CORE by Clare Smyth

A warm welcome and charming, knowledgeable service are guaranteed at Clare Smyth’s elegant Notting Hill restaurant. The detailed construction and eye-catching presentation of dishes like ‘Smoked Fowey mussels’ or ‘Rhug Estate venison’ are matched by wonderful flavours and textures. Go for one of the 7 course tasting menus; one is made up of her classics (like ‘Potato and roe’ and the ‘Core-teser’ dessert), the other is informed by the current season. A 2023 redecoration has made the room softer and warmer, while the bar is a delightful spot.

Two tasting tracks, one built around seasonal dishes, another around long-running classics. The cooking is defined by high-precision sauces and a British larder focus, with signatures such as ‘Beef and oyster’ and the ‘Core-teser’ dessert functioning as repeatable anchors.

Cornish turbot, morel mushrooms, langoustine and native oysters sit at the top of the ingredient hierarchy, backed by dairy with real bite, including Davidstow Cheddar. The menu’s signatures also lean on British beef, seasonal truffle and a dessert style built around clean citrus and nutty malted notes.

Seasonal tasting menu with dishes that read like a tour of modern British luxury: langoustine with English saffron, sweet cicely, carrot and coriander, braised morel with smoked duck, Cornish turbot with smoked mussels, red apple, cabbage and cider, Jerusalem artichoke with Davidstow Cheddar, malt and black truffle, plus the signature pairing of Highland wagyu beef and Porthilly oysters. Desserts include a clementine fool with black cardamom and sea buckthorn and the house ‘Core-teser’ of chocolate, malt and hazelnut. Listed price: £265, wine pairing: £175.