Smiths Of Smithfield

Came to celebrate a professional milestone and hoping to toast with high quality f&B and views over the city. It delivered half of that - on arrival, it took awhile for anyone to greet us and take our names from the reservation and that individual didn't make eye contact the entire time. Up to the rooftop in the lift, and the doors open onto a beautiful light filled long space. Unfortunately there were a couple parties crowded around the lift and made it once again a challenge to understand where to go to be seated.

We were hoping to be placed closer to the window (and away from the crowds standing around the bar), but instead were seated as close as possible to them. As such, ambiance was not great. Service was uneven, the server was not incredibly helpful. Despite all this, food was excellent.

We ordered a dry martini and the jalapeño margarita which was perfectly punchy with a spicy rim. Those came halfway through our meal, again question mark as the bartenders didn't seem particularly occupied. We had the pickled anchovies to start - a beautifully plated and yummy plate. Then the scallops and sea trout tacos, followed by the maitake mushrooms and venison w rhubarb compote. The food was generally outstanding but the trout was deceptive. Rather than an actual taco, it came on a leaf so rather than getting a nice crunchy bite, it was just a tartare that had no textural contrast. In comparison the mushrooms were so varied and flavourful and complex. My husband also found the venison a bit bland next to the others.

All in all, what they did well was memorable, but where they fell down it became distracting. Would still return for the good bits!

Came here for a couples date night and I was impressed by the food. As for the location, I think this would be more of a work lunch or dinner spot as the upstairs has a very stiff type of feeling with the white tablecloths and brighter lighting but nevertheless I did enjoy the meal. We started with cocktails downstairs which had dim lighting and a more relaxed vibe. As for the food, we ordered a number of items which I need to look back at all the pictures to remember. Having said that, everything was really good including the wine and cocktails. The item that stood out for me was the côte de boeuf which was cooked perfectly and seasoned well. I do recommend coming here but just be mindful that the ambiance upstairs is more formal.

My review is based purely on the food.

Happy eating!

Pictures of food look better than the one served. Waitress with no experience or very little urging us to order appetizers because main course would take long to be served .
Ordered tartare venaison or??? So tiny no flavor
Cut of tomahawk pork chop not tomahawk slim And fatty , pepper corn sauce tasteless
Veal porterhouse not porterhouse horseradish sauce no flavor not spicy
Coffee served without cream or sugar had to ask
No apology manager asked me to get up and choose my own cut of meat from fridge display
Overall pricy, food mediocre, portions small, didn't offer any complimentary whatsoever not that I needed but pretentious setup and lack of everything
Highly rated but not for me
And respectfully over 30 years in fine dining travelling the world
Room to improve hopefully
Good luck!

Don't do it. I know. The pictures look great. There's a great view from the top floor. There aren't a lot of options in the neighborhood. Still, please, don't do it. It's airport quality food with terrible service from people who seem absolutely annoyed that you dared to dine there. I stay in the neighborhood so I keep trying. Today on my third experience, I implore you. Go some place else.

Had lunch on the top floor with some coworkers and had a lovely time. The top floor has a completely different vibe than that of the lower floors (i.e. feels much stuffier, but the view is better) and significantly fewer people were eating up there. It was a beautiful sunny day, we definitely lucked out.

I started with the Tempura Courgette Flower. Oh my gosh, it was so so so good!!!!!!! I loved the warm melted goat cheese. It went so well with the sauce and yum! I normally don't like tempura but they did a great job of making a thin light tempura batter that perfectly complemented the goat cheese. My friend and I then split the Limousin Sirloin and Cornish Lamb Rack. It was way too much food for us to finish, but good. The lamb was a little too fatty for me, but I loved the tomatoes and flavoring. The sirloin was hearty and cooked perfectly. We also had some of the side salads, which was the perfect complement to all that meat. For dessert, I ordered the Baked Alaska. I'd been meaning to try one since watching The Great British Bake Off. In the show, there are different flavors of ice cream, a checkered pattern, and it looks quite complex. The one I received was vanilla ice cream covered in lemon meringue with a biscuit on the bottom. It was still good, but much less exciting (it tasted exactly the way it sounds) and the ice cream wasn't melted enough (good thing we were in the sun).

Service was friendly and professional, but slow. My water was rarely refilled and they seem to really want you to have a nice long leisurely meal so dishes are spaced out quite a bit. I think we spent over two hours there. If I come back, I'm definitely getting more of that Tempura Courgette Flower.

A hetero meat market of an establishment located adjacent to a literal meat market, serving up meat. Of both literal -and- figurative varieties.

SOS probably isn't a place I'd spend a lot of time on the regular, but I was famished, it was open on a Sunday afternoon, and they had an irresistible bacon cheeseburger with chips on offer that I couldn't refuse.

The ground floor is a giant open space that one might expect to find in a club. The first floor is another matter - the décor is kicked up a notch, involving lots of wood. A long bar extends the length of the room, and this evening there was a massive table in the back already set up with a set menu for a group of likely 20-30 people.

And that burger? Thoroughly massive and satisfying, although the interpretation of 'medium' done apparently errs more toward the 'well' end of the spectrum. No matter, the chips (with a healthy variety of mustard, mayo, and ketchup) made up for it.

