East London’s restaurant landscape is rapidly coming of age, with a handful of innovative establishments owned and run by chef-proprietors serving world-class fare in stripped-down surroundings. The newest of these is Marksman, a venerated East End watering hole that has been given an instant upgrade by new owners and chefs Tom Harris and Jon Rotheram. The friends and St. John Smithfield alumni have retained the timeless feel of the pub’s interior, keeping its smooth mahogany bar and handsome wood paneling, while antique lighting features and plush new leather banquettes impart a subtle lick of elegance. Plans are in place for a downstairs space serving feasting menus, while the upstairs dining room is set to feature a more formal dining room. For the time being, patrons will have to console themselves with Marksman’s formidable range of ales and old-world wines, along with a no-nonsense bar menu - serving the likes of black leg chicken with capers and anchovy, and a brown butter and honey tart - that is rapidly garnering Marksman cult status amongst clued-up Hackneyites.
