Paternoster Chop House

Being the First Dates restaurant of choice is rather cool, but don’t let its TV fame distract you: the Paternoster Chop House really means business. Here is a kitchen that butchers all its meaty carcases in-house, so expect roast bone marrow among the starters, steak and kidney pudding “chock-full” of meat, and plenty of action from the Josper grill when it comes to Black Angus rib-eyes, Middle White pork chops and suchlike. It’s all robust stuff, but with plenty of refinement too. Elsewhere, game turns up in season and seafood gets a good outing (fish and chips and whole Dover sole, for example), while the classically minded simplicity extends to desserts of sticky toffee pudding and vanilla cheesecake. Hand-cut chips and other essential sides can bump up the bill, although the set menu is particularly good value. Paternoster’s heated covered terrace is a “lovely spot”, with a stunning backdrop courtesy of Sir Christopher Wren.

Paternoster Chop House sits in the heart of the City of London, next to St Paul's and the Old Bailey, offering diners luxurious British cuisine, house cocktails and an extensive wine list. As the name suggests, Paternoster is bringing back the spirit of the great British Chop House, with hearty meat and fish dishes cooked over coals and on spit roasts, and served alongside classic sides.

Though there are vegetarian dishes on the menu too, Paternoster Chop House focuses heavily on sourcing the best meat and fish from around the British isles. Fish are sourced from day boat fishermen, and all meat is butchered in-house, with every part of the animal used in different dishes. The Chop House is also a great place to come during game season, when venison, wild boar and various game birds all appear on the menu with classic trimmings.

Guests can snack on oysters with lemon and shallot vinaigrette, rarebreed pork sausage rolls or truffle roasted nuts while they peruse the menu, and there is a lot to peruse. Starters introduce the running theme of celebrating British produce with dishes like chilled pea soup or Severn Valley smoked salmon. These may seem dainty for a chop house, but that's to ensure there is plenty of room for lavish mains like roasted chicken supreme with pickled shimeji mushrooms, Paternoster steak and or dayboat haddock and chips.

The main event, however, is of course the charcoal grill, which turns out grass-fed ribeye, fillet and sirloin steaks, as well as sharing cuts like chateaubriand, porterhouse and tomahawk. All your favourite sauces are available too, and you can add tiger prawns to make it a surf 'n' turf. Sides include the likes of triple cooked chips, minted peas and creamed spinach, and desserts like sticky toffee pudding, Cambridge burnt cream and blood orange cheesecake don't disappoint either.  

Meanwhile, the stunning oak and marble bar is a great spot to relax and enjoy a huge selection of wines, beers and Tattinger champagne cocktails, including the Paternoster Royal (Tanqueray gin, citrus, strawberry, mint, Tattinger champagne) or the Zen Garden (Toki whiskey, Campari, Mandarine Napoleon liqueur, honey, Tattinger champagne). The bar also boasts an extensive collection of over 40 premium single malt whiskies.