Clipstone

Modern European·
££££
·
Silver Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Clipstone

Silver Award

Born from the same group that spawned Quality Chop House, Portland and 64 Goodge Street, Clipstone is now in its eighth year of trading and every bit as popular as it was since day one. This relaxed neighbourhood restaurant is one of those quietly brilliant, fairly-priced places that doesn’t necessarily get talked about all that often, but it’s still there on the corner of Clipstone Street, doing its thing. That ‘thing’ is a daily-changing seasonal menu of modern and precise, but ultimately relaxed, cookery in an equally pared back, on-the-brink-of-special-occasion setting.

The space is snug, but not too small that it can’t accommodate an open kitchen showcasing a commendable all-female chef team, and separate bar area on the other side of the room. The word ‘neighbourhoody’ springs to mind - dimly lit, tightly packed, lots of chit chatter and the loveliest staff. The sort of place where you start with a round of Negronis and a pot of XL olives (we did this, you should too) while you browse the menu.

Seasonality is a big deal at Clipstone, culminating in elegant, veg-forward dishes like crispy tempura courgette flowers stuffed with salty, whipped ricotta, then finished with the double sweet hit of candied walnuts and honey - perhaps too sweet for some, but we enjoyed its heavy handedness. A riff on venison tartare muddled with the dull earthiness of beetroot and tangy goat’s cheese was designed to be scooped up with homemade crisps. Fun! Larger plates start from £25, and showcase some excellent skill and flavour, like stuffed poussin elevated with blobs of intensely sweet black garlic gel, and perfectly cooked cod paired with the ever-successful trio of smoked bacon, peas and cream. There were a couple of trip-ups, like an aerated chocolate mousse seasoned with slightly too much salt, a minor hiccup in an otherwise excellent meal.

The wine list has also been carefully conceived and features a little bit of everything, from trendy oranges and Pet Nats to easy drinkers and splash-the-cash bottles. Clipstone might not be flashy or new, but it’s still there and it’s still loved. This is your reminder to pay it a visit soon.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £50 - £79
Cuisines
Modern European
Eat at Home
Home delivery, Takeaway service
Ambience
Cool, Cosy, Fun, Lively, Romantic
Food Occasions
Dinner, Lunch
Alfresco And Views
Outside seating
Special Features
Vegetarian options
Perfect for
Birthdays, Dates, Romantic, Special occasions

About

From the team behind Quality Chop House, Portland and 64 Goodge Street comes Clipstone in Fitzrovia which offers guests produce-focused food with a seasonal menu that rotates daily. Bringing dishes that are characterized by their relaxed excellence and surprising and inventive flavours Clipstone is both a neighbourhood favourite and destination venue.

Located on a quiet corner of Fitzrovia, the restaurant treats the passer-by to its stylish and understated exterior. The space showcases an open kitchen that gives guests the chance to see the all-female chef team at work as well as featuring a stylish separate bar area. The interiors feature a dark wood colour palette, sleekly designed furniture complemented by the tile detailing that lines the walls. The tables on the outside terrace are covered and heated allowing Al Fresco dining among their charming potted greenery all year round.

Clipstone’s menu prioritizes great produce and doesn’t tend to follow any set geographical theme. Instead, an a la carte menu featuring local British produce like London honey and Cornish mussels is served alongside a set lunch menu comprised of all three courses with option to add appetizers and sides. There is also a Sunday menu which features the dishes from the week’s daily menus alongside a more traditional roast offering. This features half a herb fed chicken, stuffed Tamworth porchetta and half a Cornish Plaice all intended to be shared among two to three guests alongside sides of braised fennel, Cornish new potatoes with aioli and Bull’s heart tomatoes garnished with balsamic and chives.

The wines on offer at Clipstone is overseen by Georgia Bronner and is at the heart of Clipstone’s operations. The list is under constant review and focuses on innovative, high quality and most importantly drinkable bottles. These originate not only from more conventional regions but also from some of the less renowned wine-producing parts of the world.


FAQs

Is there a set lunch menu?

Yes, there is a two or three-course set lunch.

Helpful? 0

Location

5 Clipstone Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1W 6BB

020 7637 0871 020 7637 0871

Website

Opening Times

Lunch
Mon Closed
Tue 12:00-14:45
Wed 12:00-14:45
Thu 12:00-14:45
Fri 12:00-14:45
Sat 12:00-14:45
Sun 12:00-15:00
Dinner
Mon Closed
Tue 17:30-21:45
Wed 17:30-21:45
Thu 17:30-21:45
Fri 17:30-21:45
Sat 17:30-21:45
Sun 17:30-20:45

Reviews

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11 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Neil M

21 December 2023  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 4
Value 5

Kathy H

26 January 2022   - Verified Diner
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Fabulous meal

I have been to Clipstone a few times before, and was pleased to see their set lunch menus are back. I visited with a friend, and we had a wonderful lunch of mussels, and them fallow deer ragu with tagliatelle, and then a coffee financier and icecream. The food was excellent, and the staff are charming, and we didn't feel rushed at any time. A thoroughly enjoyable experience, and I will definitely return. 

