Really nice restaurant serving quality European cuisine in an elegant environment. Anchovies (15 GBP) - I started off with the anchovies, which I also paired with the break and butter (4.50 GBP). The anchovies were decent and not overly salty, although definitely needed to go with the bread. 15 GBP for 5 anchovies does seem a bit pricey though. Cuttlefish ragu (22 GBP) - Pretty good although I couldn't really tell there was much cuttlefish in there. The ragu tasted lighter than usual with a lightly crunchy texture. The spaghetti was cooked well. Duck leg (32 GBP) - Very well cooked duck leg and the mashed potatoes on the side with the sauce was surprisingly delicious. The prunes had a strong alcoholic taste though which was a bit too bitter for me. Panna cotta (11 GBP) - The vanilla panna cotta had a nice creamy consistency and was paired well with the pear slice on the side. From afar, the restaurant looks like a very humble corner-of-the-block restaurant in a somewhat local area, but once you are inside, you can appreciate the minimalistic chic decor. There is a lively yet still intimate atmosphere inside. I would recommend getting a reservation at peak hours since the tables were all filled. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The service speed is also quick. Overall, I do think that the food was slightly overpriced for the portion sizes, however they were indeed good. Plus, with a nice environment and friendly staff, Brawn deserves at least a solid 4 stars. read more

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Such a cozy place. We enjoyed it very much. Charcuterie £20 - you can see how fatty those slices in the picture. I've seen pictures that looks like it's pure fat. It's rich and melt in your mouth. Pair great with our red wine that's slightly sweet but I would dare to get a second slice. Lucky 4 of us shared Oyster £4 each - small but very refreshing. Doesn't wow us but it's was good Baccala £12 - fish in a paste form with cheese cracker/cake on the side. It sounded weird but think of it like tuna salad on a salty cracker but a more sophisticated taste. A bit too salty tho Mozzarella £17 - the leafy greens on the sound was very interesting and gave the fish a new dimension. Very refreshing. Crab £18 - such a small portion. The crab has very mild taste so amongst all the salty dishes, this doesn't stand out that much. But you can taste the quality of the ingredients. Clams £17 - yummy. Cooked in a tomato-y sauce with some barley type of grains. Still on the more salty side but still manageable Angolotti £15 - small ravioli with meat stuff in the inside. Feels like a wonton soup to me but really really really salty. If it's not that salty, I think we would have loved it. Pappardelle £22 - typical ragu pasta dish. Tasty. Black pudding with squid £29 - star of the show. Absolutely delicious. Bit pricey for the portion tho. Lamb neck £32 - yummy yummy. Slightly pink on the inside. Our waitstaff was great but the wine guy was not helpful at all. read more

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Warm. Focused. Passion. From walking in being met with a vinyl record driven playlist to the staff fully aligned on making the guest-first experience happen in real-time to the simple, high ingredient-quality dishes; Brawn delivers. This spot offers a neighborhood welcome and robust, flavor-packed-cooking technique-matters in every dish. The wine list is nerdy, approachable and you feel like an insider on something really special coming to life at Brawn. Liam and Ben are true pros at making this place "an everyone is welcome to this neighborhood joint". The passionate team from kitchen to front-of-house run it with a relaxed, upbeat vibe. I loved the wine list, it was interesting and offered a number of organic options, as well as smaller boutique producers and a good choice of orange/skin contact wines. This is what casual but serious dining is about. I invite you to try it out! read more

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A refreshing experience. I genuinely felt Brawn again... The whole environment was atmospheric to a T. Trendy without feeling pretentious or try-hard. In fact that whole area of Shoreditch is very special. I'd give anything to live there. For starters we shared some broccoli with ricotta, which might sound unexciting but it was so beautiful seasoned. And absolutely treat alongside the fresh bread they brought out. My partner had squid pasta for his main and I had a perfectly grilled mackerel. Neither of us could help cleaning the sauce off our plates with our fingers. Rude but essential. Wine was unusual and utterly delicious. We'll be back very soon. read more

Brawn - The best plate of broccoli I will ever know. - Modern European Near Me - London, XGL

Honestly this was delightful! Went for a lunch and had a great meal. Best pasta I've had in London thus far and a really great trendy vibe to it. The staff were very knowledgeable about wines, as well so I pretty much let them select for me. read more

