Head Chef Miguel Maragno Roma shows off his pickle collection.
So what do we need to know about Nettle?
This new restaurant has gone rather under the radar since opening just over a month ago. But we're hoping to fix that with this Test Drive. The chef behind it, Will Devlin, is probably better known for his Kent establishment The Small Holding, which won a Michelin green star for its ethical and sustainable credentials. Here in London, he's got two restaurants under the same roof. Birchwood, which is a more casual spot on the ground floor, and Nettle, which is the rooftop space.
Where is it?
It's on the top of The Conduit members club in Covent Garden (although you don't have to be a member to visit either of Devlin's restaurants here). Covent Garden tube is just a minute's walk away and the way in to Nettle is through the main club's entrance. Views over London from here must be nice during the day, and there's a big terrace if the weather isn't too awful.
A view of the dining room looking out over the rooftop terrace.
Where should we meet friends for a drink first?
If it's Guinness you're after, then the Open Gate Brewery is literally around the corner. There's also nearby Oriole for great cocktails. But given the quality of the drinks offering at Nettle and how passionate they are about what they're doing, we'd suggest having a drink up at the bar here first. From making homemade shrubs to celebrating English wines, the drinks list here is worth checking out.
Obviously we had to try the Nettle vodka martini (£14.50) - and it's a good one, using fino instead of vermouth. Hot Dinners chill rating 8.5. We also had a very good strawberry and whiskey cocktail the bar knocked up for us when we didn't fancy going for a sweet wine with our desserts.
What kind of food are we talking about?
It feels like every restaurant in London is paying some form of lip service to sustainability and a farm-to-table ethos (although some are doing way more than others). But here at Nettle they really go the extra mile. Much of the food comes from the chef's own farm and butchery down in Kent, and it won't surprise you to learn that the Head Chef Miguel Maragno Roma was previously Senior Sous Chef at Silo. We even had a table of former Silo chefs beside us.
It's all super seasonal, so while we've given examples of what we ate here, you can expect that menu to change quite a lot according to what's in season.
Whitstable oysters with fermented peach (£4 each) - we're obviously in peak amazing oyster season in London. These were very good.
Hake croquettes with allium emulsion and pickled cucumber (£4) - a snack we could probably have swerved. OK, but not as good as the other dishes we ordered.
Wild rabbit skewer with fermented chilli (£10) - this made it onto our list of best dishes we ate in October for good reason. Very tender meat and a lovely chilli kick.
The grass-fed steak comes from Sussex, and the cuts change every day. We're here to tell you that this was the best steak we've had this year in London, knocking everything else we've had into a hat.
What's on the menu for vegetarians and vegans?
It probably won't surprise you to learn that there's a lot for those on a plant-forward diet. But even if you're an omnivore, we'd strongly urge you to order the dish below, if it's on. We also had a very good late tomato salad - Nutbourne tomatoes with fermented pepper and shiso (£6).
Oyster mushroom nuggets with miso dip (£9) - one of the best things we ate here. They even make the miso from smoked mushrooms, and the treacle from surplus veg for the tempura batter. Insanely delicious.
Room for dessert?
Absolutely, even if the dessert menu is pretty tight with just three options plus a cheeseplate on our visit.
Left to right: Seasonal soft serve (Meadowsweet and raspberrychung with koji crumble on our visit - £8) and Kentish strawberry tart with meadowsweet custard (£12)
What's the drinks list like?
The wine list is good, although we hear it's a work in progress, with more English wines expected to make it onto the list in the coming weeks and months. Our strong recommendation would be to get their Assistant General Manager Zoltan (who previously headed up Hedonism's White Horse in Mayfair) to give you some tips, as he was a brilliant guide.
Overall thoughts:
We're not sure why there hasn't been more buzz around this because our dinner at Nettle was fantastic. From the integral role sustainability plays in the menu to the actual execution of the dishes and the faultlessly friendly staff, this is a genuinely great new addition to the London dining scene. It deserves to be busier, and we think you should go.
More about Nettle
Where is it? 5th Floor, The Conduit, 6 Langley Street, London WC2H 9JA
How to book? Book online.
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @nettle.restaurant.
Hot Dinners dined as guests of Nettle. Prices correct at time of publication.
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