A pub by London Museum will offer a mad 14-course tasting menu from Michelin-star chef
Begging for a Michelin star before it's even open
The Smithfield area of London is in the process of getting a thorough revamp thanks to the incoming London Museum, and the latest chapter in that story is a rather special-sounding pub.
The Poet pub is set to open in “late 2026” and is much more than just a place to get a pint.
There will be a dedicated dining area, and the menu is devised by Charlie Tayler. He was previously head chef at Soho’s Aulis, which won a Michelin star in 2024.
“A new chapter in an old London story,” is the tagline the pub has given itself ahead of the grand opening.
We’re yet to see the place’s full menu, but Aulis gives us an idea of what to expect. It is based around intimate dining experiences based on “farm-to-fork” cooking, typically with absolutely loads of courses.
And, sure enough, The Poet will have multiple multi-course offerings. There will be a 10-course feast in the chef’s table area, and a 14-course tasting menu.
'Thousands of years of London’s history'
The Poet will also feature multiple zones that, by the sounds of it, all have a distinct feel. On the ground floor is the pub, which will also serve snacks including a "scampi fries" scotch egg.
The restaurant area is on the first floor, while the top level will be home to a cocktail bar, dubbed Shambles, although that’s not scheduled to open until 2027.
The Poet comes from the team behind Sune Restaurant in Hackney. It’s yet to receive a Michelin star but is a highly regarded spot that does feature in the guide. As if The Poet needed any more cred, anyway.
The pub will live at House 5 at the Central Market, between Farringdon and Barbican stations — in the spot where Bubb's Le Restaurant Francaise was once found.
There’s no firm opening date for The Poet just yet, but we have a pretty good clue in the form of the opening date for the London Museum. It opens its doors on 28th November.
“It brings together thousands of years of London’s history alongside a new social space for the city,” reads the official blurb on the upcoming museum.
The London Museum will be free to visit, and the space’s “permanent galleries” are set to open in November, with additional exhibition spaces planned to open through into 2028.
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