Searcys at The Gherkin – Review

We’ve been fortunate enough to review some rather special London restaurants of late, most notably the OXO Tower Brasserie and the dining-in-the-dark experience at Dans Le Noir; you would perhaps expect then that our collective appetite for London’s fine dining scene would be reaching it’s limits, but you’d be wrong. Very wrong.

We got wind that Searcys at The Gherkin were opening a Coastline pop-up in their bar and restaurant located in the dome at the top of 30 St Mary Axe (that’s the Gherkin to you and me), with both food and menus inspired by the British seaside and coastal locations. Naturally, we got ourselves there for opening night in a jiffy.

It goes without saying that, upon arrival, one is most certainly blown away.

The Gherkin is by far my favourite building on London’s skyline, a striking and remarkable piece of architecture, and Searcys with its restaurant on the 39th floor and bar on the 40th is certainly no exception. Its elegant cocktail bar, nestled under The Gherkin’s glass dome, iconic lattice beams adorned by minimalist surroundings, offer unprecedented 360-degree panoramic views of London, which are simply breath-taking, even on a slightly overcast day that we’d arrived on.

Searcys at The Gherkin is slick, suave and sophisticated. Largely a members-only club at most points throughout the year, pop-ups such as this present a rare opportunity for mere “normos” like you and I to visit. Nonetheless, it’s breathtakingly gorgeous across both floors and truly a spectacular setting to enjoy dinner or a few cocktails, with fantastic views across London to boot.

Okay, okay, you get it… it’s pretty awesome.
But “how the heck is the food?” I hear you ask.

Dining at Searcys The Gherkin

The Coastline Restaurant Pop-Up, running Monday 24th July 2017 – Friday 1st September 2017, offers diners options for both lunch (3 courses at £49.00) or dinner (3 courses at £55.00), superb value given the exclusivity, views and location.

Starters in the form of Scrabster Langoustine & Cornish Crab Salad and Aberdeen Smoked Salmon Fish Cakes were beautifully presented; the British coast-inspired dishes here a delightful way to start a meal, fresh and tasty.

The main shebang that ultimately eclipsed the dining experience however was the main, a delicious Lake District Beef Willington with Cornish Potato and Heritage Baby Carrots; the beef was rich, sumptuous and everything I’d hoped it would be, beautifully paired with creamy and rich mash potato. Absolutely delicious, we’re talking melt-in-the-mouth here.

Having sunk several oysters at the start of the meal (not pictured because I motored my way through them out of excitement… they were delicious) and having made our way through two exquisite courses, something light was required for dessert. Now, I could have skipped this, but in the interests of TwoMenAboutTown rigour, I soldiered on; Searcy’s Strawberry and Lemon Sorbet was the answer. Unfortunately, this wasn’t quite plain sailing, the lemon particularly intense, probably a little too much and slightly overpowering even by my strong tastes, so much so that I was unable to finish this. Still, the strawberry was light, airy and hugely refreshing and a great way to round off the three course indulgence.

After retiring from the meal, we headed upstairs for a post-dinner cocktail to enjoy the remainder of the evening with the stunning sunset views, not to mention the fabulous cocktail menu thanks to a great little collaboration with Plymouth Gin. The photos don’t do this space justice.

Searcys at The Gherkin: Restaurant and Cocktail Bar

In truth, it goes without saying that Searcys at The Gherkin completely blew me away; it’s effortlessly cool and sophisticated, the views are stunning and the food is absolutely delightful. The set menus are superb value and you’ll have a blast impressing your friends and loved ones by taking them somewhere very special indeed.

Yes, the late evening London skyline is impressive and makes for a truly spectacular, romantic and hugely photogenic backing, however a lunchtime visit is slightly cheaper and offers greater value if you’re watching the pennies; you’ll possibly be able to stomach stretch to more of the excellent Nyetimber English sparkline wine on offer as a result.

Either way, it’s a big thumbs up from me.
Great job, Searcys.

Searcys at The Gherkin
30 St Mary Axe London EC3A 8EP