Weekly Review: Cloth
The perfect window into London, old and new.
Quick hit: Lovely, modern cooking and insightful, surprising wine. A great place for lunch or anything else.
Details: Booking essential. Farringdon / City. £££.
Restaurant website. More on Instagram.
Find it on Google Maps. 44 Cloth Fair, EC1A 7JQ
London before the great fire of 1666 was a maze of narrow, meandering streets, passages, and alleys. And while some have lasted — and are a notable part of London’s present-day character — the old city was defined by a physical closeness that fire and war have largely taken from us. Walking through the old city was cramped, crowded, and usually dark. (If you’re interested, you can explore a pre-fire map of London from Google’s brilliant Arts & Culture project.)
Approaching Cloth on a rainy, grey summer morning was to be transported back into that old city.
Cloth Fair, in which the restaurant is situated, is one of the few streets that survived the fire. Some of its houses are among the oldest residential structures still standing. It was probably laid out in 1538, and some of the buildings date to the early 1600s. (More details here.)
In the early 20th century, the Corporation of the City of London moved to demolish Cloth Fair in the name of urban renewal. Preservationists saved it.
And that’s where the restaurant picks up the story. Entering, the ceilings are low and floor is sloped. Tables and chairs could have been from a 19th century inn. Plates and cups were rescued (or possibly reproduced) late-Victorian patterns. Only with the Tardis could you discover a more faithful representation of a place from the early 20th century, just at the moment when the Cloth Fair was saved.
Then, a lovely person holding an iPad says hello. And it’s no longer 1905 or 1620. It’s 2024, you’re finally out of the rain, and it’s time for lunch.
When you’re seated, a denim-clad, very modern Joe Haynes says hello and fixes you up with a wonderful glass of wine. Snacks begin to appear.
And you are transported again — by some of the best food and wine that you can find in the City or anywhere else in today’s colossal, sprawling London.
We started with pork croquettes and a plate of pickles. The croquettes were perfect. Crispy on the outside. Oozy on the inside with hunks of pork. The pickles were delicate, acidic, and addictive. I may have eaten more than my share. A lot more.
My starter was burrata with peaches. A summer favourite, now on menus all over London. This one was exquisite. Perfectly ripe, soft peaches and but firm enough to cut properly.
My main was ricotta tortelloni with globe artichokes and hazelnuts. Again, outstanding. The standout main was tagliarini of Dorset crab with tomatoes and chilli. The pasta was obviously homemade, cut in the square shape that you only get from a certain kind of hand-cranked pasta makers. The crab was fresh and the sauce balanced to ensure it didn’t overwhelm the crab.
Dessert. Simple strawberries with a bit of ice cream and perfect Madeline.
And with each course, Joe would appear with another wine to try. Something fun to complement. Thoughtful. Insightful. Surprising. Delightful.
In a season of breathtaking new arrivals on the London restaurant scene, Cloth stands out.
Where Roe pushes boundaries, Cloth wraps you in a warm shawl and invites you to luxuriate. Where Camille delivers stunning food but wine with an agenda, Cloth puts great wine front and centre, and builds an experience where food and wine play in harmony. Where Andrew Edmunds is historical and classical, Cloth is evocative yet still modern.
Is Cloth for a Professional Lunch? Most definitely. On the edge of the City, a short walk from Cheapside, London Wall, or the Guildhall, it was full of people enjoying professional lunches. Some had a course or two and headed back to work. Others gave it a bit more time. But if you need a place for lunch with friends or colleagues, Cloth is for everyone. And even more so if your friend or colleague is from abroad, and you want to show them a piece of historic London.
Experiencing Cloth is a window into London — old and new.
Thanks for reading this week’s review. I hope you’ll subscribe, if you haven’t already, and share Professional Lunch with friends and colleagues. And let me know if you get to Cloth. I’d love to hear your impressions.