10 Greek Street

From the prosaic name to the determinedly plain decor, everything about this pint-sized Soho favourite is purely functional – apart from the food and wine, that is. The short, daily changing menu “always pleases”, pulling in ideas from Western Europe to point up its larder of British ingredients. You might find chicken hearts and livers with Brussels sprouts, Marsala and sage, Tamworth pork partnered with savoy cabbage and a scattering of soft pancetta or plump hake and spinach given extra bite with some dense chorizo. An all-day selection of smaller plates keeps things simple (think salted Padrón peppers, crumbed pig’s trotters or smoked mackerel with fennel), while adding some flashes of colour to the black-and-white room. You can reserve a table for lunch (“perfect”, says one fan), but dinner is no-bookings only: if you’re willing to queue, however, the wine list helps to spin out an evening with its brilliantly affordable selection from across the globe.

10 Greek Street is a busy little European bistro in the heart of Soho, rightly regarded as one of Soho’s hidden gems. There’s a pared-back, ingredient-focused style that has become popular across London and the UK in the last decade - 10 Greek Street was at the very start of that movement when it opened in 2012, serving a daily-changing, seasonal menu that shows off great British produce in simple, comforting, approachable dishes.

The inside is just as unassuming. A black door on Greek Street gives way to a modest dining room that is all earth tones and neutral colours. A banquette lines one side of the room and the furniture is typically understated - wooden tables and chairs, herringbone floor, no tablecloths, and a blackboard displaying the menu of the day.

That menu sticks to easy going bistro cooking, and particularly shines a light on some classic British dishes. On the menu at the time of writing you’ll find devilled chicken livers on toast, for example, as well as a plate of smoked mackerel, beetroot, chicory and mustard, and a rhubarb, lemon and pistachio mess. There’s plenty of European influence on the menu too, visible in dishes like Marinda tomatoes with burrata, basil and capers, cod, chickpeas and romesco, and fennel sausage and ‘nduja pizza.

Alongside the oft-changing menu, 10 Greek Street has a varied and well-priced wine list, as well as a ‘little black book’ of finer rarities available by the bottle. There’s also a good range of other drinks including craft beers, digestifs, soft drinks and classic cocktails - the bar team will be only too happy to mix up a negroni, bellini, martini or old fashioned for you.