Blacklock Canary Wharf

It’s a wonder that beloved chophouse Blacklock has taken so long to reach Canary Wharf - this corner of London has long been home to a certain besuited, cash-rich clientele that stereotypically spends a lot of time in plush steak houses. Ironically, Blacklock Canary Wharf has laid down roots just as big boys like Clifford Chance, HSBC and more are leaving the Wharf, but on our visit it’s still packed with more casual diners, all here to feast on steaks, beef dripping chips and chops piled high to the rafters.

The interiors are steak-house chic - if you’ve been to Blacklock before you’ll know to expect lots of polished timber and lovely leather banquettes. Venetian blinds are half-dropped over the windows, casting a dim, moody set of shadows across the inside. A blackboard column in the centre of the room has all the sharing steaks chalked up, and there’s a lovely bar area too, where you can sit for a pre- or post-dinner drink as well as a bar snack (we recommend the pork nuggets and the excellent cocktails - an area where Blacklock really excels).

The Blacklock menu isn’t as extensive as, say, Hawksmoor, but we appreciate its compact nature. Among the starters a crab rarebit on sourdough crumpet begs to be ordered, and it’s a lovely, oozing little mound of cheesy rarebit, white crab and Worcestershire sauce. But if you’re here, you’re not really here for the crumpet. We got straight into a hulking, bible-thick slab of prime rib steak - on the rare side of medium rare - and as you pour peppery chop sauce all over it, you reach the peak of a sensation we call Blacklock bliss. You don’t need us to tell you that a good steak with beef dripping chips and a side salad is a great thing, but Blacklock’s consistency is what has made it a London standout, and the Canary Wharf site delivers just the same standard.

One would think that white chocolate cheesecake is the last thing you want after a gigantic meat feast, and yet, Blacklock’s is so good, you always seem to find room. Safe to say, we think Blacklock will be a smash hit in the Wharf.

British steakhouse Blacklock has chosen London’s financial district Canary Wharf as the location for its fifth restaurant, where it's serving up plenty of meaty dishes, from steaks to its famous Sunday roast. Nestled in a standalone warehouse under the railway tracks in the North Dock, the restaurant is able to host a staggering 120 covers across 4,000 square feet, along with an impressive 10 metre bar and outdoor terrace. In short, this is Blacklock’s largest venture to date.

Die-hard fans of the chophouse are able to enjoy all their favourite Blacklock dishes at this east London site, as well as a host of all-new exclusive options. Old favourites include its cull yaw crumpets, ‘all in’ sharing chop platters and signature steaks, plus its decadent white chocolate cheesecake which is served tableside with a ‘say when’ approach to portion control. On Butcher’s Price Mondays, guests can purchase any of its chops for the same price you would find them at your local butcher, while its famed Sunday roast is back with a bang.

Exclusive to the Canary Wharf site is Blacklock’s first ever bar food menu which includes the likes of pig’s head nuggets, lamb scratchings and other meaty treats.

Of course, the décor features all the hallmarks of a quintessential Blacklock restaurant, from walls adorned with reclaimed panelling to chalkboards highlighting the chops of the day. For an extra touch of theatre, drinks are poured tableside from vintage cocktail trolleys.

When it comes to sourcing, all its meat comes from Cornwall-based, family-run Philip Warren Butchers, which follows a regenerative approach to farming to breed its native and rare-breed animals. Unique cuts such as the sixth rib eye, rump cap and Denver steaks make use of the whole animal to ensure less is wasted, while offering guests a high quality, better-value product.