Edwins Borough

Edwins is a cosy restaurant, hidden away on the first floor, just meters away from Borough underground station. The wine list offers a range of good options by the glass and the food is nicely presented, and more importantly, tastes excellent.
After Christmas shopping at the Tate Modern Shop, I looked for a place to have dinner in the area and soon ended up at Edwins in Borough. The restaurant is upstairs with only an ordinary door downstairs, which could make it easy to miss.
When I walked in, I immediately felt as if I stumbled into someone’s living room. Edwins is not very big, maybe ten tables. The whole interior, the furnishings in combination with the candlelight, created a warm and homely atmosphere. Even the background music blended in nicely.
I browsed through the wine list and liked quite a few options. After a quick chat with the lovely waitress, I went with her recommendation, the inexpensive Masseria Dei Carmelitani, Gavi di Gavi, Italy, from 2014. It was a very fresh wine with citrus notes, perhaps a bit sour, while also being fruity.
To start my dinner, I ordered the item described simply as «rabbit, spinach, polenta». If you ask me, this is pure understatement for a brilliant dish. The little plate even came with parmesan shavings on top. At the core there were pieces of delicius rabbit with a sauce that intensified the beautiful, light rabbit flavour with a pinch of salt. The little, carefully cut polenta square with spinach inside was a delight. It was an absolutely amazing, elegant and well-​balanced starter — I would take a bigger portion as main anytime.
Following the rabbit was guinea fowl breast, confit leg & autumn vegetables. I also added some fries. There were three pieces of guinea fowl on the plate, with the confit leg having the most crispy and tasty skin. The largest piece was the guinea fowl breast, a nice chunk of meat with a pleasant and strong taste and again great, crispy skin.
In contrast to the main, the fries were remarkable unremarkable. At least, the otherwise disappointing softness allowed them to soak up the lovely sauce very well.
The vegetables that came with the main were okay, pretty similar to what you get with any Sunday roast. The carrots were fine, but a bit too buttery for my taste.
I was very lucky that they gave me a table at all. They were pretty much fully booked, but one table was only booked from one hour later, so they sat me there. After finishing my main, I moved over to the bar — just to discover about 45 minutes later, that the bar was also booked then, resulting in a bit of a rush, as I had not expected that. Still, I am happy that they were so flexible and accomodated me spontaneously. Given the time constraint, the service was friendly and efficient so I could easily complete starter and main within one hour.
The helpful waitress stayed with me as I moved to the bar, and when going through the dessert menu a bit later, she recommended the chocolate fondant. Another valuable tip — the fondant was warm and runny in the centre, as it should be, and intensely chocolatey. The small size was just right, so I could still fit it in. The honeycomb ice cream did not really add much to the dish, it was okay, but maybe not strong enough in itself to cut through the chocolate.
At the end, when one waiter announced that the bar where I was sitting by then was booked in fifteen minutes, I rushed it a bit and ended my great dinner abruptly with a cocktail, downed probably a tad too quickly. I had heard about Monkey 47 gin a few months before, but not the opportunity yet to taste it. As I saw it on the drinks list, I decided to seize the chance and go for it. While sitting at the bar, I could see that the bartender looked like he knew what he was doing, I still went for a rather simple option, a classic gin and tonic. The gin was beautifully smooth and a worthy last leg of my stay at Edwins.
Edwins in Borough really does very tasty, beautiful food in an intimate atmosphere, I enjoyed every minute and would definitely go again.

The food here is tasty and the portions are solid. I was impressed with the menu and appreciated the variety of dishes from air, land, and sea. The pigeon was amazing and prepared well. The oysters are fresh and the scallops were great as well. I asked the two servers their favorite go to dishes. They both varied accept on the short ribs. I got that dish and enjoyed it. The meat was tender and delicious. Good veggies and sides as well.
I also had the chocolate fondant with the honey comb vanilla ice team. This was amazing and was a fresh version of a molten lava cake. The ice cream pairing was top notch and the raspberry purée was excellent.
The location is literally a stones’ throw from the underground stop. The service was good and was constant.
They had an excellent selection of drinks and beverages. The bread service was tasty and the dinning room while small, is very cozy.
I would recommend this place and give it a try. The food is good and fresh. The menu appears to change with the season.

