The Yellow Bittern

Few restaurants in London stay true to such a clear sense of self as The Yellow Bittern. Located a short walk from St Pancras International, this small Irish- British lunch only restaurant offers a traditional, old school dining experience. For me, it is both refreshing and inspiring to know that such restaurants still exist and are thriving.

The restaurant is run by Hugh Corcoran, a Belfast born chef whose background includes experience at the Parisian and the Basque Country kitchens. The format is straightforward and intentionally simple: guests ring a bell to enter, reservations are handled by phone, rather than via an online reservation system, and, lunch is served from Tuesday to Friday only, with everyone seated at the same time.

A single set menu is offered each day, focused on Irish and British classics approached with careful sourcing and precise cooking. The cooking is confident and hearty rather than showy, allowing familiar dishes and good ingredients (such as the fabulous oysters from Ireland, generous portion of white crab meat or artisanal cheese by ..) to speak for themselves. The wine list is concise and thoughtfully put together, with recommendations offered in person by chef Hugh. To complete the experience, a small bookshop is located in the basement and can be visited throughout the day during opening hours.

The restaurant takes its name from The Yellow Bittern, a poem by Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh, making the literary allusion and the presence of a bookshop no coincidence.