Southwark, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2021 Review: Stick to the good-value, meal-with-ticket deals at the theatre restaurant of this converted Victorian chocolate factory, whose food is “honest” but rather “hit and miss”, hence “not good enough to pay full stand-alone prices” – especially with foodie Borough Market just across the road.

“Handy for the local South Bank theatres”, this “small, unassuming place” close to Tate Modern from Lucy Pedder and Natasha Cooke has won a strong following over seven years thanks to “an interesting and well-executed menu” of small and larger plates, all “in a friendly atmosphere and at a reasonable price”. Top Menu Tip – “The enormous and delicious Cheddar fritters are a must!… Roasted Pigeon in a stout sauce along with Confit rabbit, ribollita & cavolo nero is a highlight… definitely save space for dessert”.

A particularly solid choice for brunch – this “buzzy” Kiwi-run chain (with seven branches) fits the bill well, with “interesting small plates” of pan-global fusion food and an emphasis on notably good coffee (which they roast in-house). On the downside, the food is often “passable and no more” and their “lively” interiors (Granary Square in particular) can become “hopelessly crowded”, giving rise to incidents of “slapdash service”. Still, they’re “fun” and “reasonably priced”. (See also Vardo).

2021 Review: Gordon Ramsay’s “Italian-leaning” warehouse conversion in Southwark, with an indoor ‘olive grove’ complete with trees, pleases some with its “giant portions of great food” and “fantastic cocktails”. Far too many reporters this year, though, complain of a “sterile” aspect to its “industrial” decor, and dismiss the fare as mightily “uninspired”.

2021 Review: “A firm favourite for breakfast and brunch in Southwark” – this café-style fixture a short stroll from Tate Modern serves “a great menu to suit all tastes”, and fans say it’s “unbeatable”.

“A buzzy place with great sharing plates”, pizza and grills from the wood-fire oven plus a “really interesting and varied natural wine list, with many available by the glass”: Brett Redman’s bar/café is a staple of SE1, with an opening frontage that looks onto one of the entrances of Borough Market. Founded in 2011, it spawned a Hackney spin-off three years ago. While both remain well-supported, ratings here over the years are steadily heading into more middling territory.

2022 Review: In late 2019, the team from well-known café, 26 Grains of Neal’s Yard, opened a big sister over the road from Borough Market. It’s a casual, tastefully decorated haunt serving simple food; and where at night, the vibe is less café, more wine bar. In late 2020, Tom Cenci (the ex Duck & Waffle head chef, whose own Loyal Tavern venture did not survive the pandemic) took over what has become an extended residency. The cooking (by him and one other chef) centres on sustainability, and less-used cuts of meat (particularly Irish beef).

“A unique experience!” – “For a dinner with a twist, sit ‘outside’ within Borough Market and enjoy a set menu with wine pairing” at Tomas Lidakevicius’s offbeat venture, attached to a greengrocer’s stall. “You’ve no need to choose anything and everything is good”: “the lovely setting helps for sure, but the great food from a tasting menu with seasonal veg as its centrepiece speaks for itself”. “Loved it!”.

“A wonderful location overlooking St Paul’s and the river” – complete with “fantastic view of the Thames” – creates a “gorgeous”, if unavoidably touristy, setting for this South Bank pub, which is incorporated into Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Locals support it too though: in particular it’s “a lovely spot for afternoon tea” and “even if the teas are Shakespeare-themed, they aren’t over-tacky”. The contemporary British food is also well-rated at other times.

With its “great view over the river”, the sixth-floor restaurant in this converted power station opposite St Paul’s Cathedral is a “really rather splendid place for a decent set lunch”. The food is “better than expected, perhaps better than it needed to be” – “appropriately arty”, too, with dishes inspired by artists on display in the gallery. (Over at Tate Britain, “the Rex Whistler dining room is sorely missed and a real loss” – its closure brought about by a combination of Covid and dilemmas about the depiction of slavery in its Whistler murals, nowadays deemed ‘unequivocally… offensive’.)

“The panorama is fantastic”, of course, from this 31st-floor roost “at the top of the Shard”. Reports from diners here, though, are often presented in terms of pros and cons, with the vista balanced by modern British food that can seem like “an afterthought”; or occasions of “mediocre” service. And to the most cynical, it’s a case of “absolute hype and focus upon the view and the supposed glamour, which is actually fairly threadbare under the veneer”.

“The views are fantastic, especially if you get a window seat” at this 35th-floor venue at the top of the Shard. It’s open from breakfast (Asian or Western) onwards, via lunch and afternoon tea to dinner, when there’s an Asian-inflected menu where items like Glazed Cauliflower “Steak” with Couscous, Coconut & Lime Foam rub shoulders with more wholeheartedly Oriental dishes such as Bo Xao Luc Lac Five Spices Beef. Especially by the standards of the venues in the Shard, moans about prices are most notable by their absence.

Breathtaking views are a surefire attraction at Rainer Becker’s 32nd-floor venue – the first to open in The Shard over 10 years ago now. There are two dining areas – ‘Oblix East’ for bar snacks, afternoon tea, cocktails and a short three-course menu; or ‘Oblix West’ for a more substantial à la carte, with steak, fish and rôtisserie chicken for sharing. We need more reports though – such feedback as we have is positive, but too limited to make for a safe recommendation.

“Deserving its many plaudits” – this “model gastropub” near the Old Vic remains one of London’s most popular food pubs and still “delivers on all fronts”. “Service is engaging and lively” and provides “expert cuisine” that mixes Mediterranean dishes with those of more traditional British inspiration, alongside “very drinkable” wine. The interior is “noisy and busy but that’s part of the buzzy ambience” and while “it’s a biggish room, it’s still best to book”.

2021 Review: “Good coffee… and the food’s OK too” – this Borough Market café remains one of the top caffeine hits in SE1. “It’s great for breakfast” too.

A “lively covered but somewhat-open-air restaurant” (‘In Horto’ being Latin for ‘in the garden’) arranged around a wood-fired oven, whose leafy calm provides a welcome refuge in the busy area around London Bridge. “It’s great for groups as it serves interesting sharing food” (mostly high-quality meat or fish from the aforementioned oven).

2023 Review: “Imaginative Caribbean fine dining” is an unlikely find at any time – particularly considering the bland location of Anguilla-born Kerth Gumbs’s Bankside newcomer, which opened in early 2022 amidst the anonymous glass-fronted offices behind Tate Modern. The Evening Standard’s Jimi Famu thought his east Caribbean-inspired tasting menu to be “dumbfoundingly good… laser-honed… top end” cuisine, while one early reporter questions “is this a potential Michelin star at some stage”. Definitely “worth trying”.

“A great wine list from all corners of the globe” has helped underpin the ongoing popularity of this modern wine bar chain, despite a year that saw it sold out of administration and the closure of its popular King’s Cross branch. Although this period inspired iffy marks and the odd report of “totally disorganised” service, the four remaining outlets still inspire tons of, albeit slightly lukewarm nominations as a handy option “for a simple meal”: “don’t expect any sort of culinary fireworks” from the “straightforward” dishes “but there are some very nice, reasonably priced wines” and the interiors are “definitely pleasant”. Top Menu Tips – “lovely cheese croquettes and steak ’n’ chips”.