Last Updated on October 24, 2024
Fine Dining without the Fuss
October’s ‘Restaurant of the Month’ has to be Wildflowers. We’ve been glued to its Instagram for weeks, watching the teases and drips of opening prep, promising ourselves we’d swing by as soon as they threw open the doors. And yet somehow, life got in the way, and it’s only just happened. But I can tell you now that Wildflowers Restaurant is one of those places we’ll be coming back to, time and again.
The brainchild of Aaron Potter, former head chef of Trinity, while it might not have a view of Clapham Common, the inside could easily fool you into thinking you were right there. It’s all elegant minimalism and carefully curated style, with just enough modernity to feel fresh, but not so much that you can’t kick back and relax. The sort of place that, if I lived nearby, I’d be nipping into the mezzanine bar for a cheeky drink and a snack on the regular. And yes, they do cocktails – so there’s that.
Set in what used to be a timber yard (naturally), Wildflowers Restaurant is nestled in one of those impossibly chic shopping arcades in a part of London where interior design boutiques rub shoulders with the likes of Daylesford and Hunan. Not far off, Cornus is another new face on the scene, all part of a central London pocket that seemed woefully short on contemporary British food, despite catering to the kind of crowd that can and will pay for it.
Aaron Potter, who also helmed the kitchen at Phil Howard’s Elystan Street, has teamed up with interior stylist and florist Laura Hart to create a space that’s as much about what’s on the walls as what’s on the plate. Flowers here, a bit of modern art there, and a chef’s counter that you can see from just about every seat in the house. It’s chic, but not the kind that makes you feel guilty for not knowing the name of the artist on the wall. The menu is paired back and direct – snacks, starters, mains, desserts – with a wine list to match. Upstairs, though, is where the cocktail magic happens. We found that out too late, but it’s on the agenda for the next visit. You can be sure of that.
Kicking things off, we struggled to decide between the starters and so, in true greedy fashion, we opted for an assortment of snacks to share. First, the Wildflowers focaccia: light, herbaceous, and just salty enough to keep you reaching for more.
I did experience a moment of drink envy over my companion’s ‘nearly dirty martini,’ but my melon negroni soothed those wounds quite effectively. We grazed on ‘Romeo and Juliets,’ which, no, are not cigars, but rather neat cubes of quince jelly and cheese. We also tucked into marinated olives – citrus, rosemary, and paprika lifting them into something more than a filler – and gnocco fritto that almost stole the show.
You do need to know about the gnocco fritto. These glorious little fried pasta parcels, oozing with gorgonzola and mozzarella, are topped with speck and truffle honey. Break through that crisp exterior, and you’re met with an avalanche of molten cheese, the kind that makes you seriously consider ordering more. Like three rounds more.
Then came the moules farcies, tender steamed mussels stuffed with nothing more than garlic and parsley butter. Simple? Yes. But when it’s done this well, you just want to keep going, hoping they’ll never run out.
We decided to stick with a carafe of the house white, a Friulano from Tenuta Aurea 2022, at a very reasonable £20 for 500ml, rather than diving into a full bottle. Given the cocktails, it felt like the smarter plan, and I love the flexibility of being able to dip into a decent carafe. And that, of course, left us with the option of dessert wine later.
Mains brought on another wave of envy, although this time I managed to keep it under control. My companion’s grilled sea bass, resting in a puddle of puttanesca butter with coco beans, purslane and lemon alioli, was everything you’d hope it to be. Crisp-skinned, moist-fleshed, and looking like it had just kissed the wood-fired grill.
But then I had my fideuà – the Spanish cousin of paella, all short noodles, seafood, and socarrat. Dotted with octopus and cuttlefish, slicked with alioli, and spiked with saffron, tomato, and paprika, it was comforting yet restrained. The kind of dish that lets you indulge without regret. And, dare I say it, something I’d be tempted to recreate at home if the recipe ever found its way out of the kitchen.
Dessert brought further indulgence. My companion went for the Italian citrus tart with crème fraîche, while I opted for the dark chocolate torte served with hazelnut milk gelato. Both were as spot-on as the rest of the meal. And yes, the sweet wines were just as on point – I went for a MR Muscat, Molina Real 2022 from Spain, while my companion leaned into the Sauternes. No disappointments there.
In short, Wildflowers Restaurant is one of those rare beasts – a fine dining experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously. There’s no pomp or pretension, just good food, good wine, and an atmosphere that makes you want to settle in for the evening. And trust me, we’ll be back for more.
Wildflowers Restaurant
57 Pimlico Road
London, SW1W 8NE
After such a resounding success with Wildflowers, what else have we spotted this month?
We started the month at the awards ceremony for the San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year where we were thrilled to see Sude Hancher from Cornus pick up the S. Pellegrino Social Responsibility Award for her Cauliflower and Halibut dish. And, congratulations to the overall winner of the UK heat, Ben Miller from Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal. Awards like this are great for nurturing young talent and often a wonderful indicator of potential You can find out more about the San Pellegrino Young Chef awards from their website
Having adored Sael we are keeping a close eye on the opening date for Row on 5, Jason Atherton’s next restaurant opening planned for November. It’s based on the Dubai Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant Row on 45 and we loved what we heard about the concept from Jason himself!
5 Savile Row, London W1S 3PB
Boxcar Bread & Wine is a bakery by day and a wine bar by night. From the same people who brought you Bar & Grill, the bakery is already open but from November 20th there will be an evening service with seasonal dishes and small plates in this cosy restaurant and wine bar.
30 Kendal Street, London W2 2AW
We love Plume Covent Garden and Finch (Brixton) so we are looking forward to Quill, a new Borough Yards wine bar from the same family. It’s within walking distance of home for me!
Borough Yards – 1 Bank End, London SE1 9BU
We’ve tried making some of the Meal Kits that AngloThai came up with during the pandemic and enjoyed the end result immensely. But there’s nothing like having your food professionally cooked.. After a series of pop-ups, they are now opening their own restaurant in the heart of Marylebone Village and we love their concept of the bold flavours of Thailand with seasonal, local ingredients from the UK. Another one to watch and visit, it opens on 10th November
22-24 Seymour Place, London W1H 7NL
Finally, Babbo, an all-day Italian restaurant is moving from Mayfair to St John’s Wood. We can’t wait to try it out for ourselves
29-31 St John’s Wood High St, London NW8 7NH
