A generation ago, the idea of taking chefs’ recommendations as the basis for a restaurant guide wouldn’t have flown. But today’s chefs are as passionate about eating out as they are about cooking. That’s my impression after working on Where Chefs Eat, an international guide to chefs’ favourite restaurants.
They picked places for specific purposes; breakfast to late night, bargain bites to high-end treats, and for neighbourhood haunts to the places they wished they’d opened.
What came across most was that chefs seem to crave no-nonsense cooking. They will go to haute dining rooms as homework but they crave simple pleasures. Perhaps that’s why St John ended up as the place where the capital’s chefs love to eat the most.
1. ANNA HANSEN, The Modern Pantry
THE PROVIDORES (109 Marylebone High Street, W1;theprovidores.co.uk)
Recommended for: Breakfast. “Turkish eggs or brown rice, miso and apple porridge.”
OTTOLENGHI (287 Upper Street, N1; ottolenghi.co.uk)
Recommended for: Breakfast. “The rarebit with poached egg and chard.”
GALVIN LA CHAPELLE (35 Spital Square, E1)
Recommended for: High-end. “Best stuffed pig’s trotter with madeira sauce.”
2. FERGUS HENDERSON, St John
SWEETINGS: (39 Queen Victoria Street, EC4)
Recommended for: Local favourite. “Fantastic working chaos, it couldn’t exist anywhere but the City of London.”
JADE GARDEN: (15 Wardour Street, W1)
Recommended for: Bargain. “The dumplings.”
3. THEO RANDALL at the Intercontinental
ST JOHN BAR AND RESTAURANT (26 St John Street, EC1)
Recommended for: Local favourite. “The very best of old London.”
LA PETITE MAISON (53-54 Brook’s Mews, W1)
Recommended for: Wish I’d opened. “Great location and delicious food.”
PRINCESS GARDEN OF MAYFAIR (8-10 North Audley Street, W1)
Recommended for: Regular neighbourhood. “Fantastic dim sum.”
4. MARCUS WAREING at The Berkeley Hotel
MEDLAR (438 Kings Road, SW10)
Recommended for: Local favourite
“Good food in friendly surroundings.”
CHEZ BRUCE (2 Bellevue Road, SW17)
Recommended for: Regular neighbourhood
“The standard of food is always good and there’s always friendly faces to look after you.”
5. HESTON BLUMENTHAL, Dinner
RIVA (169 Church Road, SW13)
Recommended for: Regular neighbourhood. “Excellent food and great natural, relaxed feeling.”
THE RIVER CAFE (Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6)
Recommended for: High-end
“The food is delicious and the setting on the banks of the Thames is incredible.”
6. ANGELA HARTNETT, Murano
BRAWN (49 Columbia Road, E2)
Recommended for: regular neighbourhood
“Brilliant food.”
THE MODERN PANTRY (47-48 St. John’s Square, EC1V)
Recommended for: breakfast
“I love the grilled haloumi breakfast with spinach.”
7. NUNO MENDES, Viajante
KIKUCHI (14 Hanway Street, W1)
Recommended for: High-end. “Show-stopping simplicity and delicacy.”
YUM BUN (Broadway Market School Yard, Westgate Street, E8)
Recommended for: Bargain. “Delicious steamed buns.”
ROCHELLE CANTEEN (Arnold Circus, E2)
Recommended for: Regular neighbourhood. “A great spot for lunch.”
LEILA’S CAFE (17 Calvert Avenue, E2)
Local favourite. “You can’t beat its eggs.”
ST JOHN BREAD AND WINE (94-96 Commercial Street, E1)
Recommended for: Local favourite
“One of the best meals of my life here: a late lunch of smoked slow-cooked pork belly simply served with carrots and mustard.”
SPUNTINO (61 Rupert Street, W1)
Recommended for: Wish I’d opened.
“The food is delicious and the atmosphere is always great.”
8. BRUNO LOUBET, Bistro Bruno Loubet
BAR BOULUD (Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X)
Recommended for: Late night
“Bar Boulud is great for a late-night table. Excellent service and a buzzy atmoshphere.”
YALLA YALLA (1 Green’s Court, W1F)
Recommended for: bargain
“Great Beirut street food.”
9. OMAR ALLIBHOY, Tapas Revolution
KHAN’S (13-15 Westbourne Grove, W2)
Recommended for: Wish I’d Opened. “It’s still kicking ass with the chillies.”
LOCALE (222 Munster Road, SW6)
Recommended for: Late night. “A great Italian restaurant which serves a proper seafood linguine.”
BISTRO DE LUXE (66 Baker Street, W1)
Recommended for: Regular neighbourhood. “A proper neighbourhood Parisian bistro where the food and service is impeccable.”
10. SAMANTHA AND SAMUEL CLARK, Moro and Morito
DOCK KITCHEN (Portobello Docks, 344-342 Ladbroke Grove, W10)
Recommended for: Regular neighbourhood
“We love the diversity of the menus.”
SOMINE (131 Kingsland High Street, E8)
Recommended for: late night
“Open twenty-four hours a day for Turkish mezze. We always have the yoghurt soups and delicious slow-cooked dishes.”
