The last time I went to one of Stevie Parle’s restaurants, I spat liver into a napkin and swore ‘never again’. Not against Stevie - I'm not mad - but against the texture and metallic taste of whatever it was I popped in my mouth. After Stevie's hiatus from hospitality ventures for many years, the chef is back with a new restaurant on Drury Lane (and with a liver-free menu, might I add). If you don’t know the man himself - he’s the brains behind Pastaio, one of Soho’s most famous and loved pasta restaurants. But less of his Soho outpost and more on his new addition: TOWN Restaurant.
The interiors of TOWN Restaurant are bold, bright and abashedly loud.
DesignMyNight Review of TOWN Restaurant
After reading Grace Dent’s commentary on the interiors of TOWN Restaurant, and how they were ‘Austin Powers-esque’, I couldn't quite get it out of my head before (and after) my visit. Counter tops in Fisher Price-yellow gleam against a crimson bar and fern-coloured leather chairs making the space feel like a throwback but with a touch of futurism. Dare I say it's rather groovy, baby (for those under the age of 30 - this is a questionable Austin Powers reference). The nearest tube stations are Covent Garden and Holborn making it a dream to get to, and the entrance is opposite Bunga 90 - London’s new bar that’s themed around life before iPhones and Netflix.
The potato sourdough was so shiny, you could have reapplied your lipstick in it.
Arriving bang on 7pm, we wasted no time ordering a grapefruit charger (£9), mixed with Tanqueray No. Ten gin, Campari and grapefruit and a 2/3 pint of Harbour Singlefin Lager (£5). For a spritz, the 'charger' was sadly underwhelming, lacking the common fizz associated with such drinks but my attention was far more focused on the fried sage leaves (£5) dripping in heather honey and chilli and the potato sourdough (£6). A satisfying crunch from paper-thin batter around the leaves mounted above the stickiness of the honey and the potato sourdough was dense but uber comforting - especially when dunked into the mini pot of homemade bone marrow gravy. I always regret filling up on bread at a meal, but on this one occasion, the loaf was worth it.
No beating around the bush - Stevie's starters were phenomenal. The Cornish crab with vesuvio tomatoes, trout roe, and crème fraîche was worth every penny of the £24 price tag. The tomatoes, still in season, were plump, and cut through the creaminess of the crème fraîche. The Cornish tuna crudo (£22) was just as impressive. The plate presented cubes of soft fish mixed between chopped cucumber and apple, which was garnished with a layer of frozen bright green English wasabi.
Impressed looks over the table continued with a cod and clams curry (£39). Every shell was prized open and morsel eaten. The leftover sauce? It slowly vanished as warm pieces of flaky ghee flatbread were used as an edible mop. I ordered the 300g sirloin steak (£48) with green sauce and TOWN gravy. It was cooked a beautiful pink, medium-rare throughout, and although I always welcome a side of pink fir potatoes (£9), especially when they're cooked in beef fat, the dish across the table in front of my partner was by far superior.
Sleek finishes give the restaurant a retro yet futuristic edge.
Finishing up the evening with a Martell VSOP cognac C&C old fashioned (£14) - that was a far cry from the earlier spritz, and a scoop of fig leaf ice cream with black sesame crunch and milk jam (£8), I could do nothing but silently think why Stevie left us in the lurch for so long. Maybe he was bored, maybe he needed a break, but either way - I haven't had a meal like this in 2025, and for that - the last 288 days feel somewhat wasted.
Overall: What We Thought Of TOWN Restaurant
It doesn't matter what the narrative is, any comeback is a labour of love. And in 2025, Stevie Parle is certainly owning his. I'd probably stick to ordering wine on my next visit to avoid cocktail roulette and I have a strange compulsion to re-watch Austin Powers The Spy Who Shagged Me, but forgetting all that - the plates set on the table at TOWN Restaurant were smashing, and there wasn't a napkin disaster in sight. From the dainty sage leaves and the fragrant clam and cod curry to that umami ice cream ending, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this new spot to anyone in the area. There's a pre-theatre menu and set lunch for £32, which I'll 100% be back for.
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💰 Price: Around £219 for two people with food and drinks, excluding service. 📍 Address: 26-29 Drury Ln, London WC2B 5RL. 👌 Perfect for: a pre-theatre meal in London or a foodie date night. ⭐ Our booking tip: arrive a little early to have a drink at the bar before you're seated for your meal. |
