Daniel Tenner
Nice food presentation, though.. I thought it looked a bit dry, but actually it tastes really great. All the dishes were appreciated by our party of 7, who was served promptly over lunch. The vegan dishes that I ate were very tasty for sure. The atmosphere is a bit loud but fun. Toilets are two stairs up.
Definitely a good place. Happy we chose to eat there.
luislukas
Great restaurant in between of a casual dining and fine dining. Food greatly prepared, very tasty and perfectly cooked. Deserts were amazing. As starters we went for the aubergine and pig checks - both delicious, very mellow and full of flavours. Mains were steak and lamb and we weren't disappointed. Cooked medium but we were asked if it was ok. Service was great as well.
verna.banana
Great brunch in an old house with creaky floors and tons of character. Needed to book reaaaally in advance but the food was great. Had the slow cooked lamb egg benedict, my friends had the eggs benedict with miso mushroom, and also the sambal prawn omelette, which were also fantastic. The pancakes were also to die for, defo a place to add to your brunch list!
Gina Lloyd
The Modern Pantry is quality food and quality ingredients. It's your basic brunch dishes with a few inventive ideas thrown in. There are plenty of options for anyone - sweet, savory, vegetarian, etcetera.
I usually order the prawn omelette, as I did at brunch today. It's an elegant dish with good flavor, and a tad spicy (but not if you eat spicy curries with ease). Today was a little of a miss; the omelette was runny.
If you go for brunch, ORDER THE BRUNCH SPECIAL. You get a sample of everything. It's £19.50 per person, but if another person orders something light it's enough for two.
The restaurant itself is nice, bright, and airy. It's a long, narrow room and very packed. I'm not sure if I'd go back on the weekend since it's so packed - if you're sitting away from the window - you'll get bumped into constantly - and that makes a difference. It's not comfortable to sit there.
The first picture is part of the brunch special and the second is of the prawn omelette.
Ling Lin
Super delicious prawn omelette and chicken. The desserts, on the other hand, were not that impressive. Overall a good brunch place and friendly staff.
Nawar
Beautiful casual neighborhood restaurant in Clerkenwell. The brunch/breakfast here is great - good selection of food. Service is always friendly, and coffee is yummy. While there's lots of small tables/ sharing tables on the ground floor, there's also more seating available upstairs for big groups.
H SC
Really yummy food!! The omelette was the best on the brunch menu. The rose lemonade is very pink (very pretty) and the staff are absolute babe
I-Jean Khoo
Came here on a sunny day and the outside was quite full, but we got a table inside where it was quieter. We tried the sugar cured prawn omelette, which was excellent (esp with the sambal), and the grilled miso and tamarind steak, which we found a little tough but the flavours were good. Would have loved to try their brunch menu.
William
Excellent mid afternoon meal. The chef has a wonderful touch with taste and texture, combining flavours from the east and west with skill and consideration. Very polite service from all the staff helps to provide a relaxed environment.
Sav V
Went here today with no reservation. We have been sat directly at a nice table by a polite host and have been also served by a super nice waitress. The food was absolutely delicious as well as the prosecco and Bellini we had for the start. The space is bright and all white and also has a very nice terrace with a couple of tables outside.
Would go again!
F P
Unique & delicious menu items and exceptional service. Visited last year with a more extensive menu. This place is now a firm favourite !
Mai Yassin
Delicious food and friendly staff. Service was a bit slow and portions kind of small. Would say a bit overpriced but overall would recommend.
Eva
Beautiful, bright space over two floors. I went there for brunch to catch up with friends. On weekends they offer a brunch deal which includes a hot drink, juice, fruit salad and a main. It was really tasty. I also love the interior of The Modern Pantry. The one thing I noticed was that the music was playing really loud where we were sat, which was a bit much especially for brunch. I would definitely check it out though. A booking is definitely required on weekends.
Saurabh Pandya
Some of the best, and most unique breakfasts in London. And if you want something lighter, get the tonka hazelnut twice baked croissant. As you’d expect from a Kiwi establishment, the coffee is excellent.
Rachel Clemo
Great place for brunch. Wide range of options going beyond the usual avocado on test e.g. Ricotta pancakes and tea smoked salmon. Book a table in advance if you want to be seated outside although you can probably walk on at close to opening time for seating indoors.
Marc Antoine Spriet
Exceptional brunch! The service is great and we did not wait a long time.
We can feel the food is fresh! A good spot for a quick break from center London.
Sisi Kim
Definitely one of my favourite weekend brunching places! The menu changes seasonally, which makes the food there guaranteed fresh! Colourful and aromatic foods to have a catch up with friends over👌🏻 Reservation is a must to avoid disappointment!
Priyanshu
he pub crawl was so much fun and you get so much for so little money! The clubs were great& we met many new people. Wouldn’t have had half as much without our tour leader Samantha. She was the sweetest, told us many insider tips and definitely knew how to party! For sure gonna do this pub crawl again and hoping that Samantha is gonna be there again 😍 I can only recommend this!!
RaphaEspíritoSanto
Amazing place in London. I love the food. can’t wait to come back here again. Congratulations to the staff.
Adhith Rajesh
Stopped in here for a quick breakfast. Staff were very friendly and attentive. The menu selection is great and very reasonably priced for a central London location. The service was quick. Recommended!
FoOdZoNe
The modern pantry is the best place to hang out with friends and family its a perfect place with great ambience and sorrounding is mind blowing
Tejas Kadam
The modern pantry is a British casual dining restaurant in clerkenwell.<br/><br/>Menu variety was delicious and we had a hard time choosing our meal. Best items - quail eggs, Greek yoghurt, lamb, tea, prawns
Maria João Nunes
Lovely place for breakfast post night shifts. Delicious options on the menu. Located very centrally. Good service for a always busy place. I recommend!
Vaneesa
We went there for brunch on a nice sunny day. They let us sit in for because we didn’t have any reservations, which was nice. I guess.<br/>However, the food was a disappointment. Our waiter was not approachable, and every time he came he banged everything on the table. The food was mediocre - served cold.
Martin Brophy MBE
Booked a special £27.50 pp afternoon tea treat with bubbles at the Modern Pantry, for our anniversary. They insist when booking on a cc because it’s all created especially for you and they will charge £10 pp for no shows. <br/><br/>On arrival they said we had no booking, the manager came and said it had been booked on the wrong day. Have a seat by the bar with a glass of bubbles while I sort this out. Your in luck the chef can knock something up for you. Whops no sorry, no bubbles just water, no making us feel special or cared about. We said we did not feel the love and would not stay. Oh of-course I’m sorry came too late - really? them why didn’t you say that from the start. <br/><br/>Poor service, badly handled, if you are booking insist they email a confirmation or risk them getting it wrong and telling you it’s your fault. <br/><br/>We know when our anniversary is thank you, Modern Pantry got it wrong and did not really take responsibility! Been before nice place but not this time..
