Is VOYAGE London’s Most Emotional Fine Dining Experience?
In the constantly unfolding journey that is London’s fine dining scene, there are rare moments when a meal doesn’t just challenge your palate — it shifts your sense of what a restaurant can be. VOYAGE by Adam Simmonds is one of those moments: conceptually bold, emotionally intelligent, and quietly unforgettable.
You’ll not just find the precision of Simmonds’ cooking (though there’s plenty of that), but his soul. These aren’t dishes designed to dazzle for Instagram; they’re quiet, crafted memories you get to borrow for the evening. It’s food as art — delivered with high-level finesse and storyteller depth.
Atmosphere:
Just around the corner from King’s Cross Station, VOYAGE doesn’t scream for attention — it murmurs, quietly tucked behind a nondescript white construction site.
Inside, the room is low-lit and stripped back. The main dining area feels a touch underdressed, but the real stage, the one that matters, is the chef’s counter. With space for around twelve guests, it’s where Adam Simmonds and his small, trusted team craft each dish with quiet focus and calm precision. This is where the journey truly begins
Service:
The service was so warm, refreshingly unpretentious, and quietly confident. You’re not just served — you’re guided, gently and attentively, through the entire journey.
It’s the little gestures that stay with you: the way they packed the menu with an old-style stamp, with the tea back in the end — thoughtful touches that made me feel genuinely cared for. In that moment, I thought: I’m sold. This is hospitality done perfectly.
Drinks:
One of VOYAGE’s quiet strengths is its drink pairing — and not just the wine. What stood out to me most was the tea pairing.
As someone from an Asian background, I appreciated how thoughtfully it was done. There’s so much more to tea than just matcha — different leaves, origins, and steeping styles bring unique flavours and aromas that can pair beautifully with food. To see this level of respect for tea, and to watch it being introduced with such care to a London audience, was something I truly admired. It felt personal.
Price: £££
The tasting menu for food is priced at £115 for seven courses. Whether you consider that steep or a worthy investment is entirely up to you, but I’ll leave you with this: the effort that goes into each dish is the equivalent of 100 burgers and chips FYI.
What I ordered:
Welcome Bites: Tartlet & Venison Tartare
Not all journeys start with a boarding pass — some begin with a tartlet.
The pastry shell, delicate and shattering like lace, was the perfect vessel for both bites. First, the fish tartlet — a light, coastal affair with bright, saline notes and just enough acidity to lift the flavours without overwhelming. A whisper of citrus rounded it off, creating a clean, refreshing bite that felt almost like a sea breeze.
Then came the venison tartare — a compact cylinder of deeply flavoured meat, expertly seasoned and crowned with a delicate smoked emulsion. The texture? Precise: yielding but never mushy, with rich, luxurious flavour that was intense but never gamey.
Charcoal-Grilled White Asparagus / Rosemary Sabayon
This is a dish that asks you to slow down, to pay attention.
The charcoal grilling teased out a delicate sweetness in the white asparagus, giving it a subtle depth without masking its natural essence.
But the real revelation is the rosemary sabayon. It’s as if the dish wraps you in a memory of a spring forest walk — fresh, aromatic, and fleeting, like something you’ll only find in the moment.
Lobster with Cockles / Sea Urchin / Kelp Broth
This was the ocean, distilled into a single dish. As I savoured each bite, the sea seemed to speak to me.
The lobster, gently poached and perfectly timed, was tender, sweet, and almost translucent in its delicacy.
But the true anchor of the dish was the kelp broth, poured in a graceful, deliberate stream. It released a wave of warmth and umami that didn’t demand attention, yet everything it touched felt more alive, more elemental.
*Celeriac with Shiitake / Walnut / Black Truffle
This dish completely caught me off guard — a luxury plate made from just vegetables? Who knew!
The celeriac was holding onto its natural sweetness while letting its edges flirt with a touch of bitterness. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a humble vegetable, but elevated to indulgent heights.
Then there were the shiitake mushrooms, bringing that deep umami punch. The puréed walnut came in like a warm, nutty hug, rounding everything out beautifully.
Sweetbread with Burnt Onion Purée / Kohlrabi / Mustard Seeds
This dish was well put together — rich, but not too heavy, and full of contrasts that just worked.
The sweetbread was golden and crisp on the outside, soft and creamy inside. The burnt onion purée added a deep, smoky flavour, like something kissed by open fire, and gave the whole thing a bit of drama.
Venison with Amber-Roasted Beetroot / Parsley / Blackberry
A composed, emotionally intelligent plate — and a fitting anchor near the end of the journey.
The venison was cooked beautifully, blushing pink and so tender it practically melted under the knife. It was rich, but not heavy, and had just enough gamey depth to keep things interesting without going too wild. With the way they obsess over meat temperature, it’s no wonder it came out this perfect — that’s not luck, that’s professionalism.
On the side, the amber-roasted beetroot added a sweet, earthy warmth, and the blackberry sauce tied it all together with a juicy pop of berry flavor.
That said, there were a couple of things that didn’t quite land for me. The buckwheat sprinkled over the venison added crunch and smokiness, but I felt it clashed a bit with the meat’s soft texture. And the parsley purée? Hmm… a bit too bitter and felt like the plus-one no one really invited.
Sea Buckthorn with Carrot / Clementine
Some restaurants want to impress you. VOYAGE wants to move you — quietly, course by course. They even snuck in a little pre-dessert before the big finale. No cheese cart here — just a jolt of citrus sunshine to reset the mood. Because every good journey needs a detour, in it?
The sea buckthorn and clementine combo was bright, floral, and zingy – a refreshing little palate cleanse before dessert landed.
Pearl Barley with Koji
VOYAGE doesn’t end with a sugar high — it ends with a soft exhale. No glitter, no drama. Just a serene, Japan-inspired dessert in elegant shades of brown that feels retreat.
The pearl barley was cosy and nutty. And the koji tea ice cream? A quiet little star — with its earthy funk and savoury depth, it gave the whole dish a thoughtful, almost meditative finish.
Conclusion
You know a restaurant’s different when you stop checking how many courses are left — and start hoping it never ends. This is what happened to me. You leave VOYAGE not just full—but contemplative. A story told in flavours, textures, and tiny surprises. It’s one of the most personal tasting menus I’ve had in London.
If you’re a foodie who appreciates the details, or just craving a meal with meaning, this one’s for you.
