Without wishing to sound too dismissive of an industry that’s clearly on its valedictory meal, reviews of post-COVID restaurant openings in the UK have been remarkably concentrated in recent times, with critics alighting at Farringdon Station with impressively predictable regularity.
Bouchon Racine, Brutto, Morchella and Cloth have all graced the pages (‘touched the cloth’?) of virtually every national newspaper in recent times — a convergence that has only served to prove what London’s culinary cognoscenti already knew: that Farringdon is now the epicentre of the capital’s food scene.
As you emerge blinking from the bowels of the station, you might wonder why. Farringdon, on first inspection, isn’t up to much, more well known for its transport links and office blocks than its restaurants. But scratch the surface just a little and you’ll find a series of places that are casually, quietly, of the highest quality. Admittedly, they’re all singing from the same chalkboard, so to speak, but the tone remains harmonious.
Whether you’re after a leisurely business lunch, a pre-train pit stop, or a destination dinner worthy of advance booking (that’s if you can get a reservation at all), the patchwork of Farringdon, Clerkenwell and Smithfield is where it’s at for a good feed. With that in mind, here are the best restaurants near Farringdon.
Quality Wines, Farringdon Road
Ideal for small plates and stellar wines in an intimate setting…
What began as a wine shop attached to Quality Chop House (more of those guys in a bit) has evolved into one of Farringdon’s most cherished places to eat; an intimate restaurant with a weekly-changing blackboard menu that defies easy categorisation.
Sure, the wine merchant aspect still remains, but punters are now more likely to be pitching up for a taste of chef Nick Bramham’s absurdly satisfying cooking than they are a bespoke bottle to go. Indeed, from a tiny open kitchen, the chef defies the conventional restaurant approach to the most gratifying ends.
His Mediterranean-inspired plates, increasingly leaning Greek rather than French, Spanish or Italian – appear deceptively simple but reveal a profound understanding of flavour and produce – think white asparagus vinaigrette that sings with seasonal freshness, or braised pork belly with cime de rapa and salsa verde that’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Occasionally, a whole crispy pig’s head will appear on the menu, a result of that pork dish having, you know, a body beyond the belly. If so, order it.
There’s a quiet intelligence to the cooking that feels liberated from kitchen dogma, producing food that’s both deeply considered and utterly approachable. No unnecessary flourishes, no cheffy ego – just perfectly judged dishes. Their famous gildas are alone worth a visit, but it would be madness to stop there. For lunchtime value, the Express Lunch might feature veal and pork meatballs done in the Italian American style, red sauce piled on top of spaghetti, and accompanied by a glass of wine, beer or soft drink, all for £15. It might just be the best deal in central London. Or, come to think of it, the country. It’s served from midday through to 2:15.
Don’t sleep on the sandwiches, either. Bramham is a connoisseur of the well-judged sarnie, and at Quality Wines they appear seasonally and sell out fast, giving them a real air of exclusivity which is partly genius marketing, but partly borne of the necessity of a truly small kitchen space. His salame rosa and butter panino – a butter-fried milk bun sandwiching layer upon layer of of salame rosa and salted butter – makes an annual return every year and is on now. Get it while you can.
Another sandwich you’ll see sporadically here is the lobster roll, in which the steamed lobster meat is served pleasingly chunky, bound together by a piquant champagne mayonnaise and served in a milk roll. Only 20 are served a night, with that number diminishing fast as diners order a second after a single bite of their first. They’re that good.
The wine selection, curated by Marcos Spyrou and Emidio Russo, balances established producers with exciting newcomers, focusing on smaller, sustainable vineyards. Bottles line the walls from floor to ceiling, candles flicker and cast shadows on intimate corners, all creating an atmosphere that feels both special and casual simultaneously. Staff share their knowledge with genuine enthusiasm rather than snobbery, happy to guide you to something new or pour a taste if you’re unsure.
That theme continues if you’re perched at the counter looking over the open kitchen. We’ve come away from several meals here with photos and screenshots of the restaurant’s recipe folder (caponata, portokalopita, their pastis butter) provided by Bramham. Needless to say, we’ve never quite done them justice at home.
