It’s impossible to talk about Duchy without first mentioning Leroy. Leroy was a European-ish bistro in Shoreditch that became known for its laidback atmosphere, great wine list and unpretentious dishes – and the Michelin star it won within months of opening. To the dismay of Leroy loyalists, it closed at the end of 2024. 

But this isn’t a sad story. It is the tale of an almighty comeback; Leroy might be gone, but Duchy has risen from the ashes and is, in many ways, far better than its predecessor. 

The background 

The old Leroy boys are back together: Alex Grant and chef Simon Shand, who met while working there in 2021. Simon was the chef who won it its Michelin star – and held it for three consecutive years, until departing the project in February 2024. 

They didn’t intend to reopen a restaurant on their former turf. The pair were on the hunt for a new project, largely inspired by the historical Duchy of Savoy, which spanned south-east France and north-west Italy until 1867. As fate might have it, the old Leroy site was available and has become the new home for their French/Italian spot. 

The space

It’s hard to divorce Duchy from Leroy, given they occupy the same space – a small room cut into one of Shoreditch’s big industrial buildings, around the corner from other foodie hotspots like Bistro Freddie and Manteca. But Duchy feels fresh: sage green furnishings, wooden chairs that scrape along the wooden floor, a marble counter, shelves stacked with wine bottles…

There’s a blackboard, which hints at the kind of food you’re about to eat, and a vinyl player set up by the door, which hints at the (literally) upbeat, relaxed vibe that reverberates through every inch of the restaurant. It’s friendly, too – we’re greeted with a handshake and a smile from Alex himself, who welcomes everyone like long-lost friends. 

The food 

Italian and French? It’s like they’re asking to be on lists of London’s best food – especially when you factor in the brilliant British produce Simon’s got his hands on. We start Italian, with creamy vitello tonnato – which is more of a veal tartare – crowned with a delicate diadem of crispy fries and salty caper beads. Panisse are next, squidgy chickpea fingers with a smudge of mustard underneath – the kind of snack you crave when drinking a bottle of something white, saline and Italian. 

We stick with the Italian theme and order spaghetti, served simply – and silkily – with sage butter and a crunchy, almost sweet pangrattato that my friend, ever the elocutionist, declares “exactly like Biscoff”. There’s fish, too, a great piece of plaice swimming in brown butter and slathered with soft grilled leeks and cloud-like mussels. We devour a raspberry bombe Alaska to finish, which is delightfully reminiscent of an Arctic roll, and regret not ordering the chicken as we see it arrive at the table beside ours. Next time. 

The drinks, too, deserve their own paragraph. A snappy cocktail list features three types of negroni and two styles of martini, plus an old fashioned and a few aperitifs. The wine list, on the other hand, is huge, split into regions spanning France and Italy. The cortese we order is, in a word, bellissimo. 

The verdict 

Duchy is for drinkers. It’s for people who want to spend their Friday night ordering round after round of small plates in a place so friendly it feels like you could be in someone’s living room – or for people who love sitting at a counter and chatting with chefs about their travels and their favourite dishes. The old Leroy is dead. Long live the Duchy.

The bill 

Very reasonable – £120 for two, including a bottle of wine. 

Duchy, 18 Phipp Street, London EC2A 4NU; duchyrestaurant.com