Cornerstone in Hackney

Our second to Cornerstone and it confirmed that it is. our favourite place to eat in London. My fiance and I have lived in London for over 12 years and are huge foodies - regularly visiting the stunning food scene the capital has to offer. But Cornerstone is an absolute gem - 10/10 service, delicious food, fab drinks and outstanding value for money! You will not find another meal or experience like this, for the price. We have been here twice now, and it's become 'our' restaurant - likely to frequent now for all anniversaries and celebrations!

We visited the restaurant this week and we were overall disappointed. I did not say anything whilst we were there because we were with friends and I did not want to create a scene. However, the overall experience was poor: - the service was ok but not exceptional as would be expected for the price; - allergies were recognised but left the options very limited; - the menu was confusing; - the food was average. We eat out daily and globally and we were underwhelmed. We have small appetites but the portion sizes left us hungry after three courses. The pastrami was shockingly dry and poor; and the brill was way overpriced for the quality provided. I ate a steamed fish recently in Thailand which was far better in taste, quality and value; - payment: The prices are way above average for average food. The bill was provided before requested. We were still drinking our coffee’s and wanted another drink; and - departure: our coats were brought to us without request. Basically saying “leave now”. Sadly, a poor experience. I wrote to complain but I have to date received no response.

Finally made it to Tom’s restaurant but well worth the wait. Sipped a glass of champagne whilst choosing from the lunchtime menu. Food was interesting, depth of flavours all delicious, having decided to stay on the bubbles we then chose a dessert wine to go with our final plate

I’d been looking forward to this for so long and unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations. The main problem was the menu was difficult to decipher and the waiting staff weren’t able to easily explain it. We asked on three separate occasions for some advice and each time were left feeling more confused. I feel this would be better as a set tasting menu or fully a la carte, rather than a hybrid. And being clearer about what constitutes a starter / main or small / big portion would be helpful too. I also found the room too noisy and this contributed to not being able to hear the waiting staff well. Their rushed descriptions and whisking every plate away the second it was finished (or not in one instance) left us feeling a bit harried. Food was nice but not as wow as I was hoping for.

Everything was perfect- amazing food and service. We would absolutely recommend the cocktail pairing - four cocktails that worked really well with each course. One of the cocktails wasn’t on the main drinks list- it was vodka, Sauvignon and basil- and was so good we ordered another at the end of the meal. Highlights on the menu were the crab bun and the Hake Kyiv but honestly everything was delicious. I was amazed how good the pre-dessert of rhubarb and custard was. We can’t wait to come back

Lovely space, ambience, staff, and food, just every course had some sort of bread/dough accompaniment, and I wish they did something else, especially for us less carbohydrate loving people, otherwise a great evening!

The server we had seemed miserable from start to finish. She had no awareness of the menu when asked specific questions. Even when asked simple questions such as which options are not raw, she recommended pastrami which is clearly raw. Then suggested the mackerel pate, I asked if it was cooked and she replied partially. So I said so it’s raw, so neither can I have that. I ordered the seabass and it was served to me raw, even though it was not meant to be. What if this was an allergy, would I be taken seriously then? The issues I had give me no confidence that they can cater to specific dietary requirements at this establishment. When the waitress was reading out the wine flight my dad ordered to go with his meal, we couldn’t hear a word she was saying. I asked her to speak up and still could not hear her mumbling. Such a shame, we had a great experience the first time we came. Poor staffing knowledge and staff persona ruined this restaurant for us. I’m not sure why someone would work in the industry if they seem to hate it. Not a single smile given the entire meal just constantly seemed annoyed. Don’t try getting a response via email from the restaurant, you have to email two or three times to even be acknowledged. Won’t be returning.

Lunch at Cornerstone was fabulous: excellent service, the most flavoursome and delicious food, pleasant and reasonably priced wines. Tom wasn’t present in the kitchen today, but his outstandingly good brigade did not let standards slip: the amuse bouche, oysters, breads and butters, crab bun, hake Kiev, and wines were exceptional. Truly exceptional! I thank staff for their recommendations - spot on! And the excellent service. Good value too. Thank you to all. A memorable lunch. See you soon!

