Great meal here. Staff were very attentive and happy to answer any questions to give recommendations. Food all very well prepared with combinations of ingredients I would never have thought of. Expensive but very enjoyable, and worth the price considering the quality of the food.
Located in an old smokehouse, the bar and restaurant have a suitably industrial feel. We got great seats across from the pass so we could see the action in the kitchen. The service was good, the food very good. We had potted pork and sardines for entree, for a main I ate a restaurant speciality, the lamb faggots (offal meatballs) with smashed peas and a delicious onion gravy. They were delicious. Am old school trifle finished proceedings, we enjoyed our experience very much. 4.5 stars
I walked right past St John when I was wandering the back streets of Smithfield, such was the unassuming facade of the restaurant. With it’s roller shutter pulled down, the pub looked just like all of the other semi industrial businesses that help make Smithfield one of the more interesting locations in London.
The food here is very well made and delicious - the whole offal thing doesn't come off as a gimmick but rather a more varied menu, which was great. Service was casual but professional - I think the waiters were also the chefs which was great because you can ask them allergen device directly.
My first dining in this restaurant but for sure its not my last. I had memorable moments . Communicative staff and everything was perfect .
Food was good
A very simple decor, makes you feel this must be a hidden gem for foodies and you anticipate something extraordinary. Food was good indeed, but nothing that swept me off my feet. I really enjoyed my starter of crispy grouse while the duck for main was way too undercooked for my taste. It was served rare and I wasn't asked how I like my duck and it would've been pink. The desert of bread pudding was good but again way too sweet for me. We were a party of 5 and everyone seemed to enjoy their food and St Johns clearly values the quality. It just wasn't necessarily my cup of tea. Service was ok even though slow at times, atmosphere lively. My main point of criticism though is the exclusively French wine list. We ended up having a bottle of there house claret which was ok but £30 is the cheapest you pay. I know i can get a much better quality wine from outside of France for this money, and this is reason enough for me not to go back.
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Dubbed "the most influential chef of the last two decades" by Anthony Bourdain, chef Fergus Henderson is best know for his use of offal and other off-cuts in harmony with his philosophy of nose-to-tail cooking. It's not "concept" - the restaurant is minimalist and functional with bare wall and very little decor, but gives an authentic and cosy atmosphere. I loved that we could see into the kitchen and see the dishes be plated from our table. They have a beautiful selection of French wines and an ever-changing food menu.
To start, I had the iconic roast bone marrow with parsley salad and homemade sourdough bread - "a dish that if you've eaten it anywhere it's very likely because they did it here first". For the main course I had the poached rabbit with summer vegetables and aioli. Both dishes were exceptional and go far beyond the expectation of a meal. It's not good that is also art - it's authentic and pleasing. Flavours are bold and perfectly paired. St John is simply an epic experience.
Recently returned for a quick lunch. Service and food was fantastic. I had the Vension special - a very generous and hearty portion served with roasted plums. My friend had the mackerel, which was delicately cooked and light. Both pictured below.
Food And Drinks Noob
+3.5
Opened by the legendary chef Fergus Henderson, a British pioneer in championing nose-to-tail cooking, St John's style of cooking takes a no nonsense approach
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
St John Bar & Restaurant is a bit of a holy grail. A 'whitewashed ex-smokehouse where Fergus Henderson pioneered the resurgent interest in offal dishes', you'll find it on the edges of Smithfields Market. The ideal place to source the ingredients for the nose-to-tail cooking you'll find on the ever-changing menu. They release the menu an hour or so before each service so you'll never be sure what you'll be offered but I think this is all part of the charm. No prior planning permitted.
Our table was for 9.15 on a Saturday night and, as you can imagine from a Michelin starred restaurant, it was super bustling with diners in for the long haul. That's not to say the service isn't efficient, the all-in-white wait staff are attentive for the most part but ours was definitely having a bad day - no smiles, no explanations and a lot of stalking around the room.
The no frills restaurant looks stark and functional on Google images but at night, it's almost cosy with the lights down low and tables tucked around the walls. The couple across from us barely exchanged two words all evening, keeping their noses in that day's paper and its crossword - well-seasoned St John goers, for sure.
But enough about that, onto the food. For some inexplicable reason (which may or may not be down to the cheese and champagne we'd consumed a few hours earlier), we decided to stick to the smaller plates rather than dive into the larger dishes. The diners around us who did order them were served vast plates of food, so definitely a place to come to sate your appetite. Instead, we started off with the roasted bone marrow and toast with parsley salad. Four enormous bones arrived and we bent to the task, eking out the rich and gooey marrow which was perfectly offset by the piquancy of the herbs.
