Excellent service and food ruined by being asked to move We were very much looking forward to our lunch at Core having stayed up several nights to book a table due their difficult booking procedure. (They release tables around 6 weeks before booking dates and they seem to go in seconds). Once we had secured our table we very much look forward to the day and we weren’t disappointed. A huge array of staff welcomed us to the restaurant. Nothing was too much trouble and the food and service was impeccable. I loved the fact that a lot of thought had gone into the UK provenance of the dishes. The clams from Scotland, the potted shrimp from Morecambe, etc. The creativity of the dishes was exemplary. We went for the tasting menu combined with the wine tasting and looked forward to a leisurely afternoon of culinary excellence which was forthcoming. Unfortunately the lunch came to an abrupt end after 2.5 hours when we were asked to move to the bar before even finishing out tasting menu. We ate our dessert in the bar. No-one else was asked to do this. In fact the table next to us left 45 minutes later. And the table who arrived first left after another hour. While the impeccable service, food and drink continued at the bar, the whole ambience had changed. And the lunch ended very differently to how it began. If we’d ordered a la carte it would have made more sense for us to be moved on. But the fact that we were moved was inexcusable and completely changed our perception of the day. I implore Core not to take customers for granted, to allocate at least three hours for tables with tasting menus. Please look at your competitors and make it special for your customers. Recommended. But order a la carte unless you don’t mind being moved.

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

Absolute cream of the Michelin crop! Beautiful experience, food looked stunning, full of texture and flavours. For special occassions!

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

We have been trying to book this restaurant for ages and finally got lucky at short notice. The experience was excellent from the hearty welcome we received right through to the chefs waving us farewell. Every little detail was covered. We chose the seasons menu which seemed to feature every one of my wife's favourites from crab through turbot to venison. However, we agreed that the Jerusalem artichoke and crispy sweetbreads were the highlights. Service was excellent, as you would expect. It was a little fussy to start with, with our food being served immediately after our gin and tonic, but this seemed a small mistake. Chef herself was present to greet customers, which is always a good sign. We will return - assuming we can get a booking!

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

We finally managed to book dinner at Core by Clare Smyth for last night and it was well worth waiting for. The bar area was beautiful and so was the dining area. We were taken through by friendly staff and even got a wave from Johnny Bone, the Head Chef, as we passed by the busy kitchen. As soon as we were seated Alessandro took care of us and was very helpful in explaining the options. We chose Core Classics -7 courses of the dishes for which Core is most well known. Afterwards we were so pleased with our choice because every dish was a winner. We particularly liked the potato and roe but in fact each dish was a surprise and a delight. We chose to select our own choice of wine rather than the wine pairing and Hubert, the Head Sommelier, was very helpful when we perused the extensive wine list. We were all extremely happy and felt that the whole team deserved congratulations in creating such beautiful dishes as well as such a great ambience in which to enjoy them. Five stars all round for the fantastic experience! I cannot end without mentioning the one area at Core which clearly needs attention. That is the ability of a patron to make contact - either to make a reservation or to confirm a reservation already made. A restaurant as superb as this must surely be able to set up a system where phone calls can be answered by a human being. I found it impossible to make contact with anyone in order to answer questions which were not dealt with on the website, or to make a booking. Eventually I used the Centurion service at Amex , as they were prepared to keep trying on my behalf and they succeeded. Then during the week prior to my reservation date I called personally at least 6 times over several days. The reply always asked me to call back as no one was available to take the call. On 3 occasions I left a message reconfirming- with my number and email address - and asked someone to call back or email to say the message had been received. Nothing! No contact. When we arrived at Core last night I had no idea whether or not our reservation had been cancelled or confirmed. Please Clare, can you arrange for a human being to answer all incoming calls? It would make such a big difference. Thanks in advance and for a lovely experience. Michael

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

Located at short walk from Nottingham hill gate tube stop. Entrance rather confusing as one sort to apartment block and other to restaurant. Number of people have been standing trying the wrong door. Warm welcome with nice view of the kitchen as you came it. Very cramped setting, tables felt very close together compared to other three Michelin stars and really felt the cramp/ over crowding when the restaurant was full at 7.30pm onwards. Also could overhear conversations - not that we wanted to but due to proximity of tables especially with some louder clientals. Bread was good- standard stuff as well as butter. Amouse bouch was good but started in the wrong order. Chicken skin should be first as least interesting and lobster roll last as best. The crab claw dish with consommé was good- the intensity of the consommé was amazing. The crab claw was average as was the sabayon. Jerusalem artichoke was nice with a rather sweet artichoke Veloute. The turbot was again average - cucumber salad was nice with potato and nice sauce, couldn’t identify the oyster in the dish. Pork Cheeks was below average- fatty pork portion which we both felt was overly fatty - was a bit gamey with an overpowering sauce Mains of venison- sauce was too intense, metallic venison with an ok haggis Palate cleaner of carrots was nicer than the main desert Desert was ok - the honey comb was nice. The ball mimicking the Maltese was average. Service was good but here was so many staff , it should be-They added to feel on overcrowding and didn’t help when the restaurant was full. £700 for a core season menu for two a bottle of champagne was overpriced for the experience. Cloak room had some issues at the end- wrong scarf with jacket and manage to initial lose the correct scarf as fallen on the floor which is a real downer after the meal with staff franticly trying to find items. Should be more organised as there are atleast two staff at the cloak room!

