The Devonshire Soho

Meaty gastropub goodness 

Scallops in vinegar and bacon

The Devonshire in Soho isn’t just another London gastropub—it’s a meticulous revival of the classic British public house, elevated with chef-grade precision and obsessive attention to detail. Helmed by hospitality veteran Oisín Rogers and chef Ashley Palmer-Watts (ex-Fat Duck), it operates as a dual experience: a rowdy, soul-warming pub downstairs and a quietly confident grill restaurant above. The Devonshire sources with intention: dry-aged native breeds butchered in-house. For my 4th visit, I went for all the classic dishes that have been around since day 1, as they are classic for a reason.

Crab and apple salad

Guinness sunset pudding

Chef Ashley Palmer-Watts runs the grill with a purist’s discipline—meat, seafood, and veg kissed by flame and smoke, delivered with minimalist elegance. The bread here is seriously addictive, and best used to clean up all the sauce from the scallop dish. The Scottish scallop dish with smoked bacon had a glossy, buttery sauce that whispers of Ashley's Heston years with the use of vinegar to offer a perfect balance to the butter. The steak here, especially the ribeye, is a clinic in restraint: crusty, beefy, zero flourish.

Peas and bacon + chips

Grilled rib-eye on the bone

The Devonshire in Soho is a gastropub phenomenon—equal parts bustling pub and elevated grill restaurant—taking its place as a modern London classic. It nails both sides of the spectrum: the ground-floor pub vibe—a cosy spin on Irish‑accented hospitality—and the upstairs restaurant’s wood‑ember grill, quality produce, and impeccable cooking. What really makes The Devonshire sing, though, is its sense of identity. It’s neither chasing trends nor trying to dress up comfort food—it’s a confident middle finger to London’s more self-serious fine-dining scene. It feeds you well, drinks you better, and doesn’t apologize for being popular.

Food 3.5/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£75

17 Denman St, London W1D 7HW

https://www.devonshiresoho.co.uk/