After long months of social distancing, the scramble is on to book those all-important first meals out. You can almost taste it, can’t you. Someone else’s cooking, served on someone else’s plates. It’s a universal truth that the best tips on where to eat come from within the industry. Here, some of Britain’s best chefs share the spots they’re heading to as soon as the lockdown lifts.
James Cochran
After stints at the Ledbury, the Harwood arms, various pop ups, James Cochran opened 12:51 in Islington. After the restaurant industry was brought to a standstill last year he pivoted to making his signature fried chicken available under the name Around the Cluck. This is one of those top-drawer fast food offerings you hope sticks around after the pandemic. The sandwiches have things like smoked shitake relish and jalapeno kimchi jam on them – absolutely heroic behaviour.
As he plots a return to casual fine dining at 12:51 on May 17th James is looking north for his first booking. ‘I can’t wait to go to Jöro in Sheffield. It’s top quality British food with a Nordic twist. They’re doing some exciting stuff with unique flavour combinations. It’s modern dining with great drinks, in and some real northern charm. Honestly, the energy this guy brings!’ Chef Luke French makes the small plates of seasonal, fermented, and foraged goodness at Jöro. Well worth a visit, especially if you can book the two seater ‘kitchen bench’ in the middle of the action.
You can order Around the Cluck for takeaway and delivery right now. 12:51 still has a few tables available to book in May at the time of writing but they’re going to fill up fast.
Elizabeth Haigh
After earning a Michelin star for her work at Pidgin in Hackney, chef Elizabeth Haigh built Mei Mei in Borough Market. Inspired by the Singaporean kopitiam, the 14-seat counter serves nasi lemak, sweet kaya toast, and that Hainanese chicken rice that is exactly as good as everyone says it is. ‘The restaurants I’m most excited for are River Café and Orasay,’ says Haigh. ‘Orasay, because I love Jackson Boxer’s food and the fact that they’re dedicating a menu to day boat fishing sounds delightful. And River Café because I love the pasta and sampling nearly all the menu.’
Orasay in Notting Hill opened in 2019 doing slightly Scottish-y food with an international outlook. After a season serving takeaway oysters and some pretty intense fish sandwiches, bookings are open once again. Now well into its third decade, River Café remains an undimmed classic of the London restaurant scene. Its terrace is probably one of the best places you could be this spring and will definitely book up quickly.
Mei Mei is open for takeaway Thursday to Saturday and offers meal kits and pantry items for national deliver, including the famous chicken rice and a formidable roast duck.
Olia Hercules
As a chef, food stylist, and writer Olia Hercules provides little snapshots of food and culture from Ukraine and its neighbours. Her recipes read like short stories, at times, filled with a sense of character and place. If you want to learn how to make a dumpling, there is no better teacher. ‘As soon as lockdown is over I am heading to Towpath Cafe by the canal,’ she says. ‘I want to feel the sun on my face, people watch and eat their delicious food. If I can get out of London, I would head to Root in Bristol. It is also by the water, where chef Rob Howell and his team serve some of the best food I’d tried in a long time.’
Towpath Café serves nourishing, confident, British stuff, that’s earned industry fans all over town. The team behind the restaurant – writer Lori de Mori and chef Laura Jackson – have recently published a book and launched a podcast because they like to keep busy. The restaurant will be open for outdoor dining from April 15th. Root is taking bookings for terrace dining from April to the 17th of May.
