We have to admit that we pre-judged Wild, an all-day restaurant from the team behind catering company Tart, a go-to for fashion brands such as Stella McCartney and Louis Vuitton. It is easy to lump co-founders Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison in with the ‘clean eating’ brigade, so we steeled ourselves for a parade of cauliflower steaks and carrot-flavoured ice cream.
Quickly after settling into the dining room, housed inside a former coal store at the chic Eccleston Yards development, we realised how wrong our preconceptions were. Firstly, the space is truly gorgeous — and not in a gimmicky or Instagram-baiting way.
Instead, you get a real sense that the room was designed by people who genuinely care about creating a homely, romantic environment. Oversized pendant lighting bathes the space in a warm glow, verdant foliage is delicately draped around pillars, long communal tables are flanked by rattan chairs, while banquettes lining the walls offer a little more privacy.
The general buzz of the room and the warm, effortlessly friendly service help to temper Wild’s cavernous proportions, resulting in a dining room that embraces you like a warm hug. The menu is much the same, specialising in a selection of sharing plates which have a homespun, rustic feel.
From the ‘cold plates’, burrata is a perfect symphony of textures: velvety mozzarella, tart slices of blood orange and a smattering of smoked almonds all working together in harmony. Elsewhere, Jerusalem artichokes are cooked until they are crispy and served alongside a toum dip, its lively garlicky flavour lifting the heaviness of the artichokes.
For heartier dishes, order from the wood oven. A lightly spicy lamb pizzetta, lashed with harissa and yoghurt, has all the glories of a late-night kebab with none of the shame, while Tamworth pork belly arrives on a bed of peppery Puy lentils, alongside sticky curls of crackling which dissolve on the tongue.
To drink, you’ll find all of the usual wines and spirits, alongside house-made lemonades, while a giant chocolate chip cookie to share (baked in a skillet and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream) provides an appropriately comforting end to the meal.
On our evening visit, the dining room was mainly populated by groups of friends and couples on dates, but families are also welcome thanks to Wild’s dedicated children’s menu, while you can stop by for weekend brunch too. If you are dining here earlier in the day, we’d recommend popping into the neighbouring deli on your way out and nabbing some freshly baked pastries.