Despite its growing reputation among those in the know, Quality Wines maintains a disarming lack of pretension, feeling more like a friend’s living room than a hotspot restaurant. It’s one of Farringdon’s – and London’s – very best restaurants.
Website: qualitywinesfarringdon.com
Address: 88 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA
Read: Where to eat on the Elizabeth Line
St. John Smithfield, St John Street
Ideal for nose-to-tail British cuisine and the famous bone marrow salad…
The stark white dining room of St. John, housed in a former smokehouse near Smithfield Market, speaks volumes about its philosophy even if you didn’t know the history and ethos of this storied restaurant – here, it’s all about the food.
Since opening in 1994, Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver’s iconic restaurant (for once, genuinely iconic) has championed nose-to-tail eating, turning forgotten cuts and overlooked ingredients into sophisticated British dishes that have been copied – if not in recipe but in soul – the world over.
Their emblematic bone marrow and parsley salad – a hunk of roasted marrow with sourdough toast, a parsley salad and, that’s about it – remains a pilgrimage-worthy dish, but from a crowd pleasing menu, it’s certainly not the only highlight. The daily-changing menu features everything from devilled kidneys to seasonal game, with each dish showcasing Henderson’s uncanny ability to coax extraordinary flavour from seemingly ordinary, often forgotten ingredients.
One of the best dishes we’ve had here in recent times was also, perhaps, the most simple; slices of pig tongue that had been brined then braised, served sliced thick with a spiced chutney of Bramley apple, the fruit chosen for its assertive tartness. A wise choice, indeed. Perhaps even better was the deep-fried tripe, arriving like little sheets of honeycomb that had been taken a touch too far, all bronzed and crunchy, bitter and funky. Apparently, they come from the only offal stall left at nearby Smithfield Market – long may that stall remain open.
Anyway, if you don’t end with the madeleines served warmed from the oven – allow for 15 minutes – then you should hang your head in shame as you exit. Or, were you just bowing gently as a sign of respect for a gastronomic institution?
Come back inside and have a drink before you go. The exclusively French wine list includes their own label wines by the glass (£8.75), poured by staff who know their stuff. Just prepare yourself for the notoriously challenging acoustics – this might be one of the loudest fine dining experiences in town, but that seems a small price to pay for what many consider the world’s most influential restaurant of the past three decades.
Yep, we said world.
Website: stjohnrestaurant.com
Address: 26 St John Street, London EC1M 4AY
Bouchon Racine, Cowcross Street
Ideal for unpretentious, hearty French cuisine that transports you to Lyon…
Chef Henry Harris knows a thing or two about gutsy, hearty, balls-to-the-rose-blush-wall French bistros, having earned his reputation at Knightsbridge’s Bibendum and later at his own acclaimed Racine in South Kensington.
After several years away from the London restaurant scene, his return with Bouchon Racine in 2022 was greeted with enthusiasm by those who had missed showing off their exquisite, unpretentious taste via his perfectly judged Gallic cooking.
To be fair, it showed up fully formed in Farringdon, perched above The Three Compasses pub, with Harris recreating a slice of Lyon with an air of authenticity that comes from decades of myopic dedication to French culinary traditions.
The daily-changing blackboard menu showcases Harris’s talents to the full in a boisterous room that encourages lingering and, frankly, more boozing – perhaps over cured ham from heritage breed black pigs, a perfectly executed grilled veal chop with roquefort butter, or rabbit in mustard sauce. Whichever way you play it, you’ll find a celebration of French bouchon classics without unnecessary ‘elevation’ or ‘refinement’, focusing instead on quality ingredients and precise technique.
Like many restaurants in the area sharing proximity to Smithfield, nose-to-tail is alive and well at Bouchon Racine. You’ll sometimes find suckling pig on the menu, or Rognonde veau sauce Madère – a simple dish of veal kidney, Madeira cream sauce and pomme puree. Don’t miss their country pork pâté either, a technically precise but simultaneously rugged piece of work. Ground pigs liver and belly are dotted with little cubes of fat, giving way to a gorgeous juicy texture and a rough mosaic pattern in each slice.
