St. JOHN Marylebone

"The Dish: Deep Fried Rarebit What’s better than a slab of Welsh rarebit? A deep-fried rarebit croquette. Leave it to the experts of elegant British food, St. John Marylebone, to transform the cheesy toast dish we usually enjoy in our trackies into something that makes us feel refined. The tangy, cheesy, béchamel-adjacent filling is revealed after cutting through the crunchy batter. Douse it in Lea & Perrins and swipe through the mustard sitting underneath the croquette for the perfect bite." - heidi lauth beasley, daisy meager, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna

"Arguably London’s most revered restaurant name, St. John’s Marylebone restaurant serves dinky, delicious small plates that are best enjoyed with a glass that’s never left dry. There’s something about this version of St. John, smack bang in central London, that screams daytime grazing and gulping. Like all St. John spaces, it’s white and bright, with their innately composed staff gliding around the upstairs bar area and the downstairs dining room, always with a deep-fried rarebit in hand." - rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna

"Arguably London’s most revered restaurant name, St. John’s Marylebone restaurant appears in the form of dinky, delicious small plates that are best enjoyed with a glass that’s never left dry. Like all St. John spaces, it’s white and bright, with their innately composed staff gliding around the upstairs bar area and the downstairs dining room, always with a deep-fried rarebit in hand. But it is much smaller and transient-feeling than Smithfield or Bread and Wine. This is kind of the point. Wonderfully balanced anchovy and crostini is made to be picked at, as is a dish of sprats and aioli, and these bits and bobs are best enjoyed at the bar, with the bustle of Marylebone Lane outside. There are equally good and bigger plates too, as well as a boxy downstairs for big groups, but something about this version of St. John, smack bang in central London, screams daytime grazing and gulping. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Jake Missing

"The old ones are the best, some say. St. John — with institutions in Smithfield and Spitalfields — remains among London’s very best restaurants, for its inimitable sense of identity and style as much as what it puts on plates or in glasses. The newest member of the family is now open in Marylebone and exists in the same utilitarian image — a sleek dining room of zinc bars and white washed walls where guests can order dishes like fried sea bass with braised fennel; deep-fried lozenges of Welsh rarebit “croquettes”; onion soup; cold roast mallard; barley, mushrooms, and Spenwood; and whiskey and shortbread. A menu for autumns and winters, and a restaurant for all seasons." - Adam Coghlan, James Hansen