Spring has quietly, gracefully, been one of London’s best restaurants since Skye Gyngell decided to spruce up these former Inland Revenue offices in 2014. (A warning: it’s also one of the priciest). An Aussie earth mother who knew her way around a greengrocer, Gyngell made her name as head chef at Petersham Nurseries Café, delivering seasonal fare so fantastically finessed that the blousy Richmond teahouse scored a Michelin star under her guidance. Before she died in 2025, Gynell spawned a legion of devoted imitators, from Cafe Cecila’s Max Rocha to Wachaha’s Thomasina Miers. The continued excellence of Spring makes for a fitting tribute to her legacy.
Dill is everywhere, whether you asked for it or not
The grand and airy room in the 19th century New Wing of Somerset House feels like a Home Counties spa hotel; somewhere you might take the girlies to recuperate after a particularly feral night at ABBA Voyage. There’s lots of muted grey, a bonkers porcelain petal sculpture, fresh snapdragons on every table and staff float about in trad-wife adjacent smocks. But don’t be distracted by such whimsy. Spring floats like a butterfly, and stings like the proverbial bee. Food here is hearty by stealth; an elegant crab bruschetta is weighty with white meat, hiding a heft of citrus-spiked flavour under decorative purple flowers and pops of green foliage. A creamy risotto of fleshy, copper-coloured girolles is solidly sensual, as are fleshy lumps of tuna tartare, which mingle with crisp cucumber ready to be scooped up with paper-thin and chilli-spiked carta di musica flatbread. Dill is everywhere, whether you asked for it or not.
Dishes are slightly Italian, except for when they’re not. Wild seabass (perfectly flakey) comes dolloped with a nutty sweetcorn puree and lacy tempura courgette flower, while my (absolutely massive) pork chop is accompanied by tender halves of grilled peach, a forceful tarragon pesto and a curl of pink-stemmed chard. The fat cap is rendered resplendently. Not only is it sensational tasting, it’s also extremely good-looking. Skye Gyngell’s ethos was not only about the freshest of produce, but the prettiest of plates. Which, for around £40 per main, should really be a guarantee.
Savoury dishes aren’t shy of incorporating fruit, dessert is a veritable fiesta of them. As well as a creamy greengage sorbet, a pannacotta-ish fennel blossom set cream comes with more peaches and jammy mulberry drizzle while a pleasingly rugged sweetcorn custard tart, the Clint Eastwood of puddings, almost buckles under the weight of plums and blackberries. Skye, you imagine, would be more than pleased with that.
The vibe An elegant room in Somerset House with an equally graceful clientele.
The food Ultra seasonal, produce-led and Italian-rooted cookery.
The drink House-brewed lavender kombucha, fresh Amalfi lemonade and classy wines.
Time Out tip Spring isn’t cheap, but their four course Scratch menu is served Tue-Sat from 5.30-6.15pm and is just £40 a head.