Fergus Henderson was a self-trained chef when he opened St John in 1994. Since then, his restaurant has won a Michelin star and Henderson has become one of the most celebrated figures in the world of gastronomy. The original purveyor of nose to tail cooking, Henderson famously proclaimed that “if you're going to kill the animal, it seems only polite to use the whole thing". The stark restaurant décor, like the food, is pragmatic rather than theatrical, however his second venture in nearby Shoreditch, St. John Bread & Wine, is infinitely warmer and one of our favourite casual places to eat in London. The minimally presented dishes arrive just as minimally described. Offal, game and lesser known cuts are the order of the day and the menu at times feels like an exploration of the limits of what should be eaten, such as ox heart and chitterlings. While the menu at both restaurants changes regularly, you’ll also find various mainstay dishes such as the roast bone marrow with parsley salad and mandelines. A feasting menu enables a table of at least fourteen to try a whole suckling pig and comes highly recommended. For Michelin starred cuisine, it's infinitely affordable. The St. John’s team have also recently opened a new venture, the St. John Hotel & Restaurant, located in Leicester Square in central London.