Sammijoknows
The Modern Pantry is indeed modern. Very clean, white and minimalist. You could say that of the clientelle too. It's a bit of the clerkenwell clique here. Modern late 30's types with a good income wanting ecclectic cuisine. I say that because there is no set formula in the menu. No common thread aside from it offering up a mix of incohesive ingredients for its dishes. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as if you take the risk and its a win, the bravo. But somehow I can also see where this could go wrong as you just dont know what to expect. I, not so dirty, black and the opposite of minimalist enjoyed my visit. It was certainly an education.
Donutsam
It doesn’t look it at first instance but the Modern Pantry lives up its “modern” moniker. It offers an inventive menu with worldly flavours and contrasting influences. However, I didn’t quite enjoy my experience at The Modern Pantry as much as I was expecting. That’s not to say it was an unpleasant one. The very interesting menu didn’t deliver the wow in the food, and the service was rather slow. I booked in for a weekday dinner catchup, and The Modern Panty is in a nice spot in a quieter part of Clerkenwell. The space is light and airy, perfect for brunch (and that’s where they may shine). The evening menu is seasonal and ever-evolving. I had a sort of vegetarian quinoa risotto with silverbeet, vegetables and a fried shell. It sounded fine on paper, but seems a little wacky in retrospect. It’s a fusion that ended up feeling like it had muddied flavours, without any single element being memorable. Service was warm and friendly over our time but there was a delay between starter and main that mildly irked. It’s a nice, relaxed setting at The Modern Pantry but I wouldn’t mind the fusion flavours calming down a bit.
Feedmepls
Came just in time for brunch, arriving at 3.55 pm. Ordered the sweet corn waffle with maple bacon and avocado on the side. Was tasty but I couldn't taste any maple in the bacon, and I found the waffle a little too sweet. Also had a matcha latte on the side, which I found was not as smooth as it should have been. Would probably come back every now and then as I live in the area, but not otherwise.
Barbara
Lunch at The Modern Pantry was nice but not special. We were sat at the bar and were completely forgotten about by the waiter so service was patchy at best. The bread selection came without one of items mentioned and without a substitution. The corn fritters were the best part of the meal yet a bit on the undercooked side. The taleggio arancini had barely any rice in them and were very greasy and their sauce was cold. Both salads were nice. Overall lunch was enjoyable but we won't rush back.
Huiminshere
Went for brunch and had the pumpkin waffle. It was surprisingly good! But the egg benedicts with smoked salmon my friend had tasted quite fishy. Good ambience and service. It's definitely worth a visit
Lucy Makinson
One of the best brunches I've had in London. I've only been mid-week and I can imagine it's more cramped at the weekend, but the food is both an interesting change (I had the sugar-cured prawn omelette with sambal) and completely delicious. The space is lovely with lots of natural light and very airy, and the service was both efficient and friendly. I recommend Modern Pantry to friends a lot, and just wish it was easier to get a table at the weekends. Sadly I'm not the only one who loves it.
Charlyn Cruz
Classic brunch with a few lovely twists! I had the tea smoked salmon benedict (with yuzu hollandaise!) and the pannacotta for pudding. All were done extraordinarily well. Service was friendly too. I'd certainly come back to try some of the other dishes!
Kojo London
Modern Pantry exemplifies my most chronic case of 'foodie inertia' till date. What is 'foodie inertia' you ask? It is a phenomenon that usually occurs in large cities with thousands of restaurants. One says "Oh I really want to eat at that place!" Months go by - sometimes years - and you still haven't eaten at 'that place'. Modern Pantry has been on my restaurant list since I started this blog about three years ago (yeah I know). For some reason, there was never the right time, the right weather, or the right crowd to pay a visit. But finally, one glorious Sunday afternoon after a fun night out, the opportunity to eat here finally presented itself. I had the pleasure of dining here with the usual suspects, MRG and Valentino, in addition to a Mr Han.
Isabelle Brt
It's a nice place for brunch. The food was very good. I had scrambled eggs halloumi and mushrooms and everything was fresh and well cooked. Good price quality! (15 pp)
Ray Kazan
The place is extremely modern. It offers Fusion cooking. While I am not a fan of this cuisine, the result was fairly good. None of the items in the menu is everyday food, but it is worth trying.
Sarahtt
Dishes were small but tasty. Had the eggs which tasted a bit Malaysian and it was really delicious ! Coffee was also good! Someone next to us ate a salmon egg Benedict I believe and it looked really nice! Recommend to book early
Richard Elliot
It was memorable for the waiting staff that looked after us and the rather amusing man at a nearby table. We started off with a waiter who couldn't exactly be described as enthusiastic. Happily he was replaced by a very friendly waitress who was much more engaging and interested in us having a good time. She happily explained dishes to us so and even bought an ingredient out to our table so that we could see and taste it. The contrast couldn't have been more stark.
Siobhan Brunwin
Eight of us went here on a busy Saturday morning to celebrate our friends 30th with a birthday brunch. The modern pantry is beautiful, set in a scenic square in Clerkenwell, all white washed walls and stylish staff. The service here is impeccable, they couldn't do enough and we even arranged for a cake to me made for our friends birthday, which was amazing (though more of a dessert then a cake!). Everyone enjoyed their brunch, I opted for the eggs Royale with tea smoked salmon and yuzu hollandaise, it was very nice, in particular I loved the macadamia and pistachio crumbs which added a nice crunch but the muffin was a bit too dense and chewy for my likely. It was a lovely, pretty plate of food which I would happily eat again but I was not wowed. The food isn't badly priced but the drinks are pricey, a bottle of procecco was £32 which even by Londons standards is pricey. A great place for a special occasion and a lovely brunch spot but not the best I've had!
Kingy
Great place in Clerkenwell for brunch (now with a few tables outside to hopefully bask in the sun...). I had the sourdough toast with 3 handmade jams which were delicious and a side of bacon and my friend ordered the scrambled eggs with chorizo, which was very tasty. The two meals with a drink each came to around £30. Recommend.
Thetastylamb
The tapas style starters really are amazing. We shared ‘Okra, Feta and Turmeric fritters, currant compote, Greek yoghurt’ and ‘Chorizo scotched quail eggs, green pepper relish’. The aromatic flavours made my mouth water and the combination of the ingredients worked well. The yolk of the quail eggs was cooked perfectly and the flavoursome chorizo went well with simpleness of quail egg and the freshness of the relish.
American In London
Last week, a friend sent me this Evening Standard review about the Modern Pantry , which just opened in Clerkenwell. I liked the review's invocation of Fergus Henderson (if you're a fan of pig, you know what I'm talk
Hebac04
To eat: poached eggs, smoked salmon on a muffin, shakshuka, cassava waffles with pineapple and cream....the poached eggs, smoked salmon on a muffin, which was simple and tasty although could be done with more sauce?! The shakshuka, however, was a let down as the eggs had been overcooked and ruined the whole dish (although the flavours were great). The star of the show ...
Vialaporte
A highlight in Farringdon, tucked between Bistrot Bruno Loubet and Granger & Co is The Modern Pantry; a well-known brunch destination. However, The Modern Pantry isn’t just for the daytime. It offers good quality cooking throughout the day. Behind the “fourneau”.....
