St. John

After living in the UK for a year, I finally found the time to visit this legendary restaurant. The madeleines at St. John are often called the best in London, but the restaurant’s reputation extends far beyond its desserts. Founder Fergus Henderson pioneered the philosophy of nose-to-tail eating and was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Cai Lan himself once declared it “the best restaurant in London.” The space is minimalist and calm; the white interior makes the whole restaurant feel bright and open. Sunlight pours in through the windows, giving everything a gentle warmth. Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bread toasted to a perfect crisp. Bone marrow sprinkled with sea salt — rich, savoury, deeply fatty. The salad opens with a touch of lemon acidity, followed by the clean, slightly bitter freshness of parsley. Pigeon, Chard and Anchovy ⭐⭐⭐ Tender pigeon with savoury depth and a hint of gaminess, along with a light fermented acidity reminiscent of pickled greens. However, the leg portion felt a bit rough. Madeleines (One Dozen) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Soft, sweet and fragrant; warm and lightly crisp on the outside, moist and airy within. Buttery and wheaty aromas interlace — simple, comforting, and genuinely delicious. Chocolate Mousse ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Smooth and dense texture; rich yet balanced with just the right blend of bitterness and sweetness. Total bill: £91.91 Recommendation score: 9/10

- Yifan sun -

St John. Any foodie knows the name. The trouble here is finding what works for your palette. The server did an excellent job at navigating us through the menu. When I’m back in town here’s my order: 3 bone marrow and toast, 2 date loafs. Seriously. The pig face soup special was killer as well.

- Logan King -

Anthony Bourdain’s London favorite. The restaurant that popularized nose-to-tail dining, St. JOHN is an institution in London. I’d been meaning to go for a while, and my eventual visit did not disappoint. Great, simple food gives reason as to why English food shouldn’t be written quickly. Would recommend it to a friend, and I would definitely go again. Highlights •⁠ ⁠Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad: Maybe the most famous dish here, I fully blame it for the rising cost of bone marrow. A great example on how simple, high-quality ingredients can produce exceptional results. The parsley salad adds a great freshness to the plate, very well balanced •⁠ ⁠Potted Beef: The best dish of the day. The beef was perfectly seasoned: a bit sweet, a bit smoky, well cooked and very umami. Tasted like slightly sweet birria, so good we ordered it twice •⁠ ⁠Abbey’s Chocolate Cake: I love chocolate, and this cake was a chocolate lover’s dream. Rich, decadent, dark and covered in ganache. One of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had •⁠ ⁠The Restaurant itself: St. JOHN thrives on the beauty of simplicity. From its decorations to its menus to its dishes, the restaurant delivers a high-class experience with all the humility of a simple english farmer. Recommended for date nights Lowlights: •⁠ ⁠Mylor Prawns and Aioli: We found the prawns and aioli combination to be a bit harsh and overpowering, and the prawns themselves didn’t have much meat. One of the few misses of the night •⁠ ⁠Rollright, Pink Fir and Spring Onion: This dish was just cheese, onions and potato. Simplicity can be good, but in the case of this dish it was just too simple and boring

- Juan Pablo Arizpe -

Overall an amazing experience, with top tier food and great service. Highlights are the roast bone marrow salad and parsley salad, the grilled ox heart and parsnips, and eccles cake and lancashire cheese. The bone marrow truly deserves the hype, and the ox heart was flavourful and tender. Fully recommend St John!

- Andres Espitia -

Visiting St. JOHN was an unforgettable experience. This legendary Michelin-starred restaurant delivers incredible traditional British cuisine with a focus on nose-to-tail cooking. Every dish was full of flavour, and the attention to detail was exceptional. What truly made the evening special, though, was the staff – every member was welcoming, knowledgeable, and attentive, making the experience effortless and memorable. A must-visit for anyone looking for a quintessentially British fine dining experience.

- Daria Mal -

Consistent quality throughout the years, ate the bone marrow on 2015 and again this time and couldn’t tell the difference. Classic brit pub food, french wine list. What is there not to like?? Bit cold in the dining room tho!! A Classic in London not to be missed!

- Alex Sánchez -

Loved it. Incredibly unique food and have always wanted to try St John’s. Big shout out to the host for sorting us out a table as we accidentally went to the wrong St John’s in Farringdon vs commercial street . Turned a potential sour evening into a lovely one.

- G Abraham -