Wines here are exclusively French, thoughtfully selected to match the food, with plenty available by the glass for under a tenner. In a dining landscape increasingly dominated by restaurant groups and corporations, Bouchon Racine feels refreshingly independent – a passion project from a chef who understands that sometimes, the old ways are the best ways.
Website: bouchonracine.com
Address: 66 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6BP
Luca, St John Street
Ideal for sophisticated ‘Britalian’ cuisine in one of London’s most beautiful dining rooms…
Luca’s elegant green-fronted exterior on St John Street sets the tone for what awaits inside – a world of understated luxury with copper-topped bars, bottle-green banquettes and a stunning courtyard that transports you straight to the rarefied climes of Lombardy.
This Michelin-starred restaurant from the team behind The Clove Club (Daniel Willis, Johnny Smith, and chef Isaac McHale) has mastered what they – and, to be fair, lots of other folk, increasingly – call ‘Britalian’ cooking. That is, British produce prepared with Italian techniques. At Luca, under the day-to-day guidance of head chef Robert Chambers, the kitchen turns out consistently refined yet approachable dishes that have earned the restaurant its stellar reputation.
Their legendary Parmesan fries – crisp, salty morsels that have developed a cult following – are the perfect way to start your meal. Follow with another mainstay dish and menu stand-out; Roast orkney scallops with Jerusalem artichoke and ‘nduja, before getting into the exemplary, oh-so satisfying pasta. Both Cornish crab linguine and agnolotti with rich game ragu have hit the spot recently.
Whichever way you play it, you’ll find a menu that’s highly seasonal, shifting with the calendar to showcase the finest ingredients at their peak. Come autumn, the kitchen goes truffle crazy with a dedicated white truffle menu featuring creative dishes like steamed white alba truffle and honey sponge pudding with mascarpone custard. Late winter into spring brings delicate plates of cured brill with radishes, blood orange, wild garlic and cedro, and as spring fully arrives, you’ll find Hebridean lamb accompanied by spiky artichoke, bagna cauda, pine nuts and puntarelle. The latter dish is just around the corner, we hope.
The primarily Italian wine list offers interesting diversions for the adventurous, with staff eager to guide you through the selections (I guess they would be, when the cheapest bottle is £55, a 2022 Lugana Ca’ Lojera, no less). Luca’s not cheap, it’s fair to say. At £200 or so per person for the full experience, Luca is positively, prohibitively expensive, but the cooking’s unwavering commitment to quality somewhat justifies the price tag.
And if you can’t quite justify it, there is a cheaper set ‘bar express menu’, which sees two courses priced at £32, three at £38. Indeed, the different pockets of space within the restaurant offer a diversity of atmosphere – from that more casual bar area at the front to the intimate dining room at the back – making Luca suitable for numerous occasions, from important client dinners to romantic celebrations.
Website: luca.restaurant
Address: 88 St John Street, London EC1M 4EH
Sushi Tetsu, Jerusalem Passage
Ideal for an intimate omakase experience that rivals Tokyo’s finest…
Securing a seat at Sushi Tetsu requires military-grade planning and lightning-fast reflexes – bookings are released only at specific times and vanish within minutes, giving the Glasto T-dayers F5-related PTSD. Fuck that’s an ugly participle clause…
Anyway, this seven-seat sushi counter, deep down a tight Clerkenwell alley that feels so appropriate for the relative size of the operation, rewards the persistent with an omakase experience that rivals Tokyo’s finest. Or, that level just below Tokyo’s finest; ‘Tokyo’s second finest-tier’? Nah…
Chef Toru Takahashi crafts each piece moments before it reaches your plate, applying a precise amount of wasabi or soy to perfectly aged fish atop warm, seasoned rice. There’s no menu as such – just a progression of nigiri and sashimi, each more exquisite than the last, served directly across the counter by the chef himself.
