Think of Jackson Boxer as the spry Federico Fellini of the London restaurant scene. Masterfully directing the action from behind the pass, this south London chef rose to prominence due to his now-trademark mix of earthiness and glamour. Boxer’s widescreen menus dazzle you with their ineffable imagination, but are backed up with hearty flavour and a whisper of the absurd.
Seductive ricotta dumplings come drenched in a frankly horny pink lobster and lime-leaf cream
First came Vauxhall’s lavish Brunswick House and over the past year Boxer has released sequels across the city. There’s the luxe long-term residency at Selfridges’ in-house restaurant The Corner where caviar, champagne and pistachio financiers flow dangerously close to Dolce and Gabbana. Then there’s Henri in Covent Garden, his full-bodied Parisian bistro. Boxer’s also in charge of the food offering at Below Stone Nest, a concrete-clad Chinatown bar where White Russian soft serve is the midnight must-order.
What, though, of Boxer’s fish-forward Ladbroke Grove restaurant Orasay, which opened in 2019 and quickly became a favourite of the west London lunch set? Well, due to creeping prices of dayboat fish, Boxer decided to call time on it at the end of last year. But rather than casting Orasay to the waves, he has re-edited and renamed it, entering 2025 with a focused, and frankly, far more fun, director’s cut; Dove.
The menu is less serious, a playful offering of what Boxer feels like experimenting with at any given time, but, largely, it’s comfort classics with flair. There is a burger, a big, beefy doorstop of a thing that laughs in the faces of the city’s weedy, pulverised smashburgers. It honks marvelously of gorgonzola, and is so tall you’ll need a knife to tackle it – burger etiquette be damned. There are grenades of lasagna, giddy, square-shaped artery-cloggers stuffed with deep fried taleggio and truffle. There’s a crumbly potato pizzette lounging under a duvet of mortadella with plump burrata pillows.
Mains are just as enticing; immaculate roast herb-fed chicken comes with yielding tokyo turnips and treading water in an ocean of Cafe De Paris butter. Chunky and ludicrously crunchy duck fat fries on the side are inevitable. Fittingly for a kitchen Fellini, there’s also a showstopping Antia Ekberg of a dish; seductive ricotta dumplings drenched in a frankly horny pink lobster and lime-leaf cream.
Orasay was all well and good, but Dove might just be the dose of sheer pleasure that Ladbroke Grove needs.
The vibe A neighbourhood bistro with a sense of swagger and style.
The food Playful, powerful dishes that aren't scared of butter, cream and a deep fat fryer.
The drink Crisp and clear martinis to start, followed by natural wine and weekly pours by the glass.
Time Out tip There are only 10 burgers made every day. So order it fast.