Anisha S

28 June 2019  
Amazing food and drink, impeccable service, great value.

James S

28 June 2019  
Amazing food and cocktails. Great atmosphere and fairly priced for the quality you get.

Paul B

21 March 2018  
Great for breakfast, a civilised start to the day.

Lyana P

19 June 2017  
A fantastic experience. Relaxed, friendly and amazing food.

Martin C

04 May 2017  
Fabulous menu. Delightful food and wonderful service.

David H

05 April 2017  
Food & Drink 4
Service 3.5
Atmosphere 3
Value 3.5
An interesting, well-cooked and plentiful lunch
This place was reputed to be casual and indeed its like there are a few tables in the centre of what might pass as a deli or bakery. Smart enough, but not in the slightest luxurious , almost to the point where you expect someone to sit down, order a coffee, and break out the laptop. In no sense was this disappointing or a surprise- especially for a restaurant that guides you to its somewhat more stylish sibling if you'd like to linger. However it must be clarified that no-one asked us to move on after 90 minutes and indeed it might have been difficult to eat what we ordered in that timespan. The menu looked interesting , and there were a lot of dishes where it was difficult to anticipate what the food was to look like, never mind what it would taste like. The answer for our party of three at lunch was a lunchtime tasting menu comprising about half the dishes on the a la carte menu, and which worked out to provide 8 courses. In normal-speak this consisted of 5 dishes that you might consider starters, a main course and two desserts, all of which were brought to share , and all told there was certainly enough food for three decent appetites. I was delighted to see that they brought the food one course at a time throughout the meal rather than the frequent and unfortunate practice of cooking the dishes in pretty much random order and directly they are cooked, so that everyone spends the meal shuffling stuff around tables that are too small, the waiters hoping against hope that you'll say dish A is done so there's room for H that has arrived to everyone's surprise. The pace was just right throughout , and with the exception of desserts, they maintained the "one dish only on the table" style thoughout. Whilst the style of cooking was undeniably contemporary, with lots of veg and much food served vaguely pickled, there was a lot of variation in what was served. A meat carpaccio, a fish tartare, broccoli in a piquant sauce, a single tasty scallop each, a pasta dish and a grilled meat main. So not a lot of repetition and to be frank I could name some national cuisines that would struggle to replicate the variety we had today. Everything we ate was cooked nicely and presented decently if never elaborately. Its not a fussy sort of place. Couple of disappointments:- the yellow foot chicken was nicely cooked but not as flavoursome as I'd have liked (and, by the way without a yellow foot anywhere to be seen- odd to name a dish after something you don't get?), and finally my espresso was very sharply flavoured /acid indeed. There's a reason why none of the big coffee chains serve espresso like that. All told though there was much more to like about our meal than to carp about. The bill for the three of us, including bread, sparkling water, food and two half bottles of a pleasant Gruner Veltliner , and an equally flavoursome Refosco, came to £192. It isn't a cheap restaurant , though we did have quite a lot of food and eight different dishes. We left content, with a feeling that lunch had been highly satisfactory, and I'm sure we'll all visit again.

Kate M

24 March 2017  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 4
Value 5
Outstanding value
Wholeheartedly recommend Clipstone. Fantastic food, great service, and astonishing value for money. Restaurant is small, so tables are a bit of a squeeze - we had a very nice chat with our American neighbours - but it adds to the buzz.

Jill C

05 October 2016  
Food & Drink 5
Service 4
Atmosphere 4
Value 3
I don't like being kicked off the table after 90 minutes
I loved the restaurant as soon as I walked in. The decor is simple and clean looking, and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The dishes we ordered (6 sharing plates) were all amazing; an inventive and delicious combination of flavours, and the wine was just the right temperature, and a spot on recommendation by our waitress. HOWEVER, we didn't even have time for a cup of peppermint tea as we were booted off to make way for SittingTwo after just 90 minutes. I met a friend for a good old catch and a leisurely meal and when the bill is well over £100 for 2 without any desserts or coffee, I would expect to be able to enjoy the occasion, not wander the streets at 8.15pm looking for somewhere to finish our conversation over a cup of tea.
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