We came for my friends birthday celebration and had the chefs selection and wine pairing. Honestly the best food I’ve eaten and I’m a huge fan of Rick Stein so I’ve switched allegiance to Tom Brown very willingly 😂😂!! Service was exemplary especially from the lovely Dominika who couldn’t have been more attentive and friendly. We were blown away by the quality of the food and the beautiful wine. An absolute winner of an evening, can’t recommend highly enough.

We absolutely loved our experience at this relaxed restaurant. The food was top class. The pickled oysters and crab bun were my favorites. Price was reasonable for the quality. The mint chocolate dessert was pretty awful though. Did not match the standard of the rest of the meal, we were very surprised someone decided to serve this... Overall though, we would strongly recommend and we will definitely be back!

On the evening of 04th Aug, I had an important business dinner. I chose the Cornerstone restaurant based on reviews and recommendations. My two guests and I opted for the Chef’s Selection (Bill Number 33891). Our server informed us that the dishes would be served in the centre of the table for the three of us to share. Although this might be uncomfortable while dining with people whom you may not know very well, we were curious about the Chef's Selection menu, and we decided to give it a try. It started well. However, the whole experience ended being awkward. Even though I paid for three sets of Chef’s Selections, some of the dishes were clearly designed for two people, not three. I am still trying to figure out how to divide two buns, two portions of raspberry sauce, and two portions of kimchi (attached image). When I questioned the waitress about the situation, she merely stated that we were getting a better deal, because one bun was meant for two people. It was not an appropriate situation to argue about, so I chose to let it go for the time being. To make matters worse, the dessert only offered two portions for three people (attached image).We were left struggling to determine who should go first and how much of it we should take. While the restaurant indeed deserves a Michelin recommendation for its food, I cannot imagine what the Michelin's food critics would say if they were in our position. As someone who frequently dines out, I expect a certain level of service and attention to detail. Unfortunately, this was not the case during my visit to your establishment. I left the restaurant feeling cheated and humiliated. It was an embarrassing experience.

August installation of my celebration takes us to Cornerstone by chef Tom Brown, a finalist on Great British Menu 2018, down in Hackney Wick. As a native of Cornwall, Tom offers a seafood menu in a relax and casual atmosphere. We opted for the Chefs Selection with pairings, and simply WOW. This is clearly in our top 2 so far this year. If you are a fan of seafood, it’s worth a trip to Hackney Wick. Well done team Cornerstone

Enjoyed the tasting menu at Cornerstone last night. Started with a pickled dirty martini that was amazing. Best martini ever. Progressed to the tasting menu, each course better than the last. Barry, who led us thru each course was attentive and informative. Cornerstone exceeded our expectations. Looking forward to returning on our next trip to London.

Loved it here, like the menu concept, interesting to go to a fully seafood based Michelin restaurant. Based in Hackney Wick which is a quirky little cool area of London (much nicer than Hackney itself which is awful) great service, I’ve cool open dining area with kitchen in the middle, and fantastic food, really well thought out, amazing flavours, great Michelin experience. Loved the Kombucha too. XO crab but with gooseberry hoisin and Kimchi was immense, as was the Hake Kiev. All courses to be fair were fantastic, only slight disappointment was the dessert, whilst it was very nice it was not to a Michelin standard compared to the other courses, just a standard dessert, luckily the cheese course prior to it was beautiful as were the petit fours with the bill.

The food is just fantastic. My friend and I went for the Chef's Selection because it included all the things we wanted to try anyway and was good value to boot. We were full by the end of the fifth course but we found room to enjoy the final cheese and dessert courses. Awesome! Lovely service and chilled vibe. We will be back!

The voucher for my husband's birthday was a gift from our daughter who had had a wonderful meal here with her husband and she wanted us to share the experience. As we live in West London, as far to the left of the tube map as 'Hackney Wick". is to the right, it was quite a long journey and to a part of London we did not know. But boy was it worth the travel time! A delightful simply designed restaurant with incredible service. Relaxed and friendly yet 'perfect'. A small menu with the opportunity to have a 'tasting menu', which our daughter had had and we didn't. We had (as recommended) five dishes 'to share', all of which were out of this world. Truly incredible food. It is a fish restaurant but it is not fish like you. have ever tasted before. It is not cheap! Well, it wouldn't be but our lunch, plus a pudding we shared and two glasses of beautiful Chablis each, came to over £200. It was worth it, I guess that is relative but then you don't go to a place like Cornerstone unless you are wanting a gastronomic treat.

