2024 has a lot in store for eager diners, from a resurgence of British seafood, to umami-infused puddings, as hospitality re-emerges from its post-lockdown convalescence with renewed enthusiasm. But among the trends defining the restaurant scene this year, one is glaringly dominant. Today’s chefs are reaching into the culinary archives to capitalise on the power and comfort of nostalgia.
As Jeremy Lee (Chief Proprietor of the recently revamped Quo Vadis) reminds me, the restaurant industry is famously cyclical – so of course, this isn’t the first time that traditional cooking is regaining popularity. “I see a lot of what we did back when I was a young buck learning the trade, in places like Rochelle Canteen and St John – and now those places are legacy establishments.”
That said, there’s no denying that appetite for the homely and hearty has crescendoed recently, and restaurateurs are responding accordingly. A string of openings last year lay fertile ground for old-school food to bloom in 2024, by setting the tone for how and what we’ll eat out this year.
We’re seeing deeply familiar, belly-warming dishes come to the fore, or to the table I should say. Soups, a long time favourite for maximising flavour and minimising waste, are on the rise, like the traditional pea and ham hock soup at lauded new gastropub The Devonshire, one of the best new restaurants in London. Similarly, it doesn’t get much more classic than a solid pie oozing with rich stock, and as Dominic Hamdy, the restaurateur behind Bistro Freddie (another celebrated late 2023 opening) asserts, “it's going to be a big year for pies and celebratory sharing dishes.” The daily pie is a crowd-pleasing centrepiece at Quo Vadis, and Bistro Freddie currently boasts a chicken and tarragon variety. A jam-packed pie is also a star dish at the newly opened Donia.
In the UK there’s often an English or French accent on discussions around traditional food. However, what's nostalgic to you depends on what you grew up eating. For Florence ‘Mae’ Magnaloc, founder-chef at Donia, her viral lamb caldereta pie is a truly authentic representation of the blended comfort food she enjoyed growing up. “We’d have a Filipino stew like lamb caldereta going, which I’d add to my pie and mash and think, damn! Someone needs to do this!” Chef-founder duo Sunny Wu and Irene Hua, meanwhile, were driven by nostalgic yearning, to open Hainan House last Autumn, showcasing time-honoured Southern Chinese and Hainanese recipes and the cherished flavours of our childhood mealtimes.
The retro trend isn’t limited to savoury dishes – the proof is certainly in the pudding. Since opening last year, the most talked-about item on Tom Seller’s menu at Dovetale is the knickerbocker glory. Constructed tableside, the theatrical vintage-styled trolley emphasises childhood memories. Dovetale also serves Baked Alaska, another iconic retro dessert, which appears at the recently reinstituted Claridge’s Restaurant too. A double whammy in the nostalgia department – a neapolitan ice cream sandwich, was recently introduced at Manteca. Over at Catherine St, Jamie Oliver’s recent return to the capital, a new Sunday menu transports us back to primary school days with apple crumble. “Coal-roasted apples, tons of ice cream and bay leaf custard, and big enough for everyone to get involved,” Head of Pastry Emma Jackson describes her take on the vintage pudding. Being “so warm and cosy,” it’s in keeping with the Catherine St. ethos, a restaurant inspired by wonderfully familiar dishes.
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For Jackson, this return to retro foods is a natural swing of the pendulum, after years of celebrating molecular gastronomy. “Menus got really full on with a focus on things being different. So now people are going back to the roots of cooking,” she shares. “It’s more about flavour now, than all the ways you can reinvent an ingredient.” As Hamdy explains, “people don’t want to be challenged by food anymore.” Magnaloc shares a similar sentiment. “I’d seen so much ‘cutting edge’ when I was thinking about Donia. So I decided to make something simple, but bloody delicious.”
Simon Attridge, Culinary Director at Claridge's, highlights the important role of social context too. “It’s been a tough couple of years. So nostalgia is coming back because it drives happy memories of excitement, of a more relaxed, seemingly problem-free time.”
