28 Church Row — Restaurant in London

The dinner that never happened! We went yesterday to celebrate a special occasion as a colleague of mine raved about it. Unfortunately it went horribly wrong and I'm sharing my experience because the same could happen to you. As you might know they don't take reservations. So we went there and we were told it was a 40 min wait. To my great surprise the restaurant does not have a waiting area where you can have a drink during the wait. So they took our number and told us to find a pub where to spend the next 40 min. I found it sub standards that a restaurant with a no booking policy, does not have a waiting area. To my memory this is the first time I've seen this! After 40min wait in the pub nearby we decided to go back and check the status of our dinner to be as we didn't get a call. The gentleman at the door made us believe that a table was about to get ready and placed us at the bar counter in a cramped space while waiting for the table. After another 20 min there was still no sign of our table and we decided to leave as we had already waited for more than 1h combined. So I cannot comment about the food. But I can comment about the place. It's not a relaxed pace as described in the web site as all the tables are cramped to the minimum distance. All I can say is that it can go horribly wrong. So if you decide to go you'd better have a plan B. Luckily we had one. We live nearby and still had some food in my fridge. We went back home and had dinner there. One of the worst...

A place for 50+ who want to pretend to be young and happening. Inside a basement. People popped up top of each other. No fresh air. No space between tables. Feels like a dungeon 😁 Service is terrible. 3 different servers. No one knows what has to come. Wine for person comes after the starters have been almost finished. For the other 2 come when the mains are on the way. But hey! Aren’t you happy you are getting food and drinks ? Another one of those “unusual” places that over plates to share. Having been to recently 5 of them (trendy of course) the food quantity is tiny. Literally. And if anyone wants to share - feel free to get a lick. That’s the max you will get from each small plate. Flavours are bland. Boring. And nothing to sing about. These flavours are dime to a dozen. Big fan of baby octopus. Don’t take it here. It’s chewy and with some sugary paste of pistachios. I get the concept of being different but different for sake of being so and destroying a perfectly good food product. Waste. And we have paid already but still haven’t received our coffee. 2 cups of espresso. All this while we are waiting for the coffee, I have been able to type this review. So it’s been good 5 mins. Ah! Another 2 mins to go. Apparently it comes from the bar. Which is 10 feet away. But clearly coffee isn’t all that easy to make. Highly un-recommended place. Only thing ok? The tiny charcuterie board. Smell it and...

There’s a certain magic to 28 Church Row. It feels less like entering a restaurant and more like uncovering a well-kept secret. Down a discreet staircase and through an unassuming wooden door, you're met with a heady rush of aroma — the kind that immediately signals - you are where its at.

The space is intimate, almost conspiratorial. A haven for the foodies, where seasonality isn’t a buzzword but a lived philosophy. We happened to arrive in a maritime mood and were met with dishes that over-delivered: anchovies with delicate filo — crispy, elegant — octopus - tender, not chewy- and a whole sea bass a la plancha - lightly charred perfection.

The menu changes frequently, so by the time you read this my specific recommendations will likely be obsolete — and that’s exactly the point. Everything here is good. Follow your instincts, or better yet, your well-informed and gracious waiter. You won’t go wrong.

A note on logistics: They don’t take reservations, but a courteous phone call in advance can usually secure your place on the list. It’s a civilised workaround for a restaurant well worth waiting for.

** one note for improvement: desert was underwhelming, especially for the level of the food. Basically - they took a mediocre browny out of the fridge and plopped some creme fresh and marmalade on top. Nothing in life is...