Spencer Large, Honey Spencer and Charlie Sims, the team behind acclaimed Hackney restaurant Sune, will open their latest project, The Poet, in Smithfield on Monday 30th November, with bookings going live on Monday 2nd November. Set within a historic building beside the Smithfield Meat Market, The Poet will consist of a British pub and dining room across the ground and first floors, with food overseen by Executive Chef Charlie Tayler, formerly of Aulis and The Ledbury. Two further spaces will follow in the first half of 2027: an intimate 10-seat chef's table restaurant on the mezzanine and a standalone cocktail bar in the attic.
Tayler's menus will offer a fresh take on British pub classics, drawing on seasonal produce from across the country. Downstairs, the pub will serve bar snacks including Black Pudding Sausage Roll, Beer-Battered Anchovies with Caper Mayo and a 'Scampi Fries' Scotch Egg, finished with a crumb of roasted prawn shells and Scampi Fries. Upstairs, The Poet Dining Room will offer a more extensive à la carte menu, with starters such as Black Leg Chicken and Leek Terrine with Quince Chutney and Toast and Crispy Pork Jowl with Rhubarb and Mustard. Mains will include Lamb Shank Suet Pudding with Red Cabbage and Lamb Fat Sauce and BBQ Cornish Monkfish with 'Nduja and White Bean Cassoulet, alongside larger dishes to share such as Côte de Boeuf with Hash Brown Chips and Gentleman's Relish and Whole Dover Sole Meunière. A generous Sunday roast will also be served each weekend, from the new year.
In a nod to Smithfield’s long history at the heart of London’s meat trade, Tayler will also offer a ‘Vertical Chicken Menu’ for two, making use of the whole bird across a series of courses, from snacks and bread to starters, mains and dessert. Sample dishes include Warm Pretzel with Chicken Fat Butter, Sticky Fried Wings and Plum Eve’s Pudding made with chicken fat, served with vanilla ice cream.
An extensive wine list curated by Honey Spencer will accompany the food, spanning celebrated appellations and lesser-known regions, with highlights including Christian Tschida’s Cuvée Kapitel, a crowd-pleasing red, and a Beaujolais Blanc from Obora. Downstairs, the pub will serve ales, wines and cocktails, including 40ft Pilsner, an Oyster Shell Gibson featuring The Poet’s own vodka, made in collaboration with Vault Aperitivo, and Gin with House Bitter Lemon. Alcohol-free options will include a Black Fig and Fennel Spritz.
The Poet's interiors will take inspiration from the traditional British pub, with elaborate joinery, richly textured surfaces and a striking double-height bar flooded with natural light. Cosy alcoves and snugs will sit beneath the mezzanine, while upstairs, The Poet Dining Room will feature wood panelling, a rich colour palette, leather seating and large windows running the length of the space. An open kitchen will sit at the heart of the dining room.
Two further spaces will open at The Poet in 2027. Tucked away on the mezzanine, Envoi will be an intimate 10-seat chef's table restaurant from Tayler, offering a completely different experience from the pub and dining room, with a 14-course tasting menu served within an immersive gallery-style setting. Above, in the attic, Shambles will be a standalone cocktail bar, taking its name from a Middle English term associated with butchers’ stalls and the meat trade - a playful reference to Smithfield’s past.
The Poet will form part of the six 'Houses' surrounding London Museum's new home in the General Market, opening on Saturday 28th November. The new retail and hospitality spaces form part of the wider restoration of Smithfield, bringing independent businesses and cultural organisations into the historic market.
