WORDS
Jane Fulcher
The background
Baker & Spice in Belgravia has been a favourite local deli restaurant since 1995. The Belgravia restaurant on Elizabeth Street has just reopened with a new sleek look and is open in the evening to offer Londoners a very welcome taste of the Mediterranean each evening. It’s the first dine-in menu executive chef Carlos Martinez has created for the group of four restaurants, which also includes outposts in Selfridges, Maida Vale and Chelsea.
The space
Baker & Spice Belgravia’s front opens onto pretty Elizabeth Street, a sophisticated and appealing mix of black and orange. Spilling on to the street is a beautifully appointed terrace, complete with orange blankets and thick, verdant borders. Stepping inside, the elegantly refurbished dining room has cosy and chic rust-orange leather booths and warm lights with handsome Crittall room dividers and black walls, tables and dark floors. It feels like the perfect spot for an evening bite and some people watching.
The menu
Chef Martinez has created a tempting evening menu of traditional and modern Mediterranean cuisine made using the finest local and seasonal ingredients. Dashes of Middle Eastern spices and techniques are used throughout the menu to add extra flavour profiles to an already delicious mix.
Nibbles include gordal olives with aged balsamic and cured onions, Sardinian flatbread and an irresistibly salty bottarga-inflected bruschetta. Next, there are around 10 delicious starters to choose from, including a refreshing lime prawn carpaccio with pink peppercorns; poached lobster gazpacho with tomato, watermelon and pickled cucumber; and Baker & Spice’s famously aromatic falafel with cumin, mint and coriander hummus.
Main dishes are equally as enticing and varied and include green harissa slow-cooked lamb shank with spicy ratatouille; tuna steak with aromatic spices and tomato shakshuka; a divine saffron risotto; and lobster persillade with garlic and parsley. Save room for dessert and, in particular, the exquisite saffron-marinated pineapple with coconut ice cream and fragrant lemongrass panna cotta with cereal ice cream.
Of course, if you fancy eating at home that evening, Baker & Spice offers an incredible selection of dishes to take away, but the draw of the gorgeous looking dining room and friendly, excellent service is extremely hard to resist.
The bill
A three-course meal with wine for two, around £120
The verdict
Perfect for a casual dinner, date or celebration, having the evening option of dining in at Baker & Spice Belgravia is a real boon to locals and Londoners as a whole. The food is sophisticated and delicious, making the transition into an evening restaurant seamless.
