Blacklock Canary Wharf

The owners of the Blacklock chophouse group didn’t fancy a contemporary glass monolith when they decided on a branch in Canary Wharf; instead, they picked a disused warehouse nestled under the train tracks of the North Dock. The result seems like a perfect fit for the group’s brand of jovial hospitality and meaty cooking.

Vintage Blacklock irons are used to grill its ‘skinny chops’ – naturally reared lamb T-bones, pork ribs, bone-in sirloins and more besides. The best deal is the £27 ‘all in’ sharing offer, which brings a stack of different meats piled high on herb-flecked chargrilled flatbreads. That said, some of the best things are the supporting acts: ‘pre-chop bites’ such as potted meats with kimchi; sides including BBQ baby gems with anchovy ‘dripping’, and all sorts of extras – from chilli hollandaise and garlic marrow spread to the near-legendary Blacklock gravy served in old-fashioned ‘boats’.

Lunch brings steak sarnies and burgers, while Sunday is reserved for Blacklock’s ‘plentiful’ roasts – perfect for groups who can partake of the ‘all in’ offer of three meats plus the ‘crunchiest duck-fat potatoes’ and more of that aforementioned gravy. Round things off with apple crumble or the ‘say-when’ white chocolate cheesecake, doled out from a big bowl at the table. To drink, there are zingy cocktails (don’t miss the ‘beefy Marys’ on Sundays), plus own-label beers and non-spendy wines (some on tap).