Lyle’s restaurant has been rightly heralded as an essential fine-dining experience — but while it’s immaculate presentation and non-malleable dinner menu might rule in regalia — it still doesn’t render the casual prowess of it’s sister restaurant Flor obsolete.
In actuality Bedale Street’s Flor might just be the best idea Lyle’s James Lowe and John Ogier have ever had. Inspired by the Buvettes of Paris, restaurant Flor offers it’s intimate interior first as a bakery from dawn, winery by the noon and for dinner in the evening. Almost all looking glass from the front, it’s face recalls something thatched and bricked from gingerbread from fable — but it’s marble table top, that protrudes delicately out from the lowermost windowpane, is the epitome of modern London: guests can sit in the the morning sunshine that gushes through the expansive window-pane and watch the walkers cross Bedale street as they enjoy a coffee (or nurse a wine-glass there come evening).
Although Dinner was our priority, we couldn’t help but stop by Flor earlier for a try of Emma Tillyer’s Danish pastries — options ranged from the classic Pain Au chocolate to the fascinating blackcurrant leaf filling. Both were heavenly, prepared with organic Yorkshire wheat that adds a heart healthiness that did more than ease any gastric guilt about the honeyed mortar between light wings of croissant.
After such a treat we were more than excited to return for dinner at Flor. Fortunately, although it spruces up for the evening, the restaurant doesn’t lose touch with its patisserie theme. A Datterini Tart has (enchanting) violet aubergine and feta buoyed delicately up on puffed pastry; extraordinarily light but satisfying — while the brown butter cakes made elegant style of stodge, and a blackcurrant flavouring that had so stood out-earlier made a dramatic re-entrance beside a serving of Ricotta ice-cream. And the wine list at Flor is no less of a treat: the classic Italian aperitifs’ were the perfect sweet send-off to an evening of enchantments — we recommend the vergano Americano, an aperitif wine that has that just so touch of bitterness so as not to overwhelm the palette after a perfectly manages selection of desserts.
A boutique baby of Lowe and Ogier — this thoroughly Parisian addition to London’s top spots emerges out from the shadow of Lyle’s to stand tall as one of the best restaurants in the city.
Flor Restaurant London Cuisine, Dress Code & Address
Cuisine: European, British
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Area: Borough Market
Address: 1 Bedale Street, London SE1 9AL England
Website: https://flor.com/
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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