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Rules RestaurantvsSt. John
St John Bar & Restaurant Smithfield and Rules Restaurant are both rated highly by travel writers. On balance, St John Bar & Restaurant Smithfield ranks significantly higher than Rules Restaurant. St John Bar & Restaurant Smithfield comes in at #3 in London with accolades from 15 reviewers such as Gayot, Michelin Guide and Not For Tourists.
Rules Restaurant
Fodor's
Frommer's
Gayot
DK Eyewitness
Independent
Time Out
Zagat
Travel + Leisure
Michelin Guide
Condé Nast Traveler Show All Reviews
35 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7LB
From $0/night
Fodor's "Come, escape the 21st century. Opened by Thomas Rule in 1798, London's oldest restaurant is, according to some, still London's most beautiful." Full review
Frommer's "This is the place for a genuine taste of traditional London." Full review
Gayot14.0
"Rules opened its doors in 1798 and during its history has seen the great and the good, the famous and infamous and latterly, tourists in droves, pass through its doors." Full review
DK Eyewitness "London’s oldest restaurant, here since 1798, has retained its fascinating historic decor, and its standards: it remains a temple of fine British cooking."
Independent "It's hard not to talk about art, when every wall is covered with amazing – and often quite startling – pieces." Full review
Time Out "Rules may look as though nothing has changed for 50 years (or more, the restaurant was established in 1798), but this old-stager hasn’t made it this far without adapting to the times." Full review
Zagat4.4
"You "can't get more traditional" than this "right, rigorous and reliable" Covent Garden "institution" that's been serving "hearty" British "classics." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Established in 1798, Rules claims to be the oldest restaurant in London. It’s a place where locals like to get their fix of good old-fashioned British food." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Plate
"London's oldest restaurant boasts a fine collection of antique cartoons, drawings and paintings. Tradition continues in the menu, specialising in game from its own estate." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "Rules, London's oldest restaurant, is old-school, funny, and a must for visitors." Full review
St. John
Concierge Fodor's Frommer's
Insight Guides
BlackBook Gayot DK Eyewitness Michelin Guide
Rough Guide Time Out Show All Reviews
26 St John Street, London EC1M 4AY
From $41/night
Concierge "They call it "Nose-to-Tail Eating," and you'll be amazed at the number of obscure cuts that can crop up between those too extremes and end up on your plate."
Fodor's "Foodies travel the globe for pioneering chef Fergus Henderson's ultra-British nose-to-tail cooking." Full review
Frommer's "The ingredients are the best, the cooking is superb, and the dish is what it says on the menu." Full review
Insight Guides "This little restaurant, a stone’s throw from Smithfield’s meat market, is a Clerkenwell favourite. It offers simple but curious dishes such as Middle White belly and dandelion."
BlackBook "Located in a former smokehouse near Smithfield meat market, St John specialises in what chef Fergus Henderson terms ‘nose-to-tail’ eating – ie, offal."
Gayot14.0
"The belief that no one eats better than farmers is confirmed by the repertoire of this bare, white, classy canteen, with its pleasant relaxed service which is far from rustic." Full review
DK Eyewitness "Here they like to eat the bits of animals you barely hear about so don’t bring squeamish eaters."
Michelin Guide 1 Star
"The walls, painted in a shade of detention centre white, add to the utilitarian feel of the room which was a smokehouse in the 19C."
Rough Guide "Former smokehouse close to Smithfield meat market that’s famous for Fergus Henderson’s perfect, utterly simple, execution of traditional British dishes."
Time Out "St John’s cooking is famously full-on, but also sophisticated, concocting flavours that are delicate as well as rich." Full review
