Pippin’s Restaurant review: a green oasis in Earl’s Court

Last week we headed to Earl’s Court. I have never found the area around the station particularly appealing, but as we walked towards Templeton Place, turning the corner revealed a beautiful street lined with elegant late Victorian Italianate terraces. Among the buildings stands the newly opened Hotel Templeton Garden, looking very schmick indeed. The hotel comprises a row of seven linked Victorian homes offering 156 rooms which opened in April this year.  The area is quiet yet well connected - the perfect home away from home, ideal if you wish to avoid the busier neighbourhoods of central London. But I digress, we are here to try their main restaurant,Pippin’s, a new Modern British Restaurant.

Pippin’s Restaurant.  Image credit James McDonald.

There is no direct street entrance to Pippin’s so upon entering the communal lobby area you may need to weave your way past hotel guests and explore a little bit to find it. On the left is a cosy library space with the hotel’s reception desk; on the right, Pip’s, a café for quick bites, pastries, cakes and coffee. As you proceed, the stunning intimate bar “Sprout” catches the eye with its delicately hand-painted walls by Tess Newall and a magnificent, handcrafted oak leaf chandelier by Cox London. Opposite Sprout you will find Pippin’s.

On the sunny summer day of our visit, the restaurant itself was empty — because the real draw is the hotel’s tranquil private garden: a lush green oasis of mature trees and plants, with an immaculate lawn and a large dining terrace dotted with tables, umbrellas, and plant boxes brimming with flowers and herbs. I also spotted a large basket of picnic blankets — I suspect, if you asked nicely, they’d let you turn lunch into a picnic om the grass. There’s even a ping-pong table to workoff lunch later or if you have restless children in tow to entertain.

Pippin’s Restaurant.  Image credit James McDonald.

With its comfortable long bench seating and cane chairs, the terrace it feels like the perfect spot to nestle in for the afternoon to enjoying thoughtfully crafted menus, inspired by local and foraged ingredients some even sourced from the hotel’s own garden. Head Chef Liam Fauchard-Newman is formerly of Holborn Dining Room, the Ledbury and Kitchen W8 in Kensington, all well established and loved London restaurants. Sterling credentials, so the menu is in good hands.  

On the Terrace we were offered both the Pippin menu, plus the House Menu, the latter offering additional vegetarian options for my dining companion to choose from and the drinks menu from the bar Sprout.

The bar Sprout is most definitely not an afterthought but more of a destination in itself. Just reading through their list of inventive cocktails one is immediately struck by the unusual combinations and ingredients, refreshingly using several savoury ingredients such as marmite, anchovy, tomato and red onion. Many elements are made in-house, including nettle cordial, bell pepper cordial and even a courgette brine for their martini. Sound strange? Perhaps - but you must simply trustthe process knowing the menu is created by the bar director Will Meredith former bar manager of the award-winning bar Lyaness. They have employed an enthusiastic and creative team who will no doubt continue to come up with more surprising and inspirational cocktails in the future.

London Three Cheese Soldiers, the Multi-grain salad, pumpkin, pomegranate and feta and the Hereford beef tartare with pickled artichokes. Pippin’s Restaurant. Image credit MTotoe.

We tried the Rhubaro Ramos - a light, creamy blend of Black Cow vodka, Yorkshire rhubarb cream, and soda water – which was a standout, alongside the Green Chilcano, made with wild nettle cordial, pisco, lime, micro rocket, and ginger ale, a bold, refreshing tall summer drink. Max who so kindly talked us through Sprout’s menu was clearly proud of what they are creating and insisted we try the cocktail I had enquired about earlier - the Celeriac Milk Punch - Celeriac roasted with paprika and mustard seeds, clarified with milk, Tanqueray Gin and Cider Brandy. Served with a milk and spinach cracker, mustard gel and micro herbs. A bonkers combo, but it works!

The menu at Pippins appears deliberately uncomplicated, focusing on seasonal ingredients cooked well. We started with the London Three Cheese Soldiers - generously topped with grated cheese and truffle, alongside the Multi-grain salad, pumpkin, pomegranate and feta from the House Menu. On the waiter’s recommendation we also tried the Hereford beef tartare with pickled artichokes was a refined and wonderfully balanced dish. The beef and accompaniments were more finely chopped than I am used to but was delicious nonetheless.

Cornish sea bass with Ramsons green sauceand a wedge of lemon. Image credit Natascha Milsom.

For mains we had Cornish sea bass with Ramsons green sauce and a wedge of lemon and a tasty garden vegetable pot with baby artichokes, sea beets, and broad beans. We added sides of creamed potato and barbequed Hispi Cabbage, perfectly charred and cleverly topped with a generous sprinkling of puffed brown rice for crunch.

The dessert menu offered four choices including an ever-pleasing Trifle, a Chocolate Mousse and an intriguing sounding Earl Grey Custard Tart and lastly a Neal’s Yard cheese platter.  We were able to avoid making a hard decision choosing when the chef offered a most divine and refined dessert of a fig leaf ice cream using leaves harvested from the garden itself. It’s presentation was picture perfect and anexcellent end to our summer lunch.

Fig leaf ice cream. Image credit MTotoe.

By selecting Chef Liam Fauchard-Newman and Bar Director Will Meredith the Templeton Garden Hotel clearly demonstrates its ambition to carve out a place on London’s food and beverages scene. It is a most welcome addition to the neighbourhood. With more sunny summer days ahead we can highly recommend this unexpected oasis in the heart of Earl’s Court - and should the weather turn, you could do worse thanto dash into Sprout for a few cocktails to commiserate.

Location: Hotel Templeton Gardens, 1-15 Templeton Place, London SW5 9NB. Website: pippinsrestaurant.com Instagram: @pippinsrestaurant

Review by Natascha Milsom