The Best Central London Restaurants

Glasshouse

Address: 4 Station Parade, TW9 3PZ
Telephone:

From the group who brought you Chez Bruce and La Trompette, those two bastions of dining excellence conveniently located out in the suburban sticks, comes Glasshouse, a delightful space just by Kew station. The Glasshouse does not take its name from Kew Gardens' greenhouses but rather from its bendy corner location fronted by plate glass windows that go halfway round the room. With its wooden floors and light colours the effect of the sun streaming in lifts the spirits. It's modern and sleek while retaining a relaxed ambience and the young dining out residents of Kew (Kewpies?) come in their droves to have their palates titillated by chef Anthony Boyd's French/British offerings. A signature dish is warm salad of wood pigeon with a deep-fried truffled egg, so you shouldn't miss that. Other richly indulgent choices might include navarin of rabbit with chorizo, carrots, courgettes and mascarpone, or ravioli of calf's tongue and sweetbreads with spiced red cabbage and artichoke confit. These are big butch flavours but delicately created so it's neither peasant nor haute cooking but something much more modern and interesting. Puds might include crunchy praline parfait with warm almond cappuccino. Staff are professional without froideur, friendly with offence. Portions are famously large, so plan your appetite accordingly.