Brawn - Modern European Near Me - London, XGL

Warm and cozy, mouth watering aromas, a sustainability focus (real towels instead of paper) and Aesop soap - what's not to like? Oh and delicious food and a nice wine menu too! Had a great time dining at Brawn. I even got to have a glass of wine that was not on the menu but one they were evaluating for their menu - it was delicious and I felt pretty special. The staff was accommodating to my vegan diet and my meal was delicious. Definitely bringing more friends! read more

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Splendid night at Brawn, wonderful service and love the open kitchen in the dining room. Ordered lots off of the menu - hilights were all of the desserts, sweetbreads best I'd ever had, chop and the mallard. While the radish dish was a delight, the roe dip was a little bland. Would absolutely recommend this joint to anyone! read more

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Dinner at Brawn + post-dinner wine at Sagers & Wild = perfect date. There you have it -- in case you don't read any further, I've progressed your romantic life just a bit. Brawn has quickly perched itself atop my "low key, but excellent dining spots in London" list. Based on two visits, I must finally divulge my thoughts on this Columbia Road pearl. First, make a reservation or take your chances. It was comfortably full on a Saturday evening, and our group of 4 could only secure a 6pm dinner slot. It's very easy via TopTable, so do yourself a favor and skip the stress, just make one. It's a difficult balance to strike: excellent, thoughtful, locally-sourced food in an unpretentious atmosphere with genuine service. In fact, it's scarce. Brawn pulls it off beautifully. On my most recent visit -- I enjoyed a glass of prosecco, the prosciutto (a must off the piggy portion of the menu), Icelandic cod, rabbit ravioli, a delicious onglet, the cheese souffle (a mainstay on the menu it seems, don't miss it!) and a fresh green salad. Not a miss in the bunch. Plates are meant for sharing and come out as soon as they are ready...and on this particular night, they were flying out of the kitchen, much to our delight. Oh, and the dessert. A tangy, light cheesecake with passionfruit, sea salt chocolate mousse and a berry crumble. Our table was delighted. The desserts aren't fancy, but they pack a serious sweet punch. *upon request they refilled our sourdough breadbasket and butter gleefully. It's almost like when attending a party and the servers keep filling your wine glass without you noticing, and then -- you realize you unintentionally drank too much. The sourdough bread (made right in Hackney) is so delicious, I suggest you get "bread drunk" as I did. Beers on offer of interest: Kernel. My husband loves this, so perhaps worth noting. I stick the chalkboard wine list...rotating often. They are known to have an excellent selection of beer and wine to accompany the food. One of my favorites. Pro-date-tip: Follow it up with a visit to Sagers & Wild (just down the way on Ravenscroft Street). Review to follow, of course... read more

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Oh my god Brawn was good. I came with colleagues for lunch, and the food was outstanding. We ordered quite a few dishes and shared. I think my highlight was probably the Tuscan style beef, which was effectively a serving of finely chopped raw beef. The scotch egg was also excellent, as were all the other porky dishes we ordered. The wine was good, and reasonably priced. Service was also excellent. Recommended. read more

We came here for lunch on a rainy February day. The restaurant looks slightly non-descript from the street and inside the minimalist theme continues with clean white walls and compact tables. However with some good tunes playing in the background, buzzy atmosphere and friendly staff, Brawn is immediately relaxing. The menu is presented tapas style with our waitress recommending 2-3 per person. This allowed us a fair chance to explore the menu, ordering the charcuterie plate, chard/anchovies, tapenade, salt beef hash and duck egg and a crab raviolo. All were excellent with the terrine on the charcuterie plate really standing out with pronounced piggy flavours and a good dense texture although everything was very good. We finished with the salted caramel crepes which were absolutely delicious. A further reason to visit it the wine list which is both good value and interesting with a biodynamic/organic focus. We only ordered from the 'by the glass' part of the list but found plenty to enjoy. The remainder of the list provides a good reason to return! read more

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I had a very nice diner at Brawn. First it is located in a quiet neighbourhood and it makes you feel very relaxed (especially after a rushed Eurostar/Metro/Walking journey). The place itself is very nice, busy but not crowded. The menu changes every night (with some basics often coming back). We picked 2 different starters to share: something with crab and a classic mozzarella. Both very good! Then, I followed my friend's advice and ordered the squid with black pudding. Even though I found the combo a bit strange he guaranteed me it would taste great. And it indeed did! He picked the lamb that was very good too. We also had a nice bottle of wine recommended by a friendly staff. I spent a very pleasant night. I found the prices a bit high but OK I guess for cool place in London.. read more