The tiny space means you get to watch Takahashi-san’s masterful knife skills up close, as well as counting the eyelashes of your neighbouring diner (don’t do that, that’d be weird). His wife Harumi oversees the dining room with graceful efficiency, ensuring water glasses are never empty and sake cups are always full.
At around £190 for the full omakase and three hours of your time, this is special occasion territory (though not the kind of special occasion where you wear your best perfume, we should caution), but the craftsmanship, quality of ingredients and personal attention make it worth every penny. For sushi aficionados, there’s simply nowhere better in London.
Address: 12 Jerusalem Passage, London EC1V 4JP
Sessions Arts Club, Clerkenwell Green
Ideal for an otherworldly atmosphere and creative seasonal cooking…
Sessions Arts Club feels like stumbling upon a secret you can’t wait to share. That is, if the restaurant hadn’t been reviewed extensively just as COVID restrictions were lifting and people were absolutely delirious on the idea of escapism.
To be fair, it is a gorgeous dining room. Entering through a curtained doorway and ascending in a rickety brass lift, you emerge into a vast, soaring space with distressed walls, moody lighting and an undeniable sense of faded grandeur. No wonder it was so intoxicating as an antidote to months of being locked down.
Things have changed a little since then, with chef Florence Knight – the heart and soul of the operation – moving on and former sous chef Abigail Hill stepping up. A spare, seasonal sensibility remains, with uncomplicated but thoughtful plates taking influence from British, French and Italian traditions. Asparagus with a pool of re-emulsified brown butter might share a table with a butterflied red mullet and a sauce of its liver, each dish showing restraint and a deep understanding of flavour. Indeed, the kitchen has a natural affinity with seafood – the fish dishes are always worth exploring, though it’s a damn shame the squid, tomato and calamarata dish is no longer on the menu. Desserts, too, are fabulous.
A glass of champagne on the delightful rooftop terrace is the perfect prelude to dinner on warmer days. The wine list leans towards low-intervention bottles, while the cocktail menu offers creative mixes that complement the food beautifully. Ours is a melon martini, if you’re asking.
Despite its rapid ascent to ‘hot ticket’ status, Sessions Arts Club maintains an uncomplicated approach to hospitality – service is relaxed and graceful, and the overall vibe is one of effortless cool rather than studied trendiness. It’s not cheap, but the combination of breath-taking setting and accomplished cooking will give you a meal that lingers longer in the memory than the time it takes to pay off your credit card.
Website: sessionsartsclub.com
Address: 24 Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0NA
Quality Chop House, Farringdon Road
Ideal for quintessentially British cooking and those legendary confit potatoes…
The original Grade II-listed dining room of Quality Chop House, with its uncomfortable-looking wooden pews (not just ‘looking’, come to think of it), has been serving Londoners since 1869. The current iteration, under the stewardship of Will Lander and Daniel Morgenthau’s Woodhead Restaurant Group since 2012, brilliantly balances heritage with modernity, creating a restaurant that feels both timeless and contemporary. Head chef Shaun Searley has been at the stoves here for almost as long – an unusual longevity in the restaurant world that shows in the kitchen’s consistent excellence.
Let’s talk about the legendary confit potatoes first – thinly sliced layers, compressed, confit, then deep-fried to create something simultaneously crisp, tender and utterly addictive. These alone have achieved a kind of cut-through cult status among London’s food lovers – not only on TikTok and Insta, but also in the broadsheets – in a way few other dishes have.
Beyond the potatoes, expect – unsurprisingly – impeccably sourced meat from ‘butcher to chef to plate’ (they have their own in-house butcher), whether that’s an Aberdeen Angus bone-in ribeye or a Barnsley chop, the latter a perennially under-rated but prime cut of lamb and a go-to tip from the waiters.
The menu changes daily based on what’s been delivered that morning, reflecting a genuine commitment to seasonality rather than lip service to the concept. And, reassuringly, it’s not only about the meat here – these guys have a wicked way with fish, too. A recent dish of skate wing was served, rather unconventionally, with a chicken and tarragon peppercorn sauce that was wonderful. The weekday set lunch menu remains an absolute steal, with three courses clocking in at £29.
