Hawksmoor Guildhall

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Hawksmoor Guildhall Review: British Steakhouse in London's Square Mile

Hawksmoor Guildhall anchors the City of London with its reputation for serious British cooking and chargrilled steak, earning a Good Food Guide award for its no-nonsense approach to beef and classic accompaniments.

The Basement Ambiance

Descending into the sprawling wood-panelled and leather-clad basement places diners deep within the Square Mile's infrastructure. The cavernous room offers a distinct contrast to the financial bustle above, creating a setting where the focus shifts immediately to the table. Tables are arranged to accommodate both quick business lunches and extended gatherings, fitting the rhythm of the surrounding offices.

Fire, Aging, and the Cut

The kitchen builds its menu around well-aged British-reared beef cooked over live charcoal. Porterhouse whoppers, bone-in prime ribs, and ribeyes arrive priced by weight, allowing guests to select precisely how much meat they require. Longhorn beef remains a cornerstone of the offering, drawn from a rare native breed that provides rich depth of flavour through careful dry-aging. Every slab meets the charcoal grill at the table, ensuring a smoky crust seals in the juices.

Sides, Starters, and Seasonal Shifts

Beyond the steaks, the board features starters like Devon crab served on toast and pork belly ribs paired with vinegar slaw. Grilled bone marrow and macaroni cheese stand as unmissable companions to the main courses. Seasonal vegetables rotate through the kitchen, currently highlighting Evesham asparagus with hollandaise sauce alongside chargrilled Dartmouth lobster and monkfish. Evenings often conclude with indulgent puddings such as sticky toffee pudding piled high with clotted cream or peanut butter shortbread accompanied by salted-caramel ice cream.

Sunday Roasts and Drinks

Weekends bring the kitchen's attention to the Sunday roast, featuring a whole rump of 35-day aged beef slow-cooked on charcoal before finishing in the oven. The carving station produces portions served with voluminous Yorkshire puddings, beef-dripping roast potatoes, and rich bone-marrow onion gravy. A selection of excellent beers pairs with a fabulous cocktail list, while the wine roster caters to meat lovers with bold reds rising to stratospheric heights.