The Coal Shed Southwark

Acclaimed Brighton restaurant, The Coal Shed, opened a second branch by Tower Bridge in the autumn. Affordable, seasonal and high end, the atmosphere here is warm, soothing and very comfortable. On the day we visited the front of house, maître d’ and servers were all women and there were several parties with small children which put me hugely at ease. The service is knowledgable with great attention to detail, each dish was explained as it was served. The partly open kitchen is the focus of the room and there’s plenty of space but it feels cosy.

As I tucked into some pork cheek I wondered a little why the restaurant wasn’t more crowded on a Saturday afternoon. The food is excellent and it’s so close to Tower Bridge you would expect foot traffic from tourists to pack out a place like this but the restaurant is obscured behind The Ivy and slightly away from the waterfront, so for now at least The Coal Shed is our little secret.

What’s good? The sweets menu, inspired by seaside treats, doughnuts, fudge and 99 ice creams are all recreated in an elevated way. The seafood is as expected – very good and the game meats were excellent but this is a wonderful options for vegetarians too.

Kid friendly? Completely.

✓baby change facilities

✓highchairs available

✓cool with breastfeeding

✓loads of other parents

✓space for buggies

✗children’s menu

✗toys/play area

Rating ????

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