Frog by Adam Handling

Frog by Adam Handling opened on Southampton Street in 2017 as the flagship of chef Adam Handling MBE, a modern British restaurant in the heart of the West End that has built its reputation on inventive tasting menus and a serious commitment to sustainability. It sits opposite the Savoy on the street that runs between the Strand and the Covent Garden Piazza.

Scottish-born Handling began his career at the Gleneagles Hotel more than two decades ago, and his stated aim is to put British food on a global stage. The kitchen describes itself as 90 per cent British and 10 per cent what Britain cannot yet produce, working directly with farmers, fishermen and growers and foraging for some of its own ingredients. Menus change regularly with the seasons and are built around memories of the chef's childhood told through food.

Tasting menu restaurant in Covent Garden

The format is a tasting menu of refined, produce-led cooking with careful pacing and a drinks pairing to match, and minimising waste is treated as central rather than an afterthought. The Library, the private dining room, seats up to 12 guests and can follow the main tasting menu or a bespoke menu built around ingredients the party suggests. Below the restaurant, Eve Bar offers cocktails, Champagne and caviar for those who want the setting without the full commitment.

What to expect on a visit

Frog opens Tuesday to Saturday only, with a short lunch sitting from midday to 1pm and dinner from 5pm, finishing at 9.30pm early in the week and 10pm from Thursday to Saturday. This is a destination restaurant rather than a casual drop-in, so book well ahead and allow a full evening. It is the most ambitious kitchen among Covent Garden's fine dining restaurants; for a looser, plate-by-plate evening nearby, the counter at Barrafina Drury Lane makes a good contrast. For modern British fine dining in Covent Garden, this is the benchmark.