The tale of Crispin begins — as so many do — with a Scotch egg.
Entrepreneurs Dom Hamdy and Oliver Hiam made their fortune hawking them at a stall in Borough Market, going on to open a coffee shop in Aldwych, and finally, in 2018, unveiling Crispin in a futuristic glass pavilion sandwiched between Spitalfields Market and Liverpool Street.
It’s a place that looks good from every angle (and there are a lot). Inside, tables orbit the open kitchen in a space that’s flooded with natural light all year round, and there’s plenty of tables and chairs outside too, with umbrellas to shade you in all weathers.
On a regular day or night, expect to see a menu of seasonally rotating sharing plates that has a strongly British bent with European verve. The plating is pretty, the ingredients are sourced locally and there’s a strong emphasis on celebrating small-scale producers. The current summer menu is an absolute treat – there’s comforting maltagliati pasta with sprightly pea shoots and a flurry of parmesan; pork chop with black pudding reduction; mussels drizzled with ‘nduja sauce; burrata with grilled peaches and a beautiful monkfish crudo. And on weekends, you can swing by for brunch dishes featuring golden-yolked and perfectly runny eggs, and very good coffee to take away.
Crispin’s also a hotbed for culinary collaborations, inviting chefs from the likes of Pidgin, Pleasant Lady and Retan to take to the stoves for one-night-only appearances, alongside head chef Lewis de Haas (ex-Petersham Nurseries, The Shed) and his team.
Washing it all down is a curated selection of house cocktails that put a twist on the classics: there’s the tangy margarita with orange wine; the punchy olive oil & green tea martini; and the Old Fashioned softened with a burnt butter wash. Wine-wise, the menu leans towards natural wines that showcase indigenous and rare grape varieties. Whether you’re after something funky, fruity or more straightforward, you’re in safe hands with the selection compiled by resident sommelier Alex Price, who’s on-hand to make spot-on recommendations. The proof’s in Crispin’s latest chapter; a wine bar in Soho.
Whatever they’ve got…
…turns out you can bottle it.
NOTE: Crispin is open daily for coffee & groceries, and for lunch Wed-Fri, dinner Wed-Sat and brunch on weekends. You can find out more, and book, HERE.
Crispin | Pavilion on The Corner, White’s Row, E1 7NF
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