Toby
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Venison tartare with cacio e pepe, pork tomahawk you gnaw to the bone, octopus seared to soft, caramelised delight, and challah bread pudding with quince and cinnamon ice cream. Claro delivers bold Mediterranean flavours in a grand St James's setting.
Four minutes from Piccadilly Circus and you're at the top end of Waterloo Place, stepping into a bright, airy space. High ceilings, huge windows, and a double-height room that was once a bank now houses an open kitchen where you can watch the brigade at their stations. The decor hits the right notes throughout. Despite the scale, it never felt noisy, and there was enough space between tables to feel reasonably private. The couple at the next table struck up a conversation about desserts, which says something about the atmosphere.
We had a reservation fairly early in the lunch service for a date between Christmas and New Year. Service was attentive, the team knew the menu inside out, and a slight mix-up with the wine was quickly corrected without fuss.
I started with a Basilica cocktail, Hendrick's gin lifted with spiced pear, purple basil and lemon. Fresh, fruity, dry, with a gentle sweet spice, and it looked gorgeous.
The dishes come as they come, perfect for sharing. The venison tartare from Vicars Game came with potato pavé and cacio e pepe. Light and clean rather than gamey, the marriage of salty, peppery cheese and delicate, dressed meat a brilliant call, with crisp little pavés adding sophisticated crunch. Fresh radish brought brightness and texture.
Brussels sprouts with caper aioli were genius. Roasted to buttery, caramelised sweetness, paired with rich, creamy, garlicky aioli studded with sharp caper bursts. Drops from a slice of lemon on the side brought everything into focus.
The lamb cigar with tahini yoghurt and sumac was umami-packed, crispy-shelled, and deeply satisfying.
The pork tomahawk with chimichurri was a showstopper. Sweet pork, beautifully grilled with light char and perfect seasoning, draped in aromatic chimichurri with a gentle warmth. I gnawed every last morsel off the bone.
The octopus was revelatory. Tender, seared to give it a caramelised outer edge that brought texture and multiplied flavour. It sat alongside butter-roasted potatoes and in a slick of intense chicken stock and sour cream sauce that was inspired for mopping up and bringing the whole plate together. Bloody delicious.
For dessert, the bread pudding was built from baked challah, that rich, slightly sweet, eggy bread. Studded with quince cooked à point so it kept its texture and brought gentle apple notes, topped with silky, smooth cinnamon ice cream. Comforting and clever.
The dark chocolate mousse was perfectly balanced between dark and milk, with fabulous texture. The sesame crumble and tuile, duly smashed, gave structure and crunch and brought lovely sesame back-note to every spoonful.
The room stayed busy throughout, but pacing was spot on and dishes arrived promptly. The location is perfect for a post-lunch stroll through Trafalgar Square, the galleries, or St James's Park.
This is Mediterranean cooking done with care, confidence, and skill. Chef Ran Shmueli's farm-to-table philosophy and commitment to seasonal ingredients shines through, and Head Chef Shadi Issawy and his team deliver that vision with precision in every plate. The flavours are bold and clear, and the hospitality is genuine.
Our experience was on the painfully pricey side at £150+ per head with wine and cocktails, but softened by an American Express dining benefit. For cooking and service at this level in a room this special, it's well worth it. The team at Claro have brought a distinctive and utterly delicious restaurant to this increasingly exciting dining neighbourhood. Great job.
(Visited December 2025)
