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Silo (restaurant)

Silo
Interactive map of Silo
Restaurant information
Established2014 (2014)
Closed2025 (2025)
ChefDouglas McMaster
Food typeExperimental cuisine
LocationLondon, England
Coordinates51°32′34″N 0°01′20″W / 51.5429°N 0.0221°W / 51.5429; -0.0221
Websitesilolondon.com

Silo was a zero waste restaurant in London. The restaurant was originally opened in Brighton in 2014 before relocating to London in 2019. It closed in 2025.

Description

The restaurant was intended to produce zero waste.[1] All of its produce was purchased from local farms and transported in biodegradable or recyclable packaging.[2] The restaurant also grew its own mushrooms, milled its own flour,[1] brewed its own alcohol,[3] churned its own butter, and used every part of the animals served.[4] Leftovers and by-products from the cooking process were incorporated into other dishes, to reduce food waste. For example, leftover parts from cooked cuttlefish were fermented into a fish sauce and leftover breadcrumbs were used to coat ice cream sandwiches.[5] Any food that was not eaten was composted and distributed to farms.[6]

The restaurant served a set menu of tasting dishes so that it could predict exactly how many ingredients to order, thereby reducing waste. The menu changed weekly, based on what ingredients were in season.[5] Its signature dish was a sourdough bread called the "Siloaf".[7] Invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed, were frequently served.[8] The menu focused on plant ingredients, although meat from sources like culled deer and retired dairy cattle was also incorporated.[9] Each dish that was served was accompanied by an explanation of the supply chain and cooking process that produced it.[10]

After Silo in 2019, food critic Keith Miller described its food as "beetroot with perfumed Mexican marigold; an obscure short-rib-like cut of superannuated dairy cow, cooked unimaginably slowly then served with 'emerald kale', the leaves whizzed into a sauce, the stalks sliced thin and crisped up like winter trees; a quince sorbet crowned with a puddle of fig-leaf oil the impossibly intense iridescent greeny-blue of a peacock’s tail."[11] It also served a variety of wines, beers and cocktails.[12]

The restaurant's interior was decorated with recycled materials, including cork floors, recycled lighting and light shades made from mycelium-based materials.[13] Its dishes were also made of recycled materials, including tableware made from recycled wine bottles that were ground into glass sand and melted in a kiln.[2] The restaurant included tables and bar seating adjacent to an open kitchen where customers could observe the food being prepared.[13] The bar surface and tabletops were made from recycled plastic.[14]

History

Silo opened in Brighton in 2014. It was founded by chef Douglas McMaster.[3] McMaster had previously worked at Noma and The Fat Duck,[15] and had opened a zero-waste cafe in Melbourne, Australia with Joost Bakker, the founder of Greenhouse.[16] The restaurant raised £‎40,000 through crowdfunding to establish a zero-carbon supply chain.[1] The restaurant drew criticism from locals in Brighton for perceived high prices and a "pretentious" atmosphere.[6]

In a 2017 interview with Big Hospitality magazine, McMaster complained that Brighton's food culture was not complex enough for the restaurant to thrive, and that he had to "dumb down" his ideas to make it suitable for locals. His comments drew backlash from locals.[17] He responded to the backlash in a subsequent interview with The Argus, where he stated that "It breaks my heart that people think I don’t love Brighton", and said that he hoped the restaurant would remain in the city for another 20 years.[18]

The restaurant relocated to London in 2019,[19] where it opened in Hackney Wick.[20] Its London location was set up in a former candy factory.[21] The move was funded through a £‎500,000 crowdfunding campaign.[22] McMaster stated that the restaurant's London opening was easier than its original opening because of heightened environmental awareness,[9] and that environmentally-focused media like Blue Planet II had driven foot traffic to the restaurant.[6] The restaurant closed its doors in December 2025.[23]

Reception

The restaurant received a Michelin Guide green star for sustainability.[24] In a 2015 review for The Guardian, Marina O'Loughlin gave the Brighton restaurant a score of 6/10 for food, 7/10 for atmosphere, 8/10 for price, and 10/10 for ethos.[1]

In 2019, Keith Miller of The Telegraph gave the restaurant 4.5/5 stars, praising the quality of the food, atmosphere, and service.[11] Food critic Jimi Famurewa praised the restaurant as "a place where spellbinding, veg-focused cooking is served by passionate, engaged people."[25]

