The main part of the rooftop restaurant at TT, with the roof itself (almost) closed.
What can you tell us about TT?
It's the ever-so-slightly rebranded TT Liquor in Shoreditch (i.e. they lost the "liquor" in the title). Part off-licence, part bar, TT has had a rooftop restaurant for some time now, with different residencies taking it over each year. Following a big overhaul of the rooftop, primarily fitting in a proper retractable roof so it can be used all year round, they've made the restaurant permanent and have brought in ex-Oren chef Sam Lone to head it up.
Where is it?
It's right down the bottom of Kingsland Road, just before the turning into Old Street, a short walk from either Old Street or Shoreditch High Street stations. Head through the off licence/bar at the front and you'll be guided up the stairs towards the back. Two floors up, you'll find the rooftop restaurant.
Where should we go for a drink first?
It's Shoreditch, so nearby you have some great options, including Calooh Callay and Happiness Forgets, both well worth a visit and quite close by. The cocktails at TT are absolutely on-point though, and if your table is not quite ready then popping in the bar downstairs before your meal is a very good option (and after the meal too).
Sasa's rum punch - Bacardi Carta Blanca and Caribbean-Spiced rums, orange, pineapple, orgeat, homemade sorrel syrup (£12)
When we get there, where should we sit?
Changing things up a little from before, TT will also be serving food on its ground floor, but up on the roof is really where you'll want to be. On a decent day, you'll absolutely want to be in the main section under the retractable roof. If there are a few of you, then there's also the option of grabbing one of the larger booths.
It's not the kind of rooftop where you'll be getting the best view of London, more of a sense of being in amongst the cascading rooftops of Shoreditch.
Who's in charge of the food?
That's Head Chef Sam Lone. Having been most recently at Oren, he also has stints at The Palomar, Two Lights and Cabotte under his belt. Here, he's making use of the new kitchen and is behind a seasonal menu that involves a fair bit of wood-fired cooking, and that smokiness really comes through well in a few dishes.
It's primarily a small plates, sharing affair (with a couple of much larger dishes thrown in there) so we'd say it's best to order in two/three tranches to avoid everything arriving at once.
Here's a taste of the menu, based on our own ordering:
Smoked ox cheek croquettes with smoky chilli crema (£8) - gloriously smoky, one to order the second you sit down.
Grilled Cornish hake with herb butter sauce (£19) - A great char on the hake, and deeply buttery sauce.
Grilled cauliflower with ricotta, pumpkin seed pesto (£10) - Veg options are pretty strong here.
Smoked oyster mushrooms with Burford Brown egg yolk (£10) - more of that smokiness coming through.
Hickory smoked ribs (circa £25) - This was actually on the specials board, but we couldn't resist. If there are any ribs on the menu when you visit, then they're a must-have. With everything falling away from the bone, this dish revealed a real talent on the smoker.
A special mention goes out to the fries, which come with a truly excellent confit garlic aioli (£4). We've also seen recommendations of the barbecued chicken thighs and there's a much larger sharing dish of a 600g chargrilled dry aged ribeye you might want to consider as well (£75).
How about dessert?
On the light side, there was an excellent whipped cheesecake, but we'd recommend you make a beeline for this:
Pecan pie ice cream (£6) - Apparently they actually make the pecan pies beforehand and then tear them to pieces to fill the ice cream with chunks of pie. It's a phenomenally good ice cream.
And what about other drinks?
Outside of the cocktails, there's a short European-specific wine list starting at a relatively decent £35, with a good 15 bottles under the £50 mark (including some sparkling options like Cremant). It's not natural-focused, but there is a small orange section in there if that takes your fancy.
Overall thoughts
As warmer days approach, the newly revamped rooftop at TT is somewhere that should be high up on your list if you fancy some alfresco dining. But roof open or not, chef Sam Lone has put together a great menu that shows a deft hand at the wood-fired grill. Plenty of interesting veg options alongside some great barbecue action, backed up by excellent cocktails make this well worth a look.
More about TT
Where is it? 17b Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA
How to book: Book online
Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @t.t_
Hot Dinners ate as guests of TT. Prices are correct at the time of writing.
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