5 Social

The new house of social

Poached Lobster, avocado, artichoke and hazelnut

Jason Atherton's restaurant empire in the UK has its ups and downs in the last few years, from the closure of a few restaurants to gain a Michelin star or 2 at the same time. 5 Social is its latest restaurant launch, which is located opposite of his flagship Pollen Street Social. 5 Social started life as Little Social before it was rebranded with a more upmarket offering in early 2020. It also has a new head chef in the name of Kostas Papathanasiou, who worked at high profile places in the past such as The Fat Duck and The Ledbury. Looking at the menu, it won't look out of place if it was for Pollen Street Social, with a real focus on prime seasonal British ingredients like Cumbrian beef and Orkney scallops.

Beef tartar and bread

Beef Tartare Cannelloni, caramelised onion jam and foie gras sauce

Triple cooked chips and lamb neck ragu

I kicked off my meal with the poached lobster with avocado, while it looked good visually, it was pretty much just a lobster salad with an avocado paste at the bottom, it was refreshing but nothing special about it. The Herdwick lamb was as good as any lamb dishes I have come across in London. It was cooked perfectly with great seasoning, super tender with delightful classic garnishes of sheep yogurt and olive, I could not fault it at all. For dessert, I had the Armagnac tipsy cake which was even better than Heston Blumenthal's version. The alcohol was not overly strong and the caramel was well balanced, which did it for me was the refreshingly light taste of the eel grey ice cream, it was such a great way to finish the meal.

Herdwick Lamb Chop, carrot, green olive, sheep yoghurt

Poached Hebridean Halibut, cauliflower, tarragon, and mussel veloute

Armagnac Tipsy Cake

I really enjoyed the rebranded 5 Social, it was easily better than Little Social in every way, from the decor to the cooking. Besides the starter, the food was really well executed and is borderline Michelin star level for me. I found 5 Social much more enjoyable than both City Social in The City and Social Eating House in Soho, and interestingly enough, it is also cheaper than both of its older brothers that held a Michelin star each. For me, the relaunch was a success and I wish it all the success. 



Food 3.5/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£55

5 Pollen St, Mayfair, London W1S 1NE

https://www.5social.co.uk/