The Clove Club Review 2026: Brilliant 2-Michelin-Star Shoreditch Honest Verdict

This The Clove Club review by London Reviews is the most thorough independent assessment available of Shoreditch’s two-Michelin-starred dining room — Isaac McHale’s pioneering kitchen inside Shoreditch Town Hall, the restaurant that helped reshape modern British cooking and put Shoreditch on the global gastronomic map.

Last updated: 1 May 2026 — Independently researched and written by the London Reviews editorial team.

Looking for an honest The Clove Club review? Below we cover the menus, signature dishes, what regulars love, and how to book.

Table of Contents

1. At a Glance
2. Introduction
3. Location & Getting There
4. First Impressions
5. The Menu
6. Pricing & Value
7. Diner Review Analysis
8. What Diners Love
9. Areas for Consideration
10. Who It’s Best For
11. How to Book
12. FAQs
13. Verdict
14. Summary Rating

At a Glance

Introduction: Why We Chose The Clove Club

The Clove Club is the restaurant that helped reshape modern British cooking. When Isaac McHale, Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith opened the permanent restaurant inside Shoreditch Town Hall in 2013 (after years of pop-ups under The Young Turks banner), it quickly became one of the most influential rooms in London. The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2014, was promoted to two stars in 2024, and consistently appears on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

McHale’s cooking is rooted in British produce but informed by his time in Nordic kitchens — fermentation, foraging, sourdough, smoke. The signature buttermilk fried chicken with pine salt has become a reference dish in modern British cooking, and the kitchen’s wood-fired hearth is at the centre of an open-plan service.

We chose to review The Clove Club because it represents the most influential of London’s east-London two-star rooms. We have read the Michelin Guide, World’s 50 Best, AA, TripAdvisor, Andy Hayler, Hardens, The Infatuation. (See also our reviews of London’s three-star and other two-star restaurants.)

Location & Getting There

The restaurant occupies the ground-floor Council Chamber of Shoreditch Town Hall — a Grade II*-listed Victorian municipal building that opened in 1866. The original chamber’s panelled walls and parquet floor have been retained.

By Tube

• Old Street (Northern line) — 3 minutes’ walk west.
• Liverpool Street (Central, Circle, Elizabeth) — 8 minutes’ walk south.
• Shoreditch High Street (Overground) — 5 minutes’ walk south-east.

First Impressions & Atmosphere

The dining room is one of London’s most distinctive — Victorian municipal grandeur (mahogany panelling, ornate plasterwork, original parquet floor) repurposed for fine dining without losing its public-building scale. Tables are widely spaced; the room can accommodate around 70 covers without feeling crowded. The open kitchen at the back is genuinely the heart of the experience — you can see the hearth from anywhere in the room.

Service is warm and informed without being formal. Pacing across the eight-course tasting runs around 2.5 hours.

The Menu

8-Course Tasting (£225)

The flagship dinner tasting. Recent menus have featured Buttermilk fried chicken with pine salt (the signature opener); raw Highland beef with smoked egg yolk; cured trout with horseradish; line-caught turbot from the hearth; aged duck with damson and burnt onion; sourdough bread course (cult favourite); a selection of British cheeses; and a brown butter tart with malt ice cream.

5-Course Tasting (£185)

A condensed version of the eight-course featuring the signature opener and main course.

Lunch (£95, 4 courses)

The most accessible entry point. Genuine value for two-star tier.

Wine

The wine list is one of London’s most distinctive — heavy on natural, low-intervention and biodynamic producers, with strong Loire and Jura representation. Pairings start at £125.

Pricing & Value for Money

The £95 four-course lunch is exceptional value. The £225 dinner tasting is competitive at two-star tier.

What Diners Actually Say

TripAdvisor 4.5/5 from 1,800+ reviews; The Infatuation calls it “still the most influential modern British room”; Hardens top-tier London score; consistently on World’s 50 Best.

What Diners Love Most

1. Buttermilk fried chicken with pine salt. The signature opener — small, perfect, unmissable.
2. The wood-fired hearth. Centre of the kitchen and centre of the cooking.
3. Sourdough bread course. Cult favourite — cultured butters and house-made bread.
4. The Town Hall room. Among London’s most distinctive dining rooms.
5. Natural wine list. Genuinely unique programme at this Michelin tier.
6. £95 lunch. Among London’s best two-star lunch values.
7. Service warmth. Informed without formality.
8. Influence. The kitchen has shaped how London cooks modern British.

Areas for Consideration

1. Booking is competitive. 4-6 weeks for weekday; 6-8 for weekends.
2. Natural wine focus may not suit everyone. The list is unusually committed.
3. Less formal than other two-stars. Some celebration diners prefer more grandeur.
4. The room is large. Can occasionally feel less intimate than smaller two-star spaces.

Who Is The Clove Club Best For?

✅ Particularly good for:

• Lovers of modern British cooking
• Natural wine enthusiasts
• The £95 lunch as a serious daytime experience
• Fans of open-kitchen, hearth-led cooking
• Diners who value influence over grandeur

⚠️ Less suitable for:

• Diners seeking grand-hotel formality
• Conservative wine drinkers (natural-leaning programme)
• Last-minute bookings

Booking & How to Visit

1. Book direct at thecloveclub.com or via OpenTable.
2. £75 per person deposit; refundable up to 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions about The Clove Club Shoreditch

How many Michelin stars does The Clove Club Shoreditch hold?

Two Michelin stars. The first star was awarded in 2014; the second in 2024.

How much does dinner cost at The Clove Club Shoreditch?

5-course tasting £185. 8-course tasting £225. 4-course lunch £95. Wine pairings from £125.

What is the signature dish at The Clove Club Shoreditch?

Buttermilk fried chicken with pine salt — the opening canapé that has appeared on every menu since opening.

Who is the chef at The Clove Club Shoreditch?

Isaac McHale (chef-patron). Co-founded with Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith.

How far in advance should I book The Clove Club Shoreditch?

3-6 weeks for weekday dinner; 6-8 weeks for weekend evenings.

How do I get to The Clove Club Shoreditch by Tube?

3-minute walk from Old Street station (Northern line). Address: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT.

Is the wine list at The Clove Club Shoreditch natural-focused?

Yes — strong representation of natural, biodynamic and low-intervention producers, particularly from Loire and Jura.

London Reviews Verdict on The Clove Club

The Clove Club is the most influential modern British room in London. Isaac McHale’s cooking — informed by Nordic technique but rooted in British produce — has shaped how the city cooks at fine-dining level. The buttermilk fried chicken signature, the wood-fired hearth, the natural wine list and the Victorian Town Hall room produce an experience unlike any other London two-star. The £95 lunch is genuine value at this Michelin tier.

Recommended for lovers of modern British cooking, natural wine enthusiasts, and any diner curious to experience the room that helped reshape London’s fine-dining identity.

Related London Reviews

• Shoreditch Town Hall — Theatre & Arts Venue Review
• A. Wong Pimlico — 2 Michelin Stars
• Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal — 2 Michelin Stars
• Brooklands by Claude Bosi — 2 Michelin Stars

Summary Rating

Disclaimer: Cross-referenced from Michelin, World’s 50 Best, Andy Hayler, AA, TripAdvisor, The Infatuation, Hardens. London Reviews accepts no payment from venues.