Browns Brasserie & Bar at West India Quay is serving a three-course 'Taste of Summer' menu for £33, offering a waterside dining experience in a Grade I-listed 19th-century sugar warehouse. The venue, located in Canary Wharf, combines historical architecture with a contemporary brasserie menu, and our reviewer found the food, pricing, and atmosphere compelling.
A Historic Setting on the Waterfront
The restaurant is housed in a beautifully restored sugar warehouse originally constructed by Napoleonic prisoners of war. Period features such as exposed timber beams and cast-iron columns have been lovingly preserved, giving the space a unique character. The bi-level interior includes a grand chandelier and a sweeping staircase, creating a warm and bustling atmosphere.
Outside, the venue boasts an expansive waterside terrace and a lower ground bar garden directly alongside the river. This makes it a sought-after spot for alfresco dining and cocktails, especially during the summer months. The restaurant recently underwent a design-led transformation, enhancing its dockside appeal.
The 'Taste of Summer' Menu Reviewed
Our assistant editor, Samantha Bartlett, visited on a Thursday evening with friends and opted for the 'Taste of Summer' menu, which offers two courses for £27 or three courses for £33. The menu includes a variety of starters, mains, and desserts, with a £10 supplement for ribeye steak.
For starters, options include burrata salad, sticky hot honey chicken, prawn cocktail, or beetroot and apple tartare. Bartlett chose the hot honey chicken, served with buckwheat grains and a coriander yoghurt dip. She noted the portion size was just right, and the sweetness of the honey was balanced, not overpowering the savoury elements.
Mains and Desserts Impress
For the main course, while her friends opted for the ribeye steak, Bartlett selected the chicken schnitzel, which came with a sprinkling of parmesan and a lemon garnish. She described the chicken as seriously tender and juicy, with the accompaniments enhancing the dish. Other mains on the menu include pan-seared duck breast, sesame tuna nicoise salad, moules frites, and risotto verde.
Desserts on the three-course menu include elderflower & lemon posset, strawberry & basil Eton mess, chocolate torte, and bromley apple & rhubarb crumble. Bartlett praised the meal overall, highlighting the tasty food, great prices, and stunning ambiance. The waterside setting, combined with a performer serenading diners, made for a relaxing summer evening.
The 'Taste of Summer' evening set menu is available through late September 2026, after which it transitions to the Autumn menu. The restaurant also offers a Signature Afternoon Tea daily from 3pm to 5pm, featuring loose-leaf teas, savouries like lobster tail rolls, and sweet treats, with gluten-free and vegetarian options accredited by Coeliac UK.