The food is incredible, the flavours, the effort and prep going to each meal, the presentation and everything is just so delicious. I am not surprised this place has Michelin star as the food is fantastic. When it comes to rest I would say it is just about to get the star. However, this is just my personal taste. I am not fan of the decor but it goes well with East London vibe (honestly just personal preference). The service is good, loved also seeing staff having fun whilst cooking. I just prefer cosier places but then so many others adore this ambience and vibe. However, food is worth it. Expect to pay around 300 per 2. We paid 350 £ which I thought was high but then the food was amazing quality.

Second time eating here and didn’t disappoint at all. My son and I came for his birthday and had the chef’s menu - every single course was fantastic. Nice relaxed atmosphere and the staff were all very friendly and welcoming, and always attentive. One of the best meal’s I’ve eaten, and good value compared to other fine dining restaurants in my opinion. Can’t wait to go back :)

I'd been meaning to write a review way sooner, My partner and I visited last November whilst spending a few days in London, My partner had wanted to come here for a very long time, It did not disappoint, We had the taster menu at...

I visited for dinner with some friends and while the food was absolutely delicious, but the service we received from our waitress was disappointing. It's unfortunate that one employee's attitude can so negatively impact the overall dining experience. If the service was as excellent as...

This is one of the tastiest sharing tasting menus I have had the pleasure of eating. Well worth a pilgrimage to sample these delicious plates of food. Thank you.

I’d wanted to come to ‘Cornerstone’ for a few years, and although was a pilgrimage to get here from our Home in Kent, It was thoroughly worthwhile… The menu was fairly small, In the style of a Tapas restaurant, small sharing plates of which you...

Amazing food and fantastic service. Well looked after from beginning to end. The food was sensational. A well deserved Michelin star.

The food, the atmosphere, the staff- everything was just perfect for a special occasion lunch. As someone with an allergy who felt well looked after last time we visited- this time they had completely upped their game further and gave me alternatives to have for...

I visited the Cornerstone last week and was very impressed with the food and serviced received. I really enjoyed playing shuffle and darts. Not many pubs around with games like these anymore. Highly recommend

We returned to one of our favourite restaurants, shortly after I had been diagnosed with Coeliac disease, which has left me extremely allergic to gluten. I informed the restaurant beforehand and they reassured me they could accommodate me. I was so happy with how well...

there is no doubt that the food was amazing. We had the taster. Each dish was exquisite. The wine choices were excellent (although they need something more robust with tartare. The service was good, it was just about Michelin. Which is ok by me. What...

A must visit. One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time with truly delicious food, a lovely ambience and incredible service. Special shout out to our waiter Sergei who put the cherry on top of a wonderful evening out.

I felt compelled to write after reading recent negative reviews online, which made me nervous about visiting. I need not have worried as the whole experience was excellent. We had the tasting menu all of which was well executed, and the staff were very knowledgeable....

Visited this restaurant today with my bestie and it was absolutely amazing. The staff were so knowledgeable and incredibly friendly. We both had the chefs tasting menu. Every dish that came out, I thought I just want to eat this all night. Then another dish...

Really enjoyed our tasting menu lunch at Cornerstone. We felt each dish was fresh, tasty and interesting. Nice to see Tom at work! Service was well paced. Not completely faultless - our amuse bouche arrived at the same time as our first course and the...

The savoury dishese were good to excellent. Stand-out dishes were a gunard gazpacho and hake kiev, both of which I understandt are signature dishes. The dessert we had tasted as it was store-bought and was dreadful. Service was attentive but a little amateurish for a...

We came for lunch and left disappointed by the lack of care of the team (chef picking his nose several times, touching food while going back and forth on his phone). Inappropriate behaviour for a restaurant, especially a Michelin starred one . The dishes looked...

Unnecessarily rich and overly pungent flavours. I had heard a lot about this restaurant from friends and also saw Tom make his signature Hake kiev on television not long ago. This restaurant exudes “look at me but don’t look at me” energy, trying far too...

I was last here 3 years ago and was bowled over. It has gone seriously down hill. Food was good in parts but not great. Most dishes were tiny portions and not really for sharing at all. Presentation was poor. We asked the advice of...

