Forget Toby and Harvester, there’s a new carvery in town and it’s seriously raising the bar. Stoke House, another new opening in Victoria’s Nova development, has taken the carvery concept to the next level. Like many of the other restaurants in complex, the space is big but feels warm and inviting with a counter bar, casks of wine and retro floor tiles.
The basic idea is the same – you order and collect your food from the counter – only the quality of the food is much higher than you usually find at a carvery. Definitely no dry meat or stale sides here. Pete Denhart, formerly of The Newman Arms, is in charge in the kitchen and he’s taken great care to source the best produce, smoking all of the meat in house and creating buff seasonal salads.
There are endless combo options, our faves were the slow-roast Cornish lamb belly, the beef short ribs, given a kick with pickled red onions and chillies, and the perfectly pink Cornish roast rump. The garlic and thyme roasties were super crispy – defo pick up a pot of those – and the roasted balsamic beetroot salad helped to cut through all that rich meat. Rather than trying to balance a ridiculous amount on one plate, go in a group, load up your trays and then whack the whole lot in the middle of the table and dig in.
[URIS id=90237]Desserts are more retro than gourmet – we’re talking ice cream cones and chocolate brownie sundaes complete with wafers and smarties – but we’re not complaining! With its upmarket fast food, commitment to quality ingredients and pocket-friendly prices, Stoke House is proving that carveries can be cool.
81 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0AJ
thestokehouse.com