It’s in the snack section where things get inventive. The Brixham turbot head has steadily become a house favourite, and for good reason; the varying textures reveal themselves as you explore: supple flesh around the jaw gives way to substantial meat in the cheeks. That would be reward enough, but the liberal dousing of house-made Szechuan sauce – a thoughtful blend of reduced jus, fresh ginger, garlic, and aromatic Sichuan peppercorns – makes things truly compelling.
QCH exemplifies how traditional British dining can be given a gently contemporary touch without losing its soul – comforting, expertly executed dishes that know, first and foremost, that you’re here to be fed. You might want to bring your own blow-up cushion in your hand bag, though…
Website: thequalitychophouse.com
Address: 92-94 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3EA
Cloth, Cloth Fair
Ideal for creative small plates and an atmospheric historic setting…
Down an alleyway in a row of houses that survived the Great Fire of London sits Cloth, a wine-led restaurant that has quickly become a local favourite since opening in the spring of 2024. The space – previously Betjeman’s Wine Bar, named for the poet who lived upstairs – combines historical charm with contemporary comfort.
Wine specialists Joe Haynes and Benedict Butterworth have teamed up with former Lasdun head chef Tom Hurst to create a dining experience that feels laid back enough for a long, languid and liquid-y lunch with a pal, and intimate enough for a dinner with a lover. The acoustics suit both – raucous and hushed sound equally good here.
Seasonal small plates form the core of the menu – pig’s head croquettes with apricot ketchup, delicate cappelletti with ricotta and pecorino, or Cornish pollack with Tokyo turnips. The cooking demonstrates precision without preciousness, allowing the quality of ingredients to shine through. We think we might have said that about every place on this list so far, bar Sushi Tetsu – and who said London’s dining scene was homogenising into one, tedious Britalian wine bar?
Speaking of wine, the list at Cloth reflects the owners’ background, focusing on small producers with a whole separate menu dedicated to by-the-glass options. The 40 page list proper is impressively broad, with carefully chosen bottles from across Europe – from crisp Grüner Veltliners from Austria’s Wagram to aged Barbarescos from Piedmont, and everything in between. Their Champagne selection leans toward smaller grower-producers rather than big houses, while the lengthy Burgundy section reveals the owners’ particular passion.
Those looking to splurge can find rare treasures like 1991 DRC Romanée-St-Vivant, while more modest budgets are well-served with interesting options under £60 (yes, we realise that’s still a lot).
Website: clothrestaurant.com
Address: 44 Cloth Fair, London EC1A 7JQ
The Eagle, Farringdon Road
Ideal for the legendary steak sandwich and pioneering gastropub vibes…
When The Eagle opened in its current form in 1991, it changed the London food scene forever, pioneering the modern gastropub concept that aimed to ‘elevate’ pub dining while maintaining an authentic pub atmosphere. Three decades later, this high-ceilinged corner room with its open kitchen, mismatched furniture and relaxed vibe continues to demonstrate why the original is often the best.
It’s a humble steak sandwich that made The Eagle famous. And for good reason – flash-fried onglet steak soaks into a ciabatta roll with a little layer of lettuce, onions and hot sauce, and it’s perfectly executed time after time. The daily-changing menu, chalked on the blackboard above the bar, might include Spanish and Portuguese-influenced dishes alongside British classics, all prepared in the open kitchen in full view of the punters and pint-ers.
Napoli sausages also make a frequent appearance on the menu – whether served with with spiced tomato and lentils, or sprawled over butter beans. The kitchen has a tidy hand at grilling fish, too, often served whole and a simple salsa or salad; it’s got to be one of the most wholesome lunches you can find in the city.
Drinks keep things straightforward with good beers on tap and a concise wine list that complements the robust food. Don’t expect reservations – The Eagle operates a first-come, first-served policy that creates a democratic, egalitarian atmosphere where local office workers rub shoulders with visiting food tourists. Come early or be prepared to wait, especially at lunchtime when the queue can stretch out the door.
