Morchella launches terrace barbecue menu with Henderson Seafood in Clerkenwell

Morchella, the contemporary Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar in Clerkenwell, has introduced a barbecue menu on its terrace, beginning this month with a selection of fish and shellfish from Henderson Seafood. The menu, available Thursday to Sunday until 6^th September, is served overlooking Exmouth Market and cooked over lumpwood charcoal.

The restaurant was founded by Ben Marks, Matthew Emmerson and Head Chef Daniel Fletcher, who also run Perilla in Newington Green. Each iteration of the barbecue menu is intended to feature different suppliers that Morchella works with, with a rotating selection highlighted throughout the season.

The first menu features a daily changing selection of fish and shellfish from Henderson Seafood, sourced from the South West of England. It is designed to run alongside the restaurant’s existing à la carte offering and will change according to the day’s catch.

Dishes include mackerel with white currant gremolata, Devon diver scallops pil pil, wild black bream with salsa verde, pot-caught octopus with fermented chilli, and Dorset cockles served with morcilla. Larger fish, such as John Dory, will be available depending on the day’s landings and are intended to be shared. Salads and sides from the main menu are also available, allowing guests to combine dishes from both the barbecue and the main kitchen.

Marks began his career at the age of 13 and trained at Operakällaren in Stockholm and Claridge’s under Martyn Nail before working under Phil Howard at The Square. He opened Perilla in 2016 with Emmerson, followed by Morchella in 2024. Emmerson started in pubs before spending several years across Russell Norman’s Polpo group, including Polpo, Spuntino, Ape & Bird and Polpetto. He now oversees operations and design across both restaurants.

Fletcher has been Head Chef at Morchella since it opened in 2024. He has worked in kitchens across Australia, New Zealand and the UK, including the Michelin-starred The Kitchin in Edinburgh, The Black Swan at Oldstead and the two-Michelin-starred The Square in London. He later became Head Chef of Fenchurch at Sky Garden and was a finalist on BBC’s Great British Menu in 2018.

Perilla, the founders’ first restaurant, opened in Newington Green in 2016 and has been listed in the National Restaurant Awards Top 100 on five occasions, ranking as high as 17^th. The 40-seat dining room continues to serve seasonal, ingredient-led cooking.

Food Desk

For further information, visit morchella.london or follow them on Instagram at @morchellalondon.