Sober N Starving
What: Brunch at a British Restaurant and Bar<br/><br/>Where: Clerkenwell, Farringdon<br/><br/>Value: £25pp<br/><br/>Food Review: To eat: poached eggs, smoked salmon on a muffin, shakshuka, cassava waffles with pineapple and cream. To drink: Jasmine and Apple Iced Tea, Orange Juice. The drinks came first, freshly squeezed orange juice and cold apple tea (jasmine was perhaps too delicate a flavour and was missed out). Next the poached eggs, smoked salmon on a muffin, which was simple and tasty although could be done with more sauce?! The shakshuka, however, was a let down as the eggs had been overcooked and ruined the whole dish (although the flavours were great). The star of the show were the cassava waffles, never would have thought of this combo with a sweet yet cream topping - delicious!<br/><br/>Settings: Set of busy Old Street, in a pretty square, Modern Pantry almost has a countryside feel to it with its old school charm set in a little quaint English town. The inside is simple and represents the style of the name of the restaurant, Modern Pantry.<br/><br/>Halal: No<br/><br/>Drinks: Apple Iced Tea/Flat White<br/><br/>Positives: Great service, nice surroundings<br/><br/>Negatives: slightly overcooked eggs, not wow!<br/><br/>Word Review: simplistic, modern twist<br/>
Johnelie Haddad
Went on a Sunday for the brunch, it was one of the best brunches I ever had, everything was delicious. I strongly recommend the "Sweetcorn, feta, green chilli & curry leaf waffles, with smoked bacon". <br/>It is better to book a table, to avoid the wait.
JS
Service lacking. London has been overwhelmed in recent years by fine casual dining spots which are open for the entire day. Many of these are run by Australians and New Zealanders and there is a particularly high concentration of these places in Farringdon and Clerkenwell. They are welcoming, friendly and flexible, with excellent and innovative food. It is a new style of high end, casual dining which London has been missing. Why do I mention this? Because Modern Pantry, for all the finery of its food and décor and its desire to compete in the same niche, has truly appalling service. I operate a business which is twenty metres away from this restaurant so I have been to the Modern Pantry frequently. The front of house manager generally greets his guests with a face like he is sucking a lemon, even though I have been to this restaurant on at least 20 occasions this year for its convenience. If you are attempting to have a coffee or breakfast meeting and you have no booking, the staff will brusquely tell you to leave rather than make space on one of the many empty tables. Indeed, about ten days ago, I had a breakfast meeting scheduled at MP for 8am. I arrived at 7.58am and the staff would not let me enter, making me wait outside in the freezing cold until after 8. They informed me that they were not yet open. On another occasion, I discovered a large worm in my spinach. I was not charged but then I wasn't offered a replacement either. I had to ask for it and after some grumbling and groaning, they did so. <br/><br/>The bottom line is that this is an establishment where the staff are cold, surely and they project total disinterest in building up a relationship with its regulars and the business owners nearby. The phrase 'too cool for school' springs to mind. This contrasts with other nearby places like Workshop or Bistro Bruno Loubet across the road, which are delightful and friendly with equally good food. A real shame that really good food, made by clearly talented chefs, is ruined by a cold and unwelcoming front of house team.
Danielle Marie
I had an amazing breakfast here today- ricotta pancakes with poached rhubarb and a passion fruit smoothie. Delicious, satisfying. Great friendly service.
L'appetito
Unusual & Interesting. The Modern Pantry is an interesting place. The food is internationally influenced where you'll find items like sashimi, mozzarella, sambal, chicken liver pate & poached rhubarb all on one menu, just to name a few. On the ground floor is a well turned out café - relaxed & comfortable, light & airy. Upstairs is a dining room with a restaurant menu. The Modern Pantry is bestowed a Bib Gourmand by Michelin 2009, which means you can eat a good 3-course meal with a glass of wine for £28 and under.<br/><br/>We had brunch at the ground floor café on a Saturday. Glad we made a booking as it was quite busy and obviously popular. Tables are available outside on a warm, sunny day, as shown in the photos. The brunch menu is on a page of A4 and along side breakfast favourites like croissants, eggs, toast & porridge are more interesting flavours like the sugar cured prawn omelette with smoked chilli sambal - a fairly sized, well cooked runny omelette filled with plump, sweet prawns enforced by a mellow sambal that added depth to the whole dish. This was very enjoyable and we appreciated the thought & execution in combining the sweet prawns with the tamarind hinted sambal relish. <br/><br/>A salad of grilled (ala plancha) squid, carrot & endive also went down very well - the squid well seasoned and finely cooked, not at all rubbery. The highlight was the wonderfully balanced dressing with basil, mint & sweet chilli. Some frosted peanuts provided additional texture. Less successful was the rhubarb, banana, kiwi, mango, pineapple and grapefruit salad, lemon verbena syrup - seasonal rhubarb sat on top of some dice fruits was surprisingly uninspiring considering the early dishes. We felt this was a sad attempt at a fruit salad. Perhaps a cream or yogurt element would have made it less boring.<br/><br/>Toast was thinly sliced and crispy; we couldn't get enough of the brown variety, which had some Nigella seeds, I believe, in them. Orange juice was freshly squeezed on-site, grapefruit juice was squeezed off-site, coffee was ok. Service was pleasant & efficient. I'll be back for more of this unusual & interesting food. It's neither cheap nor over-priced but I do feel that what you pay for is good quality ingredients, carefully cooked by a skillful kitchen.
Ben Maritz
Great for a good weeknight dinner. Great little spot, with nice decor and tasty food. The "fusionness" of the food is sometimes a little off (mint in a seaweed salad was just not working) but sometimes spot on (star anise in a carrot soup...mmmm....)<br/><br/>Overall a really pleasant place with enough friendly hipster waiters to make a brooklynite feel at home. Bill for two with a glass of wine each came to £70.
Dr Richard
What's in store:. I must say I am not out for dinner as much as in the old days. And, I do like the times out to be good - a s a result. <br/><br/>Modern Pantry certainly delivers. Up in Sheng's manor, this is a very good looking venue - upstairs in a very chic dining room aswell.<br/>The carte is also worth congratulating. We had dinner for 4 and were late, of course. No problem (it was Tuesday!) Excellent, innovative but still solid menu. I had an excellent rabbit chili and all the other plates were on the mark. Staff were put up with out hot air also (we do not get out so much).<br/><br/>Go there!
Glutopia
Excellent food, nice restaurant, waiters know all about the pretend ingredients. Very good coffee. Good all round actually. Will be back. Absolutely. Fabulous.
