If you’re a seafood lover like myself, you dream of fresh fish on the regular, from decadent lobster to chargrilled seabass and everything in between. While scrolling on Instagram, I stumbled upon one particular restaurant in Canary Wharf called Shutters. With local Cornish produce from the shores and a modern take on Southern California cooking, it sounded like my kind of venue. So when the opportunity popped up to visit the luxe haunt, I snatched it up as soon as I could.

A real sophisticated affair if you ask us.

Located at One Canada Square, the restaurant is quite a hidden gem and an Instagrammable one at that. When you walk inside the building, the venue’s sleek bar is unmissable. With modern lighting, sleek booths, and pops of greenery here and there, I knew we were in for a treat.

We started off with a bottle of Sangiovese (£22) which had a fruity yet earthy undertone. My date and I  kicked off with a few small plates; for me, I was clamouring for their lobster tacos (£11). Wrapped in a blue corn tortilla, the lobster and scallop fritter was placed nicely with a generous amount of salsa and pickles. The toppings really balanced out the heartiness of the fritter, which happened to be super airy and light despite being fried. My other half opted for the Cornish crab on toast (£11) - think a seafood version of avo toast, as it was covered in shredded crab and topped delicately with preserved lemon, chilli and watercress.

Delish drinks and great company make for a winning combo.

For mains, my date got the whole lobster (£32), which was steamed, grilled, and bathed in a delectable mezcal butter. I could probably bath in that butter myself, it was that good. With a potent mix of garlic and lime, that sauce was absolutely sublime and elevated the freshness of every chunk of lobster. I on the other hand opted for the braised and griddled octopus (£19) which was cooked to perfection utilising a smoked paprika oil. While the squid was absolutely fab, the double-baked potato was a super scrumptious side dish – especially when you dip it in a confit garlic aioli.

You'll go cray-cray over the lobster. 

For dessert? Well, we actually polished off a few cocktails – does that count? To be fair, their espresso martinis (£8.50) are definitely suited for the sweet-toothed. With Absolut vanilla, Kahlua and a blend of espresso, it was a divine take on the classic. My date was a bit more adventurous and went for a coffee negroni (£8.50) – a heady mix of Little Bird gin, vermouth, Campari, and espresso. It packed quite a punch with a bit of nuttiness. While I’m not the biggest negroni gal, this tipple would be well worth trying if you’re a fan of the cocktail.

By the end of the evening, we were pleasantly surprised when the head chef came over to us and asked us how everything was. He knew all the dishes we had from starters to our mains, and it wasn’t just our table. He went from table to table asking guests how their food was - I couldn’t help but appreciate how personal he made our visit feel.

Their sleek bar makes every drink taste that much better.

The DesignMyNight Digest 

Situated in the heart of Canary Wharf, this venue is definitely a haven for seafood lovers. It's got a quaint but fancy ambience that makes for the perfect date night or anniversary spot. The mains are definitely the star and you can tell the chef puts a lot of care into their Cornish produce to create elevated versions of seafood classics. If you're looking for a quick drink as well, it has a sleek bar and a bartender who can whip up a mean espresso martini. 

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