It’s great recreating cherished memories through the comfort of familiarity. It’s a view shared by Ben Bonson, Chef Director at Bébé Bob. “It’s wanting to recreate that joy of childhood eating. Your Mum’s roast chicken might be ‘the best’, but you can go out and have a well-sourced, well-seasoned rendition which hopefully evokes those memories.” Consumers are prioritising in-person connection, and hospitality luminary Jeremy King believes that at restaurants, such connection is fostered through simpler, quality food at good value.
Increased nutritional awareness is also relevant. “Everyone’s more conscious about highly processed foods,” says Hamdy. Even with an indulgent meal, “people want an honest plate without disguises.” Equally, the evolving dialogue on sustainability is encouraging chefs to revisit dishes from a time when cooking local and seasonal produce was the only option."
“Cooking seasonally and locally is key when frugality is the order of the day.” Lee points to the effect of increased costs. “And there’s such a wealth of heritage dishes, like braises and poaches, that can help achieve this.”
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But as Lee mentions, even with traditional dishes, maintaining high standards requires “great knowledge, skill and work.” “Our pie takes 48 hours to make,” Magnaloc shares. “Everything is from scratch.” Hamdy explains how restaurants will still demonstrate finesse with rustic concepts. “We’ll see more hints of innovative techniques alongside very traditional recipes, things like foams and mousses that don’t detract from the essence of the dish, and much higher quality produce than most home cooks can access.”
As for other dishes coming out of this trend this year? Lee weighs in. “Once upon a time, it was all lamb cutlets and braises – pig trotters, oxtail, shanks. I’m seeing the return of these. Rural cooking is again taking place at the highest form of cooking imaginable, which is incredible.”
“We’re going to see well-executed reintroductions to classics for a while,” Magnaloc says. She’s excited about introducing her take on another retro favourite – a sausage roll – to Donia. On the sweeter side, Jackson hints at retro desserts like trifle coming to Catherine St. “Sundaes too, I love ice cream,” she laughs. “I won’t put anything on until it’s perfect though!”
That 2024 marks an era of retro dining is also clear from upcoming openings. At Josephine, opening in March, chef Claude Bosi will recreate his grandmother’s traditional French cooking alongside his wife Lucy Bosi, in a classic and timeless setting. We can expect a rendition of the age-old Cornish pasty at Roe, the newest venture from the trio behind Fallow (chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft, and entrepreneur James Robson) landing this Spring. Nostalgia is woven into King’s comeback plans too. Speaking of his reboot of the storied Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, he tells me, “We’ll see a return of some historic menu items, yes, it’s very much about British treasures, things that may have been forgotten that can be rediscovered. But there will be no change for the sake of change. I like to keep things fairly simple and fairly classic but with my own little twist.” Another one of his upcoming projects, The Arlington, will be emotionally nostalgic, occupying the former site of Le Caprice. As for Le Caprice itself, there’s talk of a re-launch by its proprietor Richard Caring at The Chancery Rosewood, the 2025 hotel touted as Grosvenor Square’s new crown jewel. One thing is for sure – for today’s restaurateurs, looking forwards, means looking back.
3 picks for enjoying retro classics
Mountain, Soho
Tomos Parry’s sophomore salute to open-fire techniques is reminiscent of his debut Brat, but the cooking here feels more assured. The oxtail is a must. One spoonful in and I’m grinning ear to ear. A juicy hunk of tender meat (thankfully not 90 per cent bone!) is glossed with a deep mahogany-coloured gravy that’s skilfully layered and packed with 24-karat richness. It's assertively savoury, so pair it with the smoked potatoes.
Claridge’s, Mayfair
The grande dame of desserts is given a nifty facelift fit for London’s art deco icon. I’m initially a little apprehensive about a citrus sorbet centre, but the zesty freshness, bitter hint of grapefruit and anise-y pinch of mint marigold cut through the sugary meringue nicely – which is soft, a welcome twist! Sure, the flambé is a fun party trick for the table, but the real magic lies in the Grand Marnier-soaked cake base.
Quo Vadis, Soho
The daily pie is a no-brainer, and we’ve hit the jackpot with chicken velouté. Once we crash into the ultra crispy, golden-brown suet pastry (ASMR activated!), it’s hard to stop. The pie is definitely for sharing, but I quickly feel territorial. With succulent pieces of thigh meat coated in a delightful blend of roux and stock, it reflects the easy charm of this Soho hearth.