Monday 12 August (aka the Glorious Twelfth) will see the re-commencement of the red grouse shooting season across England and Scotland and that means grouse will be returning to London's restaurants once the first day’s shoot is over. Here's where you'll be able to find it in London.
Update 16/8/24; Grouse is in particularly short supply this year, so dates and availability may change at short notice. Always call ahead to check before you book.
The Hunter's Moon
Fulham - 86 Fulham Rd, London SW3 6HR
As part of a pithivier series which will see the filling rotate through different game meats, The Hunter's Moon will begin with a grouse pithivier. The puff pastry pie will be paired with celeriac purée and braised red cabbage.
When: 13-31 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @huntersmoonsw3
Ekstedt at the Yard
Whitehall - 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, London SW1A 2HN
If you're looking for a Nordic take on a grouse dinner this year, Swedish Chef Niklas Ekstedt will have a special dish at his Whitehall restaurant. In the Juniper Smoked Grouse dish, the grouse is smoked over juniper wood to give it a unique flavour and it's then served with smoked celeriac purée, grilled blackberries, girolle mushrooms and a port wine jus.
When: 14 -21 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @ekstedtldn
Bouchon Racine
Farringdon - 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP
Henry Harris' restaurant above the Three Compasses is another that will always feature game on the menu - but make sure you book ahead for this one. He prepares it traditionally (from a French perspective), so that will be roasted with an Armagnac gravy on a liver toast, served with pommes gaufrettes and he puts in a nod to English tradition with some bread sauce.
When: From 14 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @bouchonracine
Kitchen W8
Kensington - 11-13 Abingdon Rd, London W8 6AH
This Michelin-starred restaurant that's co-owned by Phil Howard and Rebecca Mascarenhas has Mark Kempson in the kitchen who's already geared up for this year's grouse season. This year, the dishe will be a roast breast and glazed sausage of Yorkshire grouse with BBQ celeriac, damson and cavolo nero (£52).
When: From 19 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @kitchenw8
L'Escargot
Soho - 66 Cowcross St, London EC1M 6BP
The oldest French restaurant in London and one of the best restaurants in Soho will also be serving grouse. That said, Its chef James Tyrrell is going for a classic English style with his grouse, featuring game chips, bread sauce, pan-fried breadcrumbs, a crouton of grouse liver parfait, and a lamb's lettuce salad with a lemon dressing (£48).
When: From 13 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @lescargotsoho
Sussex
Soho - 63-64 Frith St, London W1D 3JW
The Gladwin Brothers' restaurant is another that celebrates The Glorious Twelfth every year, and this time around they're putting on a special grouse dinner. It's a six-course menu with locally sourced produce in each course. The main event is roasted moorland grouse, watercress salsa, bread sauce, game crisps and cherry jus and they've teamed up with organic wine grower, Famille Perrin for matched wines. Tickets for that will be £150. Also look out for grouse specials on the main menu.
When: Grouse specials from 15 August, dinner on 16 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @sussex_resto.
Boisdale
Belgravia and Canary Wharf
Already known for its Highland cuisine, grouse is always a big deal at Boisdale. This year, there are two options for grouse. There's the more traditional - roasted with all the trimmings, game chips, bread sauce, grouse liver pate crouton, watercress, redcurrant jelly and gravy. And it's also available as a grouse pithivier. Both are £48 and come with a glass of wine too.
When: From 16 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @boisdale_restaurants
Kanishka
Mayfair - 17-19 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 2QH
Kanishka by Atul Kochhar has new game dishes created by Executive Chef Ashok Kumar for the season. These will include the Grouse Tikka Pie, a twist on the house signature pie which comes with summer berry chutney. Quail, rabbit and fallow deer specials will hit the menu at the same time.
When: Game specials from 12 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @kanishkamayfair
La Poule au Pot
Pimlico - 231 Ebury St, Belgravia, London SW1W 8UT
Classic French restaurant La Poule au Pot in Pimlico will be sourcing their grouse from The Yorkshire Dales National Park. They've been serving this dish every year for over 40 years and have changed it as little as possible. The grouse is wrapped in bacon before cooking and then served with daily vegetables, celeriac mash, and a rich game sauce for £39.50. Carrying on the game theme, in addition to grouse, they'll also have red partridge on the menu.
When: From 14 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @lapouleaupotrestaurant
The Cinnamon Club
Westminster - The Old Westminster Library, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU
This year The Cinnamon Club, Vivek Singh's Indian restaurant in Westminster is always a good bet for an early place to enjoy grouse. It'll be served up as Rajasthani spiced tandoori grouse breast with yellow 5 lentil Tadka, cumin and garlic (£36).
When: From 18 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @thecinnamoncollection
The Jugged Hare
City of London - 49 Chiswell St, London EC1Y 4SB
The Jugged Hare in the City has a particular speciality of game on its menu all year round, so this season is important for them. They're always one of the first London restaurants to have grouse on the menu, so it's a good place to try during the season. We're still waiting for final details of what's on the menu, but last year it was served traditionally garnished with Savoy cabbage, bacon, game chips, liver pâté en croûte, bread sauce and red wine jus.
Available from: TBC
Follow them on Instagram: @thejuggedhare
Wiltons
Mayfair - 55 Jermyn St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6LX
Of course, an old-school restaurant like Wiltons, which also has a reputation for its game dishes, will have grouse on the menu. They serve it traditionally - last year it was roasted and served with game crisps, bread sauce, breadcrumbs, grouse sauce, grouse liver pate and watercress.
Available from: 13 August 2024
Follow them on Instagram: @wiltons_restaurant
Also look for...
Here are more restaurants which usually have grouse on the menu. Look out for dishes from them later in the month.
- Highroad Social (Greenwich) - this new restaurant will have grouse on the menu from 14 August.
- Quality Chop House (Farringdon)
- Rules (Covent Garden)
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