Thecitygourmand
This time around, my café/restaurant to do list had ballooned out to colossal proportions. Patiently waiting, The Modern Pantry had been hanging in there since 2012 - it was a long time coming. Anna Hansen and her team's modern diner flickered on my radar with their take on delicious seasonal eating. Luckily during this trip I found myself in Clerkenwell time and time again. The lure of coffee most certainly had something to do with it. Pretty as a picture, right? Hands down, dessert of the trip i.e. perfection on slate. The blood orange curd tart that pulverises the competition, seriously. This café definitely signals the good things to come for London. reminiscent of Bills for it's all-day dining versatility, Modern Pantry prides itself on a menu that changes daily reflecting the best produce on offer. Speaking of which, the menu is a complete tome with a 2 course daily special also on offer. Several visits are probably in order, or just show up with a big bunch of friends so you
Hungerjams
I've admired the Modern Pantry from afar a few times whilst wandering around Clerkenwell, which is becoming an increasingly hip part of London for food and drink types to head for. The coffee was strong, the service was fast, food was all very good and we both left absolutely stuffed for just under £40. The addition of fruit or vegetables to each course at least made these feel healthy and as a very late slightly hungover breakfast this absolutely kept me going until dinner time which is all I could ask. If I worked locally it’d be my spot of choice for meetings and breakfast which can often be a meal that’s difficult to inject life into – they really cracked it with the menu seeming both reassuringly familiar but with an injection of their own personality.
Yvanne
I liked that the staff were very friendly but not in your face, always willing to help out with your queries but also knowingly not to bother you especially in my case as I was obviously still waiting for my friends to arrive.
Wrap Your Lips Around This
Festive cheer is hewn into the menu with steaming cinnamon cocktails whizzed through ground aromatics, chocolate orange twists to a espresso martini and pumpkin and gingerbread puddings with pomegranate molasses.
LunchinKB
I get the fried egg on mince and my cousin has the eggs Benedicts. It's ok. My dish has far too much mince relative to the one small (possibly organic) lightly fried egg on top. The menu had indicated it would be Asian fuelled; but it was neither sweet nor spicy. I am thinking it perhaps had a pretty shoddy oyster sauce behind the sort of bland and almost overcooked experiment. But I was far too underwhelmed to vcare.
Littleladyeats
I’m looking for an excuse to go back for lunch or dinner – I’m sure it won’t take much. Until then, I’ll give The Modern Pantry top LLE marks for brunch and wish the delightful waiters a very happy weekend.
Bub Chinpilas
St John Square is filled with places to eat. One such place that is renown and fill with great expectations for delicious food is at The Modern Pantry. The Modern Pantry is a restaurant that embody the philosophy of the desire to please and excite the palate through the use of modern ingredients and everyday cooking. Lead by the talented Anna Hansen MBE and Head Chef Rob McLeary. The breakfast here works on the classics but with a true Modern Pantry twist. So I order the intriguing and alluring tea smoked salmon on toasted muffin topped with poached eggs and yuzu hollandaise (£9.5) This was flawless and utterly delicious. The yuzu adds a wonderful citrusy and refreshing unique fragrance to the hollandaise that enriches the sauce perfectly. The tea lifted up the salmon perfectly make it savoury and delicious. A must have when here. Also for a light side dish, a mix fruit salad with lime and rose water (£6.5) and a cup of fresh orange juice (£3) com
Drifting Epicure
From a heavy starter to a heavy main. I guess this is a version of Sunday roast minus the Yorkshire pudding. I wasn’t very impressed by the lamb but the rest was good. A homely and robust plate of food. Good but nothing more.
HungryBee Maija
I have been to Modern Pantry once before for dinner, a few years ago, but I was googling best places in London for brunch and it came up so I suggested we go there with my friends Lasma and Luke for brunch. Modern Pantry is located in Clerkenwell, in St John’s Square, which is a great little square and it was so nice to sit outside in this little square in the sun, on the very warm day which we had. Modern Pantry tries to “please and excite the palete by fusing everyday cooking with modern ingredients” which they did achieve during this brunch. I found the menu very exciting. It had cool alcoholic cocktails (like the passion fruit Bellini Lasma was drinking), exciting looking mixed juices and smoothies, pastries, yoghurt and granola type of breakfast, cooked breakfast and also lunch dishes. We all chose to have something from their cooked breakfa
S Marks The Spots
Love the brunch menu. Both the food and service are consistently good, so I keep coming back. Their eggs royale with tea smoked salmon are a must-try!
Jeanne-Marie B
This week end I went for a brunch with friends at The Modern Pantry on St John Square in Clerkenwell. The restaurant is spread across 3 floors in a lovely Georgian House. Atmosphere is nice and friendly. They served healthy breakfast and brunch. You can see their menus HERE . All dishes were pleasant and delicious , especially the raspberry pancakes, good texture and very tasty with raspberry inside. I had a lovely time, I will definitely come back there to try the rest of their brunch menu. Ce weekend je suis allée bruncher avec des amis au Modern Pantry sur St John place à Clerkenwell. Le restaurant est sur 3 étages dans une charmante maison géorgienne. L'atmosphère est agréable et amicale. Ils servent des petits-déjeuners et brunch sain et équilibré. Vous pouvez voir leurs menus ICI . Tous les plats étaient bons et délicieux, surtout les pancakes aux framboises, ils avaient une texture parfaite et étaient très gouteux avec les framboises à l'intérieur. J'ai passé un exce
SexDrugsandBaconRolls
The panacotta was light and satisfying though not unique or memorable but the crumble was really luxurious though rather filling after the other two courses.
Amy Lau
Expectations were high as Anna Hansen spent her early years under the fine tutelage of Fergus Henderson, Peter Gordon & Stephanie Alexander. The Modern Pantry is the perfect example of fusion cuisine done with finesse and intellect. There are flavour combinations you wouldn't expect to work, but do.
Foodstinct
The Modern Pantry is a restaurant, café and deli situated in the heart of ultra urbane Clerkenwell, St Johns Square. The restaurant is quite excellent, with MBE awarded restaurateur Anna Hansen at the helm. As well as lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, they serve brunch and breakfast, every day of the week in a bustling, bright and very comfortable space. Modern pantry’s breakfast range from classy classics (like this, haloumi, spinach, tomatoes and poachies) through to more adventurous, often fusion choices. The Modern Pantry brings it’s restaurants’ exotic and refreshingly innovative approach to food to their excellent café brunch menu. Although meaty, the rendang mince on toast with lime dressing, or the Tea smoked salmon give you an idea of how they combine local classics with international influences. Very good coffee and refined service. The Modern Pantry does breakfast on weekdays 8-11 and a leisurely brunch from 8 on Saturday and 9 on Sunday. 47-48 St John’s Square, EC1V 4JJ. Pho
What Joanna Ate
Their brunch menu has got some really interesting items above the usual egg-based things – including a prawn and spring onion omelette with smoked chilli sambal, and rendang mince on toast. The raspberry and ricotta pancakes with berry compote and crème fraiche looked beautiful, and I will try to recreate at home in the meantime before I next go back. Maybe I'll pick up a croissant for my Dad then too.
Karisa
All of the flavors worked well together, with the saltiness of the cheese, the acidity of the tomatoes and the creaminess of the eggs.
