Big Pitt, Little Pitt, cardboard box. Within seven days, I made it to Little Pitt in Soho, and the larger Pitt Cue in Devonshire Square. Chuck in Brad Pitt and I call house. Both are a must for meat lovers, and different enough to warrant separate visits. FYI – Little Pitt is one of those no reservations jobbies, whilst Pitt Cue has a handy booking system. The queues at Little Pitt are not as lengthy as you might expect, but it’s always sensible to aim for a late dinner if you want to minimise your wait time there.
Little Pitt | Soho
Quick recap. Pitt Cue’s first permanent spot was on Newburgh Street in Soho. In early 2016, they closed this site to open up a larger, more grown up restaurant in Devonshire Square, leaving fans of the original wanting. A posh hot dog joint called Rockadollar Dogs appeared in its place for a few months, but it wasn’t long before Pitt Cue came rolling back to town and relaunched in their old digs under the name Little Pitt. Still with me?
Was it planned all along to generate some more publicity for both sites? I don’t know and I don’t care. Little Pitt is once again a brilliant spot for meat, barbecue and booze in the centre of the city. Pulled pork buns (£7.50) still have a starring role, but there’s plenty else to enjoy from the so-called sides, specials and extras (and extra specials?). Bone marrow mash never goes amiss, BBQ beans are a must, and grilled hispi and herbs is a buttery treat. Chuck in a grilled onglet steak, mangalitza sausage, caramel chicken thighs, pig’s head scrumpet and ox tongue on toast, and you’ll accidentally spend £25+ a head just on food. And that’s not counting dessert – we enjoyed an indulgent bowl of chocolate mousse with warm pears and chestnuts for company that was recently added to the menu. Make room for it!
Little Pitt – www.littlepitt.com
1 Newburgh Street, Soho, W1F 7RB
Pitt Cue | Devonshire Square
Whilst there are some overlaps in terms of small plates, sides and specials at both Pitt Cue and Little Pitt, the spacious restaurant near Spitalfields is a big step up from the claustrophobic Soho bar and basement where they made their name. For starters, they have space for an in-house brewery called Alphabeta that’s turning out some interesting cask beers, plus a couple of guest beer taps and a smartly chosen range of the finest spirits (including a mean mezcal collection).
The menu is a love letter to meat with cured and smoked jowl, mangalitza and eel sausage, grilled lamb heart and more making regular appearances. The specials board is just as long, packed with interesting bites (e.g. lamb chateaubriand, potato skins with kimchi, duck liver pâté, lamb sweetbread) and enticing cuts (think smoked lamb shoulder, pig’s head and aged rare breed prime rib). You are probably going to spend £40+, but you won’t regret it.
It’s worth noting that at both sites the service was superb across the board, which always eases the pain of handing over your cash at the end of a meal. It also makes me much more likely to return, although my bank balance will probably steer me towards Little Pitt. That said, I do like being able to make a reservation. Alright, you’ve twisted my arm – I’ll go to both again.
Pitt Cue – www.pittcue.co.uk
1 The Avenue, Devonshire Square, EC2M 4YP
