Hawthorn

For those still mourning the loss of the beloved Glasshouse, a Michelin guide restaurant which served Kew locals for more than two steady decades, Hawthorn has swooped in to fill the void. This latest venture, although starless due to being a few months old, is a worthy replacement for its previous tenant. Chef Joshua Hunter brings his classical cooking to Kew from Michelin-starred restaurants Kitchen W8 and La Trompette, while front of house is run by Glasshouse alumnus Patra Panas. Together, they’ve cooked up a fine dining neighbourhood restaurant; the sort you’d only really book for special occasions but that still manages to feel friendly and relaxed.

The décor hasn’t deviated much from its predecessor, with wooden floors, white tablecloths and a garish textured gold wall which regretfully gets to live another life. Still, Hawthorn has a clear vision of its own. It offers three courses for £65 in the evening, or £45 at lunch, and there’s an extensive wine list which a brilliant sommelier will help you navigate should you require assistance. In general, we felt we were in incredibly capable hands, with flawless service never missing a beat, or a smile, all evening.

Joshua’s classical training is the driving force behind his rule-abiding, yet utterly delicious, menu. A plump scallop and crab raviolo is the perfect example of this, a generously-filled medallion of soft scallop meat swimming in a pool of brown crab butter. What follows is greater still: meltingly tender lamb shoulder served with butter-soaked morels, bite-sized rounds of fondant potato that hum with notes of caramel, verdant new season asparagus and a sticky wild garlic and lamb jus. To finish, macerated strawberries that taste like sweets are topped with two quenelles of vanilla-specked cream and finished with a Hobnob crumb. It’s like a deconstructed cheesecake, only less pretentious and executed flawlessly.

By 8pm, the restaurant is practically vibrating with jovial diners who clearly welcome Hawthorn’s arrival with open arms. That alone speaks for itself. Kew’s Glasshouse-shaped hole has been well and truly filled.

Occupying what was once the Michelin-starred Glasshouse in Kew Village, Hawthorn brings upmarket dining to this picturesque corner of London with a modern European menu using British seasonal ingredients. Founder Joshua Hunter is the driving force behind the restaurant, drawing on his extensive experience within the hospitality industry to offer south west locals a relaxed yet refined neighbourhood haunt. Joshua is a classically trained chef who’s spent 13 years cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens including Kitchen W8, Murano by Angela Hartnett and La Trompette just up the road in Chiswick.

The site underwent an extensive refurbishment ahead of opening to offer a refreshed look and feel from its predecessor. Focusing on modern European cuisine underpinned by an ethos of generosity, Joshua creates his menus based on the seasonality of ingredients as well as his passion for British game and wild food.

The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with space for 60 diners. While the menu is la carte, dishes are priced on a set three-course basis. For example, diners can expect to enjoy the likes of crispy chicken wings with celeriac emulsion, oyster leaf and Exmoor caviar to start, followed by Cornish monkfish with roots many ways, chicken skin butter, cime di rapa, hazelnut and jus gras for main course. For dessert, think a chocolate delice and buckwheat parfait with Jerusalem artichoke ice cream and dandelion butterscotch.

An extensive wine list will satisfy everyone from novices to savvy drinkers, with bottles from regions across the globe and plenty available by the glass. Guests can also opt to bring their own wine if they like, for a corkage fee.