The banquette tables in Fitzgerald's
What do we need to know about Fitzgerald's?
The first thing of note is that it's one half of a new opening; this is the restaurant attached to The Horsemen pub, which recently opened its doors in Liverpool Street. The folk behind it are also responsible for having brought Sunday in Brooklyn over to London from New York. This is their take on an American-Irish pub and clubhouse.
Where is it?
You'll find it one step back from the top level of Broadgate Circle, opposite Redemption Roasters. It's a larger corner space with the pub probably being the thing you see first, with its large terrace. But if you head to the right of the pub on the other corner, you'll find the separate entrance to Fitzgerald's.
This corner is where the restaurant entrance (and terrace) is.
Where should we meet for a drink first?
Given that this restaurant has its own pub, why would you go anywhere else? We didn't actually try the Guinness, although that seemed the most popular pint being poured on our visit. But a pint of Alpacalypse Session IPA went down nicely on a ragingly hot day.
Drinks up at the bar in The Horsemen
And where should we sit?
At this point, we'd like to give a shout-out to whoever designed this restaurant, as they've done an absolutely banging job of it. From the framed jockey shirts on the walls to the soft lighting and comfortable chairs, they've made a brand new grill look like it's been here for years. As for where to sit, the tables are all decently spread out if you're here talking business, and there's a nice booth table by the kitchen pass which would be particularly good for any confidential convos.
What a lovely dining room this is.
So what's on the menu?
They do a truncated menu at lunch, so if you want the full offering, you'll need to head here for dinner. It's a very likeable menu of precisely the kind of thing you'd expect to find in a New York Midtown grill. This isn't a small plates, sharing concept kind of place - it's more of a three-course affair.
We gave it a pretty good going over on our visit, so here are some of the hits of the night:
Irish beef tartare (£15.50) - it's fair to say this dish alone was what prompted our visit as it's served up with Tayto crisps. In fairness, we were pretty sure these were the Northern Irish Tayto, but it was still a good combo.
Kentucky popcorn (£9.50) - really good thigh meat popcorn chicken with a bourbon glaze.
T-bone (£62) - an amazing piece of on-the-bone beef from Wexford in Ireland, pretty much perfectly seasoned and cooked.
Lamb pie (£32) - perhaps not the most sensible order in the middle of a heatwave, but this braised shank pie still won us over.
Room for dessert?
Desserts here are the kind that presuppose you've already been to the gym at some point that day and will have room - think Lexington cheesecake, Derby tart and warm apple cake. The dessert below, though, was our standout favourite.
Dubliner brownie with cornflakes and vanilla ice cream (£8) - simply, a really lovely dessert.
What's on the drinks list?
On the wine front, the list ranges all over the world but is decently priced for the City, with over a third of the bottles coming in under £50. That said, you could always push the boat out with a bottle of Margaux for £108. We kept the heat down with a bottle of chilled Gamay for £54. Where the list does get particularly interesting is its selection of Irish whiskies and American bourbons, including some we'd never seen before.
Overall thoughts:
With its mix of both Irish and American influences, it felt to us like Fitzgerald's (and The Horsemen too) has something a bit different to offer London's steakhouse scene. Obviously, with its position in the heart of the City, it's pitching at a business audience but we found a lot to like here. If you're avoiding travel to the States because of the orange man, this would be a nice way to get the NYC vibe in London right now.
More about Fitzgerald's and The Horsemen
Where is it? 1 Broadgate, London EC2M 2QS
How to book? Book online here.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @thehorsemenlondon
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Fitzgerald's. Prices correct at time of publication.
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