Wine and dine at Lantana in Shoreditch

If you’re familiar with Lantana, you’ll know that its three venues serve some of the best Australian-style brunches London has to offer. You’ll know that the flagship in Fitzrovia has been keeping brunch hungry visitors replete with innovative Aussie dishes and pre-midday cocktails since 2008. And you’ll know that it has since opened in London Bridge and Shoreditch to the joy of its loyal London brunch lovers.

What you may not know is that the branches at those latter locations also offer a dining menu, and that in Shoreditch you can now dine and wine until 10pm Wednesday to Sunday. But how does the atmosphere compare to the morning bustle? Do the evening menus meet the standards of the famously good brunches? And what exactly is a lantana?

These questions were spinning around in my head as we arrived in Shoreditch for our first Lantana evening experience. The first of them was answered early on: atmosphere wise, there is an approachable, relaxed vibe to the evening sessions which is a world away from the charmingly frantic, cutlery clinking ambiance of the morning rush.

The playlist included everything from funk to The Rolling Stones; from old school UK Garage to new wave jazz. Plants are everywhere, adding splashes of green to the minimalist retro Australian design. The person who greeted us was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the brand. He did an excellent job of making us feel welcome throughout.

We kicked off with a bottle of the vinho verde. It’s their house white and slightly more frizzante than other vinho verdes I’ve had, but none the worse for it and very refreshing. It was perfect accompaniment to the pulled pork croquetas, halloumi fries and mezze board with added chorizo we ordered for starters.

The croquetas were beautiful little dumplings of joy, delightfully presented and dusted with paprika to give them a delicious smokiness. The mezze board came with hummus, labneh and oil, with not quite enough bread to scoop it all up. But nothing was wasted, and it all acted as a rich dip for the extra chorizo and the course to come.

I opted for the Chicken Schnitzel Katsu, which came with rainbow Asian slaw, a floral coconut katsu sauce with an added fried egg to stay true to my brunch-loving roots. Excellent combinations and textures made this an outstanding dish. Equally multi-layered and impressive was the salmon poke bowl: peanutty, fresh and full of flavour.

I definitely didn’t need to have any dessert, but I’d heard the banana bread was not to be missed. So, like the easily-influenced glutton I am, I ordered up a slice, which arrived with grilled banana on top and was as crumbly, chocolatey and light as I’d been told it was. If your body is telling you you’re too full for banana bread, ignore it.

Having brunched a few times at this particular Lantana branch, I am pleased to report that the dinner experience, although very different, is just as good. The menu still takes its inspiration from the multicultural dishes of Australia, and maintains its inventive flair. This welcoming Australian restaurant is vibrant, fuss-free, and thrives in foreign lands – just like the lantana plant after which it’s named (I hadn’t forgotten).

Find out more at Lantana Shoreditch