One-of-a-kind barbecue restaurant Temper Soho is tucked away below Broadwick Street in a huge basement room. The restaurant’s grungy, below-street-level surroundings feel like they go well with the live fire cooking and “nose-to-tail” philosophy of its founder, Neil Rankin.
Rankin has an interesting history in the world of food. Rankin started cooking later in life after getting his degree in physics and working as a sandwich business owner. He retrained at Gordon Ramsey’s Tante Marie culinary school and learned the ropes at Chez Bruce in Wandsworth. Though, it was while working at Jamie Oliver’s barbecue that Rankin fell in love with cooking over fire and learned how to do it right.
Because Rankin loves grilling so much, he opened the first Temper restaurant in 2016. Today, there are three sites in London: Soho, Covent Garden, and the City. Each one has its own style of dining, with open kitchens, great cocktails, and delicious barbecued meat.
You will be let down if you expect an American-style barbecue place with brisket and burnt ends. Either that or happily surprised. On the other hand, Temper Soho is known for its Mexican-inspired menu, which has both steak and tacos.
The big fire pit in the middle of the restaurant is where the chefs cook whole animals from English fields. People can sit at the bar and watch the chefs work, or they can choose to sit in one of the comfortable leather booths for a more private meal. Either way works when the food steals the show.
Sustainability is important here. To cut down on waste, the restaurant gets whole animals and cuts them up in-house. After being stored, the meat is cooked over fire and served in corn tacos or on parathas made in-house.
Aside from their delicious BBQ, Temper Soho also has a famous Sunday Roast and a bottomless brunch on Saturdays. The “Three Beast Roast,” which is aged beef, roasted pork, and smoked lamb shoulder served family style, is the best thing about the second one.
This restaurant is known for being a great place to eat alone in the capital, but all three locations of Temper have a party-like vibe every day of the week. It’s even louder on the weekends, when you can get unlimited drinks with your beef for £45 per person. Just remember to bring that painkiller!
