Shutters Restaurant Review: Think of Canary Wharf and you will conjure images of glinting glass skyscrapers towering above the clouds and slick city types walking with determination. Finance centre of London, awash with futuristic architecture and an unquestionable sense of its own self-importance, it’s true that Canary Wharf could come across as too unfriendly or intimidating for it to be a top spot to dine – but nothing could be further from the truth.
Stepping off the tube in Canary Wharf and you are greeted with an iconic sight that could be straight from a film, setting the scene for your very own theatrical night. Framed against a twinkling starlit sky, your eyes focus upon untouchable buildings of steel and glass that glow in unison with their starry backdrop. Amongst the urban oasis of banks and business buildings is One Canada Square, the third tallest building in the United Kingdom. In line with the slick sophistication of its surroundings, you will be greeted with shining grey marble floors and walls in what appears to be a vast, luxury hotel lobby. Glide towards the sound of laughter, chatter and clinking glasses in the far away corner and you will find the brand new Shutters restaurant amongst this chic contemporary grandeur. Before you sit down to even sip your first cocktail, you are certain to already feel intoxicated by a feeling of sheer opulence that is omitted by your surroundings.
Designed with simplistic modernism and utter quality in mind, Shutters is set over two open-plan levels. With no walls and an open staircase, Shutters emits airy space in reflection of the Canary Wharf location.
Cartel Bar
It has incorporated two styles of drinking and dining; the upper level is Cartel, a dedicated cocktail bar inspired by the delights of Mexico, serving Artisan Mezcals, pure Tequilas, clean spirits and top-shelf tipples from around the world paired with an array of tasty tacos, and on the lower level is the restaurant, which prides itself on a connection with the coast of Cornwall, using produce fresh from the county’s shores and fields, and serving it in the form of dishes inspired by the vibrant sun-soaked living of Southern California.
We sat down to our spacious marble-topped table and selected a cocktail each to start. The cocktail menu was full of wildly inventive concoctions unique to Shutters. I opted for a ‘Big Mouth Tiki’ consisting of white and spiced rum, blue curacao, grenadine, lime pineapple and orange, topped with boozy cherries in a tiki tumbler.
With such a wonderful array of starters and sharing dishes, we asked our friendly waiter to help us decide on some of Shutters’ best bits. The ‘Cornish Crab Nachos’ were top of his list – adorned with gorgeous shredded crab, jalapeno cheese, scallions, lime, sour cream and pickle, these were the ideal dish to share with friends and ease into the Cornwall meets California menu. My dinner date was vegetarian, so we opted for the ‘Globe Artichoke and Aubergine Fritti’ that was accompanied by a scrumptious dip of labneh, dehydrated yoghurt and fresh honeycomb.
The breakfast menu at Shutters
As the cocktail list was so enticing and full of tempting treats we could not resist trying, we decided to pause before our mains to sample some more. Arriving from the bar in a dramatic style prime for Instagram, the ‘Gold Rim Pornstar’ came garnished with a passion fruit lit with real flames and a dazzling rim of gold dust – in perfect harmony with our affluent surroundings. Making another entrance fit for the stage was the ‘Coffee and Cigars’ – Columbian Mezcal, Mr Black’s Cold Brew Liqor, pink grapefruit and the piece-de-resistance ‘smoke’ (dry ice). And yes, they tasted just as good as they looked.
All photography- Steve Joyce
Excited for our mains, which also arrived in style, I tucked into the ‘Braised and Griddled Octopus’ which was cooked to perfection and had that satisfying squeaky octopus texture with extra added flavour to the freshness, thanks to the smoked paprika oil and garlic aioli. Alongside this, was the vegan-friendly ‘Cauliflower Crust Pizza’ topped with aubergine, griddled onions, sesame tahini, olive tapenade and pickles. Needless to say, both dishes were delectable – inventive, full of flavour and utterly fresh – I would recommend Shutters Canary Wharf to anyone that loves surreal cocktails, delicious food and stunning surroundings. The ultimate Canary Wharf dining experience.
