I know that Canary Wharf sometimes feels a world away from the rest of London, the sci-fi strolls along the glass-walled roads don't always help, but there's actually plenty of pockets that inspire a little faith in the area. Tucked by the river and loomed over by office buildings, somehow The Sipping Room manages to claw back a little life in this metallic London pocket, and here's why.
The Venue and Atmosphere
A plucky terrace spot seemed right for one of the warmest days of the year, and it certainly wasn't quiet. We luckily had a table reserved (even though it was only creeping past lunchtime), and i'd genuinely encourage others to do the same should the temperatures rise over a balmy 20 degrees in Canary Wharf. The terrace is large, has its own bar, sits right by the water and comes equipped with defining orange nods later found in the restaurant.
While inside of The Sipping Room is a world away from the metallic strides of outside with blankets strewn across chairs, rich autumnal tones, pockets of greenery and dashes of gold, all flank up by authentic, industrial materials as part of the warehouse conversion it's found in, the windows don't seep in much natural light. While this is a tucked and comfortable space for dinner in the evening or colder afternoons, no-one could neglect the dining tables outside on a day like this.
The terrace at The Sipping Room is perfect for a bout of people watching.
The Food and Drink
With a warehouse conversion to the back, water to the front and office buildings to the side, we wanted to start with cocktails and The Sipping Room came up trumps. Offering up four options for a sour (this is a winner in my book), we shared between us the Whisky Sour at £9.95 with Johnnie walker black label, lemon, sugar syrup, bitters & egg white alongside a Pisco Sour at the same price. I look for tart attitude and bite to my sours, and The Sipping Room provided on all fronts, offering little licks of heaven in cut glass.
Brunch was roaring through the tables, but i've become familiar with eggs at Drake and Morgan spaces, so I wanted to see how the rest of the menu could stand up. Starters came in the shape of crispy squid with a lemon mayonnaise (£6.50) alongside asparagus and poached egg with hollandaise sauce. The squid was stand-out, not only offering the perfect crunch and rich sauce, but fresh seafood that clung lovingly to the light batter. I always try to steer away from ordering the same dish as my boyfriend, but we were a pescatarian and a vegetarian on a mission. Both opting for the Halloumi Burger at £8.95 hummus, red pepper & flat mushroom, we weren't let down. I love when vegetarian burgers get the decency that meat ones do, and The Sipping Room promised that. The hummus addeda great texture to the whole dish, the halloumi was thick in portion and the red pepper offer a light and bitter cut through the wedge of mushroom. While our side of sweet potatoes were crisp to the touch, it was only the onion rings that lacked lustre and felt under cooked.
Cocktails at The Sipping Room are fun and luxurious at the same time.
Summary
While I know that you can spot a Drake and Morgan restaurant a mile off in London these days, The Sipping Room injects necessary colour and flavour into Canary Wharf. And while not always the cheapest dining experience, the level of service is exemplary, you're not disappointed in the selection of dishes, and cocktails by the river can definitely do no wrong.
