Homegirl London’s Restaurant Review: Arthur Hooper’s Restaurant. This new eatery serves modern European small plates with ingredients sourced fresh from Borough Market, which is directly opposite. If you’re in the mood to share your food and treat your taste buds with fresh produce, hop along and check out Arthur Hooper’s Restaurant! It’s perfect for anyone searching for new restaurants near Borough Market or best restaurants near London Bridge.
“Treat your taste buds to super-fresh seasonal ingredients sourced directly from the larder of Borough Market, it doesn’t get much better than this,” Homegirl London
Arthur Hooper’s Restaurant Menu
The chef is Lale Oztek who trained at Le Cordon Bleu London. She has worked at JW Marriott Ankara, London’s Bernardi’s and Zucca. As this new restaurant located directly opposite the historic Borough Market, Lale sources the ingredients from this rather large larder on a daily basis. This means that you’ll get specials like the Sautéed Asparagus with Roasted Hazelnuts and Crispy Parmesan. Homeboy loves asparagus, and he said this was the best he’d ever tasted (he was still talking about it the following day).
Sautéed Asparagus with Roasted Hazelnuts and Crispy Parmesan
Borough Market suppliers include Neal’s Yard who are famous for their cheeses. We started with the cheeseboard, which is beautifully presented on a wooden paddleboard. It comprises of Brie de Melun from Ile de France, St Maure de Touraine from France, Perl Las from Wales and Aged Gouda from the Netherlands. The accompanying raisin bread (from Bread Ahead) was beautiful, and I could have eaten a whole loaf! With a dash of chutney and a few sticks of celery, we were smitten from the start. We aren’t meat eaters, but if you are, you’ll enjoy a selection of cured meats from Cannon & Cannon. Choose from Coppa Gran Riserva from Italy, Hot Smoked Pork Belly from Wales, Bresaola or Lamb from Italy or opt for the selection board with pickles and balsamic onions.
Cheese Selection
Meat small plates (some of which can be ordered as a large plate) included Lamb and Bulgur Meatballs, Red Wine and Porcini Braised Sausages, Fettuccine with Pork and Fennel Ragu, Onglet Steak and Beef Carpaccio. I did spy some of these dishes being consumed by neighbouring diners, and they looked top-notch. Homeboy is a fish eater, so he went for the Mackerel with White Beans, Radish and Brown Shrimp. He doesn’t generally like mackerel, but I persuaded him to try it. He loved this dish (phew!), he thought the combination was unusual with the radishes and fish, but it worked well. Alternatively, you can try Smoked Salmon Pate or the Mussels.
Mackerel with White Beans, Radish and Brown Shrimp
Vegetarian wise, we tried the Fregola, Season Tomatoes, Fresh Peas and Androuet Goat’s Curd. I’ve never tried fregola before, and it’s a type of small, chewy pasta from Sardinia which soaks up the flavours and stock. This was a pretty plate with a few adorable tiny flowers scattered in between the ingredients. The goat’s curd was fresh and light with a creamy texture.
Fregola, Season Tomatoes, Fresh Peas, and Androuet Goat’s Curd
We also tried the Harissa Butter Beans with Chard Tenderstem Broccoli, Salted Ricotta and Nigella Seeds which was delicious. The Burrata with Samphire and Almond Salad was exceptional. I love the way Lale combines nuts in these dishes, and it gives a satisfying crunch and a fabulous flavour. Other options included Heritage Tomatoes, Cornish Spring Greens and Sautéed Rosemary New Potatoes.
Harissa Butter Beans with Chard Tenderstem Broccoli
You’ll find a couple of desserts available. We were stuffed, but purely for research purposes, we ordered both. I’m a sucker for chocolate, and the Chocolate Hazelnut Pot with Hazelnut Crispies (thin biscuits) was decadent and didn’t disappoint. The Baked Ricotta Cheesecake with Rhubarb and Orange Compote was lovely. To give you an idea of prices, the Cheese Selection is £14, Cured Meat Selection £16, Plates £7-22 and Desserts are £5.50-6.
Chocolate Hazelnut Pot and Baked Ricotta Cheesecake with Rhubarb
Liberty Wines has curated the wine list which features diverse, seasonal and vintage varieties picked out to complement the European menu. I tried the Vintage Martini Cocktail, which was glam, and they made a Virgin Mary for Homeboy, which was spiced to perfection.
Arthur Hooper’s Restaurant Interiors
The premises were recently derelict until the refurbishment. Historically, a Victorian fruit salesman named Arthur Hooper was an occupant, hence the name of the restaurant. The interiors have been kitted out by Buster + Punch, who are located a stone’s throw away from Stoney Street! Buster + Punch is an interior fashion design label. They are known for their use of rare, solid materials which they use to create lighting, furniture and even motorbikes.
Restaurant Interiors
They have transformed the interiors into a Luxe-Industrial stylish haven. Massimo Minale, architect and creative director of Buster + Punch delved into the historic markets, Victorian steel structures and even the cobbled pavements to interpret these cues into a thoughtful, modern space for the discerning diner. From crafted steel, caged light fittings to the tailored rare-wood cabinetry with bevelled glass to the custom hexagonal concrete flooring, you’ll love it. I’ve been dreaming about the rare-wood cabinetry for kitchen cupboards, and I wonder how much that would cost? You can admire select pieces of art by Matt Small and Dan Hillier while you tuck into your food. With just over fifty covers, the restaurant isn’t massive, and it’s got a classy, intimate feel about it so works well for a cosy date or a client lunch.
Arthur Hooper’s Restaurant Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about the restaurant, go to Arthur Hooper’s Website. The restaurant address is 8 Stoney Street, London SE1 9AA, which is opposite Borough Market. The nearest stations are London Bridge (Northern and Jubilee Lines or the Train Station), Borough (Northern Line). Current opening times are listed on the website. I also wanted to mention that the staff, manager and chef were all super friendly and made the visit very special. Considering they had only been opened a week when we visited, I think they were doing very well. Good luck everyone, I hope it’s a big success! Make sure you book a table, we were there early on a Monday evening, and by the time we left every table was full.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Food and exterior photographs from Homegirl, interiors photographs from the restaurant. Thanks: Homeboy for dining with me and Anna Paganelli. Disclosure: Our meal was free which is why this article has been labelled as an Advert.
