Chefs Know Best—
Santiago Lastra’s London

Maison Ë Is there anything you’re particularly excited about in London’s food scene now?

Santiago Lastra London is living the most exciting time for food ever. You can find some of the best coffee shops and restaurants in the world here. Mountain offers North Spanish cuisine mixed with ingredients from Wales. Dorian, a progressive bistro in Notting Hill, uses incredible ingredients—the owner also runs the Supermarket of Dreams. In terms of progressive but also refined Indian food there’s BiBi in Mayfair. The chef of AngloThai combines his Thai and British heritage. OMA in Borough Market offers a progressive take on Greek food. And obviously Fonda, my new Mexican restaurant, is also pretty cool.

M.Ë When it comes to contemporary British Cuisine, where do you experience it at its best?

S.L. There has been a big improvement in British Cuisine and British restaurants. One person at the forefront that I really admire is Jason Atherton. Last year he opened Sael in Covent Garden, a restaurant that is all about British ingredients with a modern take on British classics. Frog by Adam Handling uses seasonal British ingredients and the tasting menu is a whole experience. I think The Clove Club is one of the best fine dining restaurants in London. Scottish chef Isaac McHale applies inspiration from all over the world to his tasting menu. Lyle’s chef James Lowe started the movement of new British Cuisine. In the evenings he offers tasting menus but you can also go in for an à la carte lunch. If you want to go more classic: all the restaurant sites of St. John’s. If you happen to be in Clerkenwell, visit their OG site and order their bone marrow with parsley sauce and toast, and then the Madeleines.

M.Ë Where else would you go for an exceptional tasting menu?

S.L. Ikoyi at 180 The Strand. The chef is from Canada and grew up in London but he gets a lot of inspiration from Africa. While the techniques are quite international, the African spices make the food taste unique. My favorite cuisine is Japanese. For Omakase, I’d recommend Endo at the Rotunda. Chef Endosan does this really good Japanese tasting menu with a cool sake-pairing. You can enjoy the view from the top of the building.

M.Ë If you fancy a cocktail, where is the best place?

S.L. Equal Parts in Hackney is incredible. They have a list of drinks with equal parts of each ingredient and use bottles of wine to make the cocktails and wine reductions. Then there is A Bar with Shapes for a Name. They don’t close until four in the morning, the cocktails are amazing, and the lab-like atmosphere is great. For an aperitivo before dinner, I’d recommend Bar Termini where they serve literally the best Negronis in London. It’s a small bar and coffee shop and you feel like you’re in a train station in another country. Try their Negroni Robusto. For a special occasion, enjoy a Martini at the Connaught Bar in The Connaught Hotel.