St. John moves to Fortnum & Mason

Famed nose-to-tail restaurant St. John will be temporarily relocating from Smithfield to the Piccadilly department store next month as its kitchen undergoes a refit.

Lovers of liver and lights, and, indeed, madeleine fans, will be unable to visit Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver’s legendary Michelin-starred ode to offal in its usual flagship Smithfield location for three weeks from 6 February as it “goes into dry dock…for a well-earned refit,” as a newsletter from St. John put it. However, they will be able to enjoy the full St. John experience in the hallowed halls of upmarket grocer Fortnum & Mason.

The move won’t just see the entire team at St. John move to their temporary home – the walls of the Fortnum & Mason ground floor restaurant that they will be occupying will be painted white, to resemble those of the Smithfield site.

Furthermore, in a move that might be interpreted as overkill, even the original tables and chairs of St. John Smithfield will be moved to Fortnum & Mason in order to really capture the restaurant’s essence.

The menu promises to contain “classics” of the restaurant (so it would be reasonable to assume that the famous roast bone marrow with parsley salad will make an appearance), as well as undisclosed “winks” to its temporary home.

Gulliver said: “Smithfield may be closed, but it is not absent – for these three weeks we must not neglect our duty to provide our community with their vital St. John fix, from a flying rarebit and a Fergroni in the bar to rolling courses in the dining room. This little jaunt feels rather frivolous, which is Fortnum’s forte. Painting it white is a bit cheeky – and a bit of cheekiness is always a good foundation for an extremely good time.”