Mon—Thu midday—11.30pm, Fri midday—1am, Sat 10am—1am, Sun 10am—11.30pm
I was invited to World’s End Market once before for a Woman Crush Wednesday dinner in honour of Arianna Huffington. It was the perfect place for a feminine, sexy, sharp and down-to-earth evening. My friend lived around the corner when the place was your standard boozer, but over the last year it has been reimagined as a locally sourced, ethically-run concept restaurant.
The entrance is veiled by a—slightly heavy—curtain. Inside, the space has been made over to channel the market vibe, with black and white tiles, a fresh fish counter (live lobsters in restraints) and staff sporting red braces and heavy aprons. The bar feels oystery in green and white with copper lamps.
The market workers looked a little bored (or perhaps they’ve just been up since the boats came in). Our waitress was no exception, seeming either surprised or confused by our attempts to order.
We started with some Market Cocktails, the focus of the drinks list, which are classic offerings with elegant twists. My Isle Garden was the star of the first round—a fresh gin-based creation muddled diligently (perhaps the barman is neither bored nor tired, just of singular focus) with basil leaves and cucumber, infused with honey and lime and finished with Chartreuse. The man was talented. It was served long in a heavy glass jug that feels appropriate for its surroundings.
My friend ordered a Market Pie, which arrived in a martini glass garnished prettily with more cucumber, delivering a fresh blend of mint, raspberry and Polish bison grass vodka. Nothing overstated, he reported, and very more-ish. He followed, though, with an Isle Garden, and I with a Market Passion—a passion fruit bellini, which was fun and fizzy in the way that bellinis are.
He went for a smoke, while I order some bread. Personally I think you can always judge a place by its bread. WEM’s bread is good. Perfect structure, served in long tactile slices with butter or olive oil. It was homemade, like almost everything here (including the ketchup and mayonnaise), either at the restaurant or at its sister in Crystal Palace.
Trusting the bread, I ordered salmon tartare as a starter. Nowhere to hide and no reason to try, as crushed pine nuts and green olives offered a perfect counterpoint to the smooth, soft salmon. All the main courses are chargrilled in a Josper oven, and my lamb chops arrived satisfyingly smoky with generous sides of fries and green leaves to soak the juices from the requisite wooden board. The seabass also looked tempting, and everything felt homely, wholesome and consciously sourced.
In retrospect, I wish I’d ordered the homemade ice cream for desert; the small scoop on the side of my red velvet cake was delicious. Cake is the focus of the dessert menu (carrot being the other option) which perhaps plays into the homey, handmade character of the place, but felt a little heavy after the seductive flavours of the preceding courses.
The World’s End Market has a homely feel, and the food is simple and well-treated. It also has a slight members’ club feel, and I’m told there will be a private members’ space opening on one of the upper floors, as well as a screening room and spaces for private hire. One of the rooms will have a balcony, so I’m planning to return for some cocktails for sure, and possibly some lamb chops.
