Duchy is a very worthy successor to the much-missed Leroy
Alex Grant and chef Simon Shand met at Leroy in 2021, with Simon holding a Michelin star at the restaurant until he left in 2024. Following a trip to San Sebastian together, the pair planned to open their own place, and it just so happened that the site of their old haunt became available, so they took it and transformed it into Duchy. It’s been a light touch decor-wise – apart from a fresh lick of paint, some new artwork by Dan Feit, and an updated selection of vinyl for the record wall, it feels very familiar.
Eat This
Though the look and the vibe – great wine, European small plates – of Duchy is similar to Leroy, Alex and Simon haven’t just done a copy of what was here before. There’s a more specific inspiration behind the restaurant in the historical Duchy of Savoy, which encompassed a large part of south east France and north west Italy, as well as Simon’s passion for game and pasta.
That translates to a concise menu that’s all killer, no filler. It seems to be changing pretty regularly too – the deep-fried courgette flowers that we’d spied on Instagram weren’t on the menu sadly but the Yuritta anchovies with marjoram and guanciale on crostini were. An insane salty fatty bite, easily one of the best snacks in London right now, closely followed by the brown crab arancini.
Tonnato in one form or another seems to be a mainstay – on our visit it was (very successfully) reimagined as a veal tartare topped with shoestring fries. Similarly, there’s at least one pasta, like an excellent special of short rib raviolo, a big fat parcel generously stuffed with meat and Italian greens. The Cornish plaice with grilled leeks and plump mussels provided a great counterpoint to the rich pasta.
If you’ve got a raging sweet tooth, the raspberry bombe Alaska is the perfect pudding, its vivid pink filling hiding under the burnished meringue, but may have loved the apricot and hazelnut tart even more.
Drink This
The wine list reflects the wine regions, like Savoie, Jura, Provence, Piedmont, Rhône and Liguria, which sit within the Duchy of Savoy area and there’s a considered selection on offer. Negroni fans will want to try the two regional options on offer – the ‘Negroni Savoyard’, with gin, vermouth and bitters from Chambery, and the ‘Negroni Savoiardo’, with gin, Antica Formula and Campari from Piedmont.
Why Go
If you miss Leroy, coming here is no-brainer. If you never went to Leroy, you’ll find cracking dishes (those anchovy crostinis!), great drinks and a fantastic relaxed atmosphere – what more could you want?
Key Information
Address | 18 Phipp Street, London, EC2A 4NU
For more information | @duchy.restaurant