Grace Dent of The Guardian gave the restaurant a more negative review in 2020, giving it 3/10 stars and writing that "With every course, a server arrives, calls you 'folks', kneels down, proffers a tiny sliver of radish with a small fart of hemp cheese goo inside, before talking you through the lifespan of the radish and the seasonings."[26]

Time Out London gave the restaurant 5/5 stars in 2025, praising its food, sustainability and service.[21] The Standard listed it as one of the most sustainable restaurants in London in 2025.[27]

Sonya Barber, writing for Condé Nast Traveler, wrote that "Silo isn’t for everyone, for anyone feeling adventurous and after an unusual and exciting meal, this is a must-visit."[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d O'Loughlin, Marina (2015-03-13). "Silo, Brighton – restaurant review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  2. ^ a b "Waste Not Wednesday's: Silo London". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  3. ^ a b Wasley, Andrew (2014-09-30). "Simple, sustainable and not 'superchef': the UK's first zero-waste restaurant". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  4. ^ "Silo | National Restaurant Awards". NRA - National Restaurant Awards. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  5. ^ a b "Learning from Dinner at Silo London, the World's First Zero-Waste Restaurant – The Wesleyan Argus". 2023-09-25. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  6. ^ a b c Lott-Lavigna, Ruby (2019-11-06). "How 'Blue Planet' Reversed the Fortunes of This Restaurant". VICE. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  7. ^ a b Barber, Sonya. "Silo — Restaurant Review". Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  8. ^ Morrissy-Swan, Tomé (2023-05-27). "Squirrel haggis and Japanese knotweed reach UK menus as invasive species trend grows". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  9. ^ a b "Menuwatch: Silo London". The Caterer. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  10. ^ "Zero-Waste Restaurant Silo Is Closing After 11 Years". Broadsheet. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  11. ^ a b Miller, Keith (2019-11-24). "Keith Miller reviews Silo, London: 'An unembarrassed thirst for beauty in all areas'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  12. ^ Redden, Claire (2024-02-11). "Silo In London Is The World's First Zero-Waste Restaurant". Tasting Table. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  13. ^ a b Wakeham, Amy (2025-10-10). "Silo London Will Close This December – Here's Why You Should Visit Now". Country and Town House. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  14. ^ Levy, Natasha (2020-04-23). "Sustainable food and furniture features in zero-waste restaurant Silo". Dezeen. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  15. ^ Ackerman, Naomi (2019-11-06). "Doug McMaster on opening the world's first 100% zero waste restaurant". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  16. ^ "This Restaurant Won't Have a Single Trash Can". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  17. ^ "Hipster chef called 'sneering git' after saying Brighton residents are too backward to appreciate his food". The Independent. 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  18. ^ "Chef: I love Brighton and this city is the best place for my restaurant". The Argus. 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2026-01-28.
  19. ^ Hansen, James (2019-02-20). "One of the U.K.'s Most Exciting Restaurants Makes Its London Debut". Eater London. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  20. ^ Reynolds, George (2020-01-06). "Zero-Waste Restaurant Silo Gets Stunning Review for 'Bloody Gorgeous' Food". Eater London. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  21. ^ a b Ballantine, Tania. "Silo Restaurant Hackney Wick London Review: Sustainable dining done immaculately". Time Out London. Archived from the original on 2025-09-20. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  22. ^ Meyerowitz, Anya. "Zero-waste restaurant Silo is opening in London this week". Time Out London. Archived from the original on 2025-01-19. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  23. ^ Cooper, Leonie. "The 'world's first zero-waste restaurant' in east London is closing". Time Out London. Archived from the original on 2025-12-17. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
  24. ^ "A Restaurant That Serves Gourmet Meals From Scraps". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 2025-09-17. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  25. ^ Famurewa, Jimi (2020-01-16). "Jimi Famurewa on Silo: Radically serious but surprisingly convivial". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  26. ^ Dent, Grace (2020-01-17). "Silo, London E9: 'Loud, righteous and holy' – restaurant review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-02-02.
  27. ^ Kinsman, Clare Finney, Juliet (2025-04-02). "London's most sustainable restaurants, from Apricity to Silo". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-02-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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