Bar Crispin
What: Bar Crispin. The sequel to the Spitalfields natural wine, seasonal, small plate sensation, Crispin.
Where: Soho - 19 Kingly St, Carnaby, London W1B 5PY
When: Opened July 2021
Signature/standout dishes:
Fried beef sando, dill, pickled cucumber
Orzo, smoked Lyburn cheese, chilli
Mussels - the menu changes regularly but whatever variation they have of the mussels is more than a safe bet.
Price: ££ - Reasonable. We ordered nearly everything on the menu and had a bottle of wine which came to just over £100 per person. You can of course, just pop in for a glass or two of wine though.
What the critics say: Described as a ‘wine bar with a supporting menu of beautiful small plates’ by Lydia Winter of Foodism.
What Eric Mustard says: A shoo-in for Kingly Street in Soho, these guys were doing natural wines long before it was cool and have absolutely mastered it. I am not sure I need to say this but the menu centres around sustainable, seasonal sharing plates; the catch here though is that it doesn’t feel like a chore in any way and isn’t shoehorned into this overly subscribed approach to dining. Each plate compliments the other and is always more complex than the menu lets on. Take the buttery orzo with smoked Lyburn which packs a surprising punch of chilli or the fried beef sando with dill mayo and jalapeños, a dish that would fit in confidently at any of the numerous Wagyumafia venues. The Soho outpost of Crispin, has enough culinary character for both venues, the original being in Spitalfields which of course lacks the same buzz that you get with Soho. However, both are a triumph in their own right. Bar Crispin is a spot that works for wining and dining in equal measure.
We were lucky enough to bag ourselves a table for the Ixta Belfrage x Hannah Crosbie x Bar Crispin collaboration dinner back in October. Which was mind-blowingly good, so good in fact we booked to go back to Bar Crispin the following week. On that note, I would highly recommend keeping an eye out for any future guest chef/collaboration dinners, checking out the Crispin Wine Club and Hannah Crosbie’s Dalston Wine Club.
Follow Bar Crispin here: Bar Crispin
