Hawksmoor Turns Back Time: A First Taste of the 20th Anniversary Classics Menu
Two decades after opening their doors in London’s East End, Hawksmoor is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the most Hawksmoor way possible by rolling back the clock. For one day only, on Monday 29th June, diners across the UK can enjoy the new Classics Menu at the original 2006 price of £45 per person (usually £75). It’s a generous, nostalgic nod to the dishes and drinks that shaped Hawksmoor into the institution it is today, and a thank‑you to the loyal guests who’ve followed them from Spitalfields to fourteen restaurants across the UK, Ireland, and the US.
The offer was exclusive to Hawksmoor’s mailing list, with bookings opened last Friday, 19th June, via a private link. And with a menu built entirely around the dishes people still talk about twenty years on, it’s no surprise tables vanished fast.
A Menu Built on Memories and Big Flavour
The Classics Menu reads like a greatest hits album. Starters include the Old Spot Belly Ribs, on the menu since day one; Charcoal‑Roasted Scallops with white port and garlic, gifted to Hawksmoor by seafood legend Mitch Tonks; and the beloved Potted Beef & Bacon with Yorkshire Puddings, a staff meal that escaped the kitchen and never looked back.
I went along to try the menu for myself and it’s every bit the celebration it promises to be.
I started with the Old Spot Belly Ribs, served with a bright, crunchy vinegar slaw. The ribs were exceptional: deeply savoury, smoky, and so tender they barely held together. Meaty rather than fatty, they set the tone for the evening. The Charcoal‑Roasted Scallops were sublime; plump, sweet, coated in that iconic white port and garlic butter and crumbed.
For the main event, we both chose the Longhorn Ribeye, dry‑aged and grilled over charcoal. It’s Hawksmoor at its most confident: a perfect crust, a deep mineral richness, and that unmistakable flavour you only get from proper ageing and proper fire. We paired it with peppercorn sauce, beef‑dripping chips, and a lettuce & herb salad for freshness. It was everything you want from a Hawksmoor steak; indulgent, primal, and beautifully executed.
Dessert was a two‑course affair because how could it not be? The new Birthday Cake, a chocolate, hazelnut, gold‑flecked homage to the infamous Ferrero Rocher; is pure fun and pure decadence. And of course, we couldn’t leave without the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which has never once left the menu in twenty years. It remains one of the best in the country: warm, comforting, and unapologetically sticky with the perfect sauce to sponge ratio.
Cocktails Worth Celebrating
Hawksmoor’s bar programme has always been a quiet powerhouse, and the Classics Menu brings back three icons: Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew, the Grapefruit Picador, and a new 20th Anniversary Martini.
We indulged in a Grapefruit Picador - bright, sharp, and dangerously drinkable and a Double Melon Daiquiri, which might just be one of the best cocktails I’ve had in years. Fresh, juicy, and perfectly balanced, it’s the kind of drink that makes you grin after the first sip.
A Celebration of Craft, Community, and Twenty Years of Hawksmoor
What makes this anniversary special isn’t just the throwback pricing; it’s the sense of gratitude woven through the whole experience. Hawksmoor has always been about more than steak: it’s about relationships with farmers, responsible sourcing, and a genuine love of hospitality. This menu feels like a love letter to the people, producers, and guests who shaped the last twenty years.
And if the Classics Menu is Hawksmoor looking back, the experience itself proves they’re still very much at the top of their game.
THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT HAWKSMOOR
The 20th Anniversary Menu is a limited menu
Available across all Hawksmoor Restaurants
Standard bookings for the Classic Menu priced at £75pp, can be made here: OpenTable - Choose a time for your experience
Hawksmoor, 23 W Register Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2AA https://thehawksmoor.com/anniversary/
My Spoon Award : Gold Spoon 9/10
