Jackson Boxer delivers a hit with this perfectly pitched bistro
Jackson Boxer has been busy of late, relaunching Taqueria in Notting Hill as Taq in early 2026, and now his latest proper new opening – Vesper – has taken over a prime corner site on Exmouth Market, which was also previously a Taqueria. Named after the Roman word for the evening star, Vesper is a beauty: a 70-cover site with timber-framed windows, whitewashed interiors, a central stainless steel bar, and a candlelit dining room tucked behind. There’s also a terrace with outdoor tables, which is going to be a glorious place to sit this summer.
Eat This
On the food side, the menu mixes snacks, small plates and larger dishes, with Boxer’s signature mix of British produce and global influence running throughout. Must order snacks include the crisps and the French onion, red pepper and smoked cream dip topped with trout roe, and the bites of spring onion pancake topped with raw tuna and Cantabrian anchovy.
Carosello cucumber and galia melon on cashew cream and chilli oil is a dish of subtle beauty, refreshing, rich, and light all at the same time. And on the other end of the scale, there’s a knockout fried potato pizzette topped with stracciatella and mortadella. You could come back and nail a couple of these alone with a glass of wine.
Dove was famous for its limited-edition burger and there is a similar one at Vesper – but there’s only 10 a day so you’ll have to be lucky to get one. We instead went for one of the sharers, a brilliant, juicy half roast chicken on bread sauce, with a healthy zing of lemon running through it. To go alongside, don’t miss the duck fat fries and the baked saffron and crab fat rice. And to finish, we had a perfectly summery English strawberries and baked cream.
Drink This
It’s good to see English wines continuing their rise on restaurant menus, and not just in the sparkling section (something we wrote about recently). We had a great Pet Nat from Walgate Wines, which also has a still chardonnay further down the list. There’s also decently priced by the glass options on keg, as well as half bottles, magnums and £10 martinis, so bases and budgets really are covered.
Why Go
Vesper has the warmth and ease of a neighbourhood bistro, but with food that’s original and exciting. Whether you’re dropping in for snacks and wine on the terrace or settling in for a full meal, it’s a knockout from Boxer.
Key Information
Address | 8-10 Exmouth Market London EC1R 4QA
For more information | vesper.restaurant
