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Chef Nuno Mendes on London’s waning appetite for fine dining
London’s restaurant scene is resilient and keeps reinventing itself, but the appetite for fine dining establishments is waning, believes pioneering chef Nuno Mendes.
Mendes has lived and worked in the capital for almost 20 years, spending part of that time as former executive chef at the Chiltern Firehouse, and of his own restaurants, including Viajante in Bethnal Green and Mãos in Shoreditch. Both are now closed, but both received of a Michelin star. His main focus now is Lisboeta on Charlotte Street, which opened in 2022.
London’s restaurant scene has weathered many challenges, but the pandemic has caused a shift that has left fine dining restaurants struggling, he says. “The style of dining that is suffering the most I think, are restaurants based on fine dining concepts”, he says. “They are really struggling and I think there’s very few people that have an appetite for an experience like that. There are very few people that I feel do it extremely well. I think a lot of them are just, you know, incredibly expensive, and it’s not comfortable, it’s not informal. I think they are out of step with what guests want. I don’t think people have the headspace anymore to have these kind of experiences in the city like London. There’s very few places that can survive on that, and it’s a challenge.”
The concepts that seem to be working in London, he says, are those that are much more relaxed and democratic. “After the pandemic, to be out in a venue with people that you love, your friends, socially – that’s a victory,” he says .“The food, the wine are all elements, but not the centrepiece, they’re not gastronomic temples. Speaking about my own restaurant, I believe that the food is very good, but it’s only one of the elements that drives our guests to arrive. It’s about being here, enjoying the experience, enjoying the team, the wonderful service that the team are passionate about and want to provide, the amazing wines, the amazing different drinks that we have on offer, the venue, the music, the fact that it’s bustling and it’s busy, That’s the experience, right? That’s the narrative that I feel very strongly about.”
Mendes himself struggled during the pandemic, admitting that it left him, and many others in the industry, on their knees. “I was completely out and lost pretty much everything I had going at the time. I had to reinvent myself and that was tough.” The opening of his now thriving restaurant Lisboeta in 2022 on Charlotte Street, which showcases Lisbon’s culture and cuisine, was a turning point.
“I made the decision that if I was going to do something, this is as bad as it gets, so it may as well be on terms that you feel positive about. If I’m going to have a voice in London, what do I want that to be? What do I want to say? I wanted to do a restaurant that championed Portugal because there’s a wonderful gastronomical culture and tradition, and I wanted to do a more democratic style restaurant, one that is affordable, that you come in and have a glass of wine and a couple snacks, or sit down and have a longer meal, something that was quite relaxed and easy. I didn’t want to force fine dining onto anyone.”
Living up to his adventurous spirit, earlier this month Mendes lent his culinary skills to the world of whisky. Teaming up with Old Pulteney Scotch, he’s created three dishes made with Old Pulteney Port whisky, the second release from the distillers limited-edition Coastal Series, aged in both Ruby Port and Ruby Port barriques. They include slow baked scallops with a smoky broth and a twist on Arroz de Marisco.
“When you start working with these amazing whiskies and start pairing them with food, the results that you get are quite unique and different from your standard wine pairings,” he explains. “For me, it was an interesting way to showcase the terroir of northern Scotland and how it compares to the north of Portugal.” All of the dishes are designed to be paired with Old Pulteney Port, but Mendes wanted to use it in the cooking too, which he said served to “perfume” each dish, adding another layer of flavour. “It’s introducing the guests to new territory, pairing food with whisky – it’s something they get quite excited about.”
Besides his love of Old Pulteney, and single malt Scotch, Mendes is also partial to Japanese malts, including Yamazaki “before the prices skyrocketed” and Nikka as a more “everyday” whisky.
As for his favourite places to eat in London, Mendes has a diverse list. Lyles in Shoreditch and Planque in Haggerston are standouts. For authentic Thai cuisine he loves sitting at the counter in Smoking Goat, Shoreditch, and also enjoys sitting canal-side at the Towpath Cafe in Haggerston. Nearby, Japanese cafe Toco Noco is another haunt. Sticking with his love of Japanese cuisine, Kikuchi in Hanway Street, Soho, is a small counter restaurant that he says makes you “feel like you’re in Japan”. Elsewhere he praises the newly opened contemporary Mexican restaurant, Fonda, in Mayfair.
“I’ve been living in London now for almost 20 years. I’ve seen it change. I’ve seen it evolve and go through some serious difficulties and challenges, and I still love the city. London is resilient, and it keeps reinventing itself. Having lived in New York and San Francisco and a lot of different cities, I feel like London continues to be central for dining – it’s an amazing city.”
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