Harden's says
It started as a residency during the 2020 pandemic, when Tomos Parry's main restaurant was deemed unsuitable for social distancing, and became a permanent feature in January 2021. Brat is situated in the Courtyard, which is covered with a marquee that provides protection from the unpredictable British weather.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Truly outstanding all round”; star chef Tomos Parry’s now-permanent wood-fire spin-off in a covered courtyard and adjoining railway arch in London Fields has “staff who care, food that’s different and a great buzz without being so loud you can’t have a conversation”. It’s worth it to “go as a crowd so you can get to taste all the fantastic dishes on offer”: typical are Roasted Chicken Rice or Whole Crab with Hay Butter.
Summary
“Such a treat on a summer’s day” – ace chef Tomos Parry’s railway arch pop-up-turned-permanent in London Fields “feels like a (rather smoky) house party”, serving “great grilled meat and fish in a tent” – “the only issue is trying to limit the number of dishes one orders, and the quandary of whether to have THAT turbot or try something else!”.
Summary
A “too-cool-for-school railway arch” and covered courtyard (“a great fun place on a sunny day”) provides the “quirky” setting for Tomos Parry’s “funky hang-out” in London Fields (a pandemic pop-up in 2020 that turned permanent). Staff are “casual but super-knowledgeable” and deliver “simple food cooked over fire” that’s often “fabulous” (“that turbot… Wow!”). But, while most reporters have found it “hard to pick fault the few times we have visited”, others feel it’s “interesting and trendy, but at a hell of a price for a glorified pop-up” or say “I really wanted to like it but came away underwhelmed by the food and the plastic tent (prefer the original)”.
Summary
What started as a residency during the 2020 pandemic – when Tomos Parry’s Shoreditch HQ was deemed unsuitable for social distancing – was confirmed as a permanent venture in January 2021. Situated in a courtyard, and covered with a marquee-type structure, cooking with fire is still central to the cuisine here: e.g. roasted game rice, whole grab with hay butter, grilled mushrooms and wood-fired breads. (Parry originally cooked here from 2013-2015, so he has history on this site.) “The food is way better than the casual surroundings would suggest: cooking almost everything on charcoal produces wonderful flavours”. But even some who applaud the “outstanding” results can still find it too pricey, given “friendly but random”, “café-style service” and humble surroundings.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Brat at Climpson's Arch?
Climpson's Arch, 374 Helmsley Place, London, E8 3SB
Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £41.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 13.50% |
Climpson's Arch, 374 Helmsley Place, London, E8 3SB
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑9 pm |
Best British, Modern restaurants nearby
Fish & seafood restaurant in Hackney
British, Modern restaurant in Hackney
British, Modern restaurant in Hackney
Best similarly priced restaurants nearby
restaurant in Shoreditch
Chinese restaurant in City
South American restaurant in City
