Chef Merlin Labron-Johnson's foodie guide to east London
Chef Merlin Labron-Johnson gained a Michelin star at his restaurant Portland at the age of 24, just nine months after opening.
The sister restaurant, Clipstone (also in Fitzrovia), opened in 2016. He now also oversees The Restaurant and Terrace on the fourth floor of The Conduit, a new member’s club in Mayfair, as executive chef.
Here, he shares some of his favourite haunts in and around his own stomping ground in east London...
Mãos
“Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes has opened a new fine dining restaurant on Redchurch Street, which is almost a secret. It doesn’t advertise itself, and only 16 guests eat 20 incredible courses each evening around the same table. It kicks off with drinks in the kitchen – a really special experience.”
41 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, London E2 7DJ; maos.dinesuperb.com
The Marksman
A post shared by Marksman Public House (@marksman_pub) on Jul 4, 2018 at 1:08am PDT
“They do an excellent Sunday roast. It’s British food at its best. Chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram used to work together at St John. The food isn’t fussy or complicated, but it’s done incredibly well. It still feels like an East End boozer.”
254 Hackney Road, London E2 7SJ; 020 7739 7393; marksmanpublichouse.com
Bright
“An airy, simple space. I don’t go back to the same restaurants too often, but it just opened and I’ve been three times. Their katsu sando with fried, breadcrumbed pork cutlet is all the rage. It’s run by chefs William Gleave and Giuseppe Belvedere of P.Franco and Noble Fine Liquor, so they’re big on great natural wines, and it’s got a friendly Melbourne vibe.”
1 Westgate Street, London E8 3RL; 020 3095 9407; brightrestaurant.co.uk
The Laughing Heart
A post shared by The Laughing Heart (@thelaughingheart_london) on May 18, 2018 at 7:57am PDT
“I go to The Laughing Heart after service a lot. It’s a wine bar and restaurant that stays open until 2am, even on a Monday. Charlie Mellor, the owner, is a fantastic host and there’s the famous Chinese menu after midnight: pork and fennel dumplings, Sichuan crème brûlée.”
277 Hackney Road, London E2 8NA; 020 7686 9535; thelaughingheartlondon.com
E5 Bakehouse
A post shared by e5 Bakehouse (@e5bakehouse) on Feb 17, 2016 at 3:22am PST
“A fantastic bakery which uses heritage grains. They do a good lunch and plenty of pastries and cakes. I get the Hackney Wild loaf, which has a mildly sour, wheaty flavour.”
395 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH; 020 8525 2890; e5bakehouse.com
Merlin Labron-Johnson will be hosting a culinary experience at the Rocca delle Tre Contrade villa in Sicily from Nov 17-24; thethinkingtraveller. com