Chef Nathaniel Mortley brings personal history and fine-dining ambition to a confident celebration of Caribbean cooking overlooking Brockwell Park.
Fine-dining Caribbean restaurants remain something of a rarity in London. The late Dom Taylor was instrumental in moving the conversation forward, demonstrating through The Good Front Room that jerk, ackee and saltfish could occupy a more ambitious dining room without abandoning the memories and traditions behind them. Chef Nathaniel Mortley is continuing that momentum. At 2210 by NattyCanCook, Caribbean cooking is not diluted for the fine-dining format. Instead, familiar flavours are amplified through technique, presentation and a willingness to bring the heat.
Mortley’s route to his first restaurant has been unconventional. Raised in South London and inspired by his Guyanese grandmother Iona, he trained professionally before working in kitchens including Oblix, City Social and The Arts Club. A prison sentence later interrupted his career, but cooking remained a constant. During his time at HMP Brixton, Mortley worked at The Clink, the prison restaurant and rehabilitation charity, an experience that helped refocus his ambitions.
After his release came private dinners, social media success under the NattyCanCook moniker and a residency at The Greyhound in Peckham. Its popularity provided proof that his approach could sustain something permanent. 2210 by NattyCanCook followed in November 2025, its name commemorating 22 October, the date his grandmother passed away.
Occupying a sizeable shopfront in Herne Hill opposite Brockwell Park, the restaurant feels considered without becoming stiff. Undulating curves, arched openings, sculptural mirrors and deep blue banquettes soften the dining room, while subdued lighting pushes things firmly towards an evening atmosphere. A statement bar anchors the space and, towards the rear, the kitchen is visible through the pass. Jazz provides the soundtrack rather than reggae on rotation, another indication that 2210 has little interest in leaning on the rum-shack aesthetic often attached to Caribbean restaurants.
The same confidence carries into the service. Warmth replaces ceremony, with dishes explained thoroughly while the dining room maintains the energy of a neighbourhood restaurant even when the plating suggests something far more ambitious.
Plantain Three Ways is an early indication of Mortley’s thinking. Plantain is transformed into a dense, hummus-like purée, then surrounded by crisp golden chips standing upright like petals. Sweetness comes naturally from the fruit, but the preparation adds savouriness and depth. It is simple in construction yet clever in texture.
The Saltfish Spring Roll takes another ingredient deeply associated with Caribbean cooking and removes it from its usual setting. Rather than a patty, saltfish, ackee, red pepper and spring onion are confined within a brittle cylindrical shell. The filling is salty and soft against the crisp pastry, while a red pepper velouté scattered across the plate like a Jackson Pollock painting provides sweetness. Spring onion emulsion adds freshness without masking what makes ackee and saltfish so distinctive.
Roti with Scotch Bonnet Infused Butter may be listed among the sides, but missing it would be a mistake. The flatbread arrives cut into triangles, blistered at the edges and flaky through its layers. The accompanying butter is glossy, rich and carrying enough heat to announce itself without overwhelming the palate.
Oxtail Mac and Cheese Balls continue the theme of turning comfort food into something more composed. The breadcrumbed spheres crack open to reveal soft macaroni bound with cheese before giving way to a deeply flavoured centre of shredded oxtail. Importantly, they avoid the dryness that often affects fried croquettes. Instead, cheese, pasta and meat merge into something unapologetically indulgent.
The Braised Oxtail is where the restaurant makes its strongest case. A substantial piece of slow-cooked meat arrives almost blackened around its edges and requires little encouragement from a fork before separating from the bone. The flavour is rich and robust, offset by red onion and plantains cooked in their skin until the flesh becomes soft and deeply caramelised. Jollof rice makes a worthy accompaniment, although the alternative rice ’n’ peas proves even better, carrying an impressive smokiness that complements rather than competes with the meat.
Jerk Chicken receives similarly serious treatment. The chicken is tender, charred and assertively seasoned, topped with a bright plantain and pineapple relish that adds sweetness and acidity. A fried allspice terrine adds another layer of texture, but it is the fiery jerk that brings the dish together. At around £30, it is pricier than we’re used to paying for jerk, yet the technique and generosity demonstrate how a familiar dish can move comfortably into a more elevated environment without losing its identity.
Desserts are limited to two, which feels sensible after such substantial mains. Plantain Cake is the more intriguing choice. A rectangular sponge arrives piped with white chocolate and punctuated by pieces of rhubarb and a scoop of Chantilly. The plantain lends moisture and a mellow sweetness, while the tart rhubarb provides the necessary bite.
The bar follows the kitchen’s lead. A 2210 Rum Punch feels inevitable, while the Scotch Bonnet Margarita and Sorrel Sangria find more interesting ways into Caribbean ingredients and flavours. Rather than novelty tropical drinks, these Caribbean concoctions fit naturally into a restaurant where jazz, low lighting and confident cooking replace the usual clichés.
There is personal history behind 2210, but what matters most is the food. Mortley understands that elevating Caribbean cuisine does not mean stripping away its generosity, spice or soul. Across roti slicked with Scotch bonnet butter, melting oxtail and fiercely flavoured jerk chicken, technique supports tradition rather than suffocating it.
Following his successful Peckham residency, Mortley has created a restaurant with considerably bigger ambitions and one that was recently named ‘Best Caribbean Restaurant’ at the FACT Dining Awards London 2026. The cooking is raw in flavour yet refined in execution, rooted in the Caribbean but unmistakably shaped by South London. Most importantly, 2210 makes its point without preaching: Caribbean food deserves this kind of dining room, and Mortley has the ability to make it belong there.
Where: 2210 by NattyCanCook, 75 Norwood Road, Herne Hill, London, SE24 9AA
When: Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm to 11pm
Contact: www.2210bynattycancook.com