FoodiesontheProwl
Visiting the Modern Pantry is like visiting your favourite aunt’s place who loves to feed you with unusual and tasty food combinations. The kind of aunt that loves taking care of you (much to the envy of your own mum) and who always makes you feel right at home by creating some great tasting dishes. The Modern Pantry is located on the very quaint St. John’s square near some other very good dining venues such as Sushi Tetsu and Bistrot Bruno Loubet . We’d been to the Modern Pantry once before and were surprised at how good it was. We were therefore very excited to pay them another visit and try out some more of their dishes. Smoothies Anna Hansen is at the helm at the Modern Pantry (previously Providores) and during our previous visit we noticed that one of her distinctive cooking styles is that she likes to create surprising, but delicious food combinations that are best described as ‘eclectic comfort food’. The interior of Modern Pantry is rather neutral, but also ver
Lisa Holmen
The staff were friendly and polite but a little too formal for breakfast for my liking. Coming from Melbourne I prefer brunch more on the laid back side, opting for jeans on a Sunday rather than dress with strappy sandals. They bustled around gracefully, perfectly presented and manicured with cute little white aprons.
Maya
I'm sure I'll return to The Modern Pantry soon - there's so many dishes I still haven't tried, and for a relaxed weekend brunch (or a weekday breakfast if you're lucky), it really is hard to beat.<br/>
Sarah
What I like most about The Modern Pantry is its ability to take ingredients native to opposite ends of the world and incorporate them in one unique and well-executed brunch menu. I greatly prefer it to the brunch menu at Hansen’s previous project, The Providores, where some of the combinations (Grilled Chorizo with Sweet Potato and Miso Mash, for example… I cringed just thinking about it!) don’t work. And, even if you end up hating the food, at least you will get a healthy dose of Vitamin D!
Glutopia
The Modern Pantry is a rather nice Clerkenwell restaurant where everything is white or a darker shade thereof. It is run by Anna Hansen, who is famous in cheffy type circles for being one of the names behind The Providores. The other was Peter Gordon who is now running Kopapa which is very much overrated and not all that delicious. The Modern Pantry is a lot more delicious. Take note Mr Gordon.
Laura
he Modern Pantry isn’t quite an English tea room, not quite a pantry, not quite rustic, not quite modern. In truth, it’s a twist of all four and honestly reminds me of a contemporary version of my grandmother’s own pantry (with a good polish and shine).<br/>
Dolce Dini
I’ll recommend it, for an innovative menu, great use of ingredients and chaming atmosphere, but I’ll allow you to make your own mind up on this one.
London Tastin
On bright days when the sun is at least half visible, I love spending time at the Modern Pantry. The Georgian townhouse at Clerkenwell has tons of natural lighting shining on white tables spread across 3 floors. In summer, outside seating overlooks the square with lovely sunshine. There is a mixed sense of modern and home here, stairs squeak as you walk up but the relaxed layout and warm colours set a comfortable living room scene that you just want to stay and chat without ever looking at the time. For Sunday brunch, the menu is one of the healthiest in London with modern takes on traditional breakfast. Compared to traditional English breakfast that’s dense and heavy with oil, the plate here is complete with pan-fried haloumi with slow roasted tomatoes and your choice of poached, scrambled or fried eggs. Lovely change to get away from massive dollops of hollandaise
Chompandslurp
...take your date if you want to impress and don’t mind spending a bit. It’s well worth because the food, light and bright atmosphere and the staff are just fantastic. I highly recommend this place if you want to be cheered up from the wintery blasts of wind. London! Why you so cold? BTW….it was the 12th of March. I had a great coffee whilst we waited for the lunch hour. The staff were very accommodating with the Gluten Free aspect and went out of their way to substitute menu items that would suit the dish. I was VERY impressed with that. Za’atar spiced lamb rack, kalonji and potato rosti, cime de rapa, celery and preserved lemon salsa £21.50 ($AU31.40) plus Side of Pink Firpotatoes £3.20 ($AU4.67) This was a fricken unbelievably lush cuisine that such a work of art. I felt reluctant to eat it and took as many pictures as possible because there was no way I was gonna save tidbits wrapped in napkins in my purse. Taking
Dinnerathon.
So what is New Zealand cuisine According to that all-knowing source, Wikipedia, it is " a diverse British based cuisine, with Mediterranean and Pacific Rim influences as the country becomes more cosmopolitan ". So basically a bit of everything. Set up by New Zealand raised Anna Hansen, the Modern Pantry has been pigeon-holed as serving New Zealand cuisine (at least by my proudly Kiwi roommate at work - All Black flags a plenty in my office). But a quick look at the menu shows it is so much more than that. Anna takes a bit of what she likes from around the world and fuses ingredients together to create bold new dishes. We headed along on a Sunday lunchtime, the place packed with mid-twenty something professionals regaling their tales of the night before. The great thing about going at this time, though, is that you can take advantage of the two courses for twenty, three for twenty five, offer. I started with the salmon sashimi and squid ink dressing, delicious. Others had the
That Hungry Chef
We thought that a Japanese Mary would help us decide – what a delicious cocktail, comprising of vodka, yuzu, soy, tabasco, wasabi, szechuan pepper and a sake float.
Bistro Becs
t's a warm space despite it being quite crisp in décor, with black wooden furniture and white, white walls adorned with various pieces of modern art. When I arrived just after 11am the place was already teeming with groups of friends and couples and had a fun yet laid back feel to it.
No Expert
All in all despite a couple of flaws, this is fusion food that really works. We had a very enjoyable meal in a venue I would be happy to return too. With the Modern Pantry and the Bruno Loubets at the Zetter, St Johns Square, Clerkenwell is a developing into quite a foodie enclave, which can only be a good thing.
Yeebot
My neighbour seemed to really enjoy her dish of tea smoked salmon and poached eggs. I was allowed to sample a bit and was instantly quite envious! A very nice balance was struck between strong, smoky salmon and perfectly cooked eggs.
The Food Connoisseur
Anna Hansen from The Modern Pantry personally was on board to cook our breakfast. The first few minutes whilst we were still stationed Anna Hansen introduced us to the menu. Slowly as we were lifted up high to 100ft we began the four-course meal with a passion fruit, turmeric and Manuka honey smoothie.
Laura Nickoll
It's a breath of fresh air amongst the behemoths of modern British food, and deserves a more ardent following than it's currently granted.
Grumblings From A Greedy Girl
...two joining dining rooms, very clean and crisp and minimal. Our table was right by the window and looking out into the London evening,
Kintarasan
Since "discovering" The Modern Pantry thanks to their amazing food at Taste of Christmas last year, I finally went to the restaurant itself to enjoy brunch with Shun. The restaurant is in the heart of Clerkenwell and getting seated on the ground floor it was bright, airy, yet cosy too. I opted for the savoury breakfast of two poached eggs and toast with grilled chorizo, plantain fritter, and slow-roast tomatoes and, because the menu was so tempting, Shun and I also shared a Danish potato & beer waffle , bacon, and maple syrup between us too. Yes, we are gluttonous and proud of it! :D Continuing on that theme we hit up dessert too with Shun trying out the quince & pear crumble with vanilla mascarpone cream and I went for a coconut muscovado meringue , lime, grape fru
Theskinnybib
Anna Hansen is not a newcomer at London's food scene. She, along with Peter Gordon, at the Providores has proved that creatively fused food is not just a novelty, a fad that will die down as time goes by. Yet, while Gordon invaded the West End late last year with the all-day dining cafe Kopapa , Anna has only brought along her Modern Pantry from the exclusive, grand-ish realm of tranquil St John's Sqaure to Soho's buzzing Meza Bar & Restaurant. It is a pop-up, for four weeks only starting March 22nd. Is this timely? No? The starters - Chorizo Scotched Quail Eggs, Prune and Caraway Relish; Chilli Garlic Snails, Chestnut and Nutmeg Puree, Red Veined Sorrel Cress; and Cornish Crab Rarebit - were solid food and much enjoyable. The fat infused heat of crusty Chorizo scotched eggs was nicely cooled by the sweet relish. There was also heat but of a milder and much sweeter nature in the snail dish. Was this chilli Thai in their origin? If not, there was an acute similarity to Thai sweet chilli
Qin Xie
Natural wine finds itself a happy home at Modern Pantry where for the month of May, it is all about minimal intervention. For a food fanatic like me, there really is no better way of exploring wines than with great food.
