Smoked by AI · London · people

Grace Dent

Chef · Critic — London and UK-wide restaurant criticism; strong on high-street, chains and value as well as the top end.

restaurant critic of The Guardian; MasterChef judge (from 2025); one of the two most-read UK restaurant critics.

Their own reviews and picks.

Their own judgment, in their own words, by the piece it appeared in.

• The Guardian, 'Polentina, London E3: Utterly illogical, but altogether perfect' ↗their review · 2025-09-20
  • PolentinaBow

    “Anyone with enough investment can serve gold-leafed slop in Mayfair, but it requires genuine guts and passion to take on a few tables in Bow that look out on a load of sewing machines.”

• The Guardian, quoted in Harden's critics round-up ↗their review · 2025-06-01
  • TOWNCovent Garden

    “the food is far too good to rush through in an hour... Unmissable. Five stars.”

• The Guardian, quoted by Harden's ↗their review · 2024-04-07
  • Dream Xi'anTower Hill

    “Once eaten, biang biang become a compulsion.”

• The Guardian (her review headline) ↗their review · 2023-08-25
  • 64 Goodge StreetFitzrovia

    “You can imagine a Helena Bonham Carter character lunching here”

• The Guardian, quoted in Harden's review-of-the-reviews ↗their review · 2023-08-18
  • Mountain Beak StreetSoho

    “Buzzy, delicious, destination dining in the middle of Soho... further evidence that Tomos Parry really knows what he's doing.”

• The Guardian ↗their review · 2023-03-31
  • TobaSt James's

    “St James's Market may be soulless, but places like Toba and its neighbour Fallow keep dragging me back for the dependably good food.”

• The Guardian, November 2022, as quoted by Harden's (the Guardian original was not reachable in this pass) ↗their review · 2022-11
  • muDalston

    “far grander and ornately executed than it needs to be”

• The Guardian, quoted in Harden's ↗their review · 2022-01-01
  • Apricity RestaurantMayfair

    “too good and truly delicious”

• The Guardian, quoted in Harden's ↗their review · 2021-01-01
  • Cafe CeciliaLondon Fields

    “only just getting started on its path to being one of London most serious restaurants”

• The Guardian, as reproduced by Harden's ↗their review
  • RoeCanary Wharf

    “dances rather daintily and deftly between 'pub grub', 'fever dream' and 'Noma'”