One-time pop-up restaurant Fallow finally laid down permanent roots in 2021 in London's St James's Market and has settled comfortably into its new surroundings.
Fallow takes a 'sustainably focused' culinary approach with much of the produce sourced from chef owners Will Murray and Jack Croft’s smallholding near Esher – although some ingredients are sourced even closer to home with the restaurant cultivating its own mushrooms. There is also a focus on whole animal butchery, with the downstairs kitchen boasting a dry ageing room.
The menu is split between snacks, small and large plates, but all are big on flavour. Indeed, Fallow has already established a number of dishes as its signatures - not least its corn ribs with lime that are a heightened way of eating corn on the cob and the striking cod’s head with sriracha butter, which features a charred head served in a pool of red sauce.
There’s more meat on the menu than at some sustainable restaurants that have taken a broadly plant-based approach, but its inclusion is considered, with steaks coming from venerable dairy cows and whole animals used creatively. That said, its extensive menu means there is also plenty on offer for vegans and vegetarians.
In a world where a drive for sustainability can often lead to well-meaning menus that lack punch, Fallow stands out.
