Our charcoal grill is the essence of Bermondsey Kitchen.
It is based on the design of the Turkish ocakbasi grill, and made by Turkish metalworkers in Hackney. There is no gas or electricity in our grill, just charcoal, the vital ingredient in so much Mediterranean cooking. From aubergines to red peppers, sardines to steak – everything is enriched by the smoky aromas.
Everything we serve is fresh and prepared to order. We have recently decided to increase the size of our menu, and change it less often, as many of our customers requested. You can now order your favourites any day you come. However, there will still be daily specials so there is always something new to try.
The Chefs
The kitchen team was set up by Ruth Quinlan. Ruth worked for many years at The Eagle in Farringdon with Tom Norrington-Davies and compiled the Eagle cookbook, Big Flavours and Rough Edges. Having always nurtured a desire to travel, she followed her heart and is working in Ibiza. Adam Hicks ran the kitchen for five years until now, when Dariush Lolaiy has taken over. With both New Zealand and Iran in his background, he combines a fantastic understanding of Mediterranean flavours with the charm of the antipodean. Both his parents are chefs, so he has been learning about food since he was very young. He has worked in various countries across Europe, and come to us from the renowned gastropub The Anglesea Arms in Shepherds Bush. History Bermondsey Kitchen was built in November 2002 by Dela Foster. She spent a year looking for the right site for her new restaurant. ‘I considered most parts of London and quizzed everyone I met about their neighbourhood. One friend was particularly persistent, praising the merits of Borough above all others. So I started to look around London Bridge. And then I found Bermondsey Street. I fell in love with the church and rectory across the street from our site as soon as I saw them.’ You can watch a short video about us on Bermondsey Square under food/drink category. | | Most of the area surrounding Bermondsey Street was bombed out in the war, but somehow this street and its church managed to escape destruction. It is a very old part of London, having originally been a slum area on the outskirts of the old City. The antiques market on Bermondsey Square has been going for centuries, and still gathers on a Friday at 4am. Apparently, the early start is due to an old law that stated that before dawn, you could not be prosecuted for trading in goods of dubious origin. Many of the existing buildings on Bermondsey Street are 17th or 18th century, and yet there are also fantastic modern buildings like the Fashion Museum, designed by Ricardo Legorreta, Mexico’s most renowned architect. Bermondsey Kitchen is built on the site of the 10th century Abbey, and next to the church is a Trompe L’Oeil – a flat façade painted to resemble a far grander and bigger building.  Chocolate puddings against hungerWe have always felt a strong link with the local community around us, so when Action Against Hunger asked us to support them, we were more than happy to help.  With a 50p donation to AAH for each chocolate pudding sold, our customers deserve a big thank you for raising over £3500 to date! 'Restaurants Against Hunger'
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