This low-key but irresistible jaunt from chef Roberta Hall – the mind behind sister resto The Little Chartroom – ticks a hell of a lot of boxes. To start, the vibe is spot on: all industrial Scandi-esque neutrals with lots of light and a healthy hum of chatter and clatter, it’s the sort of place you’d be just as comfortable popping in for a solo glass of vino as you would be on an anniversary dinner. The food is just as cool – and, importantly, is done to a mouth-wateringly high standard with a pretty reasonable price tag for what you’re getting (£65 per person for a set menu with £45 for paired wines). This is playful, modern cooking, executed with a natural flair: an ever-so-sweet English muffin dunked in soft wild garlic butter, mackerel with soothing cucumber and dill granita, heritage, jewel-like tomatoes for my friend who doesn’t eat fish. The highlight of my meal took me by surprise: a bowl of peas, all creamy goodness with pancetta through them, which has to have been one of the best sides of veg I’ve ever had. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be thinking about your next booking before you’ve even walked out the door.
Time Out tip: Veggie? Vegan? Something else? Eleanore goes above and beyond to cater for dietaries, so long as you tell them in advance.