Tavern brings a polished yet deeply comforting British bistro sensibility to Old Street, from the accomplished team behind Nest and Michelin-starred St Barts. Drawing inspiration from the warmth and conviviality of classic pub culture, it blends the feel of a beloved neighbourhood local with a more refined culinary outlook, resulting in a restaurant that is relaxed, buzzy and quietly ambitious.
The space occupies the former Nest site, now reimagined as a clean, cosy bistro with a restrained palette of black and off-white. A sweeping black-slate counter loops around an open kitchen, giving guests front-row seats to the action. Diners can perch at the bar with a glass of wine and a few nostalgic snacks, or settle into the candlelit dining room dressed in crisp white tablecloths for a more leisurely meal.
In the kitchen, Executive Chef Brendan Appleby leads a talented team that includes Johnnie Crowe and Head Chef Kirsty Easterbrook. Their shared ethos prioritises close relationships with farmers, fishermen and growers across the UK, resulting in a menu built on exceptional seasonal produce, whole-animal butchery and dishes cooked over fire. Daily specials shift with availability, while the core menu showcases everything from devilled pig skin with smoked cod’s roe and hogget scrumpets, to the instantly iconic Chunion puff and skewers of barbecued cuttlefish with pork XO. Larger plates demonstrate the team’s technical finesse – think Brixham turbot with sparkling wine and cobnut sauce, Yew Tree Farm hogget with anchovy and ewe’s curd, or Tamworth pork served nose-to-tail.
For sharing, Welsh Wagyu rib with marrow and Dorset snails is a showstopper, and the crispy veal sweetbread burger is already earmarked as a house favourite. Desserts lean into nostalgic British comfort, from ‘British Chocolate’ tart to malt loaf with fermented honey.
A counter bar adds further draw, pouring tankards of beer, classic cocktails with modern technique, and a wine list championing natural and low-intervention producers.