The décor is excellent, more 1920’s speakeasy than restaurant above a pub. Soft lighting, intimate, the ideal place for a romantic dinner or clandestine affair. The staff are stylish and helpful too.
The pan fried pork belly starter is delicious, immensely fattening I’m sure, but the blackened crispy skin and succulent pig flesh are delightful enough to overlook the waistline issue. The scallops in shredded filo look wonderful and there’s a pleasant crunch to the pastry but the only thing you can really taste is the oil they are fried in.
The pollock with jersey potato is very pleasant but the venison is a bit of a let-​down, all texture but little flavour really and you really need something to augment the meagre celeriac rosti accompaniment. I picked fries, which are a safe option and they were fine.
The chocolate fondant and honeycomb ice-​cream is delicious, I’m not a huge ice-​cream fan, but I wanted to order another before I’d even finished the first.
We had a crisp organic French Viognier which was OK. The Viognier grape, much like the Chardonnay can produce, depending on climate, harvesting and viniculture, some quite sharp mineral wines or at the other end of the scale something more like a big mouthful of really mellow. I prefer my whites to be big soft lush wines, which is I why I’d rather drink an easy going Macon than a flinty Chablis. That’s just me I suppose, so the Viognier didn’t really get my thumbs up.
I’m not sure whether this place should get a three or a four star review. It’s so close to a four, but at the end of the day, I don’t have a burning urge to go back. It was good, but the venison and the scallops don’t have me wanting to hop off the tube at London Bridge and walk South along Borough High Street and a four star place would do that. If I go there again I’ll opt for the rib-​eye and maybe I’ll be able to rewrite this review with an extra star.

Situated just a few meters away from Borough tube station, Edwins restaurant never stops impressing.
Every dish is fresh and packed with flavour: a delicate pigeon with artichoke and port sauce, a lightly spiced hake with mussel broth, and a scrumptious chocolate fondant with ice cream (as gooey as it gets). All the food has a home-​made comforting feel to it.
Based on the premises of a first floor apartment, a small restaurant with just a few tables feels very cosy. Prices are more than affordable, with set menus offering a great value. The service is attentive and pleasant.
Would visit again? Yes, with pleasure.

Arriving — the door is tucked in next to a largish pub (Trinity, I think). Head upstairs and go into the dining area — the hostess is by the bar. I didn’t see her at first and ended up in the kitchen. Which I guess was a fun detour. :)
I was there on my own on a Friday at 8pm — it was full, but they let me wait at a reserved table until a spot opened at the bar. The bar clearly isn’nt intended to be seating — the entire place is tiny and the bar has two stools), but they were very nice and told me they would serve me there. I am sure they didn’t want to waste a two-​top on me, so it worked out well for all.
I had a very nice Negroni, the ox cheek pudding appetizer, and the halloumi hash. The ox cheek was really nice (cheek usually is, though) — the dough for the pudding reminded me of a knish from a Jewish deli. The halloumi hash had celeriac and pumpkin in it, and those were the leading flavors. It was quite tasty, and served with ha side of sauteed mushrooms and a greens salad.
I cut myself off, but I can only imagine dessert would have been great too. I’ll come back the next time I am in the area.

We had a bit of a difficult time finding Edwin’s, (the door is a bit hidden and nondescript,) but once we climbed the stairs into the cozy little dining area, we felt right at home.
Edwin’s has a warm and welcoming vibe, with the entire restaurant holding maybe 30 people at most. Large windows line the 1^st story street front wall, allowing in the last of the late summer evening sunshine.
We had an early booking and were the first to be seated, but the staff was no less attentive. We chose to go with the set menu as offered on Open Table, and were delighted with the results. The menu is fairly concise, but offers a bit of something for everyone.
We started our dinner with a tasty glass of prosecco, and I chose the scallops in filo for a starter which was fantastic, though I can’t say that any of the 4 of us were disappointed with our choice. Wine continued to flow, and even thugh half of the restaurant was taken up by a large group, our waitress remained friendly and attentive.
For a main I went with the lamb, which as cooked perfectly. From fish, to lamb, to a veggie dish, everyone was once again very pleased with the mains. My pudding was a bit basic, but still quite tasty none the less.
We look forward to returning to Edwin’s, and it seems like an excellent place to take out of town guests, or maybe another visit on date night.

If you only get anything from this review, just know that the food here is amazing and the kitchen seems to be really efficient because it always comes out quickly.
I could see stopping here just for the chocolate fondant and honeycomb ice cream dessert they offer. That was pure magic on a plate.
What I wasn’t too please with was the service. They came by a first time and when we weren’t quite ready and then about ten minutes later a different waitress came by to try again. She was so quiet you couldn’t hear a word she said most of them time. I’m not saying you need to be super loud and outgoing for the job, but speaking loud enough for a table of five to hear you would be nice. After we ordered out drinks and starters is when it got bad. After that they rarely came back and we had to wave them over. It was also odd that they took the menus after the starters, but before we ordered our meals.
Maybe that part is a cultural thing that I’ve yet to notice (in which case, if it is, disregard what I said and bump this up to a four because it’s great but they kept the place so dark it was hard to see).
Overall it was an okay to good experience. I could see going back… just not on this trip.

