Crispin at Studio Voltaire

Dominic Hamdy’s HAM Restaurants are quickly becoming some of the most interesting and popular in the city. Bistro Freddie remains a very difficult place to get a table some months after opening, but those in search of some candlelit romance can head to Clapham (surely the first time anyone had said those words together), where Crispin has transplanted the format into a space at Studio Voltaire - an art studio and exhibition space just a swift jaunt from Clapham Common station.

Crispin at Studio Voltaire doesn’t have quite the same cosiness as Bistro Freddie. It’s more expansive, more industrial, with concrete floors and cool polished metal fixtures. Juxtaposed against this are polished bistro chairs and slim, flickering candles. A heavy curtain frames one side of the room, pulling in the proportions and attempting to smooth the room’s rougher edges. It works, albeit with assistance from brilliant, friendly staff, who bounce around in St John-esque boxy white jackets.

The St John comparisons are also apparent in the blackboards, the stubby wine glasses, and the menu, which takes a similar less-is-more approach. Pickles, olives, Cobble Lane charcuterie and E5 sourdough are all staple snacks among London’s current crop of cult restaurants, but we will say, few of those restaurants do a comte croquette as well as this - a big punch of cheese and plenty pickled walnut ketchup will always be a lovely thing.

The menu has a good sense of balance, where less measured restaurants can overwhelm with blunt force. Duck leg terrine with blood orange is fantastic, balancing sweet and sharp with fat and flavour. Then, a welcome pair of vegetarian dishes, a salad of asparagus and wild garlic with a zippy dressing, and charred leeks with sharp, herb-flecked yoghurt. It’s easy going but thoughtful food, perfect for sharing alongside an excellent wine list (devised as usual by HAM’s sommelier star Alex Price).

A chunk of cod with clams was a brief and rare dip in proceedings - the clams a bit chewy and fish a bit salty - but otherwise, Crispin at Studio Voltaire is another fantastic flag-in-the-ground for this exciting group.

You've probably already heard of Crispin, and might even be thinking: "Wait, isn't that place in Spitalfields?". Well, artsy types will be ever so pleased to learn that Crispin, which is part of HAM Restaurants and already has venues in Shoreditch and a smaller, more causal affair in Soho, is also now the resident restaurant at the incredibly cool Studio Voltaire.

Studio Voltaire is one of the UK's leading not–for–profit arts organisations, based in a Victorian former mission hall in Clapham, and a place that's known for supporting and encouraging up-coming artists with studio space and mentorship. Now, it also offers South Londoners a local slice of the Crispin pie, or the opportunity to combine two of London's greatest assets: art and food (plus, wine!). 

The space is as you'd expect; airy, slightly industrial and design led with simple white walls and bistro chairs. Tables can be booked for up to six people online, but for more than that, you'll have to get in touch with the team. Lunch is served Wednesday to Sunday, while dinner stops on Saturday night. 

The kitchen is lead by chef Michael Miles and aims to uplift the best suppliers, produces, farmers and fisherman of the UK, with an ever-changing, seasonal menu shaped into classic British dishes, nodding to modern European cuisine, too. 

For example, order some smaller bites to start with such as E5 sourdough with cultured butter, pickles and olives, before moving onto starters like charred leeks, herb yoghurt and salsa verde, as well as duck liver parfait enjoyed with bread and pickles. 

Mains might look like breaded pork chop with green beans and pear ketchup, as well as chicken leg with borlotti beans, or rump steak with smoked aubergine, grilled peppers and bone marrow. As for drinks, we love the sound of the blackberry negroni, a fresh, seasonal take on a classic cocktail.