Back in one of our very favourite restaurants, we brought my brother-in-law as a treat for his birthday. He has always been on the receiving end of our photos of the wonderful food so he was particularly happy to finally get to taste all the...

Great value 8 course chef’s selection meal. The ambience is laid back and not too pretentious despite the excellent quality fresh ingredients and cooking. Loved every dish but the highlights were the sea bream tartare, crab bun and blue cheese with peach tart. We enjoyed...

I'll start by saying this is a fish restaurant, there's no other options. Also, it's quite easy to walk past as you get drawn towards the pizza place at the end of the road. Once inside it's modern and trendy. The food is superb and...

The food here is outstanding, well deserved of its Michelin star, and the ambience informal and unpretentious . Would definitely like to return.

Having been brought up in London, Hackney Wick was a place to avoid unless you were driving through the Blackwell Tunnel!! But since the construction of the Olympic park just the other side of the A12, the area has been regenerated , with new bars...

Went back to try the venue out again. Started badly and went down hill in many ways. In my booking I specifically said I do not eat cooked cheese. The lady ( I later discovered was the manager apparently) made it clear that despite my...

This was a long-awaited and so much-anticipated visit to Cornerstone. It was even better than imagined. We enjoyed the full tasting menu, perfectly paced and introduced. Standouts were oysters with dill and horseradish; gurnard with grapes, apple and pickled celery; sea bream tartare. Wine pairing...

I had a superb experience at Cornerstone, service was friendly, laid back & unpretentious, matching the chilled vibe of the whole place, which is decked out in a Scandi-hip style & has a central open kitchen, from which you can see the chefs at work....

We visited for my partners 30th birthday last week... the food was exceptional! As to be expected and we were excited to see Chef Tom himself in the kitchen. The only hiccup was our greeting on arrival, unfortunately not the warmest of welcomes. However our...

It’s a relaxed open restaurant in an area I know nothing about but I was dying to try it. The food is the stand out, as it should clearly be, from the appetiser to the bread, then the simply stunning food- we had an amazing...

We are regular visitors here and it never disappoints. Wonderful food - the crab bun and the new mussel pate were particular stand outs. The service is always super helpful and friendly. We cannot wait for our next visit!

Greats… The food steals the show here! Visually stunning food, beautiful flavours, well balanced, faultless. Sharing menu provides an excellent representation of the team’s culinary artistry. Highlights: sea bream tartare, pickled oysters, hake kyiv and strawberries & custard (British summer in a bowl!) The minimal...

Went for my mum’s 70th birthday lunch and did not disappoint! Fabulous food, matched by brilliant service. Everything was delicious- scoffed a few of the dishes before I remembered to take a photo!

We had a delicious dinner, it was hard to pick our favourite dish out of the tasting menu (but for me, I think a tie between the sea bream tartare and gurnard). Our service was impeccable, from our welcome to the very end. Great atmosphere...

Absolutely loved everything about this restaurant. The food was incredible, loved every mouthful. Great wine and attentive knowledgable staff. Love the open kitchen as well. Cannot wait to come back - the gurnard was a particular highlight. Along with the hake kyiv of course

I don’t like posting bad reviews but I feel having gone to a Michelin star back in December with my friends, I wanted to say how I felt. Don’t get me wrong the food was fantastic, but service was not with a smile. We even...

Amazing food. Hake Kiev to die for. Best oysters in Hackney Wick. Fabulous loos. Great service. Shame about the chinos.

We arrived 15 minutes late due to transport issues but that was not an issue. The front of service team were brilliant as were the waiting staff. The wine recommendations were spot on by a very knowledgeable Italian waiter. Each dish was explained by a...

Wow, what an experience! Really relaxed setting, amazing food. Would highly recommend the chefs selection. Easy walking distance from Stratford Westfield.

Omg fantastic seafood restaurant. Not pretentious. Just basic food done well. Would definitely recommend, and would go back when next in the area.

Let’s get the shocking bit out of the way at the beginning. We turned up for our 6pm table 8 minutes early, went in through the open door and waited to be greeted. Instead what we heard was an angry, aggressive voice shouting as if...

Went with a friend for lunch. Had the Chef's menu. Every dish was a delight. The pickled oyster was amazing. Sadly, the service didn't match up. It wasn't awful but I have never been to a Michelin restaurant - "relaxed" or otherwise, where it was...

