Review: Vesper

Jackson Boxer's new restaurant Vesper occupies a light-filled corner plot on Exmouth Market, already one of my favourite spots in London for great food and wine. The dining room is understated and quietly welcoming; simple, elegant tableware and classic tapered candles add to the charm, the latter providing a gentle aura of romance as the evening progresses.

If I had to choose my favourite cocktail it would probably be either a martini or a Negroni, depending on what I had just eaten, what I was about to eat, or just how I felt at that particular moment. Choice, inevitably, leads to FOMO; sidestep this with Vesper's dirty Negroni which includes red pepper and olive, bringing you the best of both worlds.

The restaurant is named after the Latin word for evening (or, more poetically, the Evening Star) rather than the cocktail, but their Vesper is rather special. Exceptionally smooth, it's made with Sapling Gin & Vodka, Plymouth Navy Strength Gin and Tempus Fugit Kina L’Aero D’Or, with a citrus mist applied at the table.

If you're a fan of Jackson Boxer's food - and really, who isn't? - you will probably have heard of the viral, limited edition off-menu burger from his Notting Hill site Dove (the restaurant formerly known as Orasay). There are also ten similar burgers available daily at Vesper; whilst this is probably the best place to get one at the moment before the penny drops for the rest of London, there are some beautiful dishes on the main menu here that I wouldn't want you to miss. Ah well, I guess you'll just have to book another visit.

The menu is modern European and reveals Boxer's experience as a restaurateur, his credentials as a chef and his intuitive feel for hospitality. He really understands why people eat out and how it feels to be here, eat here, and sit in the dining room as part of the vibe. You can mix and match anything from nibbles and small plates/starters through to mains, larger sharing dishes and desserts; pair with their well-made cocktails or something from an interesting and reasonably-priced wine list.

Vesper's lovely front-of-house team recommended this delicious, crisp and vibrant Chenin Blanc which complemented our food choices so well. Rumour has it that they were looking more for people with bar experience than restaurant folk when recruiting; if true, I find this very interesting. It implies a very promising focus on people skills rather than learned experience, which for me indicates both a commitment to customer service and a clear concept of Vesper's aims and priorities, together with a willingness to train staff from scratch to achieve that. Certainly every person we interacted with was relaxed, friendly and helpful, and seemed to be genuinely having fun, which is infectious.

We loved these house-made salt and vinegar crisps, served with a French onion and red pepper smoked cream dip topped with trout cubes and roe. Dangerously moreish.

The spring onion pancake, raw tuna and Cantabrian anchovy nibbles have that crispy, flaky pan-fried pancake base which is a good textural contrast to the soft tuna, the mellowness of which is tweaked by the briny curl of anchovy. Great balance.

The Carosello cucumber, Galia melon, cashew cream and Cascabel chilli was an interesting and delicious summer dish. Carosello are technically muskmelons but when harvested early they look and taste like cucumbers; this means they work perfectly with the melon in the dish, and both flavours are lifted by the mild and earthy roasted chillies. Do try this if it is still on the menu when you visit.

This was another of my favourite dishes: the torched trout, spring peas, raspberry and wood sorrel. Peas and raspberries are not the most obvious pairing, but barely blanched (if at all), the green, slightly herbal freshness of the peas works really well with the sweet-sharp raspberries, the tender, almost sweet trout and the tart leaves. Every mouthful has a slightly different balance, making it so interesting to eat.

Chicken liver agnolotti with a Madeira jus almost has xiao long bao (soup dumpling) vibes, with the luxurious chicken liver parfait filling practically melting in your mouth alongside the rich, deeply-flavoured wine jus.

Macerated English strawberries and baked cream are served with a crispy biscuit topping in a classic summer flavour pairing.

On our visit, Vesper had only been open two weeks. If you are someone who loves to get to new places early then I hope you also adjust your expectations accordingly, although to be honest there was very little of that needed for Vesper. A number of tables are kept back every day for walk-ins to support Vesper's place as a local hangout, but if I were you I'd book ahead. It won't just be the burger that will be causing queues.

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Deputy Editor, Chatting Food London: Amanda David

Amanda David is a freelance food and drinks writer specialising in London and Margate’s restaurants, bars and events, and food-focused travel. She is the author of EAT THIS NOW! on Substack, the Events Editor and a contributing writer for London Cheapo, a regular contributor to Palate Magazine and a Member of the Guild of Food Writers.

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