Website: theeaglefarringdon.co.uk
Address: 159 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3AL
Le Café Du Marché, Charterhouse Square
Ideal for live jazz and timeless French bistro classics…
A few staggers and stumbles down a cobbled mews off Charterhouse Square, Le Café du Marché has been transporting diners to southern France for over four decades. And then spitting them back out, disappointed to find they’re still in London, it should be added.
This fiercely independent, family-run restaurant defies the capital’s ever-shifting landscape with its unwavering commitment to tradition. The restaurant unfolds across two levels, where exposed brick walls and wooden beams frame white-clothed tables bathed in soft light. As evening descends, live jazz drifts through the space, seasoning everything with a sense of wistful escapism.
The kitchen celebrates provincial French cuisine with reverence rather than reinvention. Soupe de poissons arrives with all the expected accompaniments and absolutely no surprises, coq au vin delivers its deep, comforting complexity and nothing more, and the tarte tatin is just as burnished as it’s meant to be. Each dish speaks to the restaurant’s philosophy: respect the classics, source quality ingredients, and execute them with precision.
There is, of course, French wine, the house 2023 Cuvee Garrigue Languedoc available by the glass for £7 (or bottle for £36) eminently neckable. If your enthusiastic eating of that fish soup doesn’t run the white tablecloth, your increasingly brazen pouring of that house wine will. It’s that kind of convivial place.
Website: cafedumarche.co.uk
Address: 22 Charterhouse Square, Barbican, London EC1M 6DX
Morchella, Exmouth Market
Ideal for Mediterranean flair in a grand Victorian setting…
Admittedly, this one doesn’t quite qualify as one of the best restaurants really close to Farringdon, seeing as it’s a 10 minute walk away from the station, but Morchella is too good to miss off this list.
The sophomore venture from the team behind Newington Green’s acclaimed Perilla, this restaurant opened in early 2024 in an imposing former Victorian bank just off Exmouth Market and hit its stride-immediately. A year later it holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Rather than pledging allegiance to a single Mediterranean nation, the kitchen draws inspiration from the entire sun-drenched coastline. Executive Chef Ben Marks and head chef Daniel Fletcher craft dishes like their celebrated salt cod churros with romesco, delicate spanakopita parcels and mussel pil pil – all must-orders here.
A recent dish of Greek salad with black olive dressing was the true showstopper, though, showcasing the inventiveness of a confident kitchen hitting its stride. Here, your usual Greek salad components are stuffed into a tomato which has been blanched and then blowtorched. A visually striking black olive dressing is then poured over, bringing theatre to the humble salad. Most importantly, it tasted bloody good.
The space impressively retains its architectural heritage, with soaring ceilings and original features now complemented by natural wood finishes and thoughtful design touches like hidden cutlery drawers in each table. A central horseshoe bar embraces the open kitchen, offering counter dining for those who enjoy watching chefs at work. Hey, when they’re this nifty, who doesn’t?
Wine enthusiasts will appreciate co-owner Matthew Emmerson’s exclusively European list, organised helpfully by flavour profile (‘coastal’, ‘classic’ or ‘funky’). A separate walk-in wine bar makes Morchella accessible even without a booking, serving the full snack menu alongside an impressive selection of bottles.
With a ‘chef’s choice’ menu of the restaurant’s signature dishes priced at just £60 per head, the restaurant is great value, particularly in this affluent part of town.
Website: morchelladining.co.uk
Address: 84-86 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4QY
Trattoria Brutto, Cowcross Street
Ideal for Florentine flair and bargain Negronis…
Russell Norman’s final project before his untimely passing stands as perhaps his most complete expression of his deep understanding of what makes a restaurant tick. In the case of Brutto, that alchemy is the ability to create spaces that feel simultaneously brand new and timeless. Now lovingly stewarded by his widow Jules and son Ollie, Trattoria Brutto continues to channel both Norman’s and the Florentine spirit with faithful devotion.
