Led by Brad Carter, who has made waves in his native Birmingham with Carters of Moseley and in Manchester with One Star Doner, Undercroft allows Londoners to get a taste of what the chef and TV personality's modern British food is all about. You’ll find Undercroft in a Grade I listed building, the eighteenth century St George’s Church in Hanover Square which once counted Handel as a parishioner.
Deep in the church’s crypt (previously used for storage by Sotheby’s), Carter has more in mind than simply a restaurant - a keen raver himself, he is pairing up with former music publisher Martin Priestnall to create an unforgettable experience, marrying art, design, music, and food. The interior design, by Tristham Hillier of Kanvass and Russell Sage Studios, will zoom in on the open kitchen, while the space will be decked out with eye-catching artwork, beneath the crypt’s original vaulted ceiling.
Whilst the setting will undoubtedly be impressive, the idea of eating in a crypt may feel a little spooky to some, and there will be outside terrace dining. The menu will reflect Carter’s long-held passion for British produce, including in areas such as charcuterie where such a commitment is atypical.
There will also be an emphasis on reviving British dishes that have long fallen off menus - expect to see wild garlic chicken toast, BBQ aged duck with offal'd oats, Tamworth pork with creamed snails and sorrel, and bread pudding with Beauvale and Cotswold sherry. On the drinks list are an impressive range of fine wines, champagnes and ‘eclectic’ cocktails.
In a space already filled with history, Carter’s new venture promises to write a new chapter for St George’s Church, both in the culinary world and in wider culture.