I do love it when a good plan comes together. A last-minute restaurant booking, sun, outdoor seating, river views, terrific service, delicious wines and serious steak. It’s not easy to have all of those boxes ticked under one roof either, but someones got to have them and that someone is High Timber. A tempting South African restaurant in the City of London, looking over the River Thames and Millennium Bridge, with standing room for drinks in the sun and a few seats with views across the London skyline. It’s very hidden too, which makes this place even more of a hidden gem.
Settled into our al fresco space, we divulged in a lovely glass of refreshing South African sparkling wine, paired with a plate of biltong. I’ve never been the biggest biltong fan, nor have I disliked it – but try it here and you’ll realise just what you’re missing. They make their own biltong and it’s incredible. Soft, tender and deep meaty flavour. A plate of this stuff lasted only minutes. Keeping with the beef theme we also tucked into our favourite starter of the evening. Rare slithers of beautiful beef carpaccio, covered in truffle, Parmesan, rocket and croutons – need I say more.
South African food usually focuses around meat, so it was nice to see some fresh seafood additions here. The grilled mackerel with gooseberries, hazelnuts, dressed beetroot and horseradish was a beautifully presented plate of food – though it could have done with a little extra charring or blowtorch action on the skin for extra depth. The starter of High Timber smoked salmon stole the show. A delicate smokiness, sliced to the perfect thickness, silky creamed horseradish and malty rye bread. Everything was washed down with a delicious Migliarina Chardonnay.
A trip to High Timber wouldn’t be the same without going back to basics – meat. Expect to find limited daily cuts and Chateaubriand, as well as menu favourites such as our succulent sirloin and thick rib eye. The kitchen really knows how to handle their meat and cook each to perfection – giving it all a nice smokey flavour. High Timber may have strong steak competition locally, but they’re equally just as good. Make sure you also order a side of crispy HT chips, plate of sesame snow peas with caramelised onions and chilli, plus the simple but terrific Alex’s salad – apparently it’s a South African staple served alongside every meal. Wine wise, let the staff choose – they know exactly what’s best. Our punchy Cobblers Hill was incredibly easy to drink.
And even still when dessert arrived, we were impressed and satisfied. Don’t get me wrong, the food isn’t complex or unusual here, but it’s full of flavour, quality and so much love. A lovely panna cotta arrived looking vibrant and laced with vanilla – it was stunning. The classic South African malva pudding was similar to the British sticky toffee pudding, though this version was somehow better and also a little lighter – making it even more enjoyable.
High Timber really is a gorgeous restaurant and a hidden little gem. As much as I’d love to keep this place all to myself, it really needs people to know about it, as finding somewhere which feels like home in the middle of the city is a rare thing to come by. With fantastic steak, warm service and river views – I can’t think of any reasons to not visit this fantastic venue. High Timber is South African passion – all in one delicious neat package.
