London dining reccos

MLipton

Mark Lipton
As a few of you have perhaps noted from my posting on the long-neglected Jeebus bored, I will be in London at the end of this month. I've culled a few names for places to eat there from earlier postings here, but would appreciate any feedback on recent experiences there, or elsewhere:

Terroirs
Brawn
Green Man & French Horn
RSJ Café
St. John
The Ledbury
Ottolenghi
Brixton Market

All feedback appreciated.

Mark Lipton
 
I'd add Hedone, The River Cafe, Moro, 40 Maltby Street, and St John Bread and Wine to your list and prefer them to what you've listed already. (I'm usually in London twice yearly.)
 
Well, I haven't been to Terroirs since, oh, this afternoon, so what do I know?

Simple food, well-prepared, emphasis on charcut and cheese, but totally reasonable vitello tonnato today.

Great list.

Hedone is quite fab, but vv fancy.

St. John's list is quite variable, but they are good sports about corkage.
 
Went to Ottolenghi in Islington (the only one where you can sit down, I believe) for brunch a year ago and quite liked it. With the wealth of options, not sure I'd spent a dinner there.

I also enjoyed the Harwood Arms, which is a quite nice gastropub near Chelsea. Has a Michelin star, and I felt it was deserved. But, it still serves traditional English pub dishes, carefully prepared.

Had lunch at St. John. Drank beer. It was much as expected. The only surprise was the doughnuts, which were delightful for dessert.

Had dinner at The Ledbury. Meal was not especially memorable. Nice, but not unique was my takeaway. Just there the one time, though.

Brixton Market is cool, but not a must-see if time is limited. Mark, it's as though the Rockridge Market Hall and Berkeley Farmers' Markets were combined. I did like the cheese shops though. A few independents and a large Neal's Yard store nearby.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
London dining reccosAs a few of you have perhaps noted from my posting on the long-neglected Jeebus bored, I will be in London at the end of this month. I've culled a few names for places to eat there from earlier postings here, but would appreciate any feedback on recent experiences there, or elsewhere:

Terroirs
Brawn
Green Man & French Horn
RSJ Café
St. John
The Ledbury
Ottolenghi
Brixton Market

All feedback appreciated.

Mark Lipton

i spend a few days a month in london. tbh, your list reminds me why i don't make it more. given that, brawn provided the most plausible meal of the past year, and gmfh the most repeatable experience.

st john and outposts are ghosts of times-past.

fb.
 
casse-croute is about a 10 minute walk down bermondsey from london bridge station. evening menu and cheese/charcuterie are chalkboards. wine and spirits list is printed. small and busy and lot of fun. food is great! i spent a really delectable evening there in february. boisterous bonhomie bistro at its finest and the real deal. you don't have to go to paris.

if this sounds good to you there's also chez elles on brick lane. as the name states, run by lovely young french women.

and for any loire wine junkie rsj is a trip to mecca. there i had a 1994 huet demi sec clos du bourg for about 70 bucks. and they have 1952 huet moelleux (i don't remember the vineyard) for 200 bucks. the wine list is a three ring binder that's all loire. old vintages from just about all appellations. and good solid french food--not foo foo, not traditional.
 
Thanks to everyone for the input. As a reminder, if any of you should find yourself in the area with some free time on your hands June 24-29, drop me a line.

Mark Lipton
 
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