Edwins is a place that you have to deserve.
Footsteps from Borough Station and on the left of the Trinity pub is located the tiny entrance. Once you pass the door and climb up the stairs it’s like you are leaving London for the time of a lunch or dinner.
The cottage like decoration and only 40-​covers will make you feel at home as you seat in a large and cosy leather chair. A revisited modern ambiance with very friendly staff and nice jazzy music.
We went there for the time of a lunch break and enjoyed the express lunch offer at £10 composed of two small plates and a side.
There is no more to say than «we loved it». Plates made from fresh products, asparagus, scallops, spinach risotto, tartare… If you are a scallops lover, you really need to try these ones as it is surprising and delicious.
Even though I like this little cosy ambiance and wished I could keep this place secret for myself, I will without hesitation recommend for you to stop there for a meal.

Edwins is a lovely edition to Borough and although well hidden, when you find it, you feel like you’ve been let in on a great little secret! Under ten minutes walk from Borough Market, I recommend you take a break from an afternoon out there and venture to Edwins.
The staff were welcoming, especially Mo. There was a level of comfort in Edwins as there’s only room for 40 covers. It is a nice break from large gastropubs packed with people!
We indulged a little, starting with some oysters. Shucked and presented beautifully, it was a fresh start to our meal. We followed that up with a few small plates, the best being the rabbit and polenta. Everyone at my table unanimously agreed that was a dish we could have everyday. The pork belly, mussels & clams and steak tartare also rated high. We finished with kippers on toast which was a nice addition to the menu as it was simple but such an ode to pub tradition.
Our friends had the rib eye steak, which he said was cooked to perfection. The venison was presented beautifully and tasted just as good!
Overall, I hope more people find out about Edwins (as long as I can still get myself a table!) I’ll certainly be back to try their brunch menu.

I would have never expected to find such a nice little restaurant in the quiet area of Borough, especially upstairs of the Trinity pub who kindly led us the way up to the hidden restaurant. If it wasn’t for social media I would have never found the place. It was however conveniently located on the right of the station and is hard to miss such a lively pub. It was a lovely atmosphere upstairs with a nice warm Victorian feel to it, draped off-​white curtains and an old fireplace in sight. Service was welcoming, very attentive and somewhat a bit formal but it is a new restaurant so I’m sure they will lighten up as time goes by.
Prior the dinner I was reading quite a few disappointments in regards to their meal, meats being too dry etc. Of course that is always expected on a soft opening but what really made my day was that they listened to their previous diners and improvements and readjustments were made.
The meal started with complimentary Sourdough bread which I recommend them changing even though it is free. It was too dry and not ideal for buttering. It was something more for dipping into olive oil. But luckily the proper food started to arrive. The highlight was definitely the scallops in filo with harrissa mayo– fresh, soft and buttery in the lightest crispy filo I have ever bitten into with the harrissa mayo giving it that good creamy zing and sweetness. The pork belly had major improvements from what I read from previous diners. They weren’t mouth melting but were a lot more soft and tender, beautifully flavoured and contrasted with the delicate crunchy cauliflower fritters. The rabbit polenta was more successful, meat falling off the bone well complemented with the soft spongy polenta, slightly charred and lightly seasoned. It was a rich, hearty satisfying starter,
As the restaurant started to fill up service slowed down. I can only imagine the kitchen being quite small. Still our mains arrived after an appropriate wait along with our garlic mash. For a person who doesn’t like the breast of poultry I was shocked how much I enjoyed the Guinea fowl which was mostly breast, It was such a hearty dish with the mushy, soft butter beans and tender meat with the brussel tops giving it that good bite and pronounced taste. Amazing flavours and textures, probably one of my favourite dish that evening.
Venison although another dish that had improved from previous comment was quite bland for me. It wasn’t dry but still quite dense and could have been more juicy and succulent. However the accompanying sides such the sweet soften broccoli and organic carrots really did the dish justice, giving it good flavours and textures, along with the lighter creamy mash. This dish definitely has potential to be something better.
I also loved the addition of garlic to the mash with nicely seasoned it although I wish they worked on the presentation of how it is served to make it look more appetising.
Desserts took an awful wait and I wish it was written down on the menu that the chocolate fondant could take up to 20 minutes as we were not warned at all or approached. We were only told after we asked in which they then explained it takes a while to get the chocolate inside the fondant perfectly melted. But luckily the chocolate fondant did make up for some of the wait as it was amazing. I don’t think it was possible so much chocolate could fill such a small casing but it did. The cake itself was light, whilst the chocolate that leaked out of it was warm, rich, velvety and smooth. It was pure indulgent balanced nicely with the smooth vanilla ice cream. I wish they didn’t serve that in a bowl so it could just melt into the fondant as well.
After eating such a sweet warm dessert it probably wasn’t the best idea to then move on to the less sweeter pear and almond tart with chattily cream. But I still enjoyed the soft pears and almond flavour. It could have been a little sweeter I think. Sadly the crust was a bit overbaked so it was a bit hard and dry but was helped a bit by the cream.
Overall it was a fantastic meal, very inventive in terms of combinations, textures and flavours. Portion sizes were quite generous, especially the starters. If you order just a main you might need a side to accompany it but that can bulk up the price which is already quite dear after soft launch. But quality shines in this restaurant with great attention to detail and I can only imagine it to get better because they are listening to their diners. A mini questionnaire was given at the end of our meal so our comments and opinions can be heard. A restaurant that cares– awesome.