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Great ambiance with lovely understated French decor. We came for dinner and everything was tasty. Of the starters, the highlight was the crab and celeriac. I often find shelled crab bland but this was flavoursome and lovely paired with the thinly sliced celeriac salad. The other starters were good but less standout-ish. Duck hearts were perfectly cooked but the polenta was slightly underseasoned. Carne salata was colourful and beautifully presented. Salt cod contrasted nicely with the potatoes. If the mains, the best was the squid and black pudding. Delicious!! I ordered the oxtail which unfortunately was served off the bone. I liked it but didn't love it. The house red wine was better than the bottle we ordered so I would definitely recommend just getting that. Overall, a very good meal at Brawn. read more

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I wish this restaurant was a neighborhood stop for us. Instead we made a destination dinner one saturday night based on the Yelp reviews and our day date in Shoreditch. We meandered over to Brawn and Yelp didn't fail us. It was exactly what we expected which was excellent food in a charming, hipster minimalist atmosphere. Beware--the food is rich. We had the crab, risotto and snails on toast with bacon and garlic butter. All incredibly delicious but very filling and rich. There is a nice wine list and the servers are all nicer than the next. read more

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Brawn was out of the way, in a semi-dodgy but up and coming section of Shoreditch with some funky shops down the street on Columbia Road. A junky or traveler chick asked me for money near the front door. Not a threatening spot at all. Across from an ever-present London neighborhood park, Brawn is an unprepossessing corner restaurant with some outdoor seats for the ever present smokers that litter London pubs and restaurant exteriors. These smokers have excellent taste. Inside very low key. Almost ikea furniture. I was totally underwhelmed. Then there is the food. One of the best meals I've had in London or anywhere for quite some time. This is a 4 course menu - apparently there is a 3 course prix fixe set menu that I didnt see. There are 'Taste Ticklers' like 'Scratchings', which I think are like fried pork rinds, there is 'Pig', which is pork pate and charcuterie, there are Starters and then there are mains. The items apparently change around. For Taste Tickers I had a shrimp on a stick that was excellent. For Pig, we had Brawn, Rilette and some salami. The Brawn and Rilette are country pates and a mousse respectively. Both excellent and I am sure even better paired with the bread that I don't eat (no gluten). This came with gherkins. For starters the Duck Hearts are Out of this world. They were skewered and looked and chewed like miniature steak. Incredible. Get this. Also excellent but not as much, were the escargots. For Entrees, there is an excellent Onglet. The menu for Entrees looks to change often. The wine list is extensive and expansive and contains many bio-dynamic wines. Do not expect a lot of classic clarets. There are some excellent cocktails that appear to be made of vermouth, Amaro, campari etc. I had one, it was great. Go out of your way and little and head to Brawn. You'll be glad you stretched a little. read more

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This is a new fave in London. Like its sister restaurant Terroirs, this place knows how to deliver simple and delicious food and an unassuming atmosphere. First of all, it lights up Colombia Road and its big windows just scream warth and conviviality. We had a very generous waitress who spent lots of time walking us through the menu which was quite long and filled with small dishes and larger dishes. My favorites were the wild mushrooms, the leek gratin, the to-die-for Dorset clams, and the sauerkraut, sausage and horseradish dish. We ate so much, drank, desserted and coffeed and the bill came to 35 a piece. Not bad! The wooden tables gave it a relaxed feel and we just enjoyed the experience. Feels like the best of local eating..... read more

