London Clerkenwell Restaurant Guide

“Like dining in Japan!” – Toru Takahashi is “the real deal” and provides an “intimate master sushi experience” at his “special” Clerkenwell 7-seater, which “is without doubt the best sushi in London at this price point” (and which, some would argue, invites comparison with The Araki, which charges about 4x the price here). The only fly in the ointment is the “ridiculous booking process” – it’s just “so hard to get a seat”.

Pascal Aussignac and Vincent Labyrie’s “magnificent and innovative” temple to the cuisine of southwest France (and famously foie gras) has “upped its game” following a complete makeover that marked their 20 years beside Smithfield Market. There’s now “more space and an expanded menu”, and although one or two long-term fans are “not sure about the refurb”, the ambience rating has improved dramatically and the food remains “first class”.

“Still managing to excel itself on a regular basis” – Trevor Gulliver and Fergus Henderson’s white-walled temple near Smithfield Market coined the concept of ‘nose-to-tail’ eating with its “incredibly stimulating menu” featuring “all sorts of offal and cuts of meat not usually available elsewhere”; and there’s “still nothing quite like it” after over two decades in operation. “Friendly and efficient service helps soften the austere interior” and, “if you want honest, seasonal British food with soul and heart”, arguably “there is no better place”. “We recently ate bone marrow, tripe, and pig’s tongue, then watched longingly as a grouse pie was delivered to a neighbouring table.” “Splendid wine” too. Top Tip – the bar and its simpler menu is a good way to dip your toe in the water.

“A slice of Paris in a City cobbled lane”; this long-established, “hidden-away gem” – “an attractive, rustic-style dining room with regular live piano music” – has a classic, “very Gallic”, “cosy, candlelit, and romantic” ambience of a kind “it’s so rare to find nowadays”. “The seasonal and all-French menu is packed with classics that are easy choices” and “always well-executed” (“great steaks” in particular).

“An utterly brilliant tapas café, where you perch on stools, in the window or at the bar; staff are relaxed and chatty, and the food is expertly cooked, delicious and really good value”. That’s the low-down on Moro’s first spin off, a few doors down from the mothership, on Exmouth Market. Since last year it has a “more comfortable Hackney Road version” (near Columbia Road flower market). “Lovely Mediterranean-inspired dishes here too, plus a great spacious setting”, “very buzzy counter-style dining” and “you can book any time”. Top Menu Tips – “yummy aubergine fritters” (“I don’t know how they get them that crispy and tasty”); and a “scrumptious North African/Mediterranean twist on brunch”.

“I’ve been coming for 20 years – it’s yet to disappoint”. Samuel & Samantha Clark’s “unpretentious” (“no cheffery”) Exmouth Market landmark still turns out “memorable Spanish and North African dishes, with a terrific selection of Spanish and Portuguese wines and sherries”. Indeed, for its vast fan club, “the only limitation is the noise: it’s not great for conversation” given how “echoey” the room can become. All this said, a small band of long-term fans do sound a warning note, feeling “the food has become a bit more variable in quality and interest” in recent years. It’s still a minority view though – most reporters are just “grateful not to live nearby: otherwise I’d never go anywhere else…”

“The formula has not changed over the years” at the stripped-back pub, near Exmouth Market, that’s often hailed as London’s first modern-day gastropub. According to its large fan club, it’s still “the original and the best”, thanks to Mediterranean-inspired cooking from the blackboard that’s (almost) as “tasty” as ever; and a “crowded and noisy” setting that’s enjoyably rough ’n’ ready.