Santoré — Restaurant in London

I just want to say before that this is a very wordy review because I can’t say how awesome this place is with simple words.

I don’t usually go out to restaurants, and I decided to have a treat. I took my partner, and we were very pleasantly surprised! I ordered a garlic pizza bread as a starter, and because it’s very big we had half each. It was delicious, but not as delicious as the mains! My partner had chicken with tomato, cheese, and ham. I had a lemon-infused charcoal grilled swordfish steak. Both came with sautéed potatoes which were absolutely delicious. My swordfish steak was beautifully cooked, and filled with flavour. I’ve never tasted anything like it, which makes me feel like I’ve missed out!

My partner says his main was perfectly cooked and very flavoursome - thankfully he gave me a little taste so I can fully back that up! (Definitely much prefer my swordfish steak though, hehe)

Then we had desert, and it was beautiful! We had the pear cake, which was very light and fluffy. Each spoonful was full of this lovely pear flavour, not overly sweet, but just sweet enough. On top of the cake was a raspberry and mint leaf which really enhanced the flavour, and mixed up the flavour halfway through the desert. Warning, don’t do what I did and eat it too quickly! This is one desert which you want to savour, definitely. If you eat it too quickly, you’ll wish you had more!

Afterwards, we had a cappuccino, and just sat comfortably, food in our bellies, and relaxed for a while. There was no pressure at all to pay, so we got to sit and talk for a while.

After paying, we got complementary lemon liquer, which was really lovely, and gave us a little buzz for the evening.

So, as you can see, the food was absolutely perfect. But a restaurant doesn’t get five stars on food alone! All the servers were friendly and attentive, and the service was perfect. We got our food swiftly, but not too fast. Just at the right speed so we could eat comfortably, and then have a conversation.

It was a bit pricey - £60 for 2 having 3 course meals. Honestly, this is the first time I can say that is well worth it! The price is definitely fair, I can’t argue with it.

I’ll definitely be back, and I will recommend this to anyone in the...

We are regular visitors to Sadlers Wells Theatre and the foodie corner that is Exmouth Market is ideally placed to serve pre theatre diners. Having tried a few of the restaurants on this strip, many of whom didn't last a season, we've now settled on Santore as our 'go to' eaterie. In return they have accommodated parties ranging in size from 2 to 10 in good time from arrival at 1800 to leaving at around 1910 in time to get to the theatre. I cannot comment on service that is describable as anything other than friendly, sometimes cheeky when they've got to know you, but always professional. I'm no lover of anything that had anything to do with water but other diners regularly indulge in these dishes. I do enjoy my past and pizzas and on a good day, persuade them to let me share a pizza as they seem to have one speed for portions - large. Try ordering a small milanese - won't happen, you can usually park a small car on the bread-crumbed offering that arrives. Deserts are consistent. I never bother looking past the Caramel pudding but do be aware that a couple of their puddings appear to use a chocolate sauce to anchor the desert to the dish. If you don't like chocolate or can't eat caffeine you need to shout first. Is it cheap? No - then again nothing worth anything usually is and Exmouth market is certainly trendy. Is it dear - again no. Fairly priced quality food. In fact I've just booked for 5 people again this Friday - and have lost track of the number of times we've been...

I must preface this review by stating that I am not one to leave negative feedback, as I am acutely aware of the impact it can have on small businesses. However, in the interest of constructive criticism, I feel compelled to share my recent lunchtime experience at Santore in London's bustling Exmouth Market.

The restaurant exudes warmth and charm, and I was delighted to be seated at a lovely outdoor table. The attentive staff presented an enticing lunch menu, and I eagerly ordered the seafood risotto, a European classic that I've enjoyed in numerous establishments.

Regrettably, the seafood risotto did not meet my expectations. The rice was undercooked, with a hard center that detracted from the overall experience. This was a far cry from the creamy, al dente texture that one would expect from a well-prepared risotto. When I politely brought this to the staff's attention, I was told that this was their preferred method of cooking, which left me somewhat baffled.

While the atmosphere and service were commendable, the disappointing preparation of the seafood risotto prompts me to award two stars. It is my hope that Santore will view this feedback as an opportunity for growth, and work towards refining their culinary skills to provide a dining experience that fully lives up to their potential. I sincerely wish them the best and hope to see improvements...