I went with some friends to this amazing wine bar and restaurant on Columbia Road (E2). A nice, open space, feels like a converted carriage house or garage. There are two rooms, a bar room up front, and a dining room in the back. We sat in the back, where the dining area shares the space with the open kitchen. This is definitely a Slow Food sort of place (actually, I heard about it from a Slow Food email). Lots of local products and purveyors. We ordered a bunch of different items, and just told them to bring things as they were ready (as opposed to having the meal in distinct courses). First to arrive was the heirloom tomato plate. Very simple, but fantastic. Essentially slices of beautiful, ripe tomatoes with some olive oil and maybe a hint of fresh herbs. We also tried the Gem Salad, which was an entire lettuce cut into quarters with a garlicky dressing drizzled on top of it. Clear signs that the chef shares my belief in the essential two-step method for gourmet cooking: Step 1: Start with really good ingredients. Step 2: Don't f**k them up. Next up was an artichoke terrine with carrots, some other veggies, and a vinegary dressing. Again, that perfect balance of letting the ingredients speak for themselves, and just gently combining them. All of this was accompanied by fantastic sourdough bread from one of the bakeries over near London Fields. One more sign that London has a decent claim to being one of the top cities for bread in the world. We also tried one of the French ciders which was delightfully crisp with just the right hint of carbonation. Can't remember the exact labelling, but it was the cheapest of the three that they offer. On a future visit I shall have to try the pricier ones to find out what we were missing. Next up was a plate of dorset clams with green onions, some garlic, and a hint of fresh red chili. The freshness of the clams, and the subtlety of the very fresh vegetables gave this dish a fantastic mouthfeel with just a hint of fire. The final savoury dish was my personal favourite. An English Pea and Girolle Risotto. First off, the waitress assured me that the risotto was vegetarian, which is always pleasing. So annoying when someone offers what sounds like it should be a vegetarian dish but then use chicken stock to make it. For starters the dish was an amazing green colour (see photo). And then the taste. Pure summer on a plate. The flavour of a perfectly ripe pea concentrated and carried in the richness of the rich, and then slightly offset by the earthiness of the girolle. Brilliant. For pudding we had a roasted peach with pistachio, and a chocolate ganache with hazelnut cream served with a meringue and some chantilly cream. We accompanied these with a glass of Muscat and a Cherry liqueur. The major thing which we really failed to explore was the wine list which was extensive and looked very well thought through. Perhaps next time..... The only reason this gets four stars instead of five is that I am concerned that the menu may become less vegetarian friendly as the weather changes. They are definitely meat-centric, but I hope that they will continue their innovative veggies as well. read more

Brawn - English Pea and Girolle Risotto. Summer on a plate! - Modern European Near Me - London, XGL

You know how it's really cringey when you watch the Family Stone and the guy that was dating SJP ends up with Clare Danes? Why is it that if you like one person and they have a sibling, your sexual attraction seems to carry over? Well, despite my best efforts to never have this happen to me in real life, Brawn, I've also been in love with your sister, though I'll let you decide who is the SJP of this situation (I've always been more of a Clare Danes fan, but really just from MSCL but she's also the reason it only lasted one season so I kind of blame her for that as well... ... ... I'm getting off track). Since this is my neighborhood branch of this lovely little arrangement, I finally made a stop in with some friends for dinner. It was a bit slow at first and I thought maybe my making a reservation was over-ambitious but within the hour, the entire place filled up! We went with some onglet steaks and cheese souffle, delightful. A wine reccomendation from the server, delightful... and you know how I feel about places with sparkling water on tap. DELIGHTFUL. these are the things that make you excited in your 30s. Great cosy place for dinner, could easily be a bit on the romantic side or a table of 4 catching up over a bottle of wine...just watch out for the one friend that brings the conversation back to her man troubles, she'll be the SJP of your life. read more

If you consider Brawn by its definition as "solid and well-developed muscles, especially of the arms and legs" you might be disappointed. At this Brawn, the French rustic-chic restaurant on Columbia Road, you might be surprised by the menu. Consisting of mostly uncommon animal parts - such as brain, organs and more obscure appendages - it serves up some not so desirable dishes in the most accessible way. Myself, being mostly vegetarian dabbling in red meat a few bites a month, I didn't think this place was my style. I must say, I got a few months-worth of meat quotas in the other night. I recommend whatever you wish to order as the options are all off kilter and it's a menu that changes daily but the seafood sausage bisque was one of the tastiest dishes I've had in a while, and it was a last minute, 'sure, we'll try that too'. read more

Another great place to eat in east London, will be one of my regular restaurants for the future. The food was great, and although French it definately felt like it had some Spanish influences. The Parma ham was delicious, pork crackling as a starter sublime and the onglet with salad reined supreme (although slightly tough) - I wouldn't mark it down on this though, as a whole Brawn delivered for a romantic night with the girlfriend! read more

Brawn, Brawn, Brawn...I don't know where to start with you. My boyfriend and I visited Brawn when they first opened and had one of the best meals of both our lives. We went for the slightly more off-beat items on the menu. Himself had pigs trotters and I had brawn...well I just had to! The sharing board to start gave us the first glimpse and taste of what to expect and the bottle of delicious red wine completed the evening. Dessert may have been a step too far because although scrumptious the food is really rich and there really wasn't enough room for a pud! We've been back a number of times since our first visit and whilst the food is excellent, we found the menu had strayed away from the less well-known cuts of meats which we felt was a shame. Don't get me wrong you won't get a bad meal at Brawn and the service is great but it just set too high a standard during our first visit! read more

