This London restaurant needs to be on your radar for 2025
Every once in a while, you’ll stumble into a restaurant and think: why on Earth have I not been here before? This is exactly how I felt walking into Milk Beach Soho.
Hidden just behind Greek Street, in James’ Court, this Australian restaurant feels like an oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of busy Soho.
The vibe
It’s hard not to miss the Australian accents of the restaurant staff here, from the host to the waiting staff to the general manager, it appears almost everyone who works here is, indeed, from Australia. Their peppy, welcoming demeanour matches the laid-back (beige) Instagrammable interiors. Think: rattan lampshades and bar stools, sleek marble table tops, bare wooden beams and a palladiana stone floor.
Tables are filled mainly with groups of friends catching up over bottles of wine and cocktails (it was the week before Christmas when I visited, so perhaps this explains why, on a random Wednesday after work, it was completely full). But that’s not to say this wouldn’t make for an ideal first-date night option.
The food
Helmed by executive chef Leonard ‘Lenny’ Swan – who was formerly head chef at the original Queen’s Park location – Milk Beach offers imaginative small and not-so-small sharing-style plates full of fresh coastal flavours, designed to be enjoyed.
Three of us shared seven plates, a couple of sides and two puddings, which felt like a seriously substantial meal. This is not some fancy eleven-course tasting menu where the dishes are so small, you’re left feeling barely fed.
Our meal started with St John Bakery sourdough with a stracciatella, hot honey, plum, rosemary and hazelnut dip. Next came a delicious aubergine karaage with a mirin glaze and peanut crumb, prawn sesame toast dunked in a sticky gochujang sweet 'n' sour sauce, slow-cooked lamb gyozas and koji marinated chicken "schnitty" with a spicy fermented chilli mayo. And these were just the starters!
We followed all these "smaller" plates with two popular items off the "robata" menu – flame-grilled garlic prawns and perfectly barbecued monkfish tail – scoffing these alongside crispy miso potatoes and grilled green beans covered in crispy onions. Every bite felt like a sun-kissed explosion for the senses.
All of this seemed like a rather hard act to follow when it came to dessert – how, exactly, do you round off such a delicious meal? There’s only one way, of course: with chocolate.
We shared the rich and indulgent dark chocolate torte with chantilly cream and Milk Beach's "Golden Gaytime" toffee and buttermilk parfait. Reader, I still felt full the next day.
The verdict
It’s safe to say that London has no shortage of excellent restaurants – particularly in Soho. But the setup at Milk Beach is seriously charming and the staff are possibly even more so.
The mains we ordered were great but it was the smaller plates (the koji marinated chicken and aubergine karaage) that we really hankered after.
And just in case you accidentally forget where you are (yes, the bathrooms play ocean waves in the background), you just have to take a step outside to remind yourself that, sadly, you’re not in sunny Sydney, but right in the middle of busy Central London. Only the very best restaurants can create a vibe where you feel transported to somewhere else entirely. And Milk Beach does this with ease.
Could this be London’s best Aussie restaurant? We certainly think it's up there – and one to definitely bookmark for 2025.
How to get there
Just a stone's throw away from Tottenham Court Road tube station, Milk Beach is situated in Ilona Rose House on Manette Street, but you can also get access via Greek Street.
Book here: sevenrooms.com/explore/milkbeachsoho
Ilona Rose House, Manette Street, London, W1D 4AL; milkbeach.com/soho
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