The innocuous door to the left of the Trinity Pub you to the New Orleans-​style salon that is Edwins Borough. We were greeted with enthusiasm and quickly relieved of our coats, bags, and helmets before being ushered graciously to our table. The service continued to be spot on all night with our waitress picking up on it being a birthday celebration and bringing the girl of the hour a complimentary glass of bubbly. In fact our lovely server epitomized the atmosphere with her friendly yet professional look and demeanor enhanced by a slight edge and plenty of excitement. This is a great place to relax with friends but one that encourages social exuberance (the entire restaurant joined in on Happy Birthday) and energy.
The appetizers are styled as sharing plates with 8 options in total although think tapas to get an idea of portion size. The standouts were the deep fried scallops wrapped in filo, the cured salmon, and the beetroot, goat curd, and pomegranate salad. The scallops were cooked perfectly to retain the sweet taste while the crunchy filo pastry provided an excellent texture contrast. Lightly cured, the salmon was smooth and silky on the tongue while retaining a full rich flavor. But for me, the most surprising was the salad as I’m not the biggest fan of beetroot yet the earthy notes worked well with the creamy cheese and tangy pomegranate. Plus it was an absolute visual beauty of a dish!
The rest of the starters were decent but needed some tweaks. Rabbit with polenta comprised of some tasty meat but also a slick polenta with a very off-​putting and almost slimy texture. The steak tartar on the other hand had the texture component nailed but lacked any zest or heat that I’d expect — a bit of horseradish or mustard and some salt would go a long way here. And the pork belly had tons of concentrated flavor but was dry to the point of jerky.
Onto the mains. The rib eyes, recommended medium-​rare, were tasty with a simple seasoning yet suffered from an uneven cook. Similarly the venison was medium-​well on the outer edges to almost blue in the middle. The real stand out component of the dish was the shallot purée — absolutely packed full of flavor and something I’d be keen to make at home to spread on pretty much anything.
The wine selection is extensive for the size of the restaurant (about 10 – 12 each on red or white and a half dozen rose and bubbles) and very reasonably priced with the more expensive wines topping out at around £45.
Our meal including wine came to £35pp at soft open prices and would have been around £50pp at full menu prices. Starters and desserts are almost uniformly £6, sides about £4/​item, and mains range from £16−18.

Thanks to Sharon for organising a trip to Edwins’ soft opening. My hardest mission of the night was to find their front door. It’s located to the left of Trinity pub, a few footsteps from Borough Tube station
It’s nicely decorated, with perhaps a classy Victorian parlour feel to it. The staff were superb, looking after us well throughout the evening adn coming up with special touches of champagne for our birthday girl
The menu is well written and the staff have obviously tasted the food, coming up with personal favourites to recommend. I really can’t understand restaurants where their front of house staff have no idea about the food they’re serving
The starters/​small plates section was more experimental than the mains. As there were 7 of us, we ordered all 8 small plates! My personal favourites were the scallops deep fried in filo pastry served with a piquant harissa mayo and a rich rabbit. I was impressed how the restaurant was so keen for constructive feedback, giving us all feedback forms to fill in at the end of the mail. So, in this spirit, could I suggest that the beef tartare be given more a kick to enhance the quality beef and the polenta needs a rethink
I went with the venison, which had good flavour but was overcooked on the outside, leading to the 2 end pieces being very chewy. This was similar with the steak but I think some adjustment on cooking times should solve it My friends also said they would prefer the bearnaise sauce to be served warmer. The bouillabaiise had good flavour but the soup needed to be more plentiful and less concentrated. Sides included lovely new potatoes and chips
Desserts included a perfectly chocolatey fondant with gooey middle
The prices were very reasonable and if tyhey iron out a few things from this soft opening, this will become a favourite with the group

I came here in a group of five for a Sunday lunch. The staff were really friendly, the food was great and the environment was very cozy. Certainly recommended! We will be coming back!