We recently had lunch at this excellent restaurant. The four of us were served by Milo. who was extremely attentive , friendly and helpful. His jolly attitude made the meal even more enjoyable. (Milo, your mums must be very proud). We had various dietary requirements...

Our friend Matt booked a table for 4 as a wedding gift for us back in August. He rang ahead as he hadn’t received his email confirmation. On two occasions his booking was confirmed over the phone. On the night we came, after ordering our...

Beautiful food with a great atmosphere. Went for my girlfriends birthday, the staff made us feel very welcome. We had the chefs choice menu and every course was superb. Could not recommend highly enough.

The food is exquisite. No question about that. But that thumpety-thump music at loud volume so that we had to strain to hear each other and the servers? And the untrained server who seemed to be unaware of how to serve or how to clear?...

Having eaten at his former governors Nathan Outlaw’s restaurants a few times it seemed rude not to eat here on our recent stay in London. It’s located in perhaps not the most celebrious location in London & I’ve never seen so much graffiti as we...

I just want to say I am shocked by some of the negative reviews that cornerstone has- we found it to be one of the best meals we have ever had. The tasting menu was perfect and we left feeling so full from great quality...

It started so brightly, and as good as the food ever was it was matched by the service. Unfortunately one is waning and the other has all but died out. This place was good. It was warm and welcoming, charming and assuring. I felt taken...

From the original greeting and ambience of the restaurant down to the small details such as the candles in the toilet everything was perfect. My partner does not like fish and there was no qualms with providing the vegetarian menu even without the 24 hour...

We were looking forward to this evening as a gastronomic event. The menu seemed limited, the staff disinterested and while I’m sure that to someone’s palate this would be amazing , I awoke the next day with a scorched tongue from the oyster garnish. We...

Disappointment doesn’t come close. From the welcome to the bill Cornerstone leaves you feeling maybe MacDonalds would have been a better choice. Each course spectacularly managed to kill the flavour of the fish with something the chef felt was more important than the core ingredient....

We (3 of us) chose the Chef's Choice Menu (effectively a taster menu) and the Flight of Wine. The food was very tasty and well presented with all 3 of us really enjoying most of the dishes served. Those dishes that didn't please were down...

My son and I booked Cornerstone 4 months ago and were both looking forward to our meal booked for Lunch on Saturday 24th July. We were certainly not disappointed! The restraunt is lovely and it's great to watch the chefs at work. As a family...

You are encouraged to order lots of dishes and share, that's exactly what we did. I love doing that as you get to try more food. The food is exceptional. Really interesting flavours and innovative dishes. This restaurant is fantastic!

First time we’d been to London to eat since January 2020. We’d been to Cornerstone before and definitely made the right choice for this milestone - the food is even better than we remembered. For me (I’m allergic to raw shellfish including oysters) the stars...

It was great to be back at Cornerstone on saturday which is one of our favourite restaurants. There’s always a great buzz in the restaurant as well as being served some amazing fish dishes and along with the friendliness of all the team is the...

After hearing only good things about Cornerstone I was very excited to get a table (which we had to book months in advance) and head down for my first restaurant visit since the restrictions were relaxed. We were a group of 3 and decided to...

Hard to fathom how it achieved a star to be quite honest. Some nice dishes but overall too small, too bland, too expensive. Serving tasteless out of season peaches and raspberries and an overcooked unpleasant hake Kiev is not London level let alone Michelin star...

Been looking forward to visiting for a long time and left mostly impressed after a great evening. We love fish and some of the food was really stand out, especially the Kiev with potted shrimp butter and the pickled oysters. However, we felt everything was...

This was our second visit and there are absolutely no complaints about the food, which is beautiful and is completely deserving of the recent Michelin star. Particular stars of the menu were the mackerel pate, crab crumpet and the chocolate mousse with mint gel and...

We were really looking forward to this meal but have to say I was slightly disappointed. I was a bit surprised that as we walked in we were seated on stools by the open kitchen (and right by the door) rather than given a proper...

We have visited this restaurant a number of times and some dishes are really good. However, the service seems to get worse with the restaurants success, this time we were rushed through lunch in just over an hour. The first dishes arrived before our drinks...

