London Soho Restaurant Guide

“The perfect alternative to a trip to Spain!” – in fact “the food is better than in Barcelona” in the branches of the Hart Bros’ small chain, which pays homage to that city’s Cal Pep with its small (no more than 30 covers) bars in Soho and Covent Garden (and – arriving in autumn 2018, in the trendy new Coal Drops Yard development in King’s Cross, alongside a covered and heated terrace separately branded as ‘Parrillan’). Confidently ‘surfing the Zeitgeist’ – no other individual restaurant, never mind group, has ever achieved such an outstanding and consistent level of support in the survey, over many years. There’s “no booking and no fuss” – “you often have to queue” (though drinks and nibbles help enliven the experience) and seating is “counter-stye” at the bar (“which works less well for any kind of group, but for couples is ideal”). With its “bold Spanish flavours” the tapas selection is “arguably some of London’s best food at any price, and remarkable value” (while by the same token “watching the chefs at work is brilliant” – “there’s nothing theatrical, but it’s mesmerising seeing experts so engrossed in their stations”). “The wine list is short, punchy and perfectly complements the food”, “staff seem to be having as good a time as the clientele” and the overall effect is properly “effervescent”. Top Tip: “always go for the daily blackboard specials, especially the fish”, which is “cooked to a tee and beautifully seasoned”.

“Simon Rogan’s development kitchen offers a unique and unforgettable experience” that’s “even better than his Claridge’s iteration”. Its secret location is revealed only on booking, with pre-payment expected (for food and wine pairings). Despite an entry level cost for the evening – wherein two chefs cook for 8 diners in a relatively small room around a chef’s table – of upwards of £200 per head, all reporters agree, it’s “an all-round exceptional performance”. On the menu: new dishes, before they are potentially served at Roganic.

“Stepping through that front door (you ring to enter) takes you into a better world” at Alexis Gauthier’s “quirky”, converted townhouse in Soho, which provides “some of the best French cooking in London”. “The cuisine achieves a masterful balance of traditional technique applied to the finest ingredients – flavour, intensity, plus beautiful presentation”; and the “empathic service” is “friendly but always professional”. The venue’s “distinctiveness continues into the maze of cosy yet elegant rooms” spread “higgledy piggledy” over a couple of floors, and “with only a few tables in each room”, the style is “peaceful” going on “seductive”. Why Michelin took their star away is an utter mystery. Top Tips – “the eight-course tasting menu is a fabulous foodie experience; the three-course De Luxe lunch is an absolute steal”; “the devoted vegan tasting menu is superb”; last but not least, “the truffle risotto is a ‘Desert Island Dish’”.

This “special” Soho veteran “continues to delight and surprise”, under the Hart Bros, whose sure-handed stewardship of the property is in stark contrast to when it lost its way in the Marco Pierre White years. Despite a reformatting a year ago which left its premises “somewhat truncated” (to make space for a branch of Barrafina) the dining room remains “totally charming”. “When chef Jeremy Lee is at his best there is no comparison for simple excellence” and his “perfectly poised, thoughtful and considered” seasonal British comfort food is provided with “originality and flair” to create a culinary experience that’s “reliable without ever being predictable”… “and you also get the best martini in town”. Top Tip: breakfast: “Jeremy’s golden eggs, exquisite bread, gently roasted tomatoes...there is no better way to start the day”.

A “go-to spot in Soho” serving natural and biodynamic wines by the bottle or glass alongside a hybrid menu of “delectable” Italian-North African dishes “that let the high-quality ingredients sing for themselves”. “Super-lively on a busy night” while also “laid back and relaxed”, it’s a “great place to hang out by yourself or go on a date”. Top Tip: “the drinking vinegars [true] are delicious and must be tried”.

“Even the plainest of dining partners seems to take on a glow” at this “utterly charming” and amazingly popular veteran – a “Bohemian” old town-house which is “refreshingly constant in the chopping and changing Soho scene” and whose straightforward, notably affordable dishes are perennially “prepared with passion and care”. “For a candle-lit supper” it has few equals, as most reporters feel “the cramped conditions only add to the cosy ambience” (although not everyone is wowed by the basement). Top billing goes to the “fantastic wine” – “because of the generosity of the owner, the markups on wines are minimal and it is a very interesting list”: “anything on the blackboard deserves attention and, nearly always, consumption!”