The story
Perilla brings a quietly subversive approach to modern European cooking in London. Chef Ben Marks works directly from classical European flavours, reshaping familiar plates rather than chasing trends. His kitchen treats humble ingredients with strict standards, turning everyday vegetables and staples into precise, seasonal statements. A Sunday set menu encourages shared plates that lean toward comforting textures while keeping the overall structure tightly controlled.
The panisse arrives lightly battered and sliced into slender fingers that rest atop a bed of raw chickpeas. Pungent salsa verde cuts through the crisp coating without overwhelming the base. Cold soups receive similar treatment, with the vichyssoise served piping hot inside a scuffed metal dish. Fresh lovage replaces traditional parsley here, adding a sharp herbal note that defines the dish’s character.
Terrazzo flooring and scattered potted plants establish an informal backdrop for evening service. Warm candlelight settles over the space, keeping the mood deliberately relaxed rather than theatrical. Recognition from The Good Food Guide and a green rating from We’re Smart both acknowledge how this approach balances visual polish with practical comfort. Guests move easily between the European kitchen’s precise techniques and the room’s grounded simplicity.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
This 'modern neighbourhood restaurant’ has fun with the formula. It looks the part – all candlelight, pot plants and terrazzo – but a subversive streak is not far below the surface. Ben Marks cooks the classics, but not as you know them. Consider panisse, lightly battered, cut into nigiri-like fingers with pungent salsa verde and presented on a decorative bed of raw chickpeas; or a take on vichyssoise (served hot in a scuffed metal dish) with punchy lovage as well as the more traditional parsley. The tastiest dish we tried was perhaps the ugliest – a ‘carbonara’ of cauliflower mushroom, its constituent parts (bacon, Parmesan, breadcrumbs) coming together to create a mac ‘n’ cheese/au gratin/carbonara hybrid. ‘Punk’ is perhaps too strong a word for food that’s so pleasurable and big-hearted, but it’s certainly the antithesis of all that is twee, tweezered and tasteful. Marks sources wisely and cooks well. A main course of Devon duck breast, soft and pink, pairs neatly with its celeriac and sauerkraut garnish (the chef can do restrained), while reginette pasta with a hearty ragù of girolles is comforting but unrefined. Desserts are limited to a sorbet and just one proper pudding: we plumped for the full-size prune and damson doughnut, oozing Armagnac cream. Pure Perilla. The tasting menu is the best of the carte, so it's well worth ordering. To drink, choose a wine flight or a bottle from the short, hip all-European list (also ask to see the extended 'single bottle' list). Note that all prices quoted include a service charge; credit to the owners for also flagging it unequivocally on both the menu and the bill.
On the site of a former kid’s café, Perilla was launched in 2016 by former The Square chef Ben Marks and Polpo front-of-house man Matt Emmerson (the former’s mentor Phil Howard is one of a number of high profile backers). The beautifully-designed restaurant, on the very southern end of Green Lanes near Newington Green, is flooded with natural light and is on the grown up side of hip with pendant lighting, a mix of marble and wooden tables and some distressed elements, like a characterful bare brick wall behind the bar. Don't be fooled by the unusually compact kitchen space, Marks and his team maintain a focus on high-quality ingredients. Its food is a modern interpretation of classical European flavours, using seasonal ingredients for a menu that changes daily. The style is informal and relaxed, despite the fine-dining background of the kitchen team.
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