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The IvyvsSt. John
Both establishments are endorsed by writers. On balance, St John Bar & Restaurant Smithfield ranks significantly higher than The Ivy. St John Bar & Restaurant Smithfield has a TripExpert Score of 91 with praise from 15 reviews including Insight Guides, Michelin Guide and Lonely Planet.
The Ivy
Fodor's
Frommer's
Lonely Planet
Gayot
Time Out
Zagat
Travel + Leisure
Not For Tourists
Wallpaper
Michelin Guide Show All Reviews
1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ
From $48/night
Fodor's "Service is flawless, and for low-to-mid wattage West End star-spotting this is a prime spot. Tip:." Full review
Frommer's "New restaurants with a more exciting vibe, a more adventurous menu, and chicer decor constantly open, but The Ivy retains its reputation as the favorite haunt for A-list celebrities." Full review
Lonely Planet "You’ll have to book one to six months ahead to enjoy the innovative modern British cuisine at this favourite hangout of London celebrities." Full review
Gayot14.0
"This is one of the best-run dining rooms in London and the kitchen is more than a match." Full review
Time Out "This gorgeous room may not attract as many A-list celebs as it once did, but there was one B-plus (glamorous if faded actress) on a Monday lunchtime." Full review
Zagat4.4
""Knowledgeable, efficient" staff treats everyone "like A-listers" at this upmarket Covent Garden "institution" serving "well-cooked and -presented" Modern Brit-Euro dishes." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Talk about traditional: The Ivy’s building has housed various incarnations of this iconic restaurant since the 1920s." Full review
Not For Tourists "Dining experience that will prove memorable."
Wallpaper "The all-day menus are overseen by head chef Sean Burbidge (ex-Pétrus) and cover every gastronomic pit-stop from breakfast (and weekend brunch) through to cream tea and post-prandial cocktails." Full review
Michelin Guide 0 Stars
"The members-only Ivy Club may have siphoned off the top tier of regulars but The Ivy restaurant continues to attract new blood." 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
