We nodded to this in our piece on how EC1 is the hottest new neighbourhood for openings and now the news is out. The trio behind London Fields’ wine spot Sune are branching out. Spencer Large, Honey Spencer and Charlie Sims are opening The Poet in a historic building beside Smithfield Meat Market this November, their first pub and easily their most ambitious project yet. It’ll open first as a traditional-but-contemporary British pub and first-floor dining room, with food overseen by Charlie Tayler, formerly of Aulis and The Ledbury, before two further spaces follow in 2027: Envoi, a 10-seat chef’s table from Tayler on the mezzanine, and Shambles, a standalone cocktail bar tucked away in the attic.
The ground floor leans into Victorian pub maximalism, high ceilings, elaborate joinery and a double-height bar, serving fine ales, real wines and a playful bar menu that includes a “Scampi Fries” Scotch egg. Upstairs, the dining room takes British pub classics and reimagines them through seasonal produce, with a proper Sunday roast on weekends and a wine list curated by Honey Spencer. It’s a serious addition to the neighbourhood, and comes at a genuinely significant moment for the area: The Poet is the first business announced for one of six new ‘Houses’ built into London Museum’s new Smithfield home, which opens to the public on 28th November.
It joins recently opened pub The Horses and the upcoming B.Penhale, from the Camille team, as the latest addition to Farringdon’s restaurant boom.
Key Information
Opening | November 2026
Address | House 5, London Museum, General Market, Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AZ
For more information | thepoetsmithfield.com