Sarah Kemp
My mum loves coming down to London to visit every once in a while so I thought it would be nice to treat her to lunch at The Modern Pantry on Mother's Day. After all, this is the day to pamper her and show her just how grateful you are that she has put up with your endless tantrums over the years. Anna Hansen has gained a lot of column inches recently, especially after her recent pop up Pantry at Meza in Soho, so as she was at the forefront of my mind, I decided to book a table at her full-time restaurant, The Modern Pantry in Clerkenwell. The graceful historic Georgian Townhouses and laid back atmosphere of Clerkenwell was a refreshing change to the horific crowds in central London that we had endured the day before - tempers frayed. In better moods, we arrived at The Modern Pantry and were shown to our table in the light and airy upstairs dining room. We were given the menu and I was surprised (pleasantly) to see that the three course meal was £23.50 and only a mere £11.75 for the
Come Con Ella
o and i celebrated our first year together over the fusion flavours of anna hansen's cuisine at the modern pantry . the food here can be steep on the pocket but luckily we had the london restaurant festival in our favour - two courses and a glass of bubbl
Andy Hayler
Bread is made from scratch on the premises, and I enjoyed a soda bread that was not too heavy, a pleasant chilli and fennel bread that had very subdued taste of either but nice texture and, best of all, a nigella seed (black cumin) foccaia which had a rea
LondonRob
An alumni of The Providores , Anna Hansen opened this little gem in Clerkenwell in 2008. I love Clerkenwell in general but I am particulalry fond of St John's Square - the Modern Pantry sits opposite the Zetter Hotel (home of the much lauded Bistrot Bruno Loubet ) and just around the corner from St John St so food lovers are spoilt for choice. I had a really great breakfast there last weekend - anywhere that serves soft boiled eggs and vegemite soldiers is a winner in my book. The coffee was decent, if a little weak (but hey, the majority of people seem to like it that way - sigh). I had always wondered what the beautiful stone arch was in St John's Lane - across the other side of Clerkenwell Road and apparently it is the Museum of the Order of St John - charting the history of the Order from the Hospitaller origins to the current day incarnation as St John's Ambulence. I plan to go and check it out next time I'm over there.
Tom
As many people are probably still dealing with the hangovers and consequences of New Year's eve I thought the sensible thing to do would be to post a review of a brunch recovery place. For me, there has been one standout venue for brunch over the past yea
Greedy Diva
Seared saddle of venison with a polpettino, pandan, coco beans, beetroot and red wine sauce A top London chef working with one of the UK's best out of towners, serving Sunday lunch right here on my doorstep? Don't mind if I do... As part of London Restaur
Eating East
The Modern Pantry is set in a elegant townhouse on St John’s Square in Clerkenwell. It’s Kiwi chef “Anna Hansen” has been revered for bringing “East meets West fusion” to another level. Downstairs is the airy cafe which has a stylish urban feel. Exposed b
LoveFoodLoveDrink
Dining options include grabbing a quick bite from the delicatessen area or having a proper meal in the café or upstairs dining room. They also have an al fresco option during the summer months.
London Chow
The Modern Pantry, located at St. John’s Square – a short walk to Farringdon train station, is doing just this balancing act. The fact that it’s doing a takeaway is prominently advertised on a panel placed up front as well as on its menu. I would think th
Catty
So. Y'all know that I don't often post very negative reviews on my blog, oh except for the profoundly bad service here , but hey, they've closed down anyway so ahem, karma . It's not that I'm not being objective, I just normally don't post negative things
Agirlhastoeat
I remember the opening of The Modern Pantry more for its timing than anything else, for it coincided with the announcement that Lehman Brothers had gone into bankruptcy. The popular press swooped on this fact, with most calling the opening ill-timed. A ye
Hollowlegs
Service issues aside, I really enjoyed breakfast at The Modern Pantry. The space is bright and light, mostly made up of greys and whites. I did have to sit with my coat on for the duration of the meal as it was a little draughty, though.
Kristainlondon
Brian and I were planning a leisurely lunch for about 10 people. Well, in fairness, his was the idea, mine was the execution. Somewhere within all of this, I took to my deathbed with fever, while Brian invited some other friends to join our lunch. He left
Maria Sisci
I had one of their signature dishes: Sugar cured prawn omelette with chilli sambal. A good omelette is hard to come by. As much as I love cooking, it's a dish I reserve for restaurant chefs to make. And just a good plain omelette is delicious in its simplicity as it's all about the texture and the richness of the eggs and butter. The Modern Pantry's upgraded version was actually mind-blowing.<br/><br/>It was beautiful in sight -- evenly bronzed and puffed with greens and prawns poking out, a small dollop of chilli on top and two pieces of buttered sourdough on its side. It was still a bit runny on the inside and it was generously filled with fresh and spicy spring onions along with ever so perfectly cooked prawns that were sweet and succulent. They're cured for 24 hours in an abundance of South East Asian spices and condiments like fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass. The sambal was smoky with the heat on the mild side as to not cover any of the other elements.
Em
My friends and I visited The Modern Pantry on Saturday for a relaxed brunch. The vibe of Clerkenwell is modern, the interior as well as the name of the restaurant both reflect this - a very chic feeling with a lot of natural light. The restaurant is set over two floors.<br/><br/>As much as I was impressed by the looks of the restaurant, unfortunately I wasn't by the service and the food. I had the signature Sugar-cured New Caledonian prawn omelette, green chilli, spring onion, coriander, smoked chilli sambal with toast. The dish was tasty however nothing too exciting. I had asked for some cheese on top of my omelette but was told this wasn't possible and was offered a dessert cheese platter as an alternative.<br/><br/>What brings my rating down so low unfortunately was the unprofessionalism displayed by the receptionist taking care of our table on the day. Having been reminded twice that our table needed to be returned by 1PM before the booking, we were well aware of the timeline. The constant remark during the brunch made us feel rather unwelcomed and took away the relaxed ambience we were hoping for, which is unfortunate for a place with such good potential.
