Leave London for as little as two weeks and you'll come back to change. Love it or hate it, you'll learn to refrain from growing attached to well, anything really- that's just city living. There is one exception, however. I spent some of my youth in Islington, and living here now in my late twenties, there is one restaurant that remains as busy as it was when I walked past as a seventeen year old. I remember it distinctly, as the name is hard to forget. Prawn on the Lawn began as a small fishmonger and seafood bar that opened in 2013 with only 8 seats. Thirteen years later, it remains a bustling (whilst expanded) local gem on St Paul's Road. In an ever-evolving city like London, a restaurant that's been around for more than ten years has got to be doing something right. And so, after much time of it being on my radar, I finally went on a very overdue visit to see what the fuss is about.
As you make your way through the narrow doorway, the first thing you'll see is the display of fish on a bed of ice. It's been delivered fresh that day from Cornwall and Devon. Straight ahead are front row seats to the theatre of the open kitchen. They're all reserved by couples gleefully watching the chefs flawlessly manoeuvre around the flames and each-other. We take our seats and crane our necks to read the dishes scribbled onto the blackboard that changes daily based on what's in season and what the fishermen have caught. if you're lucky enough for them to be written on that board on your visit, the mussels with delica pumpkin and yellow curry could well be the most delicious dish we tried of 2025, but more on that later.
We started with a selection of rock oysters, some deep fried with garlic creme fraiche, some served fresh with a classic mignonette and the restaurant's very own hot sauce, which adds a kick without suffocating the crisp, salty flavours. Paired with a glass of fizz recommended by our waitress, a pink sparkling wine from Cornwall with a deep rose colour and notes of cranberry- a match made in heaven. I will be returning for their newly introduced Oyster Happy Hour alone.
Onto the mains, each dish bursts with flavours that merge a seaside escape with Asian influences. The almost beef-like tuna with chilli, coriander, soy and mirin is one such example. Another is the aforementioned mussels dish. With crispy shallots, creamy yellow curry and roasted delica pumpkin, each forkful has a combination of flavours and textures that work so well together, it's the kind of dish that you have to discreetly edge towards your side of the table and claim as your own.
We also opted for the John Dory, served whole, a la plancha with roasted garlic and parsley. A delicate golden crisp on the skin with flaky, buttery meat inside. The gently fragrant garlic and fresh parsley added sweet, rich notes that perfectly balanced the fish without overpowering its natural taste. Exquisite yet simplistic cooking that let the quality of the freshly-caught John Dory speak for itself.
Finally, I'd be remiss not to mention the potatoes. When visiting a restaurant, I tend to refrain on overindulging on the side dishes to leave room for what typically is of more importance. How good can potatoes be? However, after allowing myself one of the crushed, spiced nuggets of carbohydrate- I blinked and the rest were gone. If there's one thing you take from this review, it is to order not one, but two sides of the potatoes.
And so, I have uncovered what it takes to remain not just in business, but in a thriving business in one of London's most competitive areas. Prawn on the Lawn uses quality ingredients in exceptional recipes to create dishes that quite simply, you can't find anywhere else. It has mastered the atmosphere of a local gem that some are lucky enough to have on their doorstep, and if not, many would brave the tube for.
