It is easy to miss the restaurant part of The Globe Tavern, when you stroll into the action-packed area of Borough Market, you immediately notice a multitude of city workers crowded on the pavements and around the bar on the ground floor of the tavern. Their restaurant is a hidden gem on the first floor. If the building looks familiar, you might have seen it featured in the Bridget Jones films: it is her famous bachelorette pad above the restaurant.
The food here is quintessentially British, as much as the famous character who is supposed to live above the restaurant. The sourcing of produce is an omnipresent statement at most restaurants; however here it is something they can rightfully be proud of given their close proximity to Borough Market. Most of their produce are direct from the producers who own stalls at the market. The few suppliers that are not from the market are long-term acquaintances of their head chef, Luke Hawkins and they are renowned for supplying high quality artisanal produce. The market suppliers are helpfully displayed on the walls: the restaurant clearly has a great relationship with them, as we all know purchasing anything from Borough Market doesn’t come cheaply, but the menu prices here are extremely reasonable.
The first thing you might notice is the vibrancy of colours in their dishes. Beetroot, apple, horseradish crème fraîche might be a simple dish but it is beautifully presented in an appetising array of colours. Likewise, the mackerel dish might not scream complexity, but the quality of the fish is undeniable: it is meaty, full of salty flavours and just gently grilled to retain its freshness.
The menu is changed monthly, so when we visited, they had a well-balanced mixture of more summery dishes and a few more autumnal ones. Rainbow trout, crab, grapefruit and chicory was light and filled with flavours of the garden and seaside. The skin was so well fried and crunchy, my guest who is a serial fish-skin remover devoured the fish with no hesitation. The grouse that I tried had rich gamey flavours and was further enhanced with the addition of bacon and beetroot. Let’s hope there will be more game dishes appearing on their autumn/winter menus.
In terms of desserts, you might just have to leave your guilty feelings at home: salted caramel brownie, vanilla marshmallow and honey ice cream is about as indulgent as they come. Luke has made slight changes to classic recipes to come up with a dessert that brings feelings of familiarity and innovation. If the desserts are this irresistible, it is hardly surprising to find that Bridget Jones struggles to lose weight. Discover this charming, hidden gem yourself in the heart of Borough Market.
baldwin@townfish.com