The restaurants truffling feathers: Best truffle venues in London
London’s love-affair with the truffle continues apace with the opening of Sackville’s in Mayfair. Here are some of our favourite truffle spots
SACKVILLE’S
This Mayfair new opening is crazy about this distinctive fungus, serving it on practically every dish. Last week our restaurant critic fell in love with Sackville’s self-titled wagyu steak burger with foie gras and truffle shavings, calling it “The best burger I’ve ever eaten. The best burger I’ll ever eat. The Platonic ideal from which other burgers are drawn.” Bear in mind, though, that this most perfect of burgers will set you back a princely £38. The restaurant is also one of the few in London to serve Black Moth truffle infused vodka, which is the spirit of choice to cleanse your palate between truffle courses.
8A Sackville Street, Mayfair, W1S 3DF, 020 7734 3623
COYA
Sitting pretty next to Park Lane Hotel, Coya has brought a touch of decadence to the otherwise clean, lean cuisine of Peru offering a number of fusion sharing plates. Its Corvina Trufa is a luxurious twist to on the humble ceviche with tangy Japanese ponzu sauce and chives.
118 Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 7NW, 020 7042 7118
SALT YARD
Spanish-Italian charcuterie is the name of the game at Goodge Street’s Salt Yard but it’s rolling out truffles and stone fruits for the summer season. The house speciality is cheese-stuffed courgette flowers drizzled with truffled honey, but for a less cheesey option, try the beef tartare with truffle shavings.
54 Goodge St, W1T 4NA, 020 7637 0657
DUCK & WAFFLE
You don’t have to stray from the City to get your truffle fix – the Heron Tower’s Duck & Waffle serve up a truffle cocktail (£14), which somes with Monkey Shoulder whiskey, lemon, sugar, egg white and, of course, truffle. It’s silky smooth and tastes reassuringly expensive: perfect for sipping after a hard day’s work while gazing out at the City lights at sunset.
The Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY, 020 3640 7310
TARTUFI & FRIENDS
One for the truffle connoisseur, Tartufi & Friends is the newest addition to Harrods’ array of restaurants. Truffle features in practically every dish and drink in this louche lounge, which roasts, shaves, grates and infuses its way to truly innovative concoctions. This savoury cocktail mixes sweet gin, truffled amaretto, sweet and sour grapefruit bitter and garnishes with fresh truffle.
Harrods, 0207 225 5800
AMARU
You’ve heard of South American-Japanese fusion – “Nikkei” cuisine to those in the know – but what about adding Europe’s coveted fungus to thick slices of rich sashimi? It’s an unlikely match made in heaven: just ask anyone who has been to Amaru on St Katherine Docks. The fusion restaurant’s signature dish – tuna sashimi, avocado and a generous helping of truffle shavings – is one of the most inventive truffle dishes in London.
Ivory House, St Katherine Docks, call 020 7702 4765
NOVIKOV
In this age of culinary free-love, even the most rarified of ingredients are free to frolic and flirt and marry beneath themselves, entering into joyous unions with less refined but equally delicious gastronomic staples. The truffle pizza – generous white truffle shavings, creamy mozzarella, fine sourdough – is a great example. You can get one at Novikov for a cool £29.
50A Berkeley St, call 020 7399 4330
SMITH & WOLLENSKY
We’ve imported more than our fair share of greasy American burger joints in recent years, but for something a bit, well, classier, head to Smith & Wollensky, a steakhouse selling prime dry-aged beef. It also does an authentic – that’s to say, generously portioned – truffled mac ‘n’ cheese.
The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam St, WC2N 6HT, 020 7321 6007