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Acorn House

Address:69 Swinton Street WC1X 9NT
Tel:020 7812 1842
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Website: Visit Acorn House website
Price: £45.00 Wine: £16.00 Champagne: £49.00
Opening Hours:Mon-Fri 8am-11am 12N-3pm 6-10.30pm Sat 10am-10.30pm

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Square Meal review of Acorn House: ? Write your review

Eco-warrior Acorn House has been highly commended since opening in King’s Cross in 2005, & its virtues are admirable. The whole place was built mainly from recyclable & organic materials, it is committed to serving sustainable, seasonal produce, & staff are trained up from the local community. But, surprisingly, it hasn’t won over the majority of Square Meal readers, who claim the under-embellished food – yellow bean salad with radish & wild rocket or spinach, samphire & Caerphilly frittata, perhaps – is ‘obviously very fresh’ but often ‘uninspiring’. Long waits between courses have left diners feeling that staff are ‘too busy riding their ethical high horses’, while others grumble about the ‘cramped’ atmosphere & close-set tables. Much of this negativity may simply be a reaction against ‘all the hype’, because Acorn House’s aims are forward thinking & impressive; if you don’t go expecting food that will make the earth move, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Chef: Arthur Potts Dawson

Acorn House’s Chef -

After almost 20 years in the industry, Arthur Potts Dawson finally attracted the attention of the dining public with the launch of the environmentally friendly restaurant Acorn House in late 2006. This nephew of rock icon Mick Jagger started cooking at the age of 16 and did service in the kitchens of Kensington Place and La Tante Claire before rising to the position of head chef at the River Café. Former colleague Jamie Oliver asked him to become executive chef at Fifteen, where he met Jamie Grainger-Smith. Their shared attitude to the environment proved the inspiration for Acorn House. Initial success turned to London-wide fame when it was named restaurant of the year by the Observer’s Food Monthly magazine in 2007. In 2008 the pair launched their second site, Water House, an even more environmentally conscious restaurant in Hoxton.

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Reader reviews of Acorn House:

Flying Foodie
Gold Reviewer

Flying Foodie (30s, Male, United Kingdom)

Editor's pick

I have been to Acorn House many times and always love it. The menu is highly creative with lots of unusual ingredients and a heavy helping of seasonal vegetables. On my last visit I had a fantastic ham hock terrine with pear chutney followed by pork ravioli with Vin Santo sauce and some exotic cheesey topping. Everyone was wowed by the food.

Décor is warm, inviting and modern. It’s not high-end but feels very plush and quite glamorous. Guests are never disappointed.

It is of course famous for its eco-credentials which make a good talking point and create the feeling that your eco-sins will be absolved the more you eat there. The only downside is somewhat scatty service, which has got better over the years, but on my last visit needed constant reminding to pour some water.

My top tip is the English Chapel Down champagne (although it’s naughty to call it that). It’s fantastic and saves a few food miles. With a bottle of this between four people, two bottles of wine and two courses, expect to emerge only £50 a head lighter.

2 March 2009
Overall:9
Food and Drink:9
Service:5
Atmosphere:8
Value for Money:8
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