Fenn, one of the most acclaimed restaurant openings of recent times in Fulham, is to close down at the end of next month after just two years in operation.

In a message to customers on their mailing list, its management said “the staffing shortages plaguing the industry since the pandemic [mean that] keeping the restaurant open has become untenable“. The last service will be on Saturday 29 April.

The trio behind Fenn – Luke Wasserman and Toby Neill and chef Johnnie Crowe – last year opened the more ambitious Restaurant St Barts, beside old St Bartholomew’s Church in Smithfield. They also run Nest in Hackney, and staff at Fenn have been offered jobs at these two venues.

Fenn scored a maximum five for its “innovative and well-crafted food” in the 2023 Harden’s guide, which also praised its “great selection of wines” and “passionate front-of-house team“. The restaurant showcases ingredients from local small-scale producers.