Last Updated on January 4, 2026
Standing out in Soho
When there are multiple Soho openings every day why pick Nessa? For me, it’s not about the parent company Maslow’s (they runs Lifestyle Clubs – 1 Warwick on the floors above Nessa, and Mortimer House) but rather about the man in the hot spot.
I first met Tom Cenci when I was doing the rounds of London supper clubs. The sort that young and aspiring chefs ran from their homes rather than the commercialised version that is more common these days. At the time, if I remember correctly, he was the head chef at a nearby wine bar and restaurant I liked a lot – and at the time, as he served us a delicious tartiflette to start an evening of total indulgence, he warned us not to tell anyone. It was the kind of secret I wanted to share, though it predates London-Unattached. He has reappeared a few times since, at Duck and Waffle in the days when the place was on my ‘must-take friends’ list and most recently at Loyal Tavern in Bermondsey, which gained a stellar reputation in the six months or so before Covid hit. Nessa is his latest restaurant, in the heart of Soho on the corner of Brewer Street and, with a March soft launch, it seemed entirely appropriate to check out. We booked weeks ago – and I’m rather glad that we did as there’s already a real buzz about the place.e
If, like me, you lurk around Soho far too often for your own good, you’ll appreciate that, unlike many of the restaurants in the area, Nessa is a large and light space with a substantial bar area (they do serve bar snacks and have a fabulous cocktail list too if you are not planning to eat a full meal) and a separate 100-cover dining room. The stylish comfortable space takes the best of Art Deco and blends it with contemporary and mid-century Scandi furnishing. It’s beautifully laid out with banquettes helping to add intimacy. The open kitchen at the back of the restaurant is clean, efficient and busy and with Stevie Wonder and Tania Maria on the playlist, this is a place where everyone will feel at home.
Temptingly, for those who are intending to stick to three courses, there’s a ‘breads and snacks’ section on the menu. Half a dozen oysters from that section, with fermented Jalapeno sauce that’s made in-house, hibiscus mignonette and spiced Ritz crackers will set you back £20. But, they are definitely worth it – super fresh and perfect with the peppery jalapeno. We excused ourselves the indulgence on the basis that I’m trying to avoid bread altogether at the moment but in honesty, I’d have liked to try the rolled oat soda bread with cultured butter – or actually any of the other offerings.
Nessa has an extensive wine list with plenty of options by the glass. As it was lunch, we picked a glass each of wine – for me Picpoul de Pinet ‘Les Courtelles’, Languedoc 2021 was super dry but soft on the palate with a nutty taste. My companion ordered a glass of Garnacha Blanca Nativa Care, Cariñiena, 2020, Spain, with tangy aromatics, notes of white melon and controlled acidity that he thought was particularly good with the oysters.
From the small plates section, I picked the trout crudo with citrus and olive oil which was slightly overwhelmed by the orangy dressing. Beautifully presented with tiny pansy petals and orange segments to accompany the dish, the generous portion had me longing to sit on a sun-basked terrace drinking Aperol Spritz.
My companion picked the winner though – a celeriac carbonara with pancetta, confit egg and winter truffle all heaped up in a bowl of tangled deliciousness. Rich and luscious, a fabulous dish where the celeriac ‘pasta’ somehow seemed more appropriate than the real thing.
There is a decent selection of other ‘small plates’ including a black pudding brioche with brown butter noisette and a plant-based selection of dishes like courgette and fennel minestrone or wood-fired leeks with almond ricotta and caramelised pecans. There’s also one plant-based option on the ‘large plate’ section of the menu (stuffed savoy cabbage) and another which is vegetarian (wild mushroom ravioli). But, it was Chicken Cordon Bleu which caught my eye. A dish that would take me back to my first meeting with Tom Cenci, that takes its inspiration from Alpine food, it is made by wrapping ham around cheese and using the mix to fill a chicken breast, which is breaded and fried. At Nessa, the chicken was served on a base of monks beard, green olive and grilled celery. The perfectly cooked chicken had a stunningly crisp shell, tender white meat and a melting filling that was pure comfort food.
My companion picked one of the daily specials, grilled monkfish served with green pepper, tomato and chilli relish and lime. It’s unusual and refreshing to have monkfish served on the bone. The fish is unlikely to win any beauty parades and chefs tend to cut it into neat shapes. But, cooking fish on the bone can really help with depth of flavour. This dish was beautifully cooked with delicious sweet flesh complemented by the complex piquant relish.
We enjoyed a side order of pink fir potatoes with olive oil, glistening and tender, cooked in their skins to enhance the delicately nutty flavour.
On to desserts – the Nessabockerglory sounded intriguing but so OTT that I left my companion to indulge in the mix of pretzels, salted caramel, rum-soaked raisins and popcorn with creamy vanilla and chocolate ice cream in a fabulous construction. I’ll find it hard not to order it next time!
Meanwhile, my baked Alaska was a grown-up cheffy presentation, with gingerbread icecream on a cinnamon biscuit crumb base, smothered in torched Italian meringue with a pretty accompaniment of poached rhubarb adding a subtle acidity to the dish.
Nessa feels comfy enough to have been in Soho for a lot longer than it has been. It’s a distinctive offering with a great ambience and some excellent food at keen prices. There is a good selection of healthy flexitarian dishes if you are feeling virtuous together with some truly indulgent options that are not quite as naughty as they sound. Don’t miss the celeriac carbonara – and have a black pudding brioche for me!
Nessa Soho
86 Brewer Street
W1F 9UB
Where else should you be checking out? We loved last month’s Restaurant of the Month, Jacuzzi – a really fun restaurant where you’ll enjoy the theatre as much as the food. And, we recommend everyone makes the journey to Kew for lunch or dinner at Hawthorn. In fact, we’ve been travelling out from Central London a bit recently – and loving what we found at JM Oriental too.
We’re planning to try out Story Cellar (from the people who brought you Restaurant Story) as soon as possible – we’ve heard great things – and with a location in Seven Dials it’s one of those places we are sure will be a big hit.
We’re really looking forward to the reopening of The Freak Scene in Putney. Scott Hallsworth is an old favourite of ours and we love his version of fusion cuisine. We are also intrigued by the relaunch of Manzi’s, a massive fish restaurant in Soho – one of two new openings from The Wolseley group who bought most of the Corbin and King properties last year.
Of course, we can’t wait to try Noble Rot in Shepherd Market. We love the Soho outlet and can’t wait to try the new opening in swanky Mayfair
And, we are looking forward to the opening of Riviera on 21 April, the fourth London restaurant from Emerald Hospitality, which is taking up the location of Sake no Hana, a Japanese restaurant we loved that closed during the Covid Crisis. If Riviera is anything like as good as its big brother El Norte we’ll be taking up residence.
Meanwhile, keep following our Restaurant of the Month series for hand-selected openings you won’t want to miss.
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