Nestled right in the heart of Whitechapel, Liverpool Street and Spitalfields is a true hidden gem, The Firestarter. Tucked away in the midst of The Star, a busy London pub at 94 Middlesex Street, this is a very special experience. As we walked into the restaurant, the pub’s noise faded, and we were immediately in a very different place, with intimate spaces dominated by an open kitchen.
Founded by Rob Star, the creator of Electric Star Pubs, who boasts an impressive eight venues across East London, as well as being the co-founder of the Eastern Electrics music festival. Firestarter continues his legacy of pairing high-quality hospitality with vibrant, engaging entertainment. The vision was straightforward yet ambitious: to create a space where food truly takes centre stage, prepared over open flames that guests can see, smell and experience from their table.
I instantly felt as though we had stepped behind the curtain of the pub and into a secret culinary world.
My guest and I were lucky enough to be seated in a quiet corner with a panoramic view of the semi-open kitchen, with hanging lights illuminating the banquet-style seating. It was warm but straightforward, private but inclusive. The space invites diners to experience the theatre of live-fire cooking, with kitchen-counter seating for up to ten guests and an additional fifty seats in the dining room.
Drinks and settling in
The wine list was extensive, and I started with the Lychee Dragon (Vodka, lychee, lime, and a Chilli salt rim), which had a strong kick, before moving on to a very pleasant bottle of Wild Iris Chenin Blanc. Other options include the tantalising Smoke and Mirrors, the White Hot Negroni, or the Crack Honey Fizz, along with a range of draught beers and mocktails.
We enjoyed our drinks, watching the chefs work the coals, and deliberated on what to order as plates of exciting fire-cooked food came through the restaurant. There was a real sense of anticipation, almost as if each dish passing by was its own small performance.
A feast from the flames
For starters, we opted for the Wildfarmed flatbread with confit garlic-smoked butter, which we could smell before it arrived, underscoring the depth of flavour of the wild garlic. Straight from the grill to the plate, it outshone standard garlic bread.
We then moved on to the Gochujang Chilli Crack Honey Fried Chicken Wings, a confirmed customer favourite according to our waitress. Piping hot and languishing in a honey chilli sauce, a perfect mix of sweet and spice, with the meat falling off the bone. Even my guest, who is always hesitant about chicken wings, declared them absolutely delicious.
Meat really is the star of the show here. The Firestarter Double Smash melts in your mouth, while the Iberico Pork Chops with the mint Chimichurri entice without overwhelming. Complemented by the Barbecued Baby Gem Tahini Caesar and the Coal-Roasted Beets with Whipped Feta, the flavours work perfectly together. The Day Aged Bavette was cooked to perfection, flawlessly seasoned and salted, an unmissable choice.
It is rare to find a menu where every dish feels confidently crafted, but here it was clear that flavour comes first.
If, by this point, you are not well and truly done, the dessert offerings include the Wagyu Bone Marrow Lemon Thyme Crème Brûlée and the Fire-Roasted Pineapple, both unique to Firestarter.
Rob explained that opening a new restaurant in London at this moment is undeniably a risk. Yet, it is precisely this willingness to take bold steps that defines hospitality for him. He aims to build a place where people feel drawn in by the experience as much as the food, and Firestarter reflects that ambition with clarity and confidence.
It certainly delivered for me. The food was excellent, and watching the live-fire cooking was pure theatre. Firestarter feels like the kind of place you immediately want to tell people about, the sort of spot that turns dinner into a memory.
For more information, visit Firestarter
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Photography by Firestarter.