Greenhithe, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

A “seriously dramatic room” plays host to meals in the restored 1873 pump house at Chatham’s historic dockyard on the Medway, which has been converted into a distillery and restaurant by Bob Russell and his sons Matthew & Stephen. Top Menu Tip – “amazing roasts on Sundays”.

This “independently owned and managed” old village inn “in a lovely setting” has been thoroughly stripped out and modernised, providing a comfortable venue for an upbeat menu that features oysters, Cornish caviar and a 500kg Chateaubriand steak to share.

“Love, love, love sitting outside on a summer‘s evening” – this Grade II listed Docklands tavern has a riverside location to die for (10 minutes walk from Canary Wharf and opposite The O2) and a cosy historic interior too. Its days as a foodie magnet are long gone nowadays though – expect OK scoff, but no better than at others in the Fullers chain.

What does it say about the culinary tastes of the British middle classes that this spin-off chain, with about 40 locations based on the original Theatreland icon, has been such a rip-roaring success? True, there’s some “great people-watching” at the “always buzzing” Chelsea Garden venue (which has one of SW3’s best gardens). And, without doubt, those branches in Kensington, Tower Bridge and Kingston also particularly stand out amongst the rest for their “super atmosphere”. In general though, the knock-off look of their locations “isn’t a patch on the original on West Street, yet pretends to be exactly the same”. And when it comes to their brasserie dishes: although its many followers tout them as “acceptable, albeit nothing special”, their rating-average identifies them as “underwhelming tick-box fare”; all offered by service that’s very “indifferent”. And yet they are “always busy”! In June 2024, it was announced that billionaire Richard Caring had successfully sold his entire Ivy restaurants stake. Now that he is laughing all the way to the bank, it will be interesting to see if ratings reverse, continue or deepen their southward trend.

It’s “all about the wine, as you might expect” at James Dawson’s “relaxed” wine-bar group, whose branches boast a “splendid list” of “high-quality and well-sourced” bottles. The food is very much “second fiddle”, though “unobjectionable”, while the most interesting venue is the original one, off Fleet Street, “hidden in the vaults of St Bride’s Church”. Top Tip – “go on a Monday night for wine at shop rather than restaurant prices”.

“Love this restaurant which we’ve been going to regularly since it opened!” – this large, modern brasserie has established itself over eight years as one of the best bets for a meal in Stratford’s East Village, thanks to its “friendly service” and a selection of dishes majoring in steaks and roasts from the charcoal oven. “First time and the hard surfaces made the restaurant very noisy, but the food is very tasty!”

“Wow! Every dish has a story to tell and some of them are especially yummy!” at Douglas McMaster’s groundbreaking ‘zero waste’ project, in Hackney Wick’s ‘White Building’ (above the Crate brewery) in a high-ceilinged, white-walled post-industrial space. Considering its hipster credentials and admirable ethos, it has made surprisingly few waves here in the capital since the move from Brighton in 2019. Covid-19 didn’t help, but it now seems to be gaining more recognition. “Sitting at the bar you get an excellent view of the kitchen mechanics creating the delicious dishes. The whole dining experience from source to fork is explained by friendly and knowledgeable staff. A unique dining experience that’s extremely enjoyable”.

This “great sharing-plates restaurant with very accommodating staff” – and a “good wine selection”, its primary focus – has been a linchpin in the emergence of Peckham’s going-out scene (“I’ve never had a bad meal here: in principle I’m not a fan of small plates but here it all works”).

“Notably creative dishes chosen for flavour not curiosity” are the hallmark of this community-owned village pub operated by a remarkably young team headed by ex-Goring Hotel chef Alex Yates, 25, and his younger sister Grace, who runs the “engaged and well- informed” front of house (their father, David, is an ex-Balls Bros wine merchant). “The room is a traditional old pub bar smartened without changing its character”. This “good neighbourhood community venture deserves to succeed and is trying very hard”; and “well done them for retaining à la carte as well as tasting menus in the evenings”.

“A brilliant addition to southeast London” – this spring 2024 newcomer on Ladywell High Street is next door to organic food stockist Plenty and opposite coffee shop Oscar’s, both from the same founders (Alina & Joel Falconer). Chef Henry Freestone has worked in some of the hippest kitchens around town, including nearby Peckham Cellars and east London’s Crispin and Bambi. Here he delivers a no-nonsense, modern British menu with three-four options at each course.

Jack Croft and Will Murray’s majorly ambitious follow-up to their smash hit Fallow – this huge 500-seater opened in late Spring 2024 in Canary Wharf (next door to the floating Hawksmoor in Wood Wharf). It carries forward their sustainable ethos, with a nose-to-tail menu that includes a mixed grill of venison (it is, after all, named after a native breed of deer); along with vegetables grown on-site using an ‘aeroponic’ green wall. It opened too late for any feedback in our annual diners’ poll, but on his May 2024 visit, The Evening Standard’s Jimi Famurewa hailed it as “one of the defining, gravity-defying openings of the year” due to its “Ferrari on the driveway” styling and “triumphant” cooking including lamb “so succulent and yielding [it] fell off the bone under nothing but a hard stare”.

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).