Spring has well and truly arrived at Kol Restaurant, and the kitchen is leaning all the way in. Yorkshire rhubarb from Tomlinson & Son is stealing the show, splashing its sharp, rosy brightness across the menu in ways that feel both playful and precise. It turns up pickled alongside scallop ceviche, lifted with gooseberry aguachile and a hit of horseradish, and then reappears in entirely different form in head pastry chef Laura’s “Impossible Cake,” where it’s preserved, infused and dried into something quietly showstopping.
There’s a sense here that nothing is wasted and everything is considered, but never at the expense of flavour. Dishes arrive with confidence rather than ceremony. The return of the suadero taco says it all: slow-cooked beef flank, rich and tender, tucked into something that nods to street food but tastes unmistakably like Kol, finished with wild garlic salsa and sharp gooseberry cutting through the depth. It’s generous, clever cooking that doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard.
Kol has always occupied an interesting space. Founded by chef Santiago Lastra, whose cooking draws on his Mexican heritage while making full use of British ingredients, the restaurant quickly built a reputation for doing things differently. Since opening in London, it has quietly evolved, refining its voice without losing the sense of curiosity that made it stand out in the first place. There’s a strong connection to seasonality, but also a willingness to bend expectations, pairing ingredients in ways that shouldn’t work but absolutely do.
The room itself carries that same balance. It’s relaxed, warm and unfussy, a place where the focus stays firmly on what’s coming out of the kitchen rather than on any kind of theatre. You get the sense that the team is more interested in feeding people well than impressing them for the sake of it.
And yet, impress it does. Kol is celebrating holding onto its Michelin Star for the fourth year, a milestone that feels earned rather than chased. It’s the result of consistency, creativity and a clear sense of identity, all of which come through in every course.
Spring suits Kol. The food feels alive, the ideas feel fresh, and there’s a quiet confidence in everything they’re doing. Four years in with a Michelin Star, and it still feels like they’re just getting started.
Kol Restaurant
9 Seymour Street
London W1
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