One of the best meals I have had in London. The gnocchi with morels were incredible, and I am not a fan of gnocchi at all. The clams were simply cooked and in heavenly olive oil. Each glass of wine suggested by the waitress were delicious at spot on. I can not wait to go back. read more

Walking the dark, wet path that is Columbia Road on a Monday after a day of rains, Brawn looked so welcoming and inviting from outside. The bistro-style setting is bustling, but it still felt like a place where you could linger with some plates of the beautiful hams and sausages they were slicing behind the bar. The menu is a bit random. Clearly pig is king here, as symbolized by the porcine logo, but the menu had a smattering of seafood options, as well as duck and veg choices as well. So I really have no idea what they were going for here. The best dishes we had were, well, the rawest dishes. The prosciutto di Parma was gorgeous, but honestly, when is it not? The chopped raw beef was also lovely, but again...it's not hard to do if you have the right cut and seasonings. The prawns were fine, but nothing special, and the duck confit was the same. So if you're in the mood for some raw meat and friendly service, come here. Or similarly, to your local butcher. read more

Beautiful food in a great location near the Columbia flower market. Really fresh and delightful ingredients and preparation. We even tried the ox hearts which was surprising and delicious. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Wine selection was excellent. read more

Went to Brawn this weekend with visitors and can't wait to go back! More on our meal below, but first: I'm friends with lots of vege- and pescatarians, and people who aren't adventurous eaters and blah blah blah. Somehow, oddly, I'd bring them all to Brawn. We would skip the charcuterie course obviously, but I have no doubt that they would be more than pleased with the MANY non-daring, non-pork, non-meat items on this not-so-huge menu. Currently, there are three vegetarian and two pescatarian starters (of seven), as well as two vegetarian entrees and two pescatarian starters (also of seven). So though the place is named Brawn, and the logo is a... strange amalgam of a pig and a bottle of wine, check out their menu online before you go if you are doubting whether they have something for you. Just saying! ANYWAY: We started with Nduja Scotch eggs, a charcuterie platter with salami, brawn, and what was basically a huge scoop of the pork equivalent of chopped liver--I honestly don't know what it was called, but it was delicious. Brawn (the dish) itself is not my thing, but my fellow diners loved it. For starters, we had the Isle of Man Queenies (which melted in my mouth and were generally exquisite), the tomato salad (beautiful toms with great flavor) and the mozzarella salad (good but nothing special was the diner's report). Entrees were saffron risotto with seafood (two of us ordered it, couldn't resist) and Atlantic cod, which we paired all of this with two summery bottles of Lambrusco and were just pleased as punch. Portion sizes were perfect (not precious, not overwhelming) and all of the flavors were spot-on. My risotto would have been paella if it were less creamy and if the rice had been caramelized on the bottom of the skillet, so calling it a risotto was a smart move. It was delicious. Desserts were a cherry trifle and a white peach pavlova, both heavenly and delicately flavored (I don't like cherry desserts, but I liked this one). Friendly service, lovely atmosphere, great experience. read more

Got here on a beautiful sunday for lunch with a friend and I wasn't disappointed. Looked up a nice place near Schoreditch on Thrillist and I liked immediately the atmosphere from the pictures. Needless to say that when inside it was much better, very warm and welcoming. They give us a table for 2 even though we didn't book, but I have to say the place was not full. The starters were some salami and scotch eggs (delicious!!) and pumpkin. we had a lovely cod fillet with potatoes for mail and probably the best pannacotta I've ever had for dessert. And I'm Italian. The menu with starter, main course and dessert comes for £28 with drinks on top. Not the cheapest, but the place look cozy and the food is amazing. Will go back soon. read more