The now-legendary £5 Negronis (a minor miracle in modern London) might initially draw you in, but it’s the immersive environment that compels you to stay. Red gingham tablecloths, sepia-toned photographs, and honey-coloured lighting conspire to transport you directly to Tuscany. The illusion is so complete that you half-expect to see Italian silver screen icons holding court in the corner.
The menu champions Tuscan rusticity with confident simplicity (and, like many of the team’s favourite trattorias, no fish). Coccoli — those pillowy, deep-fried dough clouds served with creamy cheese and paper-thin prosciutto— are just the right bedfellows for that Negroni, the penne alla vodka the version that all others should be judged by.
Next up, and because it’d be rude not to, the bistecca alla Fiorentina arrives with intimidating heft, a perfectly charred exterior that gives way to a perfectly pink (close to blue, quite honestly) interior that showcases the kitchen’s understanding that premium ingredients require restraint. There’s only a handful served each day, chalked off as service progresses, so it’s recommended you order the bistecca when you arrive if that’s the main reason you came. It’s got that pleasingly chewy texture that reveals the faintest of blue cheese notes, a note that’s washed away with another slug of Negroni. Yep, we’re drinking Negroni through this whole meal; the cheapest bottle of red here is £36.
For a taste of Brutto’s beef without the commitment to a whole T-bone, consider the rosbif con patate. On the menu since day one. here slices of beef loin are served rare and beautiful, accompanied by nothing more than some very, very good roast potatoes.
Securing a table requires similar planning and persistence—bookings disappear fortnightly with alarming speed—but the bar’s walk-in policy offers some hope for spontaneous diners. These counter seats might actually be the most coveted in the house, to be fair, offering prime views of the controlled chaos and gorgeous dining room at odds with the name of the restaurant (don’t bother searching on Google – it means ‘ugly’).
This isn’t an approximation of Italy; it’s a corner of Florence somehow transported to EC1. Or, a corner of 50100 transported to Farringdon. Or, a corner of Florence in Farringdon. Or, Farringdon’s own little corner of Florence. Hmm, not sure why we’re suddenly malfunctioning here…
Address: 35-37 Greenhill Rents, London EC1M 6BN
Website: msha.ke/brutto
The Winemakers Club, Farringdon Street
Ideal for underground wine discoveries in atmospheric Victorian arches…
…Christ, let’s close with a stiff drink. Descend beneath Holborn Viaduct and discover one of London’s most atmospheric vinous sanctuaries. The Winemakers Club inhabits a labyrinth of 150-year-old arches that feel more cinematic than commercial—raw brick vaults illuminated by flickering candlelight, with bottles commanding every available surface.
While many places attempt to be all things to all people, The Winemakers Club embraces a singular focus: exceptional wines at honest prices in surroundings that could not exist anywhere else in London. The carefully curated selection celebrates vignerons and regions that prioritise quality and integrity over marketing, with staff who share their knowledge with evangelical enthusiasm rather than sommelier pretension.
The food follows this philosophy of deliberate restraint—exceptional cheese and charcuterie boards showcase carefully selected artisanal producers. Provisions supplies the cheese, Cobble Lane Cured provides the charcuterie, and the bread comes from St. John’s Bakery, completing a thoughtful offering that complements rather than competes with the wine. When it’s on the menu don’t miss the raclette toastie, which achieves the perfect complementary balance to a glass of bracing minerality. The emphasis of course remains resolutely on what’s in your glass, allowing the meticulously selected bottles to command centre stage.
Visit during quieter moments and you’ll find no better spot in the area for a date, with the architectural quirks of the space creating natural alcoves for private exchange. When the arches fill with the energy of a busy evening, communal tables foster spontaneous connections between neighbouring wine enthusiasts. Just don’t let the covetous bastards take too big a bite of that toastie. We’ve been there, and the conclusion was unseemly.
Website: thewinemakersclub.co.uk
Address: 41a Farringdon St, City of London, London EC4A 4AN
Join us as we try to forget that weird ending by eating as much as we can in London’s West End. You have to wash your hair? But you’re bald…
