Now open at the weekends, Chamberlain’s Of London is the go to fish and seafood restaurant in The City of London, positioned right in the centre of beautiful Leadenhall Market, which is at last now fully occupied, the first time this has been the case for five years, no doubt benefitting from the recent openings of The Ned Hotel and Bloomberg Arcade.
Chamberlain’s itself has been in Leadenhall Market for almost 17 years, first opening back in 2001 and is still proudly owned by the same family, now in its fourth generation, with its roots as a family fishmonger originally starting in Billingsgate Market by Jeffrey and Raymond Steadman.
Billingsgate Market still to this day supplies the restaurant’s fresh seafood, which arrives daily from boat to the market and then on to Chamberlain’s kitchen close by in Leadenhall Market, ensuring you are served the freshest of seafood on your plate.
I popped in recently for lunch on a cold winter’s lunchtime with Leadenhall Market decked with Christmas lights and decorations. The restaurant not only offered a warm respite from the outside chill but also a warm greeting from the friendly staff. Our coats were whisked away before we were shown to our table up on the first floor with views over the comings and goings of the market as city folk went about their business.
The restaurant’s interior has an elegant yet casual décor and ambience with tables covered in white table cloths and a mix of suited city and slightly more casually dressed private diners adding to the relaxed atmosphere. Fine dining as I like it.
The à la carte menu offers something for everyone, with a choice of over 10 starters, which includes native oysters, a lobster bisque and Dressed Dorset Crab, which is my choice, served with a lemon crème fraiche, soft boiled hen’s egg and crispy sour dough, accompanied with a glass of chilled Domaine Sorin de France, Sauvignon de Saint-Bris. My lunch partner fancies the Sautéed Foie Gras along with a Château Delmond, Sauternes from Bordeaux.
We decide to be different with our mains, as I choose the wild line caught Sea Bass La Rochelle, served with artichoke barigoule and tomato vierge, paired with a delightful Italian Mabis, Garganega “Casata Manin”, IGT Veneto. The Roasted Fillet of Longhorn Beef is my friend’s choice, served with a wild mushroom gratin and truffle jus, this time paired with a Château Cissac, Haut-Médoc “Cru Bourgeois from Bordeaux.
Having put the world the rights over a wonderful lunch we agree we just have room to try a dessert each. So it’s the Apple Tarte Tatin for me with a double espresso, whilst my friend chooses the Orange and Lemon Cheesecake with jelly and sorbet but passes on the coffee, opting instead for a glass of Domaine des Baumard, Côteaux-du-Layan Carte d’Or form the Loire Valley, which he cheerfully informs me makes for the perfect pairing.
Whilst we chose to pair a different wine with each of our courses, which suited us on the day, Chamberlain’s offer a varied selection of new and old world wines, with fizz starting from £9 a glass (Pierre Mignon Grand Reserve) whilst wine starts from just £4.50 a glass and a reasonable £24 per bottle. I counted 22 old world whites and 26 old world reds on the wine list, along with eight new world whites and 10 new world reds.
The new weekend opening offers an à la carte dinner or Saturday Gourmet Menu, whilst the Sunday offering is a fabulous Sunday Brunch or fixed price two and three course menu. You can even throw in a bottomless Prosecco or Bloody Mary for an additional £20 per head! And if you still hanker for that Sunday Roast, well you can always order Chamberlain’s slow-roast Longhorn beef with all the trimmings and gravy.
So if you are in search of an up-market, non-pretentious good quality fish and seafood restaurant in the heart of The City with affordable prices, then you need look no further than the superb Chamberlain’s Of London in pretty Leadenhall Market which is now firmly on my list of places to go back to and recommend when friends ask me for a good fish restaurant in London.
The Details
Chamberlain’s Of London, 23-25 Leadenhall Market, London, EC3V 1LR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7648 8690
Website: https://chamberlainsoflondon.co.uk
Chamberlain’s is located right in the middle of Leadenhall Market in the heart of The City with Bank being the closest Tube station on the Central line. Head along Cornhill until you get to Whittington Avenue and turn left in Leadenhall Market. The restaurant is open Monday to Friday for lunch from midday to 3:00pm and for dinner from 6:00pm to 9:00pm (last orders). It’s also open for dinner on Saturday evening from 5:00pm to 10:00pm and for Brunch om Sundays from 11:00am until 4:00pm. The bar is open Monday to Friday from 11:00am to 11:00pm.
Type of Restaurant: Fish and Seafood Restaurant
Insider Tip: Enjoy some al fresco dining throughout the summer within covered Leadenhall Market right in front of the restaurant and watch the world go by as you tuck into your meal.
Price Band: Medium to High
Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is Editor-in-Chief of Our Man On The Ground, a member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
Photographs courtesy of Chamberlain’s Of London and by Simon Burrell
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