It was in the courtyard of what is now Bleeding Heart that Lady Hatton’s body was once left “torn limb from limb with her heart still pumping blood into the cobblestones” following an argument with her other half.
The important lesson for ladies here clearly being…. try not to marry a psychopath.
Far less gruesome today, Bleeding Heart’s a pretty special place, boasting an award-winning wine list and a selection of market-inspired specials providing an interesting twist to their à la carte menu.

Consisting of a main restaurant (with courtyard), a bistro, a tavern and a stunningly beautiful underground crypt for events, the main menu’s excellent, consisting of modern French cuisine like Cornish crab, seared scallops and foie gras; fish pie packed with healthy chunks of salmon; Scottish venison; a perfect calf’s liver; an outstanding chateaubriand; and a k-razy chocolate roulade.
Though the ambience can feel a little corporate – largely because of the number of banks and law firms nearby – it’s still a winning date-spot: charmingly steeped in history, romance and intimacy.
There’s a great selection of wines, many of which are produced by the restaurant’s own vineyard in Hawkes Bay, and which can either be enjoyed with a meal in the bare-bricked restaurant; sitting in the carved-wood bar….
… or sunning it up in their killer courtyard.
NOTE: Bleeding Heart is open for breakfast on weekdays, and lunch & dinner, Monday-Saturday. You can find out more, and book a table, HERE.
Bleeding Heart | Bleeding Heart Yard, Clerkenwell, The City, London EC1N 8SJ
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