Town isn't about the chaos of the city, but super seasonality, regenerative farming, and letting the produce speak for itself
It's wild that nobody before has ever thought to name a restaurant 'Town'. Think of the endless possibilities of 'Town'! It's the place everybody wants to go; the place where so many thrilling things happen; the place where, if you can make it there, you are highly likely to make it anywhere.
This new, shimmering incarnation of 'Town' can be found on the fringes of Covent Garden, far enough away from the frantic piazza so as not to be heaving with tourists and/or street performers. It's a truly grand room, a Ballardian boudoir in shiny, wipe-clean burgundy, with an open kitchen framed by a massive, oval-shaped and lime green opening. The retro-futurism thing is further dished up via the soundtrack; Dorothy Ashby's 'Afro-Harping' slinks groovily in the background, and there're a vinyl copy of Lou Donaldson's 1968 sax odyssey 'Alligator Boogaloo' perched on a record player (which nevertheless remains switched off for the duration of our visit).
Such a space-age aesthetic is perhaps at odds with Town's menu, which has more in common with the rustic likes of surrealist late-1990s cookery show River Cottage than it does Barbarella. You see, Town isn't about the chaos of the city, but super seasonality, regenerative farming, and letting the produce speak for itself. It is, essentially, a plotline from The Archers. In practice, this means that the food is deeply considered, but pretty low intervention - it's less about cooking, and more about arranging lovely things on a plate.
That's not to say Town avoids all contemporary trends. The snack of 2025, the gilda, comes with a nubbin of soused mackerel and a folded shiso leaf, while the snack of 2024, fried sage leaves, comes heavy on the batter and drizzled in honey. The snack of 2023 - a pastel-shaded pickle plate - is accessorised with a simple dollop of salted yogurt.
My starter of wine-cured beef is just as fuss-free, with a scattering of candied walnuts and a few dots of creamy cheese, while Welsh lobster is no doubt cooked incredibly, but is relatively pared-back when it comes to presentation, layered with creamy sheets of lardo and dolloped with a XO sauce so brawny that it practically throbs.
A side salad of tomato, nespoles (a kind of a fancy apricot) and elderflower is perhaps where Town's vision is clearest - a carnival of colour, furiously fresh flavour and powerful sense of pride at nature's perfect bounty.
The vibe Brutalism, but make it glam - a swanky space with pricey dishes.
The food Ingredient-led fare with a focus on British-grown produce and sustainability practices.
The drink Lots of wine and a deft cocktail menu as devised by award-winning bar Satan's Whiskers. Our 'Dill Boy' martini was small but strong and handsome aka the Tom Hardy of drinks.
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