Just ate here tonight to celebrate getting a new job. Been wanting to come for a long time after seeing their food through Instagram. The atmosphere was right up my street. Indie music, cool decor but really professional service. Felt like the restaurant got the...

We visited Cornerstone last night, I have to say I absolutely understand everyone has their own view point but I am at a loss to the reviews that were disappointing with this restaurant. We walked into great atmosphere that is a real challenge to achieve...

This was our third visit and the seafood and atmosphere is truly outstanding. Despite tier 2 and social distancing the restaurant was very relaxed. We had the tasting menu on previous visits and loved it all so decided to go for the full menu washed...

I was bought a tasting menu as a gift, thankfully Cornerstone extended the length of its validity due to Covid. However, when trying to book on numerous occasions no one answered the phone... and when emailing they only seemed to read half an email and...

Great restaurant in so many ways, staff, ambiance, flavours. However on the tasting menu one small portion between two served in one dish to share, at £55 plus service a head, is quite steep. I really don't want to eat out of the same dish...

Second visit and absolutely perfect. Our last visit was around 18 months ago so decided to go for a big lunch for some food comfort. After keenly following new dishes whilst stalking Tom Browns Instagram we were very excited for this one. The 8 course...

It was good to be back at one of our favourite restaurants on saturday when we made our Magnificent 7th visit to Cornerstone. I'm also glad to say the standard of food and service that we felt was raised to the next level on our...

Wow this place was great! The food is sensational and I have dietary restrictions which they were more than happy to accommodate and cater for! Will be visiting again!

We went on Saturday 1st August armed with a hefty £200 voucher. Visually a lovely space with the kitchen in the centre of the room. The positives are easily summarized - the dressed oysters are world class (£5 each) - especially the lightly pickled ones...

To start with, I never write reviews but I was so disappointed in this instance I felt it was necessary. I was so excited to eat here, being a chef myself and having followed Tom Browns career from Great British Menu and even eating at...

This is a tremendous place with its iwn unique character. The service was wonderful -friendly,relaxed and professional. The eight course tasting menu was a total triumph and great value. Superb oysters with horseradish and celery, grey mullet tartare,crab crumpet with cheddar cheese and sensational blue...

Visited last night. The food presentation was top draw and the flavour matched. We went for the chefs selection which was a perfect mix of light ever so tasty dishes mixed with some very indulgent naughty treats. It was a 7 course menu and from...

The food here is truly outstanding. Every dish is beautifully balanced, the fish is perfectly cooked and each mouthful is a delight. But the portions are minute and the prices ambitious: take the scallop dish; it was precisely cooked and delightfully flavoured with the coral;...

We have become regular visitors here and it never fails to delight us. The food is simply stunning - my current favourites are the scallops and the oysters, whilst Mr Eastendbird would happily chomp his way through a bucketload of the bread and pate. Service...

The food is truly amazing! Absolutely lovely place. However... the bill arrived without asking for it and then a waiter arrived with our coats saying they had people waiting. Really sour end to our evening, didn’t appreciate being rushed out like that.

This was our sixth visit to Cornerstone a place where we've always enjoyed some amazing fish , fabulous desserts and received very friendly service. Well I can tell you right here and now that the bar has definitely been raised to a new level. The...

Amazing dining experience. If you are looking for a great little seafood restaurant in London, this is one of the places to go. Amazing selection of small dishes to share in this beautifully set restaurant. If you are a bit of a foody, you also...

We finally made it here and having to cancel for various reason three times before making it happy. Man, was it worth the wait. The restaurant itself is in a rather unprepossessing new building, challenging given this to create somewhere with atmosphere but this was...

I don’t know where the bad reviews for this place could have come from.... I literally love this place so much! From the moment we arrived I was so excited, I love the location, the decor is insane (I would love to know where the...

Almost a Michelin star! We had a brilliant time at Cornerstone and it was great to see Tom Brown in the open kitchen in the middle of the restaurant! The mackerel for us was phenomenal! Probably our favourite of the night and also (can’t remember...

Got sick. Like - very sick. Came out of all ends for a few days. Came about a couple hours after eating here, and let's just say from what came out - I can be certain it was from here I got sick. Also and...

Exquisite food with some complex flavours, served in a modern 'tapas/sharing' style. Service was impeccable. Will definitely be back.