St Luke’s Kitchen at Library

After reading the reviews on this site and visiting the restaurant's main site I booked this restaurant as a birthday meal for my husband. I was expecting fine dining in a quirky atmosphere. The atmosphere is definitely quirky but I was a little surprised to be presented with a menu containing fish & chips and burgers for what is meant to be a fine dining experience. We pondered for some time whether we had come to the right place. I went to the front of staff to query the difference between photos shown on their website and the menu we had been given. They took 15 minutes to find out whether there is a separate, more elegant menu. The staff did not know! Apparently it's just burgers and basic pub style food on a Saturday evening. This was never made clear anywhere I am very disappointed especially as I used SquareMeal as a reference point. I won't be making that mistake again.

At the start of this month, I went to the library as despite being a private member’s club, you can still dine at their restaurant- St Luke’s. I automatically loved the theatrics of the restaurant with popular historic novels placed on the dining tables for reading, emphasising that the club is one big library. I was also informed that as a member of the club, you can check out any of the books in the Library. Upon arrival, Jean-Baptise greeted my friend and me, he was to be our waiter for the night. I quickly felt reassured, as Jean knew the menu very well and has worked in the food/drinks industry for some time. He aided in selecting our bottle of house wine, the 2016 Pinot Grigio, Graves Del Friuli, San Simone. I was right to go with Jean’s choice, as this wine is rich, sweet and refreshing, I would later find out that this wine would pair nicely with my chosen courses. I always did prefer Italian wine! He recommended the salmon and avocado maki rolls with Jalapeno mayo and soy sauce. This is the most popular starter amongst guests, dining at this restaurant; I was content with this choice as I adore Japanese and Asian inspired cuisine. The maki rolls are a little on the crispy side, but nevertheless still delicious, especially when dipped in the jalapeno mayo, which aids in flavouring the rolls with subtle spice. My guest is vegetarian, so she had the artichoke soup with cobnuts, truffle oil and served with a rustic roll. My friend allowed me to taste a bit of the artichoke soup and I would describe the soup as thick, creamy and filling. What I do appreciate at this restaurant is the variety of vegan/vegetarian starter options, that the library hosts. For my main, I chose the 25-day aged 8oz rib eye with Cornish leaves, which originally is paired with triple cooked chips. However, I opted for the Jersey mash potatoes instead, also adding a panache of winter veg. I chose to have my steak cooked medium-rare because, in my opinion, that is how a steak should be cooked. The steak was marinated and seasoned well, which could be tasted with every bite that I ate. The steak was soft and a little on the tender side, which I was glad about as I prefer it when my steak is a little chewy. Served with the jersey mash, which is creamy in texture and savoury in taste, and with a bit of mustard sauce, this was the perfect main. For my friend, she chose the vegan burger; roasted sweet potato with chickpea and burnt pepper sauce. My friend described the burger as tasty and a great combination and use of vegetables. I am glad she really enjoyed the burger, as often when we go for dinner, she is frequently limited for food choices, due to her vegetarian diet, so it was great that she had a selection of dishes to choose from. We shared our desserts as we were quite spoilt for choice; first to try was a Praline Éclair with salted caramel and second was the Winter berries Pavlova with Lime Curd. The Pavlova was just right, I was a bit apprehensive that the Pavlova would be quite hard, but the exterior was just right and the winter berries were sweet and rich in flavour. After dinner, we were given a tour of the club, as the Library offer space for meetings and launches for its members, which is great as you can have a meeting or private dining with discretion. After the tour, we headed down to the private member's main bar for cocktails. I chose the Roald Dahl, as I am a big Gin lover! My friend chose the Dino Buzzati. I love the fact the drinks are named after famous authors; this has a nice touch to the bar. The bar has a nice vibe with a live DJ, who was playing songs from the 90’s.

As an avid reader an all round book lover, I was intrigued by The library and keen to dine there. The decor was warm and homely and immediately sets you at ease. Books are placed on your table which is a nice nod to the theme of the restaurant. I had a wonderful 5 course meal at St Luke's kitchen and was lucky enough to have the chef personally come out and explain my menu choices - even recommend wine to best pair each course with. Food was delicious and overall a great experience. Can't wait to go back.

Amazing new menu from the head Chef at St Luke's. The service is warm and professional; alongside this follows a very intimate and cosy atmosphere (perfect environment for a first date!). I must say as a food enthusiast I was pleasantly blown away by the dishes that were served; versatile and well balanced meals. The head chef and his team have done a great job of catering to every taste bud imaginable and you won't have to worry about emptying your bank account either as the pricing of the meals are very reasonable. I will definitely be coming back to eat here in the near future.

Its a perfect little hide away in the bustling covent garden, and you have a very great head chef that has invested in a creative menu. I enjoyed meeting him and pairing wines he suggested. great spot.

The menu at this restaurant is worth numerous visits, especially as the menu changes every few months! I wish the beef starter came as a main course, it was so good I didn't want it to finish. The leek soufflé was light and full of flavour. Everything looked and tasted delicious, the whole experience was an absolute delight and great value for money.

The food here is delicious! I love that the food is made from scratch, and because of this, you can taste the freshness of the food and how well the flavours compliment one another and come together on one plate. If your looking for excellent service, with great food I would certainly recommend this place. There is something for everyone. I was very surprised by their plant-based raspberry and chocolate dessert, it had and interesting twist that I'd never tried before. I'm happy I took a chance on it as with every bite it only got better.

Had a lovely time at St Luke's Kitchen, was lucky enough to enjoy a taster of the 7 course menu which was awesomeee! Especially enjoyed the whole atmosphere and the chef was super humble. Succulent medium rare starter paired well with celeriac and great wine

With the first step into the LIBRARY, a warm, musky, pine but surprisingly nice scent overwhelms you. Its traditional looking with finely detailed bookcases brings by a unique homely look. As you walk through the hallways your overlooked by art and stained glass windows, as if you're walking the streets of Italy. Through the bright halls and pass the hardwood doors, you finally enter the kitchen, a place where the real art is cooked and formed in the most delicious ways, with exquisite flavours served. A must try experience!