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

Overall, we had the most incredible experience at Core last night! Walking into the dining room where all the kitchen team, including Clare Smyth, greeted us warmly with a wave was a very special moment. The restaurant director Rob, head sommelier Hubert and the entire floor team were so welcoming, and looked after us exceptionally well throughout the night. We chose the Core Seasons tasting menu (with the addition of the black truffle linguine) plus the associated wine pairings. Every single course from canapés to the petit fours was utter heaven. The black truffle linguine was absolutely stand out, as was the veal sweetbread, venison and of course the signature Core-teser. The wine pairings were well chosen by the expert sommeliers. Watching the kitchen in action throughout the experience was such a treat. Everyone worked with such professionalism, meticulous attention to detail when plating and the clean down process was so impressive to observe! The playlist in the bathroom was so much fun with some perfectly chosen anthems! Sadly our experience did not start as well as hoped with my husband arriving early for a pre dinner drink in the bar, only to be quite rudely turned away by a member of the front of house team and told to return at the time of table reservation. I entirely understand that the bar was full, but a more polite approach would’ve been appreciated, perhaps with a suggestion of where else to get a drink nearby. I do feel that the whole experience should begin from the time you walk in (as with other 3 stars we have visited) and sadly this wasn’t the case for us. However we did not let this detract from the phenomenal experience that was to come from a team that should be very proud of how they look after their diners. Clare Smyth is a total icon and we felt privileged to enjoy her hospitality last night.

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

An amazing experience. Excellent dishes, quite original flavours, presented at perfection with the perfect service. It feels cosy, home feel, the staff is so friendly. Absolutely love the turbo with kelp and oyster sauce, the jerusalem artichoke with malt and black truffle and finally the poire williams (aka Clare Smyth ‘s take on Eton Mess). The Venison with haggis was interesting - an acquired taste A well deserved 3 Michelin stars. Well done 👏

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

I’ve been to Core by Clare Smyth twice now, and on both occasions the experience has been sublime. The kitchen and floor staff go above and beyond. In regards to the ‘potato and roe’ dish, how they have managed to make the humble potato taste the way it does will make you appreciate how hard they work in the kitchen to achieve that level of perfection. As for the Rhug Estate Venison, it is one of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Enough said. Obviously reviews are a matter of opinion, but based on my experiences I choose to believe that Core by Clare Smyth is not only one of the best restaurants in London but possibly in the world. I will be back as soon as I can get a reservation, which is fairly difficult for obvious reasons.

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

One of the best experiences I have had in London in the recent years. The food is meticulously creative and tasty. Great selection, atmosphere and staff. Looking forward to visiting again

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

An absolute stunner! Wonderful neighbourhood, beautiful restaurant, excellent wines and some of the best dishes I've ever tried - the level of the food is absolutely outstanding, worldclass, phenomenal, especially the scallops, potato and roe, lamb carrot, main coure with fish and mussels, pear dessert have fascinated me. The service is very approachable, friendly and professional. It's been the perfect evening for us and we'll come back as soon as we can.

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Tripadvisor Reviews

Took my wife here to celebrate our first big trip since the pandemic. From start to finish the experience was extraordinary. Clare Smyth's cuisine and service embody excellence across the board, and truly she is one of England's greatest chefs. Booking was by the numbers. While you have to be ready to get a table when released, thankfully, it was not impossible. We took the tube to Notting Hill, and it was a pleasant walk to the restaurant through some lovely neighborhoods. Upon checking in we were greeted warmly and taken to our table. Two tasting menus were offered - the classic tasting menu and the "Core Seasons." We got one of each, why not try each dish? We also got a wine pairing. We prepared our palates with some champagne and cocktails, and sat back to enjoy the experience. Each dish was a breathtaking melange of color, expertly arranged and plated. The flavors and how all the ingredients were sublime. The wait staff were very knowledgeable about all the wines served and we enjoyed their stories of the provenances of each vintage. On the way out we got to meet Clare and thanked her for a wonderful evening we would not forget.

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Yelp Reviews

My bf and I have a few shows we watch together, Top Chef being one of them. So when I saw a reservation for lunch open for this restaurant while we were on vacation, I knew I had to book it. We traveled by metro to the restaurant and got there a little early. The hostess was very gracious and let us store our bags in the front closet. We had the earliest reservation, so there we were quite outnumbered by the wait staff. Once the restaurant filled up a bit more, I watched in wonder at a well-oiled machine. Everything from the escort to the restroom, to pulling out chairs, to describing every single dish was impeccable. Now, the food, every single dish, was delicious, well balanced, and presented like an absolute work of art. We started with 3 pieces of amuse bouche to get our palates ready, and my palate was still not ready! The scallop tartare has probably ruined me. I don't know how, if or why I would ever eat scallops after this. To say they were fresh would be an understatement. Potato and Roe, every time I go to a fine dining restaurant, I am always amazed by all of the flavors they can put into a modest food such as a potato. The roasted cod was delicious. The lamb carrot was quite a surprise as the carrot was magically stuffed with roasted lamb. The venison was very tender and juicy. The Core Apple was magical, as it looks like a fuji apple but is a delicious stuffed mousse. The Wild Strawberry is also a beautiful optical illusion as it represents a caprese salad but is a refreshing dessert. Just when I thought I couldn't fit in another morsel, here comes the Petit Fours. With my second stomach that's usually reserved for desserts, I managed to devour a chocolate tart that was reminiscent of a fresh baked cookie and their wonderful jellied wine. This reminded me of a super potent wine jello shot but way more refined. I can not recommend trying to secure a reservation to this restaurant if you're on vacation and want to splurge on a Three Michelin Star meal.

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Yelp Reviews

45pm, my plane was delayed by over an hour to return to London, so I asked the restaurant and asked the attendant if I could change my booking or come half an hour late. She said she could change my booking but will charge me a cancellation fee or keep my booking for half an hour. I received an email prior to half an hour to say I will be charged $300GPD cancellation fee and they stoped picking up my calls. It's disgusting!

Read More in Core by Clare Smyth London Yelp Reviews