Claro opens in London
A new Eastern Mediterranean restaurant has opened in London's St James's district.
Claro was founded by a close-knit team of four long-time friends. Led by chef Shadi Issawy, the dining experience mirrors the culinary approach of its sister restaurant in Tel Aviv, which has been trading for over a decade.
Dining at Claro
The menu champions seasonality and offers dishes designed to be shared. It starts with a selection of snacks, including the signature frena bread with matbucha, labneh, spicy zhug and olives, or fried Brussels with caper aioli.
Dishes feature a mix of fish, meat and vegetarian options, with highlights including yellowtail sashimi with freekah tabbouleh, winter squash steak with mustard leaves, octopus carpaccio with red prune salsa, short rib tortellini with onion cream, shrimp gnocchi with charred corn, slow-cooked salsify with skordalia cream, butter-roasted stuffed cabbage with za'atar, smoked pink trout with potato salad, fillet of beef with snow peas and a show-stopped lamb platter with pickled vegetables and pita.
Desserts include parsnip carrot cake, strawberries and beetroot, bread pudding, and date and whiskey caramel cake. The menu is complemented by premium wine and Champagne, as well as a range of cocktails.
The open kitchen is located on the ground floor within a large, dramatic, double-height main dining space. Once a historic banking hall, the space has been reimagined to honour the heritage of St James's Clubland, where the restaurant now sits.
The second level features two private rooms for 12 and 60 guests, each with its own lounge bar. Outdoor seating will be introduced next summer.