables feel cramped”; and “the menu could be slightly more varied for the regular customer”; but “it’s still a lovely meal on any occasion”.

The “buzzy, relaxed sibling of the fancier place downstairs”; some fans of chef Adam Byatt’s modern British cuisine may even prefer Upstairs for its “informal atmosphere” and “keen prices”, which means they can visit more often than down below. There are “delightful small plates to share” with “food of the same quality as the main restaurant”, along with “the same wine list”. Byatt is very much a man of the moment, having added the role of chef-director at Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair in September 2019 (see also).

“Exquisite Japanese fusion food as well as fabulously creative cocktails” have made this slick Clapham operation “a perennial favourite” for two decades; and it still gives West End names a run for their money. Top Tip – “gin dara – black cod with sweet miso. I know it’s a Nobu original but this is the best version in town”.

“A great local addition that’s worth travelling to”: Robin Gill’s small, neighbourhood two-year-old, near his Clapham HQ, The Dairy, takes its inspiration from the Amalfi coast, and its traditionally presented Italian dishes (cicchetti, antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci) are consistently “wonderful”; and it’s “good fun” too.

“Fun, buzzy, hipster, and tiny” – Robin Gill’s 16-seater in Clapham (an offshoot of his Dairy, next door) is known for its “novel and ever-changing”, small-plates cuisine based around ‘pickling, fermenting, curing and bottling the best of the season’s produce’. “You don’t go for comfort though!”, given its bum-numbing stools. It won high ratings this year, but may be about to get even better: star ex-Stem chef Sam Ashton Booth joined in July 2019 and is set to introduce a new menu ‘The Allotment’, with produce supplied by Bedfordshire-based co-collaborator, Jake ‘Wiggo’ Ball (who does the growing).