Duchy, Shoreditch review

Duchy is a Shoreditch restaurant which opened last year on the former site of Michelin-starred Leroy. The restaurant was founded by Alex Grant and chef Simon Shand who both previously worked at Leroy before opening the impossibly charming Duchy together. Simon Shand was Leroy’s executive chef and was responsible for maintaining its Michelin star for three consecutive years until he left in early 2024 which fully explains the calibre of cooking you will find here.

Duchy. Image credit Amy Heycock. Courtesy of Duchy.

Many of the original Leroy features have been retained including the open kitchen and wall of vinyl records behind the bar. The warmth of the room has remained and is matched perfectly by the friendly, casual service. The nostalgia of the vinyl records is reflected in the restaurant’s playlist which I began to notice just two songs in while waiting for my dining partner. The racing thoughts of the day gradually quietened as I listened to Ella Fitzgerald’s Moonlight in Vermont, leaving me with an overall warm, fuzzy feeling. Looking around the dining room, I was overcome by a sense of home and the feeling that we were going to be well looked after during our afternoon at Duchy, which very much turned out to be the case.

Duchy. Image credit Amy Heycock. Courtesy of Duchy.

We were seated at a table by an open window, where a collection of empty wine bottles glistened on the ledge and a light breeze drifted into the room on the warm summer’s day. I sat happily facing the counter, watching the chefs move effortlessly around one another as they created the most divine dishes.

Inspired by the historic Duchy of Savoy, the menu celebrates the shared culinary traditions of the French Italian borderlands. This concept gives the chefs the flexibility to draw inspiration from both sides of the border while allowing the kitchen to continually evolve its menus with creative freedom. With someone like Simon Shand at the helm, that creative freedom is where the magic happens.

Our meal began with an exquisite exercise in simplicity, two crostini layered with a slice of decadent, top-quality butter, a glistening anchovy, cracked pepper, and a delicate scatter of marjoram. This was followed by a rustic plate of fried polenta over a robust roasted pepper sauce and sprinkled with a pleasing addition of toasted hazelnuts. The smoked trout with melon, cucumber and horseradish was served perfectly chilled and was an ideal dish on a warm summer’s afternoon.

Duchy. Image credit MTotoe/FLO London

The true highlight of the starters, however, belonged to the ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers. Encased in an impossibly light batter and drizzled with honey, and a touch of orange zest, they were placed on a masterful take of bagna cauda. The kitchen took the traditionally pungent Piedmontese sauce of garlic, olive oil, and anchovies, and I suspect leaned heavily into the butter, and spun it into a sensationally velvety, weightless foam. Boasting nuanced, subtle flavours, it was an absolute triumph; a sauce so addictive it could make virtually anything taste spectacular.

Ricotta-stuffed courgette. Image credit Natascha Milsom

Mains were equally impressive. The Pappardelle was served with very generous amounts of new season girolles and Parmesan, but we are still dreaming about the stone bass with fennel and samphire. It may sound like a simple dish, but when executed this perfectly, every mouthful is to be appreciated from the flawlessly crisp skin giving way to beautifully tender fish to the impeccably caramelised fennel that melts in your mouth.

Pappardelle. Image credit MTotoe/FLO London

The wine list is curated by their sommelier Matt Garratt who does a wonderful job reflecting the same cross-border philosophy as the menu. The selection showcases producers from France and Italy, with particular emphasis on Alpine wines and lesser-known regions. Bottles begin at £37, and the drinks list is rounded out with a carefully chosen selection of digestives.

Stone bass with fennel. Image credit MTotoe/FLO London

The set lunch menu on the day featured Vesuvio tomato gazpacho, steak haché with a peppercorn sauce and shoestring fries followed by a frozen black current parfait to finish. With the calibre of cooking here Duchy is our pick for this month’s set lunch menu.

And whatever you do, don’t try and be “good” and skip dessert or convince yourself you are too full to continue. Trust me - you’ll find the space once dessert lands on the table. Blushing ripe strawberries on a light French toast style brioche was topped with a smooth oval scoop of vanilla ice cream visibly speckled with vanilla seeds – always the best indication of a high-quality ice cream. If you insist on good behaviour the less calorific dessert of Lemon Verbena Sorbet, and a generous spoonful of tiny pear cubes cut with surgical precision and thin slivers of basil won’t leave you feeling like you have missed out at all.

French toast style brioche with a smooth oval scoop of vanilla ice cream. Image credit Natascha Milsom

Thank goodness I don’t live too close to Duchy. I don’t think I could stay away. I would be nipping in to dine solo at the counter, trying out every new dish as it lands on their menu for fear of missing out. Duchy is all round elegant and intelligent cooking in a warm and inviting space, with friendly knowledgeable service and a playlist for the ages. Highly recommend

Set lunch menu: 2 course £24, 3 course £29. Location: 18 Phipp St, London EC2A 4NU   Opening hours:  Tuesday-Saturday 12-2.30pm, 6pm-10pm. Website:duchyrestaurant.com Instagram:@duchy.restaurant

Review by Natascha Milsom