Lately I’ve been visiting restaurants and asking myself: Why is there nothing comparable in Hamburg? A great gastro pub like Ten Bells would be without question high on my culinary wish list for the Hanseatic city.
Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly were two of the victims Jack the Ripper met and later murdered at Ten Bells in 1888. Thus the one story a cab driver told me on the way to Spitalfields. Even some scenes from a film adaptation starring Johny Depp (From Hell, 2001) are set in the pub, which first opened on this site in 1752. Another story says that Jamie Oliver’s great-great-grandfather was the landlord of the pub around that time. So, an episode of Jamie’s Great Britain also tours the location. The third and at the same time most recent story told was the one that was decisive for me to finally pay a visit to Ten Bells: Fantastic food.
What initially started as a pop-up restaurant for a few months by the Young Turks (James Lowe, Isaac Mchale, and Ben Greeno) has since evolved into a much talked about and often praised culinary address. In the evening, you first enter the pub located on the first floor and timeless Victorian. Ideally, you’ll have time for a pint or two at the bar before making your reservation. A small side door then leads upstairs to the Upstairs.
Unfortunately, the external circumstances were not the happiest that evening. Due to a personal injury on the train line from Gatwick to London, my expected dinner party did not sit at the table with me as planned, but instead sat on a train in the middle of nowhere for nearly three hours. So then the Buttermilk Chicken & Pine Salt first kept me company. Perfect finger food. Hot, crispy on the outside, tender, juicy on the inside, and combined with the salt and pine branches, a great snack to start.
I actually thought I ordered the Smoked Mackerel Tartare, Nduja, Buttermilk & Focaccia as an intermediate course, another signature dish at Ten Bells. I was somewhat surprised when a small tongue of beef was served instead. But shortly before the final end of the kitchen service, you also do not want to seriously discuss such details. Especially since the Veal Tongue, Pickled Red Meat Radishes, Bread & Bone Marrow Sauce proved to be a surprisingly balanced dish. In particular, the sauce of bone marrow and bread had a great, surprising consistency and gave the dish a strong flavor and interesting texture.
They were then joined at a fast pace by Roast Lamb Saddle, Spelt, Artichokes & Nettles. Also a rather heavy and quite intense dish. I was particularly thrilled with the combination of spelt, which was served in a rice-like preparation. The lamb had a little too much fat for me personally, but I’m sure that’s a matter of taste.
Ten Bells has a great concept, a very appealing creative and modern cuisine and offers high quality dishes at really very fair prices. An unconditional recommendation for every London traveler.
More impressions from the Upstairs At The Ten Bells:
Upstairs At The Ten Bells
84 Commercial Street
London E1 6LY
+44 (0)7530 492986
reservations@tenbells.com
