Darling's Eatery and Studio

Review summary

1. C

   Cindie

   London

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Went here for an anniversary with my partner and food, drinks, the vibes and everything was amazing 💕. The only thing was that the staff seemed super busy so the service was a bit inattentive and slower. Personally, I didn’t really mind it as I prefer to have a slow-paced, uninterrupted meal :)
   

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2. P

   Paula

   London

   4 reviews

   4.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Fantastic value for money with Valentines set at £38pp. Starters and cocktails were really good. The main dishes were ok, a bit too much of the cheese on both made it a bit “same same”. Would have been better if one dish has completely different flavour profile. Overall service was fantastic, ambience of the place was great. Good music. One thing…the venue was cold tho 🥶
   

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3. M

   Marcus

   Yorkshire

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 6 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Came across this by chance when attending ABBA Voyage. So glad e found it. Don't be put off by the approach past a petrol station and into an industrial estate! The dining area is lovely, with the cooks visible across the serving counter. We shared a couple of starters and main courses but could only manage one desert between us, all of which were delicious. The wine list was good with some wines we had not tried before, our chosen one was again very good. The service was excellent and the atmosphere in the restaurant was very cozy and friendly.
   

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4. D

   Duncan

   London

   32 reviews

   3.0

   32 reviews

   Dined on 11 January 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Expensive for what you get. Quality of my main course was disappointing, though the starters were nice. Good choice and quality of wines. Somewhat noisy.
   

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5. I

   Iarla

   London

   9 reviews

   1.0

   9 reviews

   Dined on 19 December 2024

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   The last of the party arrived at the booked arrival time of 5:30. The main course arrives at 7:05pm, over 1.5 hours later. And that was after we’d warned the staff 30 minutes earlier that we needed to leave by 7:10pm. Moreover the manager failed to apologise to the table, although did take two of the four mains off the bill and did seem to be berating the kitchen staff, although that’s hardly fun to watch as a punter in an open kitchen environment. And then she’d lied about our arrival time in her response to my first version of this review. When the pasta arrived it was pretty horribly over salted. The burrata was fridge cold and flavourless. The pumpkin slices were good, though at (if I remember correctly) £12 for 4 meagre slices was hardly worth it. The six grilled cauliflower florets were tasty but similar value. The portions are very small, so expect to have to order 2 starters and a main or a starter and two mains. Speak to the bank manager before you come if you’re hungry. Given we really had to go out of our way to go here, it was an extremely disappointing experience. I would not go again under any circumstances. Oh and the place was bloody freezing. And given the managers/founder subsequent response to the review, I am now very suspicious of all the 5 star reviews. There seem to be be only 1/2 star a 5 star reviews. Rather odd.
   

   Darling's Eatery and StudioResponded on 20 December 2024

   Thank you for your feedback, Iarla! We were happy to welcome you 20 minutes early, though this may have extended your perceived wait. I personally brought focaccia as an apology while you waited for your mains and explained a plumbing issue that caused delays. Once aware of your time constraints, we removed the mains from your bill, though I wish we had known sooner. Our menu is designed for sharing, but portions are flexible to suit guests’ preferences. We’re sorry the seasoning wasn’t to your taste and will address the burrata being fridge-cold. The heating was at its maximum, but we could have seated you closer to the radiators had we known. We regret your visit didn’t meet expectations and appreciate your feedback to help us improve. Warm regards, Egle
   

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6. E

   Eliza

   London

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined on 7 December 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Had high hopes but somewhat disappointed - the place itself is beautifully considered and intimate (but note that lots of the seating is at communal style table or on stools). One starter was great (albeit a ball of burrata), the other two were good enough but nothing special. £5 portion of focaccia was very small. In fact - all portions were far too small for the prices. And sadly, our two pastas were both considerably over salted. The leek and sausage ragu had minuscule amounts of sausage and no leek - making it essentially a small bowl of buttery cheesy pasta - which is disappointing for £18. We were given a free tiramisu to make up for it which we of course really appreciated, but found this to be lacking in coffee and alcohol flavours and too heavy on the mascarpone. Our total bill came to over £100 which included a tiny plate of focaccia, three starters, two small bowls of pasta, a beer and a small glass of wine.
   

   Darling's Eatery and StudioResponded on 20 December 2024

   Dear Eliza, Thank you for your feedback and for appreciating the ambiance of our space. We’re sorry to hear some dishes fell short of your expectations. The leek in our sausage ragù is buttered down for flavour, though subtle, and we’ll revisit the seasoning to ensure it shines. Our tables are arranged for a communal yet intimate experience, which we understand may not suit everyone. Regarding portions, we aim to balance quality ingredients with value, though we’ll reflect on your comments. While we’re glad you appreciated the complimentary tiramisu, we’ll take your feedback on its flavor onboard. Just a gentle reminder that service fees are included in the bill. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts; they help us improve. Warm regards, Egle
   

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7. N

   Nisha

   London

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on 21 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   My friend and I came here on the back of some great recommendations from others. We were not disappointed. The food, service, ambience were fabulous. I had such a wonderful time and will definitely return.
   

   Darling's Eatery and StudioResponded on 20 December 2024

   Dear Nisha, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re so glad you and your friend chose Darling's and that your visit lived up to the great recommendations you’d heard. Hearing that our food, service, and ambience hit the mark is exactly why we do what we do. We’re thrilled to know you had such a wonderful time and are already looking forward to your return. Next time, let us know if there’s anything special we can do to make your visit even more memorable—it’s our pleasure to ensure every moment at Darling’s is exceptional. See you again soon! Warm regards, Egle
   

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8. K

   Kate

   Hampshire

   10 reviews

   2.0

   10 reviews

   Dined on 21 November 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   Was so looking forward to this but food didn’t live up to expectations. Some flavours just didn’t work
   

   Darling's Eatery and StudioResponded on 20 December 2024

   Dear Kate, Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We’re sorry to hear the food didn’t meet your expectations, especially after you were looking forward to your visit. It would have been really helpful to hear more about what didn’t work for you while you were here, so we could address it right away and make it right. We take great care in crafting our dishes and will review the flavors you mentioned. We’d love the opportunity to welcome you back and provide a better experience next time. Warm regards, Egle
   

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9. H

   Hazel

   London

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on 21 November 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   really lovely, charming restaurant with dim lighting and candles! delicious starters and great service
   

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10. M

    Megan

    London

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3

    smallish plates that tasted nice but didn’t wow us paired with slow service. we ordered all our dishes to share and they decided for us which dishes came out and when, which was annoying
    

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    Darling's Eatery and StudioResponded on 27 November 2024

    Thank you for sharing your perspective. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the flavours, though we’re sorry to learn that the overall experience didn’t wow you. Our goal is to curate the dining journey as thoughtfully as possible, carefully considering the sizes of the dishes and the flow of them being sent. That said, we understand that preferences vary, and we’ll reflect on how we can better communicate or adapt this approach to suit our guests’ needs. Being a small restaurant, Friday evenings around 7 and 8 o’clock can indeed be busier and more energetic. If you’re seeking a quieter atmosphere with quicker service, we’d recommend visiting us on a Thursday evening or during the day on Saturday for a more relaxed experience.
    

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