If Shoreditch had a heartbeat, it would probably sound like a bassline rolling out of Curtain Road at 9 pm on a Friday, which is precisely when my boyfriend and I slipped through the moody, green glowing doors of 45 London. The city’s newest “house of hospitality” has already been whispered about across East London’s creative circles. At its core sits 45 Curtain Road, the signature restaurant redefining what a Japanese-inspired chophouse can be.
A Mood Built for Modern London
The interiors ooze that polished, modern Shoreditch energy, and dim lighting softens every edge, while suspended hydrangeas hover above the bar like soft, floral clouds. There is a quiet sexiness to the space, the kind that invites you to order one more cocktail than you intended. At 45 Curtain Road, Executive Chef Alex Furusawa Cadoni draws on his Japanese heritage with a precision that never feels rigid, marrying it with Mediterranean warmth and London’s easy confidence. The room feels intentionally paced, as if every detail has been curated to let the night unfold at its own rhythm.
Cocktails with Global Instinct
The cocktail list continues the restaurant’s global sensibility with the same confidence as the kitchen. We began with the Fogo, an elegant blend of vodka, tequila, lychee, chilli, lime, seawater, and matcha. It is bright and layered, the kind of drink that reveals itself slowly. Next came the Citron Midori, where kiwi and lime bring a burst of freshness, anchored by the aromatic depth of mastiha and Benedictine.
The bar programme mirrors the restaurant’s Japanese-inspired chophouse identity while pulling influences from far beyond. Signature serves as Fogo and Luna Hana, offering international accents. At the same time, the rooftop bar’s menu nods to East London with location-inspired creations named after neighbourhood icons like Brick Lane and Columbia Road. It is a cocktail offering designed for a modern Shoreditch crowd, expressive, playful and perfectly in step with the multi-layered world of 45 London.
It is one of those menus where you immediately start planning what you will try on your next visit.
We kicked things off with the nori milk bread with miso and shiso butter, which sounds simple but tastes like someone whispered “comfort” in Japanese and Mediterranean at the same time. The bread is feather soft, almost brioche-like, with a salty whisper of seaweed. The miso shiso butter is creamy, savoury, slightly sweet, and so fragrant you will catch yourself hovering over it before spreading.
Flavour in Full Expression
The small plates reveal the restaurant’s true personality. A crystal shrimp tempura arrives almost weightless, enriched by a molten Burford Brown onsen egg and finished with togarashi heat and a bright, tingling sansho glaze. The mackerel crudo offers an elegant counterpoint, cool and clean with radish sharpness, smoky aubergine sweetness and the perfume of yuzu olive oil.
Then there is the croquette. Barbecue eel meets gorgonzola in a combination that sounds improbable yet lands with surprising harmony. Smoky, creamy and lifted by the prickle of sansho, it is the kind of dish that earns its place simply by being unforgettable.
A Celebration of Fire
The larger plates showcase the kitchen’s mastery of flame. A dry-aged grass-fed T-bone steak arrives with unmistakable presence, charred perfectly at the edges while remaining tender and intensely flavoured within. The shiso steak sauce adds a refreshing, aromatic clarity that modernises the classic without diminishing it.
Sides are treated with equal intention: roasted greens enriched with the nuttiness of black sesame and smoked butter, and pink fir potatoes paired with a kombu aioli.
It is food that respects technique without ever losing its sense of pleasure.
A Playful, Poised Finale
Desserts take familiar comforts and gently turn them upside down. The burnt miso and yuzu cheesecake pairs rich creaminess with a bright citrus note, the caramelised top adding a slight crunch and the miso giving a subtle savoury twist. The matcha churros are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and served with hojicha dulce de leche for a warm, nutty finish.
A New Standard for Shoreditch
What distinguishes 45 London is not only the dining room, but also the ecosystem surrounding it: a rooftop restaurant and pool with panoramic views, a co-working studio that morphs into a cocktail bar by night, a late-night lounge for the creative crowd and a serene wellness sanctuary for recalibration. The experience extends far beyond the table.
45 London feels like a signpost for where the neighbourhood is heading. Bold in flavour, thoughtful in design and rooted in the idea that hospitality should be experiential rather than transactional. It is a restaurant that invites discovery and reminds you why London remains one of the world’s most compelling dining cities. It captures the feeling of modern Shoreditch in a single destination, vibrant, layered and always ready for what comes next.
For further information, visit 45 Curtain Road
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Photos by 45 London.