Duchy Brings the Forgotten Flavours of Savoy to Shoreditch
- James Massoud
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Shoreditch has never been short of ambitious restaurants, but few arrive with a story quite as distinctive as Duchy. Occupying the former home of Michelin starred Leroy on Phipp Street, the restaurant from restaurateur Alex Grant and chef Simon Shand explores a culinary landscape rarely given centre stage: the historic Duchy of Savoy, where the food cultures of France and Italy have intertwined for centuries.
Rather than being defined by borders, Duchy is shaped by movement. From Lyon to Milan and Geneva to Nice, the menu draws together Alpine traditions with Mediterranean generosity, creating a dining experience that feels simultaneously rooted in history and refreshingly contemporary.
Where Mountains Meet the Mediterranean
The former Duchy of Savoy wasn't simply a geographical region. It was a crossroads of trade, agriculture, migration and winemaking, where recipes evolved naturally as ingredients travelled between mountain villages and coastal towns.
That philosophy now underpins everything at Duchy here in Shoreditch. Instead of separating French and Italian cooking, Simon embraces the shared language between them, pairing the richness of Alpine comfort with the brightness of the Riviera. Olive oil, citrus, wild herbs and pristine seafood sit comfortably alongside heritage grains, mountain cheeses and carefully sourced seasonal vegetables, reflecting a landscape shaped equally by peaks and coastline.
It's an approach that feels increasingly relevant in London's dining scene, where regional storytelling has become every bit as important as technical execution.
A Menu That Refuses to Stand Still
Perhaps the restaurant's defining characteristic is its refusal to become predictable. Rather than building a fixed menu, Duchy allows ingredients to dictate the direction of each service. Dishes evolve daily depending on what arrives from trusted growers and producers, while entirely new creations appear as the seasons shift. Even the set lunch menu changes weekly, encouraging repeat visits that rarely feel like the same experience twice.
It's a philosophy that echoes the traditions of Savoy itself, where cooking has always been dictated by geography, weather and availability rather than rigid recipes. Here, classical dishes aren't recreated for nostalgia's sake, they're thoughtfully refined, preserving their identity while feeling unmistakably modern.
As Simon explains: "We want the menu to remain alive. That means responding constantly to what producers are growing, what farmers are rearing and what arrives at its absolute best. The menu is never static; it's always moving forward."
Wine Without Borders
That same philosophy extends naturally into the glass. Duchy's wine programme mirrors the menu's cross-border identity, showcasing producers from both France and Italy, with a particular focus on Alpine vineyards and lesser-known appellations that rarely receive the spotlight in London. Rather than treating wine as an accompaniment, the list becomes another expression of Savoy's shared cultural heritage, reinforcing the idea that food and wine have always evolved together.
For curious drinkers, it offers an opportunity to explore regions and producers that sit outside the familiar classics while remaining deeply connected to the food on the plate.
One of Shoreditch's Most Thoughtful Restaurants
In a neighbourhood where restaurants often compete through novelty, Duchy succeeds through something more enduring: clarity of purpose.
Every aspect of the experience, from its ever-changing menu and carefully sourced ingredients to its quietly confident dining room and regional wine list, feels connected by a singular idea. Rather than chasing trends, Duchy celebrates a culinary culture that has existed for centuries but remains surprisingly under-explored.
For Shoreditch, it marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. For London's dining scene, it may well become one of its most compelling.
