A firm favourite in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Leeds, Tattu is known for its exquisite modern Chinese food, along with its stunning, Instagrammable setting. The London location opened its doors on the rooftop of Tottenham Court Road‘s Outernet in 2022, so it was high time (pun intended) we took a visit.
Promising us a modern, unconventional approach to Chinese cooking, spoiler alert: Tattu does not disappoint. From the interiors to the glassware, the impeccable (yet super friendly) service to the precision of the presentation in the dishes, it was a real treat. Read on for my full review of Tattu London.
The atmosphere and interiors
First things first, the atmosphere and interiors. From the moment we stepped out of the lift and into the sixth-floor restaurant, we were welcomed by thoroughly attentive, warm service – and not in that overtly formal way you sometimes get at high-end restaurants. We genuinely built up a rapport with our server, and he made us feel like we were his only customers. The other staff members we engaged with also exuded this pride in providing great service.
Tattu’s ethos is to decorate with natural materials from around the globe – and they always aim to pay tribute to the character of the city they’re in, meaning no two Tattu restaurants are the same. Joyce Wang Studio are in charge of the décor here, with inspiration taken from a traditional Chinese courtyard house, split into four residencies themed around a different creature: Phoenix, Koi Carp, Dragon, and Tiger. The London restaurant is due to have a rather cool cherry blossom installation come spring, which I’m sure will be just as impressive as the rest of the restaurant.
The food
Okay, the food at Tattu London – the main event in a restaurant review, right? The attention to detail is phenomenal. The variation of flavours and textures in each dish is impressive, but the presentation? A whole new level. I’ve got to skip straight to dessert, and say the Cherry Blossom, with its chocolate, cherry and candy floss, was a work of art (and all completely edible). It’s served with a flourish of dry ice too, making it even more alluring. I’m not usually one for a Panna Cotta, but my goodness, again, so impressive. We expected the little koi fish to be sweets, but nope: a chef had taken the time to individually create them out cream. Truly the creme de la creme of the meal – Chantilly creme that is!
Now, let’s take it back to the start of our meal. We opted for one of the three set menus, which comprise four to six very filling ‘waves’ – although there are many a la carte, sharing plate options too. The mains were just as impressive as the desserts, but it was more the flavours of these dishes that captured our attention. The duck pancakes were my favourite out of all the dishes we ate (and there were many): the smell of the duck from the moment it is set down, to the flavours of the duck itself. This elevated version of the classic had additional elements like crispy onions and a cherry hoisin sauce, which took it to another level, and they did not scrimp on the amount of pancakes they gave us.
A special shout out goes to my second favourite dish too: the sea bass. It was sweet yet kind of charred, and broke away with a fork almost flake by flake. The meat of the sea bass was so succulent, I kept picking at the dish long after I was full. I also really loved the salmon sashimi dish, as the balance of flavours with the avocado and sesame was unique, but *chef’s kiss*. The word “hungry” was not in my vocabulary once we finished.
The drinks
The same commitment to presentation extends to the drinks menu. I visited Tattu near Mother’s Day, so tried their limited edition The Ruby Rose Fizz. Presented in a gorgeous, delicate rose-shaped glass, the drink was smooth, and a little sweet, made with the Everleaf Mountain, yuzu, and Laurent Perrier Champagne. However, it’s not just their limited edition drinks that are special: their ‘standard’ cocktail menu is far from standard. My Fruit Mountain Tea cocktail was served in a tall glass that was reminiscent of a tea cup, and tasted just like a boozy peach iced tea. The Plum Blossom Sour comes complete with a diamond-shaped carved ice cube, and a flourish of dry ice to really impress.
Overall, I can’t fault anything at Tattu London in this review – does “I left too full” count?! The whole experience is a well oiled machine, and clearly planned to a T, but without being overbearingly so for guests. I even noted the wonderful view of the London Eye from the well placed window near the bathroom… They really thought of everything!