Boxcar Fire & Wine opened in June in the heart of Marylebone on New Quebec Street, offering a rustic bar and restaurant space, whether you’re looking for a few drinks and some small plates or a larger meal.
The restaurant, which uses seasonal produce with a menu created by chef Zisis Gkalmpenis, is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean with dishes created using the open grill.
The interior offers a scaled back, simple dining space with copper tables and an open bar, serving a range of organic and low intervention wines along with their signature cocktails.
The interior offers a scaled back, simple dining space with copper tables and an open bar. (Image: Emily Davison)
The cocktails are all a take on classic drinks with the bar’s own unique take, like their popular “Little Pickle” using their in-house brine.
We went for a couple of cocktails, opting for the “No Politics”, which is a take on a Negroni with gin, Campari and wild strawberry, and the “Gold Digger” with Champagne and spiced rum.
The menu is small and will change on a seasonal rotation, with dishes driven by what’s in season, with dishes divided into snack plates, small plates, large plates and sharing plates.
From the snack plates we tried two of their most popular options, consisting of pressed potato and nori tarata, and lamb belly with pickled red onion – both of which had a good flavour and seasoning.
From the snack plates we tried two of their most popular options. (Image: Emily Davison)
It’s worth noting that these dishes are small, bite-sized dishes really meant for one person, something to bear in mind when ordering.
Some of the highlights from their small plates which we tried were the raw bream with ponzu and kaffr lime, and the burnt leek with aio blanco.
The bream was absolutely delicious, with an explosion of citrus flavour, and being a sushi lover I really enjoyed this dish above all the others, and would visit again just to order this alone.
The bream was absolutely delicious, with an explosion of citrus flavour. (Image: Emily Davison)
Their main dishes focus a lot on meat and seafood, although they do offer some vegan and vegetarian options, like the brie tortellini with chard and black pepper or the cauliflower with vadouvan.
The chicken, vine leaves and madeira was another standout dish we both enjoyed for its flavour alone, along with the madeira wine marinade.
The chicken, vine leaves and madeira was another standout dish. (Image: Emily Davison)
Finally, we rounded off the evening with a dessert, opting to try the grilled croissant tiramisu, which was made using croissants from Boxcar’s own bakery and a delicious creamy monbazillac sauce, along with the chocolate mousse with blueberries.
For dessert we opted to try the grilled croissant tiramisu and the chocolate mousse with blueberries. (Image: Emily Davison) Boxcar definitely offers a relaxed and social place to frequent for food and drinks with a casual approach to dining, whether you want to drop in for a drink or spend a bit more time for dinner with friends.
The unique approach to zero waste and sustainability combined with the interesting mix of flavours really made this place stand out for me, and it’s well worth visiting if you’re visiting Marylebone.
Dining and Cooking