Plates

Visited last month; A simply stunning experience from beginning to end. Kirk has created the most wonderful menu and the experimentation of tastes and textures is just delightful. I am still joyful just even thinking about the laminated sourdough bread. Textures and temperature are manipulated in ways you have never seen before to enhance powerful flavour combinations. My favourite dish was the flavours of banoffee which was finely balanced and evoked emotions of a classic childhood dessert. Another standout dish was the sweetcorn cappuccino which was a refreshing texture whilst mainataining a rich balance of flavours. All of the staff were so friendly and welcoming and it was a privilege to be at the chef's counter. The team came out to showcase the lion's mane to guests which was the star of the main course. I was given a couple of additional amuse-bouches throughout the tasting experience. Thank you so much for a truely unforgettable evening.

Amazing experience from start to finish. The restaurant has an incredible team of staff in the kitchen and the front of house. It was a pleasure to have some of the best food I have ever tasted and the botanical pairing complimented the meal perfectly. Knowing this was a joint celebration for the weekend between mine and my partner’s birthday, arriving to our table being set out with a birthday card at each of our seats was a lovely additional touch and demonstrates the thought which goes in to making the evening even more special. I would recommend booking this restaurant to anyone and would love to be a returning customer. Thank you.

18 months after receiving its Michelin star, I finally managed to visit after trying to book a few times. Long story short: we loved it and would definitely go back. FOOD We went for the 8 course lunch menu which was delicious and got us to discover so many things. -who knew strawberries and tomatoes could work together -curry butter? Genius -sweet and sour crunchy abricots amazing -lion’s mane, amazing, I’m going to start buying this Overall we had no idea what to expect but every dish tasted amazing and we felt our sensory buds were definitely stimulated to the fullest. You arrived half way through the tasting and remind yourself it is plant based because it honest doesn’t feel it. You’ll enjoy whether you are vegan or not, I can guarantee that. They also find great ways to impress you, I won’t say more. Overall I think it’s a bit pricey still, at £109 per person + service charge and drinks. But if you can afford by all means it was fantastic. STAFF/SERVICE Given the Michelin star, I expected amazing service and to be honest the guys bringing the dishes including the chefs were top notch, friendly, knowledgeable and happy to explain things. My only criticism was one of the host ladies who was clueless about a dish when I asked them a question. The experience was relatively luxurious but without the presumption of being fine dining, it felt relaxed. ATMOSPHERE/LOCATION The restaurant is very small, maybe 10 tables which explains the tough reservations. There is only one toilet also. It felt a little cramped in there in my opinion: the worst is seeing the table next to you get the dishes before you and the surprise before you. CONCLUSION: would definitely come back and recommend.

I’ve waited almost 2 years to get a table and it did not disappoint. The whole experience was fabulous, some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten, superb service and a lovely ambience. I was particularly impressed when the chefs came to the table too and meeting Kirk after admiring him on GBM was a highlight. The coeliac options were so good I definitely didn’t miss out! We will be talking about the lunch for a very long time and hope to come back soon. Yes the most expensive lunch we’ve ever eaten but worth every £

Kirk and the whole team at Plates offer an outstanding food experience. It’s so much more than a meal. Four of us enjoyed the 8 course lunch tasting menu. Every course was beautifully presented and it was an adventure for our taste buds. We all loved it!