Our honest review of new Gordon Ramsay Bishopsgate rooftop bar and restaurant
Bread Street Kitchen is the new Gordon Ramsay Bishopsgate rooftop bar and restaurant. Morning Wire were the first to try the food – here’s what to order and our honest review
In Being Gordon Ramsay, the chef’s reality series for Netflix, the sweary demi-god is asked by his son how many Bread Street Kitchen restaurants there are. Despite launching them all, Ramsay, who opened the first one on the titular Bread Street in 2001, hasn’t got a clue. He guesses, but gets it wrong. It is no Jamie’s Italian (there are 9 BSK’s total) but they are so homogenous that even their proprietor can’t tell them apart.
Why, then, has Ramsay put one on the 59th floor of 22 Bishopsgate, the highest place to dine in Europe and one of the capital’s most sought-after addresses?
Generally, the food at the top of skyscrapers is naff, but at least the restaurants feel like proper destinations. SushiSamba, Hutong at The Shard, even Ramsay’s Lucky Cat – on the 60th floor – each tout something discernibly new and exciting. In the case of the last, there’s a sultry club atmosphere with a live DJ.
But there’s nothing new or exciting about Bread Street Kitchen. It feels like a waste that Ramsay hasn’t put a unique new concept on this lauded rooftop. That isn’t entirely fair: High by Gordon Ramsay, on the 60th floor, has just been awarded a Michelin star, but if you don’t have a month’s salary spare to reserve one of the eleven nightly seats, and you want to dine at 22 Bishopsgate, you’ll probably end up in the UK’s highest Bread Street Kitchen.
Gordon Ramsay: Bishopsgate restaurant serves up a hit
It’s very high. From up here, the Walkie-Talkie looks like a toy. Planes fly past at what feels like a similar height, which is mildly terrifying.
As with all the other rooftop restaurants, the bridge-and-tunnel crowd found out first. Expect Essex’s tightest jeans and orangest glows. There’s a DJ because of course there is. It’s troubling that he has sunglasses on even though it’s cloudy outside.
A middle-aged man at a table near me walks past with sunglasses on too. Much like all the other blingy rooftop bars and restaurants, it’s shout to hear yourself territory. Older couples give up and look out the window.
For an arrival drink my guest and I sit at the counter because it’s the only seat in the bar with a view (the tables are low and stuck in the centre of the building). A blueberry martini is too sweet but a dirty is fine. It’s speedy despite it being the first week of opening.
When I walk through to the main restaurant there is one obvious discovery: there are too many seats that don’t have window views. It always amazes me that tables aren’t designed sideways in rooftop bars and restaurants to maximise the view.
No one wants to come up here to look at their partner, but dozens of men (it is always the men) sacrifice the sunset so their girlfriends can watch.
Call nicely and secure the right table, and you’ll have an EastEnders perspective of the Thames from up this high. Book as the light goes to get the best of day and night.
Gordon Ramsay’s fried chicken comes with caviar
Ramsay describes what comes out of the kitchen as an “elevated expression” of what Bread Street Kitchen typically serves, which is seasonal British and European inspired food.
We started with a grown up’s steak and veal tartare, given nuance beyond the high quality aged flesh by bitter leaves and pane carasau, then the highlight of the starters, a perfectly Instagrammable lobster and prawn toast.
It came served as a palm-sized parcel (justifying its richness) with a nailed-on breaded crunch to fleshy fish ratio, elevated – yes, that word, but it was – by Tobiko mayonnaise and its general daintiness. A spiced cauliflower dish with coconut yoghurt and tamarind chutney was another well-conceived exercise in indulgence disguised as healthy eating.
G.F.C – Gordon’s Fried Chicken – comes with caviar. How’s that for elevated expression? It tastes like fried chicken, but I had it without the fish eggs because I am not the sort of man who can order fried chicken with caviar and expect the waiter to take me seriously.
Elevated is certainly the word for the Australian Wagyu Picanha, which was straightforwardly but brilliantly cooked. Call me a bore, but elevated also sounded like the right sort of word for the menu in general, which had unusual spins on grilled dishes like an XL king prawn, as well as Ramsay’s famous ‘Idiot’ sandwich with beef brisket, cheese, mushroom and tomato chutney. That dish comes at a fairly accessible £26.
Superlative mac and cheese
My guest ordered the Bucatini pasta, which he enjoyed, and we shared a superlative mac and cheese – cheese with a depth of flavour, cooked to crisp – and well-seasoned paprika fries.
The sticky toffee pudding came with burnt vanilla ice cream, and you can guess what that did to the dish, can’t you? By jove, it elevated it! Ramsay’s Meyer Lemon Cheesecake comes in the shape of a lemon, with a gorgeous strawberry and basil compote. It looks ravishing and tastes great. Both are fairly priced at £10.50.
I’m told there were discussions about ditching the Bread Street Kitchen name and giving this place its own vibe. I think it’s obvious how I feel about that. “It’s giving airport burger,” my friend said, offering his take on the branding. Perhaps he said that as we did feel as though we were flying – especially after another round of those martinis – but mark my word, this is no plane food.
How to book the new Bread Street Kitchen at Gordon Ramsay Bishopsgate
Bookings are open now for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant serves British and European-inspired food in an all-day style from 6:30am in the morning through to very late.
Go to gordonramsayrestaurants.com/bread-street-kitchen/bishopsgate