St. JOHN Restaurant, London

It was my last night in London and I asked a couple of my Londoner foodie friends, where should I go for my last meal? Both of them said, St. JOHN Bar and Restaurant. Period.

Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver opened the original Smithfield location of St. JOHN and it’s been a pioneer in nose-to-tail eating since 1994. To this day, it’s an institution considered to be one of London’s finest places to eat. Anthony Bourdain frequently referred to St. JOHN as his “favorite restaurant in the world”.

Set in an old smokehouse, the interiors are quite simple with whitewashed walls, industrial-style lights, and bare floorboards – ensuring the focus remains on the food.

Head Chef Fergus Henderson’s menu champions rare cuts of meat, with many dishes being based on historical English recipes. Seasonality at its core, the menu is rewritten for each daily service. Potatoes and greens are consistently on the menu but the varieties and types change regularly. The white glove service is impeccable and the waiters spend time in the kitchen and are quite knowledgable.

We started our meal with Anthony Bourdain’s favorite dish, Roast Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad. One scoops it out then slathers it on sourdough toast, with a scattering of zingy parsley salad. We also had Asparagus and Hot Butter – quite simple and delicious.