City, Bbq Restaurant Guide

An “open-plan kitchen” complete with fire pit is the theme unifying Neil Rankin’s four-strong BBQ-group, which takes all its supplies of beef, pork, lamb and chicken from Yorkshire farmer Charles Ashbridge. Despite some favourable steak suppers being reported, ratings took a further dive in our latest poll, continuing last year’s themes of “chaotic” service and a feeling that the overall experience can “promise more than it delivers”. Lack of value, in particular, inspires repeated gripes (“plates were minuscule at ridiculous prices…”; “we joked that you needed a microscope to find the portions…”)

“Absolutely delicious grilled meats with equally tasty accompaniments, all in a buzzy and fun setting” inspire many loyalists for Gordon Ker’s “go-to” chain, which in May 2023 added a fifth branch in Canary Wharf’s North Dock. “Hawksmoor every week could be financially ruinous, but this never disappoints, be it lunch or dinner, for half the money”. Top Tips – “Butchers Block Monday prices, and regular £10 corkage. Get in!” Also the “all-in” meat-fest of lamb and pork chops, steak and bacon: “it uses cheaper cuts and preparation is basic, but juices drip over the plate, and the peppercorn sauce is delicious!”

“Simple things are done very, very well on a smoking fire and every dish is a wow!” at Tomos Parry’s Shoreditch superstar, which – now five years old – has proved “a superb addition to the London dining scene” .“It’s casual in style, but the truly original cooking” and “enthusiastic and informed staff” generate “a real buzz about the place” and create a “cosy” atmosphere in what might otherwise might seem a “somewhat lacklustre” and tightly packed space (on the first floor, above Smoking Goat downstairs). As well as the signature turbot for which the restaurant is named, many dishes here are praised in reports (“spider crab toast to die for…”; “clever duck rice, like paella…”; “beautifully flavoursome and light Basque cheesecake”).

“Boldly seasoned, flavourful – unashamedly meat-heavy” – dishes are the simple hallmark of BBQ obsessive David Carter’s moodily dim-lit Brick Lane operation, inspired by the smokehouses of the American South. “Some interesting options on the menu” include salt-baked beetroot or charred greens with tahini and pomegranate.

“Absolutely delicious grilled meats with equally tasty accompaniments, all in a buzzy and fun setting” inspire many loyalists for Gordon Ker’s “go-to” chain, which in May 2023 added a fifth branch in Canary Wharf’s North Dock. “Hawksmoor every week could be financially ruinous, but this never disappoints, be it lunch or dinner, for half the money”. Top Tips – “Butchers Block Monday prices, and regular £10 corkage. Get in!” Also the “all-in” meat-fest of lamb and pork chops, steak and bacon: “it uses cheaper cuts and preparation is basic, but juices drip over the plate, and the peppercorn sauce is delicious!”

An “open-plan kitchen” complete with fire pit is the theme unifying Neil Rankin’s four-strong BBQ-group, which takes all its supplies of beef, pork, lamb and chicken from Yorkshire farmer Charles Ashbridge. Despite some favourable steak suppers being reported, ratings took a further dive in our latest poll, continuing last year’s themes of “chaotic” service and a feeling that the overall experience can “promise more than it delivers”. Lack of value, in particular, inspires repeated gripes (“plates were minuscule at ridiculous prices…”; “we joked that you needed a microscope to find the portions…”)

This “superb, cosy local” in Belsize Park now also has an offshoot that’s proving “a great addition to St John’s Wood”. The focus is on “interesting food cooked with fire” from chef-owner Jake Finn (ex-LPM and The Ritz), who takes inspiration from Mediterranean, Peru and Japan: “a sharing concept from a menu that’s not huge but with good variety and lots of veggie options”. Both sites provide “wonderful combinations, simply done”, with meat, fish and veggies that are “both charred and succulent”. “It’s not inexpensive, but great value given the quality of ingredients and cleverness of the cuisine”. Top Menu Tip – “whole sea bream, fennel, radish and fresh herbs is a standout”.

“Don’t be put off by what looks like a dodgy side street to get there”, say fans of Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins’s Dalston BBQ, who say that the “great food cooked with fire and flames” (and served “in the classic small plates style”) justifies eating “in a tent! in January!” (“you get blankets… it’s worth it and fun”). And there’s “amazing vegetarian options as well as the fish and meat”. But other diners in our annual poll are less sure. “Haphazard” or “too-cool-for-school” service is a recurrent theme. And overall ratings were dragged down by the minority who found the food itself to be “a real let down” (“considering everything is prepared over coals, it was not the charry interesting place we’d heard of, in fact somewhat bland”).

Review: “BBQ, live music, decent cocktails and craft beer” channel the spirit of the American South at this “buzzy”, long-running spot in Chelsea and its more recent spin-offs in Covent Garden and Canary Wharf. The food is “more about quantity than quality”, although the “great-value lunch deals” are popular: “£10 meat taster is unbeatable”.

This “great local Korean” close to Notting Hill Gate tube station offers a “good variety of dishes” – including Japanese sushi and “super lunchtime bento boxes”. “It can get very busy, so booking is advised”.