After the huge success of its Spitalfields location, Hawksmoor opens up in Seven Dials, serving up some of the best steaks in London to yet more very lucky carnivores

The Venue
Housed within the old Combe’s Brewery, Hawksmoor has impressive pedigree, primarily for the fact that this is apparently where Harvey Christian Combe, the Brewer, Lord Mayor and the City’s representative in Parliament, would throw a steak dinner for his fellow luminaries. But you can read all about that on the back of the menu. It’s nice that those behind this very impressive venue put that kind of effort into the location, but if you were ever in doubt then the stunning interior of this underground, atmospheric restaurant will put paid to all that anyway.

The hard-to-spot entrance tucked away down Langley Street leads you immediately downstairs, ensuring there’s something of the speakeasy about Hawksmoor, and period lamps and light shades, thick industrial piping and pillars, exposed brickwork, deliciously low ceilings, Bauhaus seating and a predominance of warming woods add to the effect. A large semi-open kitchen with snippets of chrome hints at modernity, but otherwise it’s all fascinatingly art deco, with everything bathed in a soft amber glow that adds to the atmosphere. The open wine cellar at one end of the restaurant garners plenty of intrigue.

The Atmosphere
The very impressive setting has a huge effect, primarily because it’s easy to get swept up in the Prohibition feel, resulting in a vibrant atmosphere of excited conversations, clinking glasses and some serious cooing when the plates of food arrive. The excellent staff certainly help, boasting both an impressive ability to remember names and a deft touch when dealing with ostentatious diners erroneously sending steaks back because they’re not cooked as to order. They are. There’s also the odd bit of volume from suits coming over all Neanderthal, but it’s easily swallowed up by the very pleasant hubbub from an appreciative crowd that encapsulates what’s an inclusive and welcoming restaurant.

The Food
Hawksmoor is undoubtedly one of the best steak restaurants in London, so it would be remiss, if not entirely pointless, to ignore the grill. However, starters offer you a chance to get your canines warmed up for the main course, with an impressive selection of dishes that show the kind of delicate hand you might not expect from such a manly kitchen.

The hand-dived king scallop (£12) is huge, plump and cooked with precision. It’s served beautifully in half a seashell with a smooth, flavoursome champ that’s just about light enough to leave room for the important part. The salt baked beetroot and goats cheese (£6.50) is good, despite the fact that the excellent Childwickbury cheese could do with a little more heat.

Onto the cow. The incessant levels of praise for both Hawksmoors are entirely justified - these really are some of the very best steaks in London. So much so that there’s no doubt that the sourced Longhorn cattle from North Yorkshire would meet their fate with a happy shrug of acceptance if they knew quite what they would become.

With huge cuts of bone-in prime rib, porterhouse and chateaubriand, there’s plenty of scope for the greedy. But for those that can’t manage half a heifer, the more traditional options are every bit as impressive thanks to expert hands on the grill, perfect seasoning and some very, very good cuts. The fillet (£30) is a huge mound of meat, seared on the char-grill and cooked exactly to order, with a smoky exterior giving way incredibly easily to an even soft pink of some seriously tender flesh. The rib eye (£25) is fattier and a touch tougher, but very nearly every bit as good. And huge, commandeering a sizeable plate with its meaty loveliness.

Somewhat surprisingly, quite a bit of care goes into the sides too, and with a blanket price of £4 for each, it’s not bad value. The triple cooked chips are impressive, with a crunch giving way to soft, fluffy potato, whilst the roasted winter vegetables are very good indeed, with carrots, parsnips, red onions and a whole bulb of garlic being roasted very well indeed.

The Drinks
There’s a solid selection of wines on offer, with enough options to cater for everyone from those on a budget to those looking to get all extravagant. There are some really good reds at affordable prices, including a great pinot noir at £22 for the bottle, or a very good, full bodied Bordeaux at £28. Admirably, quite a few options are available by the glass too enabling you to be sensible if you see fit.

A lot of diners choose to start (or end) their evening in the adjacent bar, where the very friendly bartends are happy to showcase their impressive mixing skills. With Fancy Gins, Champagne Charlies, Marmalade Cocktails and the Hawksmoor Collins all available for between £7.50 and £9, there’s some good options that are in delicious keeping with all those little hints of the Roaring Twenties.

The Last Word
Anyone who’s been to the Spitalfields venue will know what to expect from the kitchen, but the setting, atmosphere and location make this one even better.

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