The story
Named after the 19th-century courtesan who became the toast of Paris, Cora Pearl is a sister restaurant to the award-winning Kitty Fisher’s in Mayfair. It occupies a historic townhouse on Henrietta Street, a stone’s throw from the Royal Opera House and the West End’s greatest theatres. The restaurant serves modern British contemporary bistro food, cocktails and wines for all occasions.
Head Chef Charlie Shaw leads a kitchen that rolls with the seasons, drawing on the diversity of produce from the British Isles. The à la carte menu is available for lunch and dinner, while the set lunch and pre-theatre menu – two courses for £35 or three for £38 – has earned the restaurant a place in Michelin’s guide to the Best Pre-Theatre Dining in London. That recognition, alongside praise from Eater London (who called it “the new darling of Covent Garden”) and Condé Nast Traveller (“an instant classic”), underscores the restaurant’s reputation for smart cooking in a seductive setting.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with an adjoining connection to St. Paul’s, the Actors’ Church, where the restaurant’s namesake’s parents were once married. Sunday lunch here has been named one of the best in London by CNN Travel, with perfectly-judged Bloody Marys, billowing Yorkshire puddings and sublime roasts. Whether for a pre-theatre bite, a leisurely lunch or a celebratory dinner, Cora Pearl offers an experience that feels both timeless and of the moment.
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Like Kitty Fisher’s on Shepherd Market, this Covent Garden beauty is named after a 19th-century courtesan – although it feels more 'decadent' with lush velvety fabrics, dark green tones and varnished woodwork creating an inviting backdrop for plates of comforting food with strong Anglo-European leanings. Scallops Rockefeller makes a good opener, likewise a riff on the ‘ham and cheese toastie’ theme, although you can also get fresh with a perfectly rounded salad of endives, walnuts, Stilton and pear. Follow on with Devon lamb cutlets partnered by carrots and buttered kale, a bowl of fish stew with croûtons or Creedy Carver duck accompanied by Swiss chard and quince. If you’re hoping for at least one showstopper, look no further than the chips – ‘the best I’ve ever tasted,’ drooled one fan. Hot, crisp, fatty and deliriously moreish, they are cooked and pressed for 24 hours before being cut into Jenga-like oblongs and dunked in the deep-fryer. To conclude, a creamy bowl of ‘milk and cookies’ is the go-to option, although readers have also praised the chocolate crémeux with praline and the ginger cheesecake. Given that Cora Pearl is a stone’s throw from the Royal Opera House and other West End attractions, the pre-theatre menu is a no-brainer, likewise the Sunday lunch offer. To drink, Bloody Marys seem to suit the mood, and there’s also a short list of European wines from £33.
2 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
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