The Social Company has now opened the doors to Temple and Sons, a new City grill restaurant and bar situated adjacent to the iconic Tower 42.
Temple & Sons is a second partnership for Jason Atherton with Restaurant Associates. With a more casual approach, it contrasts the high-rise fine dining at neighbouring sister restaurant, City Social.
The venue is set across two floors, each offering a different dining experience: a 66-cover grill restaurant and a 30-cover all-day deli and bar serving snacks and small plates, championing British produce throughout. Executive Chef, Paul Walsh, who also heads up City Social, is overseeing the kitchen, working closely with Jason to create the restaurant’s more relaxed but equally innovative menu.
The name Temple and Sons is a nod to the history of Tower 42; Palmerston House was previously built on the site, named after British statesmen Henry John Temple, Third Viscount Palmerston, who was twice Prime Minister in the mid-nineteenth century.
On the ground floor deli and bar, the menu and interiors are inspired by a traditional British grocery store, complete with artisan snacks and sandwiches including game sausage roll, creamy mash & HP gravy and Old Spot spiced pork belly sandwich on brioche, spicy slaw & butter lettuce, alongside a range of British cured meats from Cannon & Cannon.
Upstairs, the restaurant kitchen operates entirely from a custom-built grill using varying types of wood, charcoal and hay. Continuing the theme of British heritage, many dishes are designed for family-style dining, with grilled fish and meat served whole or in large cuts, with a selection of sides to share.
Overseen by Russell Sage Studio, the interiors have been designed to evoke a Victorian grocery, with stacked timber shelves brimming with a variety of goods. A palette of rich, caramel tones with flashes of orange and teal create a warm and inviting space, with timber panelling embellished with antique brogue detailing and brass ironmongery.
Feature lighting includes Victorian angle-poise lamps and a custom-made feature light suspended over the staircase between the two floors.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Jason and his team again,” says James Boyle, MD of Restaurant Associates. “The work we have done together at City Social has been outstanding and we hope to mirror some of this success at Temple and Sons. There is an appetite for a more casual style of dining in the City of London, and we are thrilled to be part of its growing food scene.”