Tess Ward
I just love meeting people that I click with automatically. It happens so rarely and when it does its just magic. This happened to me a few weeks ago, when I met the uber-talented, hilarious (and slightly bonkers) Angelica Malin, owner and chief of About Time Magazine.<br/><br/>A mutual friend introduced us… Being a fellow foodie writer and budding entrepreneur, she got me, my goofy jokes and foodie chit chat from the get go.<br/><br/> It also just so happens good and unexpected things happen when I hang out with Jelly. It was in our first meeting, sitting in Monmouth sipping on our frothy whites when we happened upon a meeting with the owner of Chef Magazine, Peter Marshall. Bizarre that he should have been sitting on the next table and keen as mustard to take us for lunch to discuss our food writing pursuits. How could we say no?!<br/><br/>We settled on Modern Pantry, a bright, little hotspot in Farringdon, with a fantastic menu to boot. Although built into an old town house, the place echoes a very California clean vibe. The white and bleu colour scheme injecting light into the place, complementing the fresh menu.<br/><br/> We started with a selection of olives, nibbles and delicious spiced nuts. Salty, laced with paprika and a hefty chilli kick.<br/><br/>We went straight on in for main course. <br/><br/>Peter went for the tempura battered soft shell crab, with a coconut laksa, vermicelli, rose, pickled daikon and thai basil cress.<br/><br/>Jelly went for the pan fried grey mullet, golden beetroot, cauliflower ‘cous cous’, and a spring onion & almond pesto. It was a beautiful dish, with perfectly cooked fish. Although, we both agreed, the cous cous was slightly lacking in flavour and seasoning. <br/><br/>I went for the ginger & white wine steamed mussels with saffron aioli. the mussels were plump and beautifully cooked but the liquor was unfortunately a little watery and lacking in flavour. Much so was the aioli whose only dominant flavour was strong extra virgin olive oil, no hint of saffron flavour to be found.<br/><br/>We felt that the best way to redeem the meal would have to be pudding. It did not disappoint!<br/><br/>We opted for the cinder toffee affogato with espresso (which was so good I didn’t manage a photo), a raspberry and pink peppercorn sorbet and the olive oil & orange cake, with poached clementine, saffron cream, candied walnuts. The sorbet, fresh, fruity with a delicate peppery hint was doubtedly my favourite.<br/><br/>We opted for the cinder toffee affogato with espresso (which was so good I didn’t manage a photo), a raspberry and pink peppercorn sorbet and the olive oil & orange cake, with poached clementine, saffron cream, candied walnuts. The sorbet, fresh, fruity with a delicate peppery hint was doubtedly my favourite.<br/><br/>The cake had delicious flavour, but was slightly dry. The cream was a welcome addition to add rich creaminess.<br/><br/>To top it all off was my creamy, foamy, delicious honey-sweetened matcha latte. A perfect, anti-oxidant packed, coffee alternative to give me a bit of energy for an afternoon of meetings ahead. This one was a real knock of for the best ones in London, served at the Good Life Eatery in South Ken. Hands down the best two matcha makers in London.
Brittany
Beautiful little restaurant, ideal for long lunches. <br/><br/>I immediately noticed the bright fresh atmosphere, due to so many windows and natural light. This is somewhat of a rarity in London with all the buildings joint together and I found it so refreshing! <br/><br/>The staff were very nice, and patient when I was being annoying trying to decide what to order! I went for the crispy quail which was light, delicate and cooked to perfection.<br/><br/>The wine was crisp and fresh, a rose from New Zealand matched the dish perfectly. <br/><br/>Reasonable to medium priced I would say £40-50 for two for lunch.
Corinna Rombi
The Modern Pantry is a wonderful place where to go for breakfast. It has a very clean and neat touch. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed..fine place where to start a day in a gentle and quiet way.<br/><br/>Portions are quite big and satisfying. We had very refreshing and fruity smoothies, which accompanied our mixes of nuts, cereals and yogurt. Delicious, delicate and.. as they underline, gluten free. I recommend going there on sunday, because of the calming mood the place inspires. Enjoy.
Gluten-free Since'93
Best breakfast EVER!<br/>Came on a Tuesday morning for a quick breakfast with a friend, and was amazed. It is not easy to make something delicious of a simple meal like breakfast but this blew my mind. <br/>The restaurant is very elegant, and you can spot the little elegant logo between two lightened trees. The morning was nice and sunny so we decided to sit outside. <br/><br/>The menu already points out what is gluten free and what isn't making it very easy to order. I ordered the Tea smoked salmon with two poached eggs and yuzu hollandaise on gluten free muffins, while me friend got the Modern Pantry Bircher muesli, as well as the two fried eggs with smoked streaky bacon. We both absolutely loved everything about our meals, and the amazing big portions. The breakfast along with their smoothies filled us up for the whole day, and made us crave The Modern Pantry the next day too. <br/>The only negative thing was the service, as the waitress seemed very moody and even annoyed with the questions about the food. If not for that this place would definitely be a 5.0. <br/><br/>TIP- If you want to go for brunch book two weeks ahead, they get very full, very fast.
Mack Rutherby
I often will pop in here for a quick breakfast before heading into the city, the atmosphere is serene and the decor is clean. The food is of an exceedingly high standard, the roast I am yet to try but have heard it is one of the finest in London. <br/><br/>The Modern Pantry cater towards healthy eaters with a number of gluten free options. Not shy of using cereals, nuts and grains the dishes here are often light and refreshing using only the freshest of ingredients. Recommend highly to anyone looking for a light brunch or a dinner on the not so heavy side of the line. Lovely calm and elegant atmosphere, however the service can often be slowly during busy periods.
The Food Connoisseur
What better way to try out food at The Modern Pantry then up lifted 100ft in the air on a platform my meal was cooked by Anna Hansen herself. Do check out my website for the full post.<br/><br/><br/>Anna Hansen from The Modern Pantry personally was on board to cook our breakfast. The first few minutes whilst we were still stationed Anna Hansen introduced us to the menu. Slowly as we were lifted up high to 100ft we began the four-course meal with a passion fruit, turmeric and Manuka honey smoothie., using The Collective Straight up yoghurt. It was a very thick consistency with sharp flavours from the passionfruit, with a rich sweetness from the honey.<br/><br/>The next dish, you could immediately smell the fresh toasted oats, seeds, green apple, topped with a roast apricot and hidden beneath Greek yoghurt. Although I not a big fan of the Greek yoghurt, in this case it was super sour, the toasted oats, nuts and seeds had no flavour and the apple element seems to be lost. The roasted apricot was beautiful, leaving a caramelised after taste.<br/><br/>The favourite from the menu, finally came smoked at Anna Hansen own restaurant at The Modern Pantry, the perfect flavour combination of tea smoked salmon, poached egg and yuzu hollandaise on grilled bread was the winner. Corn bread crumbled almost immediately as it seems to be soaked in the yuzu. A Japanese Asian fruit with citrus flavours. The egg was perfectly poached, bursting with its golden-yellow yolk creating a pool in the bowl. Yuzu hollandaise was the twist to the whole dish.
Princess' Leigh
Absolutely lovely food, can't wait to go back and have the prawn omlette. ????
