Even if you’ve never been to Behind in London Fields before, you may well have heard of it – the restaurant made headlines back in 2020 when it won a Michelin star after being open for just 20 days. And those 20 days were actually interrupted by lockdowns so it was certainly a surprising and incredible achievement for chef-owner Andy Beynon. Two years later Behind is still going strong and still has its star – having never been before, we went by recently to check it out.
Behind is located on the ground floor of a new-ish development on Mare Street in Hackney (not far from LOTI HQ) and is quite hidden away. It’s not exactly a location that screams Michelin fine-dining but Londoners have become well used to eating great food in unusual places and far flung neighbourhoods over the years.
Once inside Behind, you’ll see a large sweeping semi-circular bar surrounding an open kitchen. High stools spaced out around the counter provide space for just 18 diners, each with a front row seat to watch the chefs prepare dishes. The chefs also act as waiters, serving each course directly to guests.
Behind is all about fish and seafood, sustainability sourced from across the UK via suppliers such as Broadway Market’s Fin & Flounder. We kicked off with a delicate slither of mackerel and kaki sorrel which was then finished with a rich prawn consommé, paired with a glass of brilliant English fizz from Hundred Hills in Oxford.
Next up was a meaty Cornish skate wing with onions, olives and sea lettuce, followed by one of our favourites of the meal, a big bowl that contained a thin layer of crab meat topped with a ’soup’ that was more of a jelly, made from spiced plums. The final savoury course was gilt-head bream with earthy girolles mushrooms and a vin jaune sauce.
For dessert, we finished on a rhubarb and apple mini trifle and a rich chocolate tart, with black olive powder and salted sesame. We’d really recommend the wine pairing too, which produced some very interesting wines throughout.
We loved our lunch at Behind – it’s bringing a high level of classic Michelin cuisine to Hackney, and we enjoyed the open kitchen and intimate counter dining. Talking with the chefs also adds to the experience, so if you’re looking for a bit of a special occasion meal without journeying into central, then Behind is well worth checking out.
20 Sidworth Street, London, E8 3SD
behindrestaurant.co.uk