Fantastic food with friendly service. It was our last night in London, so we splurged. Their sourdough bread is magical: chewy on the inside, crunchy on the outside, with just the right hint of a tang. I hadn't yet been to a place in England that gave complimentary bread, so I was really excited. The butter that's served is soft (as it should be!) and it was all I could do to stop myself from completely filling myself up before my actual food came. Good thing I didn't-- my appetizer, the burrata with roasted broccolini, had a great balance of smooth and smoky. My friend's appetizer was even better! The clam dish let the clams sing, accenting them with some garlic and scallions (and there was no grit at all!). We ended up ordering another to share, since it was that good. We also shared the scotch egg, which was surprisingly spicy. I've never had one before, so I don't know if this is how they usually are. It was a tiny quail egg, so not the usual version, but I really liked it. We ordered the charcuterie plate and my friends LOVED the terrine that came with it. My main dish was hake, mussels and fingerling potatoes in a creamy but light sauce (it had green bits in it but I forgot what they were). The fish was perfectly cooked. We also tried the other fish, the plaice meuniere (served on the bone), which came with mashed potatoes. Pretty good, but not as delicious as my hake. My other friend ordered the souffle, which came with a side salad, and she really enjoyed it as well. We had a leisurely two or so hour dinner-- the place was virtually empty when we arrived at 7 but very busy when we left after 9. Our waitress and the other staff were very friendly and came over consistently but not annoyingly. Appetizers came out very quickly, as did the complimentary bread (which they refilled); it took a little longer for our entrees, but since we liked the environment, it was nice to just sit and chat. It's got kind of a hipster vibe, with wooden tables and candlelight, and it's in a little bit of a sketchy neighborhood (at least the parts we walked through from the London Overground). But it's definitely worth checking out! read more

I loved dinner here. My plan of attack was to order alot of small dishes in order to taste as much as possible. It was all delicious and the bread and butter was hard to stop eating. Wine list was varied and nicely priced. Make a rez especially at dinner time lest you be turned away. read more

From the team behind the ever popular Covent Garden wine bar Terroirs; comes the "cooler" younger sister Brawn, located on East London's Columbia Road. Since its opening in late 2010, Brawn has had nothing but positive reviews, and so of course it had to be ticked off Gourmet Belly's Eat List. On any other day, the menu comprises of rustic French small plates divided into sections - 'taste ticklers', 'slow cook', 'raw' and a dedicated 'pig' section, a tribute to the restaurants name. On Sunday's however, their offering is a 3 course set menu for £25. With no choice of what you get, this had better be good. A nice little spread of starters arrived. Breakfast radishes and fennel with an Anchoiade dip, the novelty of a globe artichoke with a hollandaise vinaigrette, and a selection of charcuterie consisting of the some salami, brawn terrine and the most deliciously well portioned pork rillette you could ever imagine! Next up was the Roast Landaise Chicken. Presented bottoms up with watercress coming out of its backside, it was an impressive example of how a roast chicken should be done - tender and juicy with the skin slightly crispy; and the buttery jersey royals and spring veg which accompanied this perfect chook, were ever so moreish too. And just as we were about to undo another notch to our belts, two large bowls of mess of the Eton kind were placed on our table along with a cheese board (£5 supplement). Overall, the whole dining experience was hugely enjoyable. The restaurant had a great buzz about it. The staff were efficient and particularly knowledgeable on their extensive wine list, but most importantly, the food. Every dish was packed full of flavour, yet simply cooked, allowing the quality of the produce to shine through. I'll definitely be back to feed the belly with more from that pig and graze through their full menu. Oink! For full review and pictures, please go to http://www.gourmetbelly.wordpress.com x read more

The only thing I don't like about Brawn is not always being able to get a table....but even that is ok, since it has allowed me to dine at the bar many times. And here you get to really experience how attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly the staff is. I just love this place, and if I lived in the neighborhood, I'd be there many nights a week for a glass or two of wine. The food: as many have mentioned, they tend to include a lot of the less glamorous parts of the beast......but hey, it's named "brawn," so no surprises there. There are plenty of things for the less adventurous though, and, more importantly, they do a great job with fresh, seasonal ingredients put together in flavorful ways. I still dream of a roasted Jerusalem artichoke dish they had, not to mention the different variations of scallops and mussels I've had. But I really do love the meat, from nose to tail: brawn and rillettes, always great as starters. The blood sausage over frisee had the right amount of acid to cut through the richness of the sausage. And because I trust them so much on the food, when I saw a calves brain starter I thought: well, if I'm ever gonna try this, and if there's a chance of me ever liking this, then it's here. And it was, in fact, delicious (definitely too rich as a small dish for 1...perfect to be split). So that's my new rule there: try anything and everything, they won't let you down. The wine: these are serious wine people. I'm only a lazy and vaguely aspiring serious wine person, and not really. And this is the perfect place for me because they are so enthusiastic, knowledgeable and opinionated about the wine and food, they're willing to push you in surprising directions. Again, I've never been let down, and I've almost always been utterly delighted. The space: as mentioned, it's not always easy to get a table. But I really like sitting at the bar and would recommend it to anyone solo or even a pair. Getting a table is nice though: they're well-spaced, so you don't feel like you're a part of your neighbor's private conversation (and visa versa). They have a larger back room, both sides are nice. It's not flashy, it doesn't solicit a self-anointed beautiful crowd to loiter in the bar area -- if that's your seen, there are better places to be seen. One of my very favorite restaurants, in any city. read more