SuperfoodieUK
The Modern Pantry was supposed to be a number one brunch destination on a relaxed Sunday afternoon, but apparently my expectations were set too high. <br/>I went for traditional Eggs Benedict (with Hollandaise on a side as I am not much into dairy): they ran out of salmon unfortunately, so had to go with a classic spinach option. The eggs were slightly overcooked, so no cheerful yellow mess on the plate that I was looking forward to – the yolk remained strictly within its protein surroundings, oh that's boring! The fresh orange juice contained more fresh ice, than orange, and the meal took ages to arrive – they were probably cooking my eggs this whole time. <br/>On a bright superfoodie side, the restaurant seem to be very attentive to the healthy demands of superfoodies like me: GF options are scattered throughout the menu, and gluten-free toasts are available on demand. Even my english muffins were presumably gluten-free, though frankly I am not so sure whether that was the case.<br/>The atmosphere is utterly enjoyable, the modern interior is elegant, yet cozy, and the staff were attentive: this makes up a couple of points lost on what, regrettably, proved to be a rather mediocre meal. Will rather have Eggs Benedict-expert @MisoHungry cook the dish for me next time, but might come back to Modern Pantry for dinner, upon which a revision of this review might be needed: i've had dinner here once before, and have some vaguely good memories of it.
Drifting Epicure
This was one of those lazy Sundays when the first thing you do of the day is to head for late brunch in the afternoon. There is no better way to start a Sunday than with a hearty meal of good food and catching up with friends. We came to Modern Pantry, a comfortably relaxed restaurant located in the area of furniture shops, Clerkenwell. It has two floors and outdoor seating when weather allows. The first floor where we sat is the more informal space with bare white wooden tables.<br/><br/>Modern Pantry is known for the brunch but I ended up ordering the three course set lunch instead since I was quite hungry.<br/><br/>My friend had H. Forman & Sons’ salmon sashimi, truffled yuzu soy dressing with amchur roasted seeds and it was really good. First the fish felt fresh. Second the dressing of truffles and yuzu worked well with the salmon.<br/><br/>I started off with a very generous portion of beetroot and lentil salad with haloumi. I quite liked the earthy flavours and the zing from the mint leaves. A good dish, although the lentils were a bit overwhelming. One third of it felt like a filler rather than part of the dish.<br/><br/>From a heavy starter to a heavy main. I guess this is a version of Sunday roast minus the Yorkshire pudding. I wasn’t very impressed by the lamb but the rest was good. A homely and robust plate of food. Good but nothing more.<br/><br/>I think the dessert brought up the meal again after a slump on the main. The wobbly pannacotta was fairly smooth with a faint scent of Earl Grey.<br/><br/>Modern Pantry is a pleasant place to wind down a weekend, especially if the weather allow you to sit outdoor. The staff is cheerful and welcoming. The food is homely with some interesting components, although not exciting. I believe that a dinner might offer a more interesting experience food wise so I will definitely be back to try it out.<br/><br/>For full review and photos visit http://driftingepicure.com/2013/11/04/modern-pantry/
Rozlondon
Great food however the atmosphere is not super friendly and quite arrogant. As we didn't take starter they told us we will have to wait for 30 min to get our dish.... Hmm ok then.... Good but not cosy or friendly.
Pulkit Gambhir
Modern pantry is a great place for a weekend brunch. The menus are very carefully chosen with some quirky ingredient or the other in pretty much every dish. The food tastes great and is well complemented with fresh juices or cocktails for a boozy Sunday brunch.<br/><br/>Highly recommended as one of the best breakfast/brunch places I have been to in town
No Expert
This is fusion food that really works. We had a very enjoyable meal in a venue I would be happy to return too.<br/><br/>I started with the the New Caledonian prawn omelette with green chilli, spring onion and smoked chilli sambal, the combination of the sweet prawns and chilli was stunning, making it the best tasting and interesting omelette I have ever had, a dish that if I made a return visit I would struggle not to order again.<br/><br/>My companion ordered the king scallops with Jerusalem artichoke mash, a tasty dish that was unfortunately spoilt by some grit in the scallops.<br/><br/>For main course I had the lamb rump with curry leaf besam chips and curly kale. The chips were great, less so the curly kale which rather dominated the plate. This dish though was served with a quite lovely 1999 Urbina Rioja.<br/><br/>My companion had the roast cod with chorizo and squid ink mash, a terrific dish that successfully combined some very strong flavours without overpowering the cod.<br/><br/>With the Modern Pantry and Bruno Loubets at the Zetter, St Johns Square, Clerkenwell is a developing into quite a foodie enclave, which can only be a good thing.
Anil Bali
We had a wonderful 3 course dinner here.Imaginative flavor combinations, delicious food in a calm airy dining room with attentive staff. Sugar prawns and scallops were spot on. The belly pork was meltingly soft and the crackling crisp. The miss steak was sumptuous and then black sesame pannacotta a light end to a wonderful meal. What a talented chef. We are going again this weekend!
Fatema
This restaurant is really simple yet quite charming and cute. It's a great place to go to for weekend brunch or even afternoon tea. Their scones are honestly some of the best I've had. All their food looks really good when it arrives at your table. I recommend making a reservation since it gets quite busy for brunch on weekends. Their tea selection is really good as is the service. Definitely a great place to go with a small group of people.
Mostafa Rajaai
I had very high hopes for this place when I decided to take my partner for a special brunch. As it was only a short walk away from where we lived at the time it seemed like the perfect choice. I did a lot of research and picked Modern Pantry over a few reputable breakfast specialists in the area.<br/><br/>When I first got in I was really impressed with the interior and the atmosphere. It looks exceptionally nice and neat. I had prepared myself for an expensive menu but the prices were just on another level. I thought this is meant to be a special brunch so I went all out and ordered a mixture of hot and cold food as well as juices and drinks. I was very excited while ordering but when it came and I tried them all, I have to say I was rather disappointed.<br/><br/>It was all OKAY and nothing more. Yes the place is special but that is it. I don't mind paying a bit extra for a high quality meal but Modern Pantry, in my opinion, does not offer this.<br/><br/>I feel my rating is probably slightly lower than it should be, but in my defence, it is only a reflection of how I felt after leaving the place. Paying £30+ for not a lot of very average breakfast does not make you feel very good.
Roxane Bch
One of the best restaurants I have tested so far in London. In the Barbican/Farringdon area, you will find out a refined European cuisine in a romantic interior. Plus, service is irreproachable.<br/><br/>Read more: http://trendyguide.wordpress.com
Alias
The modern pantry is a really nice place bang in the of the Clerckenwell area. If there is something i love to do on a Sunday morning is hit this place up. For me it all starts off with a fantastic (and rare) grapefruit juice. Once the thirst is quenched, i really recommend you try the smoked streaked bacon. This is great savory start to the day. Needless to say finally that the modern pantry really excels in the art of tea. Well that may be pushing it a little. I guess i am trying to say that this place has a fantastic choice of tea, from all over the world. Of course a negative is the rather steep price. However, the room and the atmosphere is really quite something and definitely makes you feel you're in a special place. <br/><br/>My advice: fantastic brunch choice (on pay day) <br/><br/>Enjoy!
Meera Pankhania
Excellent coffee and breakfast menu. Little on the expensive side, however definitely worth it. Try the waffles!
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