Restaurant Review: Fuelled by fire

Genna Ash-Brown visits In Horto – one of TVG’s most recent culinary ventures – for fresh, wood-fired summertime eats in the capital

There’s nowhere quite like London on a sun-splurged afternoon. Cruising through the streets, blue skies beaming and glistening skyscrapers looming, brings an odd sense of contentment – a feeling that simply can’t be replicated when the atmosphere is grey and heavy with drizzle. Is that just evidence of Vitamin D in action, or an inherent symptom of Britishness? Hard to know for sure, but one thing I can say is that summer 2023 had finally landed in the city – and did so just in time for my visit to In Horto.

Into the woods

A welcome addition to TVG Hospitality’s restaurant collective, In Horto launched  last July, opening alongside the group’s Mediterranean small plate concept Carrubo. Developed by the minds behind Flat Iron Square, the venues had the benefit of joining a portfolio of already established foodie hotspots, including seasonal small plate joint Lupins, pizza purveyor Good Slice, and Audrey’s – TVG’s contemporary take on the all-day into evening diner. In Horto has pride of place on Southwark Street in Bankside, an iconic area also home to such cultural institutions as the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market.

Slow-roasted lamb

The restaurant itself presents a rustic, earthy aura from the off, with an olive tree and rusty sign (an obvious and fitting design choice) marking the otherwise inconspicuous entrance. But walk through those doors and you are transported to an airy Mediterranean eatery, a culinary escape in the heart of the city that inspires an almost instant holiday mood. In Horto, which means ‘in the garden’ in Latin, is centred on pastoral tradition. Aesthetically, they’ve nailed it, with wood seamlessly merging into exposed brick and stone, and neutral tones enhanced by subtle pops of colour from botanicals that hang from the rafters. The showstopper is an exposed theatre-style kitchen, complete with a brick oven that powers the venue’s wood-fired dining experience. A cheery and attentive waiter shows me to my seat, and I can’t wait to tuck in.

Taste of summer

You know you’re in safe hands when restaurant staff fill you in on the specials without you having to prompt. First up, my friendly acquaintance told me about two beverages on offer: a hearty and unusual red from a family-run vineyard in Northern Italy, and a Pepino Picante cocktail, featuring tequila blanco, lime, spicy agave and cucumber juice. Talk about Sophie’s choice. But given the nature of my visit and the fact it was a quiet lunchtime service, I opted for the wine. A safe move, granted, but a satisfying one, nonetheless. My new mate must have sensed the pain in my decision, easing the hardship too often borne by one bearing the curse of FOMO (fear of missing out) by delivering me a sip-sized version of the cocktail special. And you know what? I’m still grateful that he did, because that serve – not too dissimilar to a margherita – offered everything I could ever want in a chilli-infused drink: a hit of heat that’s somehow subtle and still very much the star of the show; a demonstration of the art of perfectly balanced mixology.

In terms of food, just one glance at the menu set my tastebuds a-tingling. Snacks and starters include padron peppers with Aleppo salt (£6.50), heritage beetroot with vegan feta, toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds (£9) and a sharer of wood-fired baked tunworth with truffle honey and confit garlic (£24). As a long-term vegetarian that’s recently slipped back into eating fish, which really is my Achilles heel (note to self: stop calling yourself a vegetarian…), I was impressed by the number of delicious sounding veggie-friendly and gluten-free dishes offered throughout the menu. But even I can appreciate the descriptions of meat-based mains such as wood-fired chicken with spiced sour cherry and chickpea dukkah (£19), onglet steak with cima di rapa and aioli (£29) and slow-roasted braised lamb with harissa vegetables (£20).

My buddy directed me to a lunchtime deal offering two courses for £15 or three for £19. Having already been seduced by a bread basket for one – complete with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, of course – I had every intention of going with the two. I kicked things off with a heritage tomato salad, topped with goat’s curd, fennel, celery and lovage oil. Those tomatoes might just be among the best I’ve ever had, with red, purple and yellow varieties bringing such unique depth of flavour. Feeling I had to make the most of the wood-fired oven, I opted for the mackerel as my main – a fish I really love but would never cook at home. Accompanied by fennel, kohlrabi and apple slaw and preserved lemon aioli, this is the sort of dish that makes you feel sophisticated and indulgent, yet still healthy and light. Of course, my pal knew how to counteract my bloat-free, post-dinner chutzpah, bringing over a side of confit potato chips that literally melted in my mouth. Totally worth it, by the way (thank you, friend!). After all of that, there wasn’t a chance I could fit in a morsel more. But suddenly my mate was joined by an equally hospitable colleague and, as she quite rightly reminded me, there’s always room for dessert. The tiramisu was the perfect way to round-off an excellent and affordable meal. They may have had to roll me out the door, but I’ll most certainly be back!

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