What to expect
Flat Iron built its name on doing one thing very well: the flat-iron steak, a flavourful cut served at an affordable, fixed price with a simple menu of sides and sauces. The Covent Garden restaurant has the same relaxed, buzzy feel as the rest of the group with bare tables, quick service and a few well-chosen wines and beers. Little extras have become part of the experience: free popcorn while you wait and a complimentary ice cream to finish.
How it started
Charlie Carroll founded Flat Iron in 2012, serving steak from a room above the Owl and Pussycat pub in Shoreditch during the London Olympics. He had spent nine months teaching himself butchery and working through dozens of suppliers before settling on the flat iron itself, which is a cut taken from the featherblade, just below the shoulder, full of flavour but far cheaper than the prime cuts. That decision is what lets the group keep to one steak at one price.
The building
The Henrietta Street site is worth a look in its own right. The 1892 tiled frontage has been kept and an original mosaic floor was uncovered during the fit-out. The building once housed Pearson's Weekly, the periodical that published the first crossword to appear in Britain. There's an in-house butchery on site.
Good to know
It's worth arriving early or off-peak at busy times. It's an easy, good-value choice before or after a West End show.
Other London branches
Flat Iron has several other restaurants across London, including in Soho, Shoreditch, Spitalfields and the City, so there's usually one nearby wherever you are.
