Barbican · London
St. John opened in Smithfield in 1994, next to the meat market, with Fergus Henderson cooking whole-animal British food that almost nobody else was serving at the time — bone marrow and parsley salad, and the bakery that came later. Thirty years on it is the answer London's cooks give when someone asks where they eat on their own night off, and the fifteen below include chefs, a critic, two actors and a comedian.
order: bone marroworder: madeleinesorder: piesorder: doughnut
co-founder, Bun House
Best restaurant in London, St John Bread and Wine, Spitalfields. I just like how plain it is.
Said on TopJaw · watch
chef & co-founder, Akub
St. John's. Bone marrow and offal and fantastic wines. Come on.
Said on TopJaw · watch
chef-patron, Black Axe Mangal (Islington; regular service paused Dec 2025)
St John. Classic, like a Chanel suit, never goes out of style.
Said on TopJaw · watch
cook & cookbook author, Cooking With Vegetables
St. John. I've been going there for 20 years and I've never had a meal I didn't love.
Said on TopJaw · watch
founder, Willy's Pies
Madeleines at St. John. After filling your boots, there's something so satisfying about having a couple of madeleines.
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actor & author
Best restaurant in London, I'm going to give you a few: the River Cafe, Riva, Sabor, St. John.
Said on TopJaw · watch
executive chef, Humble Grape (Battersea)
For me, my favourite place to eat out has got to be St. JOHN and St John's Bread and Wine – truly iconic for a reason!
Said on Mob · read
chef, Bar Crispin
Best restaurant in London, big fan of St John. A classic.
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brand director, Bleecker Burger
Best restaurant in London, St John. Favourite dish? The pies. Any pie they give me, I'll take.
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co-founder, Pophams
Go St John if you want a banger. St John's the one.
Said on TopJaw · watch
head chef, Chiltern Firehouse
Best restaurant in London, St John Bread and Wine, Spitalfields.
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Barry Taylor, SortedFood
actor
This is St. John. You can go there on a date. You can go there and have a working lunch.
Said on TopJaw · watch
chef-owner, Sabor & Legado
Best bakery, St John's Bakery. Best donut.
Said on TopJaw · watch
comedian & actor
Just a stool at the bar, all their white coats and stuff. It feels like I'm part of something.
Said on TopJaw · watch
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Published 2026-08-29