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Inside NoMad London’s former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, Twenty8 NoMad brings a distinct New York sensibility to one of Covent Garden’s most striking dining rooms. The restaurant sits beneath a soaring glass ceiling surrounded by palms, with the Royal Opera House directly opposite. Its menu draws on New York classics, French brasserie traditions and the NoMad’s ingredient-led cooking, making it well suited to lunch, pre-theatre dinner or cocktails that stretch into the evening.
A New Chapter at NoMad London
Twenty8 opened as a new expression of NoMad London’s main restaurant, with Executive Chef Zak Gregoire leading the kitchen alongside Culinary Director Bryce Shuman. Its name connects the hotel’s two cities: the original NoMad New York stood on 28th Street in Manhattan, while its London counterpart occupies 28 Bow Street.
That relationship runs through the restaurant. American favourites sit alongside brasserie staples, with the wood-burning hearth playing a central role in the cooking. There are quieter New York references too, including a grilled flatbread made using a dough recipe Shuman acquired early in his career in Little Italy.
The transatlantic theme extends to the art. New York portrait photographer Napoleon Sarony, whose subjects included Oscar Wilde, is represented in the collection. Wilde’s inclusion is especially apt, given that he was tried in the building Twenty8 now occupies.
Dining Beneath the Glass
Twenty8 retains the glass-roofed grandeur that has long defined this part of NoMad London, now reworked by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio as a contemporary palm court.
Palms and greenery rise through a room layered with rattan, patterned textiles, dark timber and earthy shades of green, brown and mustard. Portraits and decorative objects add character at eye level, while daylight through the glass ceiling gives the space a noticeably different feel during the day.
An eight-foot wood-burning hearth provides a focal point and anchors much of the kitchen’s open-fire cooking, particularly its meat and grilled dishes.
The Twenty8 Table
Executive Chef Zak Gregoire and Culinary Director Bryce Shuman build the menu around New York comfort food, brasserie influences and strong produce, favouring recognisable dishes with thoughtful details.
To Start
The raw bar provides one of the clearest expressions of Twenty8’s transatlantic character. The Seafood Tower draws partly on Gregoire’s upbringing on Nantucket, while the Prawn Cocktail revisits an American steakhouse favourite.
The Crudités takes inspiration from Shuman’s early-morning visits to Union Square Greenmarket. The Grilled Flatbread, meanwhile, uses the dough recipe connected to his time cooking in Little Italy. Together, these offer lighter, shareable introductions to the more substantial cooking that follows.
Main Courses
Open-fire cooking comes into sharper focus with the dry-aged Galician Blond Steak, roasted over the hearth with a nod to New York chophouses. Steak Frites follows a more traditional brasserie route, while seafood options include Seared Cod.
The key signature is the NoMad Chicken, served with black truffles and foie gras. The dish traces back to NoMad New York, where the original became one of the restaurant’s best-known creations, giving the London menu a direct connection to its Manhattan predecessor.
The wider selection leaves enough choice for a lighter lunch or full dinner while maintaining the restaurant’s American-brasserie character.
Something Sweet
Desserts continue the preference for familiar flavours and playful presentation, with Soft Serve among the signatures associated with Twenty8. Pastry Chef Martha Hernandez oversees the sweeter side of the kitchen and the restaurant’s afternoon tea.
Across the menu, the strongest dishes have clear points of reference, whether Nantucket seafood, New York steakhouses, Little Italy or the original NoMad restaurant.
Martinis and New York Classics
Cocktails are central to the NoMad identity, and Twenty8 gives them considerable attention. The programme was developed by Leo Robitschek, whose long association with NoMad New York provides another link between the two cities.
A dedicated Martini selection traces the drink’s evolution, beginning with the Martinez and leading to the restaurant’s Twenty8 Martini, finished with a smoked olive and blue cheese garnish.
The Modern New York Classics selection looks to drinks and bartenders that shaped the city’s contemporary cocktail scene. The Cosmopolitan draws on Toby Cecchini’s influential version, while the Penicillin references the drink created at Milk & Honey. Julie Reiner’s Clover Club and Robitschek’s Sherry Painkiller, first created at NoMad New York, continue the story.
More unconventional options include the Caprese Sour, giving the drinks programme enough depth for the bar to warrant a visit of its own.
Afternoon Tea Under the Palms
Afternoon tea feels particularly at home beneath Twenty8’s glass roof. The restaurant takes inspiration from a British summer picnic rather than following the conventional hotel tea format.
The savoury selection includes an elevated cucumber sandwich and lobster roll, followed by seasonal sweets. Details change with the season while the picnic theme remains consistent.
Daylight through the glass roof brings out the room’s scale and greenery, making afternoon tea a particularly good time to appreciate the setting.
Breakfast, Brunch and Pre-Theatre Dining
Twenty8 serves breakfast daily, combining familiar staples with more distinctive choices. Eggs Benedict comes with Canadian bacon and brown butter sabayon, while Eggs Royale pairs smoked salmon with the same sauce. Other options include Shakshuka with goat’s cheese and za’atar flatbread, Poppy Seed Pancakes with berry compote and Chantilly, and the NoMad Omelette with Templegall Cheddar.
The NoMad Breakfast Sandwich combines bacon, fried egg and cheese, while the Full English provides the more traditional option.
Weekend brunch extends the daytime offering, while set lunch and pre-theatre menus suit the Covent Garden location particularly well. The Royal Opera House is directly across Bow Street, with several West End theatres within walking distance.
Hospitality with NoMad Character
Despite the room’s scale, Twenty8 maintains a relaxed style of hospitality. Breakfast, afternoon tea, cocktails and dinner all feel at home in the same space, giving the restaurant useful flexibility throughout the day.
That adaptability works particularly well in Covent Garden, where meals often revolve around theatre schedules. Twenty8 retains the polish expected of NoMad London while keeping the atmosphere lively and approachable.
Twenty8 in the Heart of Covent Garden
Twenty8 sits at 28 Bow Street, within the Grade II-listed former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station. Covent Garden Piazza is a short walk away, with the Royal Opera House immediately opposite.
The location makes it particularly convenient before an opera, ballet or West End performance. Hotel guests can also move easily between Twenty8 and NoMad London’s other drinking and dining spaces, including Side Hustle and The Library.
Twenty8’s New York references have enough substance to give the restaurant a clear identity. They appear in its recipes, cocktails, culinary history and interiors, while the glass-roofed dining room provides a memorable setting of its own. The result is a polished addition to Covent Garden that feels firmly connected to the wider NoMad story.
Location: 28 Bow St, London WC2E 7AW
