Restaurant of the Month - Tavern Review

Tavern in Old Street is positioned as a British bistro and is selected as a Restaurant of the Month. The team behind Tavern previously created Nest, Fenn, and Restaurant St. Barts, and the idealism seen in earlier projects is described as continuing. The bistro concept is framed as a logical successor to the gastropub, with food expected to be UK sourced and dishes drawing on lost culinary heritage. Tavern also uses techniques such as pickling and fermenting, while adding global influences from Asia, Europe, and South America. The opening is expected to contribute to a broader rise of British bistros in London.

"Tavern is being marketed as a British Bistro which is suddenly becoming a 'thing'. Last month our ROTM was Sally Abé's Teal in Hackney, another British Bistro, with both Abé and Johnnie Crowe from the Nest/Tavern/St. Bars team having worked at The Harwood Arms. The redoubtable Gladwin Brothers have been mining this particular culinary seam for a while now with Rabbit in Chelsea and The Sussex in Soho and of course, there is Pivot in Covent Garden."

"But what is a British Bistro? Clearly, food has to be UK sourced and many dishes are delving into our lost culinary heritage. But at Tavern they are incorporating techniques such as pickling and fermenting as well as bringing in global influences from Asia, Europe and South America. It will be interesting to watch this one play out."

"In 2018 we reviewed Nest, their very first joint that nestled on an unprepossessing roundabout in Hackney. It had a set menu at £28 for seven courses and we sat on rough-hewn handmade tables and chairs they had built themselves. From then on we were fans, and the three young chaps have gone from strength to strength. Nest moved to the site that Tavern is now on and there was Fenn in Fulham and of course Restaurant St. Barts."

"I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see British Bistros popping up in the backrooms of posher pubs in the next few months. It feels as if it is the logical successor to the Gastropub. But what is a British Bistro? Clearly, food has to be UK sourced and many dishes are delving into our lost culinary heritage."

Read at London Unattached