Next to arrive was the brown crabmeat on toast. Forget pretty plates here, this place is all about the hearty and letting nothing go to waste. The sweet meat was slathered thickly onto sourdough, seasoned and squeezed with lemon and brought to the table. Another rich and flavoursome dish.
The other two dishes we chose divided opinion. Or mostly my opinion because I backed out of my promise to try the snails. Already shelled and nestled in the salad, I couldn't bring myself to try them this time so P got the spoils and devoured them all greedily. I instead focused on the octopus salad with a citrus dressing, and meaty chunks of tentacle. More my kind of thing.
The buzz was infectious, the flavours good and proper but I was a little disappointed by our waitress. But, with just a few small plates, we definitely didn't do St John complete justice and I think we'll have to give sister restaurant Bread & Wine a try.
The restaurant was highly recommended by several friends that visit it few years back.
The venue look comfortable and with an easy layout. Service reflects the same, genuine.
Food was great. We started with parsley salad and bone marrows followed by pork-chop and grilled Ox heart served wth an amazing horseradish and artichoke sauce.
We decided and opted for 3 desserts, all reach and tasty just what I was looking for at the end of a great meal.
Me like it, a must!
Amazing experience, the food was incredible and so well thought out, not like anywhere else you can eat in London. For such a high end place, it did not have a snooty atmosphere, it wasn’t bad prices and the staff were so lovely.
My husband and I started off with the bone marrow, razor clams and potted beef, all of which were incredible. We then had the crispy pork cheek, which was very rich but tasty, and kid kidneys which were divine. We then finished off with a very generous portion of treacle dessert. Paired with their house red which was delicious!
I couldn’t recommend enough, probably the best meal I have ever had!
We arrived on a Tuesday for lunch. It was packed but we had a reservation.
We started with some bread and butter and then moved on to the bone marrow with parsley salad. It was very good but beware: you’ll spill food on your clothes! Very tasty ox tongue with beetroot and horseradish. We also had the grilled lamb heart which was amazing and surprising.
There was an interesting day special: greens and pig cheeks.
St John has a wonderful service. The vibe is great and relaxed, many tables seemed to be having a great time. You can either visit for a serious elegant work meeting, a birthday party or just an unexpected informal lunch.
Best to make a reservation as the restaurant fills up by about 1pm, although you can still sit in the bakery area. The bone marrow is definitely something to order, and the turbot fish is really good too. The rarebit was a little heavy with the rest of the meal but it’s a good one. The pig’s tongue was something many tables ordered and worth a try too.
Incredible! Wonderful food wonderful service. You're missing out if you don't eat here. The bone marrow was superb, you wouldn't want to miss out on the hare either. The apricot sorbet with vodka worked much better than it sounds.
A perfect meal. Elevated, comforting flavours using great produce treated with care and not overfussed. The brill special of the day was exceptional as well as the date loaf with butterscotch sauce. Staff were helpful and friendly and the vibe of the restaurant is welcoming and tasteful. Highly recommend.
Great food! Snails are a must try for starter, bone marrow was okay imo, I had tried tastier ones in Asia. We had the Ox Cheek and Saddleback for our main and loved them!
Good atmosphere, got busy quickly and the gentleman waiting on us was excellent, experienced, poise and gave us enough attention.
Birthday lunch at St John’s today was par excellence! All the dishes were perfectly presented and expertly cooked . The Welsh rarebit was and bone marrow were finger licking good. The bread pudding and pavlova with berry compote was heaven .
I stumbled into here with a mate who had done some research and ended up having a dexter steak that was the BEST steak of my entire life. I literally thanked all the chefs like I was a fan at a music concert. The vibe is sensational for fans of unpretentious nose to tail eating. If I half closed my eyes I could have been in a war time field kitchen. It's banging our some of the best food with impeccable wines and service. Couldn't reccomend enough
Wonderful lunch, some hits and misses but generally the food is good.
Since they are a bakery I’d have expected bread to be warm when they serve but it wasn’t.
Sauces for salad are repeat in different dishes
Must book ahead as they seem to be quite popular.
Good experience, glad I'd tasted the bone marrow, super duper delicious, the food was a bit salty for me for some dishes, but will recommend y'all, at least try it once.
The wine is also great.
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