The Chalk Freehouse

We won’t linger on the fact that Tom Kerridge’s previous run at breaking the Chelsea pub market didn’t quite go to plan. The Butcher’s Tap & Grill lasted 18 months before closing, but what’s taken its place shows the group’s ability to pivot – and The Chalk looks like it’s the one that'll stick.

Along with a fresh white paint job out front, the team have brought in the big guns to push the pub in a more food-focused direction: Tom De Keyser, who was previously the head chef at The Hand and Flowers, now runs the kitchen, and a flurry of alumni from Kerridge’s Marlow pubs are leading the charge on front of house and the wine list.

Make no mistake, this is still a boozer. We pass through a swarm of Chelsea locals milling outside on our visit, pints of bitter in hand, to the lightly refurbished dining room. The layout has been thoughtfully designed with a raised area where diners can enjoy a meal without feeling encroached by the melee of after-work drinkers, while studded leather banquets and a traditional pub bar follow a typical Kerridge pub model – nothing too flash to let the food do the talking.

Anything from the snacks list would form a fantastic opener to Tom’s menu. All are priced at £3 a pop, phenomenal value considering these include appetite-busting bites like a Parmesan-loaded cheese and onion scone with mustard seed butter. The rest is decidedly more refined, but still made for a pub crowd. A tender piece of lamb shoulder with charred veg and a salty anchovy fritter is the sort of simple, confident cooking that speaks volumes. As does a beautiful piece of ray wing with sweet, pickled cockles and anchovy butter. Do leave room for something off the retro pudding list. We choose a spiced Chelsea bun steeped in cold vanilla custard and booze-soaked raisins.

London's market of modern British pubs might be saturated to bursting, but The Chalk Freehouse certainly feels like a welcome addition. We hope it lives longer than the last. 

The Chalk Freehouse is a Chelsea gastropub run by Tom Kerridge and longtime collaborator and chef Tom De Keyser, who was previously head chef at two Michelin-starred The Hand and Flowers in Marlow. Taking over what was previously The Butcher's Tap and Grill, the gastropub occupies a two-storey Victorian property just off Chelsea’s King’s Road. This is Tom De Keyser’s first solo project within the group, having worked with the company for 13 years. The name 'The Chalk' nods to Chelsea’s maritime past, and the venue has been lightly refurbished to reflect this theme, balancing both historic and contemporary touches.

The Chalk Freehouse offers a refined take on classic British pub dining, focusing on comforting favourites with a fine dining twist. Both a la carte and an exceptional-value set lunch menu are available every day. The main menu features a selection of snacks, starters, mains, sides and desserts, with highlights including cheese and onion scones with whipped mustard butter, as well as the popular ‘The Hand & Flowers’ chicken and duck liver parfait. Meanwhile, mains range from pork chop schnitzel with smoked bacon cabbage to roasted ray wing with crispy cockles. For dessert, look out for warm pork fat Chelsea buns with vanilla custard, while on Sundays, guests can tuck into a traditional roast of dry-aged beef with all the trimmings. 

Meanwhile, the set lunch menu includes dishes like Cornish fish cake with fennel salad, slow-cooked leg of Cotswold White chicken with garlic-braised gem lettuce, and a buttermilk pannacotta with honey, apricot and toasted almonds. 

Drinks are equally well thought-out, with a curated wine list from Gavin Hills (also from The Hand and Flowers), local beers on tap, and a monthly rotating cask ale. Guests can choose between casual drinks at the hardwood bar, a relaxed garden area, or more formal dining in the 60-cover room.