I love this place. Incredible wine and the food is always great. I'm from the States but eaten here twice and each time it was one of the most wonderful experiences I've had in London. Also an amazing staff. read more

I only very recently visited Terroirs for the first time so having heard that the owners have just opened a brand new restaurant on Columbia Road called Brawn, we decided to take my mum and check it out when she came to visit the weekend before Christmas. It was the coldest day of the year and we trudged across London through the snow to get there. Market stalls outside were selling Christmas trees like crazy, which added to the Christmassy atmosphere! Brawn doesn't have a sign outside luckily we had taken note of the building number before we left. The decor is different to Terroirs Brawn is very East London with cool, vintage/reclaimed furniture and the inside is white, much brighter than Terroirs. The tables are white with old reclaimed wooden chairs, good quality cutlery and very thin glass beakers, which I LOVE. I scanned down the menu and immediately decided to order the Pork Rillete after having the Duck version at Terroirs a couple of weeks ago, I knew I was in for a treat. I have to say that I didn't know what the majority of the menu was due to the fact that a lot of it is written in French (maybe I should have paid more attention at school). So we asked one of the many attractive French waiters that was on hand to explain. The fresh Bread basket that is brought to the table at the beginning of the meal is most certainly my downfall, especially since it was delicious freshly baked Sourdough Bread from local e5 Bakehouse. Along came the Pork Rilette and we all tucked in. I didn't think that my Boyfriend and Mum would like it due to the high fat content but they wolfed it down. The best way to eat this dish is by buttering a slice of Bread, slathering the Pork Rilette on top and adding a slice of Cornichon (that's Gherkin to me and you). Next came the Brandade with Green Beans and Warm Duck Egg Yolk. Brandade is an emulsion of salt cod and olive oil the addition of Duck Egg Yolk was fantastic, rich and runny. Again, a dish that needed to be eaten with the fresh Bread. We also ordered the Mongetes another dish that I had to check before hand. It is a Catalan dish of Sausage with White Beans and it arrived at the table hot and sizzling. The Sausage proved too much for one of the party so it was left to two of us. It was quite a filling dish and we had trouble finishing it all. It would definitely be good to recreate this dish on a cold winters day. We also shared the Puy Lentil and Ham Hock Soup. The Lentils had been purified so the soup had an extremely creamy texture. It was delicious the only slight problem was that there were only two bits of Ham in the dish and that wasn't enough since we were sharing! We were only out for lunch so we didn't have a pudding but instead moved on to another cafe just off Brick Lane. I think that Brawn is a fantastic place for lunch but I'd like to go back for dinner and sample the wine list and experience the atmosphere of the restaurant when it is busier. read more

i went to Brawn for lunch yesterday. im not sure what i was expecting, but this place took me by surprise. it was visually light and airy. the atmosphere was unpretentious and easy. our shy, sweet, very french, waitress felt like she had just stepped out of a little village and was just so willing to please, i could not help but smile encouragingly at her as she explained the dishes we didnt know (which were quite a few.). we got these dips as our starters. anything that lets me eat with my hands makes me happy. one was creamy and tasted slightly toasted and smokey, while the other was a bit more acid, but with the breakfast radishes, was a total yum. mains were a whole quail with pomegranate and pistachio (which my friend laughed at me for carving like a big bird, completely unconsciously), and foie gras (OMG) with puy lentils. we're talking a whole freaking lobe of foie. amazing. normally i feel the delicate flavour of Foie gets lost when served hot, it often just kind of melts and tastes of... well... fat, which technically it is, but theres so much more to it!!! this tastes amazing. especially eaten over sourdough bread (from Hackney Wick. yay local). yum... and pudding. when i first got there my friend told me i didnt have a choice: we were getting the treacle tart. ok sure. whatever, i thought. ive had treacle tart a few times and have not been overly impressed. this was beautiful. soft and slightly chewy, but not sticking to your teeth. with a hint of ginger. pastry crust that actually tasted of its own flavor, not just a base for the flavor. yum.. being that its around the corner from where i live i will go again. for sure. read more

