The Clove Club burst onto London’s dining scene in 2013 when hugely respected supperclub trio Daniel Willis, Isaac McHale and Johnny Smith took on Shoreditch Town Hall for their brave debut restaurant.
From the outset they had big ambitions for their restaurant and they haven’t fallen short, with it not only having won a Michelin star but gaining a place on the coveted World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. More recently still, the restaurant climbed in the estimations of the red book, winning a second star.
When it opened The Clove Club became something of a gamechanger for London’s dining scene. Chef-patron McHale’s thoughtful and precise cooking is rooted in his Scottish heritage but takes inspiration from across the world, gaining his restaurant a reputation for serving clever, technical and intricate food that is a joy to eat. It was also one of the first restaurants in the UK to introduce prepayment, practically banishing no-shows overnight.
A tasting menu is served every day for lunch and dinner across the whole restaurant while a shorter tasting menu is served for dinner, Monday to Thursday in the front room and bar countertop and at lunchtime and McHale’s constant curiosity ensures they are in a state of constant flux. A regularly-changing four-course set lunch menu also offers lunchers an accessible option for a restaurant of such renown.
With its blue-tiled open kitchen, plain whitewashed walls, wooden floor and bare tables and inviting bar area, The Clove Club still feels as modern and on point as it did when it first opened.