I'd shy away from the chocolate cake if you're not a huge fudge fan - it was effectively like eating a giant slab of chocolate atop a square of fudge. Heavy and decadent beyond reason. Plus, the Chantilly cream turned out to be a scoop of ice cream, instead. I probably should have opted for the apple and almond tart instead.

SOS doesn't tick all my boxes, but on the whole, I'd be willing to come back if someone suggested it. I -am- grateful to have a legit, acceptably-priced (£13.50) burger in the area, though.

Smiths of Smithfield has undergone a few facelifts since it opened in 2000 next to the Smithfield meat market. Spanning across four floors and hosted in a Grade II listed building, it's always boasted impressive environs with modern-industrial-chic details. The ground floor is a bustling hub that dishes out a satisfying and straightforward menu in a casual setting. There are two additional restaurants with more exquisite modern British fare on the upper floors, including a rooftop dining space with panoramic city views. A short walk from Farringdon station, it's a catch-all venue where you can either grab a drink after work, or can dig into a succulent fillet steak in more opulent ambiance. Or you could do both- it only requires migrating between floors.

I admittedly hadn't visited Smiths in over five years until this week. During our last call, we popped in for brunch in the days when John Torode was still owner and overseer of operations- in fact, he was lurking around the restaurant that very afternoon, entertaining family and acquaintances sitting adjacent to our table. Since then, Torode has parted company with Smiths and the business has pulled its socks up- especially the first floor space, which was once a tapas bar, then a cocktail lounge, but now reinvented as a craft beer bar, the Craft Market.

We revisited Smiths, lured in by an event that was taking place at the Craft Market. I'd been tempted by the 'Meet the Brewery' evenings promoted on social media in the past- some laudable London independent breweries were advertised, including Brixton Brewery, East London Brewing Company and Canopy Brewing Co- but I'd never managed to make the journey. Frankly, I've been let down by a glut of City establishments promoted as 'craft beer bars' due to appalling service by staff with no knowledge of their range or gusto at all. Because of such discouraging experiences, I'd erroneously tarred Smith's with the same brush.

We were pleasantly surprised on our visit in August 2016. There to support a friend's event, we lingered for the entire evening and chatted with servers, bar staff and the Operations Manager. One point was immediately apparent: they had a bona fide passion for beer. The hirsute gentleman running the bar had a dry sense of humour and knew the bar's range inside out. He assured us that he personally curated the selection available- and it was a good balance of the classics (Sierra Nevada, Blue Moon, Camden) with the independents, including a selection from Hammerton, Redchurch, London Beer Factory, Kernel and Partizan but to name a few.

The copious bottle selection dominates the room, positioned against the wall behind the bar like a magnificent example of modern art. Bottles can be taken away or swilled onsite- naturally, there are chilled, ready to drink vessels in the fridges- and there's a rotating pick served on draught. For £15, you can pick up 6 bottles to take home in a carrying case, which is both convenient and affordable if you work in the area. Otherwise, the bar itself is cosy, friendly and urbane; we were there on a Wednesday night and there were a few other groups, but the atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed. We even had a decent burger, chips and a pint of the guest draught for a tenner- it was promptly delivered to our table, meaning that we could continue to graze on the beer menu without having to relocate to a different floor for sustenance.

Speaking with the Operations Manager, he informed me that they have big plans for further meet the brewer events at the Craft Market down the line- I was asked what beers I was currently drinking from London breweries and it transpires that the first I mentioned- my local haunt, Howling Hops- was due to be stocked at the bar in the coming weeks.

I can confidently say that I'll be returning to Smiths, especially once more events are announced- the space is the perfect size for a quiet post-work beer. The advantage of having more than one bar in the building allows this area to concentrate on independent breweries, which can be enjoyed in a unexpectedly convivial atmosphere. Paired with friendly and conversant staff, this floor of Smiths is really a gem- and you'll be seeing even more breweries on their shelves soon.

It pains me to spread the word because I'd like to keep this place in my back pocket, especially given the blight of decent drinking venues in the area, but I'm feeling generous after having a few great beers.

A great gathering place for the workers around Barbican/Farringdon area and I came on a Friday where the place was packed. Sat on the ground floor and drinks arrived pretty fast but food took at least 40 minutes to come out.

Nevertheless, the waiters were friendly, the food was pretty good and I would come back again - but I would make sure that my boss knows I'm having a long lunch!

Very cool vibe, great music, trendy decor, cool staff.
I had the tuna salad and it was delicious. Fresh and full of flavour.
Would recommend.

Here I am at one of the greatest meat markets in the World. I get plenty of great beef locally in the large cities nearby. They had a pork t-bone. I was looking for old school pork with some fat. I asked several times to make sure the pork would be cooked medium. I wanted to see pink. I was assured this would be the case.
The pork comes out WAY over cooked. I asked about it, and the server said she'd ask the chef. The chef comes out. I tell the story while the others at the table agree I was pretty much over the top about wanting it pink. The Chef says that cooking it that way causes disease. It has to be well done. I'll skip the back and forth. In the end, he said he'd cook it that way, but take no responsibility for when I got sick. Even in the US, the USDA, the most conservative of groups, has dropped the temp for cooking pork from 160 to 145.

So, in the end, decent pork. Nice wine. A great group of coworkers and clients to be with. That makes up for the cooking.