Tomos Parry’s relaxed Shoreditch dining room centers on Basque-influenced cooking over open fire. The whole turbot is the signature order, but the smaller grilled dishes make it equally suitable for sharing.
Why It Belongs on the List
Brat (2018, 'brat' is Old English for turbot) opened in a former Shoreditch pub and immediately entered the conversation for London's finest restaurant. The whole turbot (grilled in a handmade iron basket over lumpwood charcoal, served with nothing more than lemon and salted butter — the restraint that is the highest form of confidence) is the defining dish. Chef Tomos Parry trained in the Basque Country and applies the txikito oak charcoal tradition to British produce (Cornish day-boat fish, Dexter beef, heritage pork from named farms). The burned Basque cheesecake — scorched top, barely-set interior — has inspired imitations across London. Book well ahead; reservations open weeks in advance and fill within hours.
What Stands Out
- London's most celebrated contemporary restaurant: the reference answer from food professionals when asked for the best in London
- The whole turbot: the most praised single dish in London — grilled in a custom iron basket over charcoal, served with lemon and butter only
- Michelin One Star: the recognition that confirmed what Londoners knew from the first week of service
- Tomos Parry's Basque fire technique applied to British produce: Cornish fish, Dexter beef, heritage pork from named Welsh and English farms
- Burned Basque cheesecake: the second most cited dish — the barely-set, caramel-topped cheesecake that started a London trend
- Book weeks ahead: reservations open well in advance and fill within hours