This spot is a favorite of the friends with whom I was staying a few weeks ago, and became a favorite of mine. We went in for Sunday lunch and had a splendid meal. The courses were ample, with a delicious first course of whole roasted fishes, charcuterie, a wonderful mozzarella and ratatouille dish, yummy scotch eggs, and some of the finest, heartiest bread I may have ever had. For mains, our table tried all three options, including a delicious fish option, a big, super rich pork belly option, and a cheese souffle. I was appreciative of the way the staff found connections between the entrees (gigante beans, a savory tomato sauce) so that sampling was a fluid and enjoyable process, even if their intention was largely for cost and efficiency reasons. And for dessert, we were all given enormous squares of tiramisu, to which I fear none of us did complete justice, though it was some of the best, light and properly airy tiramisu I have had lately. We were simply too stuffed from the prior two courses, and since we're a crowd who loves a meal, that was pretty impressive: a true statement of just how good those first two courses were. We also (as you do) had lovely carafes of wine and a great many coffees, and were entirely pleased with our selection. Best of all, the pricing wasn't at all as expected. For the meal, it was entirely reasonable, and for the hip atmosphere, it was more than affordable. As for the atmosphere, it's charming, open, and thus quite loud in the front, and I prefer the front room to the more shut-in rear portion of the restaurant. On Sundays, there seem to be a great many flowers and plants making their way into the place due to the market, which gave it a slightly helter-skelter atmosphere that was actually really lovely. Our server, though new, was very attentive and made sure we were kept sated. All in all, it was one of our favorite meals and experiences of our trip, and if we lived in the area, I imagine we would become regulars, just as our friends have done. read more

Unbelievable. The ragu was life changing. Worth the trip out of the center of the city, I promise. Great staff, too

Wonderful place! Great food, especially if you like sharing platters, excellent selection of wines and very friendly staff who are ready to help. read more

We stopped in last Sunday for lunch after we (tried) to visit Columbia Road Flower Market. While we abandoned our attempt to walk through the madness that was the Flower Market (i.e. one of the worst crowds we saw during our weekend in London), we retreated to Brawn, an unassuming restaurant located at the start of the Flower Market, at the corner of Columbia Road and Ravenscroft Street. On Sundays, Brawn serves a 3-course set lunch for £28/person. While the menu is pre-determined for the day (takes the thinking out of what to eat for lunch), you will not be disappointed with the restaurant's choices. No fancy dishes here. Rather, Brawn is yelp-worthy for the fresh and natural ingredients that it uses. I still remember the tomatoes used in its salad- one of the freshest tomatoes that I have tasted inside a restaurant. This is how food should taste like all the time! 5 stars for the food. One star off for the wait - the time between the 3 courses was a bit too long. read more

Fantastic lunch at Brawn! It was a beautiful day and the big windows let all that wonderful sunshine into the dining room. Minimalist yet rustic feel, which is basically my favorite. Now let's talk about the food. It was all spot on. We ordered a couple small plates to share and two entrees, plus my friend knew the chef so we had some extra treats thrown our way... Pork Rillettes - huge portion, very heavy, but heavenly flavor. Nduja Scoth Eggs - delicious bite-sized treat. Chorizo - yum. Buffalo Mozzarella larder - fresh & light. Irish Oysters - served with an amazing vinaigrette dressing. Grilled Duck Hearts - my favorite dish.. just absolutely amazing! Confit Rabbit Leg - falling-off-the-bone good. Pork Sausage - solid dish. I think that's everything! Would love to find myself back here again someday. read more

Amazing. Great bang for your buck. The food is heavenly. I love that it's not pretentious either.

Cute place. We didn't eat there (there was some kind of trendy restaurant event going on so it was all booked up) but I was starving after traipsing all over Brick Lane and we were looking for pub we went to on our last visit when we came across Brawn. My husband, who is not shy, asked for a piece of bread (yum) to tide me over and we shared a carafe of wine. The menu was totally interesting, the restaurant was cute and bonus points for giving us free bread! May try lunch there on our next trip. read more

Nice find near the flower market. We ate at the bar, sharing a few plates for lunch. Relaxed, airy setting. Food was simple and pretty straightforward. Best dish we had was the artichoke and buffalo mozzarella salad. read more