London UK Series: Fallow Review – 3 Dishes from One of London’s Most Popular Restaurants

Fallow – Restaurant Overview

52 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4RP, United Kingdom

Fallow is one of London’s most talked-about modern British restaurants, known for its creative approach to ingredients and strong presence online. The restaurant originally gained attention through social media and YouTube, where its chefs regularly post behind-the-scenes cooking videos that showcase unique techniques, ingredient sourcing, and the development of new dishes.

In fact, that online presence was how I originally discovered Fallow. Watching their YouTube content introduced me to the restaurant and created a lot of interest in eventually visiting it in person. Their videos often highlight interesting cooking techniques and creative ways of using ingredients, which helped build a reputation for the restaurant long before stepping through the door.

Because of that, expectations going into the meal at Fallow were quite high.

The restaurant itself is located in central London and has become well known among food enthusiasts looking for modern British cuisine with a creative twist. The interior of Fallow feels polished and contemporary, striking a balance between upscale dining and a relaxed atmosphere.

The dining room has a lively energy, with an open and modern design that reflects the restaurant’s innovative approach to food. It’s clearly a place that attracts diners who are interested in trying something slightly different from a traditional steakhouse or classic British restaurant.

The service during the visit was smooth and professional. The overall dining experience felt well organized, and dishes arrived at a steady pace throughout the meal.

Originally, the plan was to order the ribeye steak at Fallow, which is one of the cuts that many steak lovers look for when visiting restaurants known for high-quality beef.

Unfortunately, the ribeye was sold out during this visit.

Because of that, the order shifted to another cut of steak instead.

Despite that change, several dishes were still worth trying, including the Smoked Beef Ribs, the Hereford Wing Rib, and fries seasoned with kombu.

Would return? Yes.

Smoked Beef Ribs

7.5/10

The Smoked Beef Ribs from Fallow ended up being one of the stronger dishes of the meal.

One of the first things that stood out was the tenderness of the meat. The ribs were cooked extremely well, to the point where the meat fell off the bone with very little effort.

That level of tenderness is often what people hope for when ordering slow-cooked ribs, and the version at Fallow delivered on that expectation.

The smoking process also added a nice depth of flavour to the beef. Smoked meats can sometimes become overpowering if the smoke flavour is too strong, but the balance here worked well.

The result was a dish that felt rich and satisfying.

Overall, the Smoked Beef Ribs from Fallow were very enjoyable and one of the highlights of the meal.

Order again? Yes.

Hereford Wing Rib

7/10

The Hereford Wing Rib from Fallow was ordered as a replacement for the ribeye steak that had sold out earlier.

Wing rib is still a very good cut of beef, though it differs from ribeye in terms of fat distribution and overall tenderness. Ribeye is often preferred because of its higher fat content, which typically results in a richer flavour and more tender texture.

Because of that, the wing rib naturally felt like a bit of a compromise.

That said, the Hereford Wing Rib from Fallow was still a solid steak.

The meat had a good flavour and was cooked well overall. It also came served with pâté, which added an interesting element to the dish.

One particularly enjoyable part of the steak was the peppercorn topping. The peppercorn flavour worked very well with the beef and added a nice punch of seasoning that helped elevate the dish.

However, the accompanying sauce was slightly sour, which didn’t work as well personally. The sourness felt a bit out of place with the richness of the steak.

While the steak itself was still good, the overall dish didn’t quite reach the level that might have been expected if the ribeye had been available.

The Hereford Wing Rib from Fallow was still enjoyable, but it did leave a bit of curiosity about how the ribeye might have compared.

Order again? No.

Fries with Kombu Seasoning

5.5/10

The fries with kombu seasoning from Fallow were one of the more disappointing dishes of the meal.

The idea behind the dish was quite appealing. Kombu, a type of seaweed often used in Japanese cooking, adds a deep umami flavour that can work very well as a seasoning.

The kombu seasoning on the fries actually tasted very good. It provided a savoury flavour that made the fries more interesting than typical salted fries.

Unfortunately, the main issue came down to the texture of the fries themselves.

The fries from Fallow were expected to be crispy, especially given how promising they looked when they first arrived.

However, the crispiness simply wasn’t there.

Instead of having that satisfying crunch on the outside, the fries felt softer than expected. Without that crispy exterior, the fries didn’t deliver the texture that usually makes great fries so enjoyable.

Because of that, the fries ended up being fairly disappointing overall.

The seasoning itself was good, but the texture prevented the dish from reaching its potential.

Order again? No.

Atmosphere and Experience

One of the most interesting aspects of Fallow is the connection between its online presence and the in-person dining experience.

Discovering the restaurant through YouTube created a sense of familiarity before even visiting the restaurant. Seeing the chefs cook dishes and explain their techniques in videos helped build anticipation for the meal.

Many restaurants rely heavily on word-of-mouth or traditional reviews, but Fallow has successfully used digital platforms to showcase its food and connect with diners.

That online presence definitely contributes to the restaurant’s popularity.

Inside the restaurant, the atmosphere reflects that modern and innovative reputation. The space feels lively and contemporary, attracting diners who are excited to try creative dishes and high-quality ingredients.

Even though the meal had a few disappointments—particularly the fries and the missing ribeye—the overall experience still felt polished and well executed from a service perspective.

Final Thoughts

Fallow is a modern London restaurant that has built a strong reputation through both its creative cooking and its engaging online presence.

Discovering the restaurant through YouTube created high expectations going into the meal, especially when seeing the level of creativity and technique showcased in their videos.

The Smoked Beef Ribs from Fallow were very good, offering tender meat that fell off the bone and delivered strong flavour.

The Hereford Wing Rib from Fallow was a solid steak, though it felt like a compromise compared to the ribeye that had originally been planned. The peppercorn topping worked very well, though the sauce leaned slightly too sour.

The fries with kombu seasoning from Fallow had great flavour from the seasoning but ultimately fell short due to a lack of crispiness.

Overall, Fallow delivered a mixed experience.

While some dishes were enjoyable, a few elements didn’t quite meet the expectations that came from seeing the restaurant online beforehand.

Still, the restaurant’s creative approach to food and strong reputation mean it remains an interesting place within London’s dining scene.