Duchy, an Alpine-Mediterranean restaurant on Phipp Street in Shoreditch, offers a unique dining experience that combines a cosy Italian bistro atmosphere with a record shop vibe. The shelves by the bar are lined with LPs ranging from The Kinks to Diana Ross to MF Doom, attracting both music enthusiasts and food lovers.
A Culinary Collaboration
The menu is curated by chef Simon Shand and restaurateur Alex Grant, who previously worked together at the Michelin-starred Leroy. Now, they have relaunched as Duchy in the heart of London.
Resident sommelier Matt Garratt introduces guests to an extensive wine list, featuring champagnes, reds, and rosés, making it easy to pair each dish with something special.
Starters and Mains
A glass of Brut Flûte Enchantée (£13) helps tackle the menu. The cured and juniper smoked mackerel with pickled fennel, cucumber, and orange (£18) offers a sweet-and-salty combination, though the pickled fennel slightly overpowers the lighter fish and orange flavours.
The courgette flower stuffed with ricotta, served with warm bagna càuda and local honey (£15), is beautifully presented, with the Alpine-inspired sauce complementing the vegetables perfectly.
The barbecued flat iron steak with Café de Paris butter (£35) is served medium-rare, despite a preference for medium-well, but it tastes as good as it looks, with an incredible jus and butter combination. Sides include ratte potatoes with crème fraîche, capers, and chives (£7), and a vesuvio tomato salad with croutons and basil (£10). The whole roasted lamb neck on Datterini tomato risotto with Scamorza (£48) is equally impressive, served pink.
Desserts and Final Thoughts
Desserts include a poached yellow peach with dark chocolate gelato and amaretti (£11), a pannacotta with Italian cherries and Piedmontese hazelnuts (£9), and a lemon verbena sorbet with raw pear and basil (£7). The salted chocolate gelato is a standout, while the sorbet is fruity, but the pannacotta disappoints, feeling flat compared to the others.
Despite the dessert letdown, the overall experience at Duchy is cosy and intimate, with fantastic steak. It may not be cheap, but it's a place firmly on the radar, and Shand seems well on his way to earning a second Michelin star.