Summer Kitchens by Olia Hercules is out now (Bloomsbury, £26)
Erchen Chang
As Bao grew from a single stand serving steamed buns, Erchen Chang emerged as a major creative force. Her venues offer exciting food and a total aesthetic to go with it. The little empire she’s built with husband Shing Tat Chung, and his sister Wai Ting Chung continued to serve food through the pandemic with though its Rice Error delivery service. As restrictions slowly ease, Erchen is looking to old favourites for those first meals out of 2021. ‘I’ll be back at my favourite spot at 40 Maltby Street. I have been missing it a lot over the last few months so can’t wait to have Steve [Williams]’s food and their wine.’ T
he team at 40 Maltby street will be serving a bar menu and wine on a no reservations basis from the 14th of April after a long stint as the lockdown sandwich lords of SE1. ‘Other favourites are Silk Road for ultimate comfort food and the Guinea Grill for our old steak and a pint of Guinness ritual.’ You can make a booking now at the Guinea Grill in Mayfair for possibly the best steak and definitely the best pint of Guinness in town. Landlord Oisin Rogers is a great host, will definitely look after you, and is no relation to the author of this piece. Silk road in Camberwell is currently, though intermittently, operating on Deliveroo, which means homestyle cooking from Xinjiang straight to your gaff. Top of your order list should be lamb skewers with lumps of wiggle fat, hand pulled belt noodles, and the convincingly named big plate chicken (just, you have to order it). Try calling for a reservation in May but be prepared for stiff competition.
Bao is open for business online and accepting orders for food, bottled cocktails, bun shaped memes, and artwork.
Tom Kerridge
The veteran chef, best known for his two Michelin starred pub the Hand and Flowers, has worked through the lockdown to provide free food to key workers. His Meals from Marlow charity recently crowdsourced more that £75k to continue its work serving the local community. When restrictions are raised Kerridge plans to head to Kent for some Greek accented fare by the North Sea. ‘I can’t wait to go to Jo Jo’s in Tankerton in Whitstable. A great local restaurant with fantastic coastal ingredients and brilliant, simple food. Always packed and has a wonderful atmosphere.’
Jo Jo’s is run by Chef Nikki Billington and her partner Paul Watson. They have yet to accept bookings for 2021, but hope to do so from the start of May. Information will be posted on their website when it’s available.
Tom Kerridge’s Outdoor Cooking is out on 27 May 2021 (Bloomsbury Absolute, £22)
James Lowe
After dine-in bookings ended abruptly last November James Lowe’s Flor in SE1 took a sharp left turn with ASAP Pizza. Over the long lockdown he and Pamela Yung – the restaurant’s master of all things baked – proceeded to show us what pizza would be like in a world slightly better than our own. With normal service set to resume James Lowe has a full list of dinners to book between shifts. ‘I know we’ll be able to eat indoors soon, but I’m really looking forward to eating outdoors – The River Café and Rochelle Canteen are top of the list at the moment. There are very few places to eat outdoors in London that are in a nice setting. Lunch at Rochelle and an early evening at the Caff are two of my favourite things in London.’ Rochelle is folded into a small corner of converted school grounds in Shoreditch. Chef Margot Henderson serves un-fussy and totally delicious British dishes to local foodies and off duty chefs.
‘I’d also love to make a trip up to Scotland and go see Pam [Brunton] at Inver again, I had a fantastic dinner up there a couple of years ago. Would be a nice opportunity to stop in at Two Eight Seven bakery in Glasgow by Anna and Sam Luntley on the way too.’ Inver was awarded the newly minted Michelin Green Star in this year’s guide for their locally focused menu. They’re open to the public from the 20th of May. ‘I’m also looking forward to Planque opening in Haggerston alongside a second site from The Sea, The Sea team.
These are the sorts of small openings that continue to make east London one of the best areas for restaurants in London.’ Planque marks a new venture for Seb Meyers, lately of P Franco in Clapton, and is set to be an eatery/member’s club/den of natural wine drinking. The Sea, The Sea is London’s best Iris Murdoch referencing fishmonger-come-restaurant. Its finish-at-home offerings are still available and well worth a look. James is the hungriest boy that was contacted for this article. Good on him.
Lyles on Shoreditch High Street is currently taking bookings. You can still get ASAP Pizza from Flor on Bedale Street, in person or via Deliveroo, and definitely should.
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