September 2025 by Scott Richards
In London for work and found this excellent spot. Staff were very friendly and the food (marmite sourdoungh particularly) was excellent. 40ft beer was also very tasty. A real gem of a place with a lively atmosphere.
September 2025 by Saatchi S
Absolutely delicious. Great service too!
September 2025 by Valery Jidkov
Amazing food, very creative and tasty.
September 2025 by Simon
Very much a destination restaurant, one that is worth making an effort to visit. If you do, book in advance. We visited on a busy Saturday evening, and it was packed.
Acme Fire Cult is at the end of a shabby alleyway in the backstreets of Dalston, nestled in with the Dusty Knuckle baker and the 40-Foot brewery. There are industrial containers, a hodgepodge of wooden construction that flies in the face of crisp linen pretentiousness. Acme Fire Cult puts the fun back into dining. A laid-back atmosphere where friendly, welcoming staff promote the enjoyment of food, not revelry in gastronomic detail where the height of a dish is as important as an exquisitely placed flower petal. The food goes from an outside grill, onto a plate and to the table. The restaurant is in two parts: a covered outside and an indoors area. Given the proximity to the 40-Foot breweries tap yard, the indoor area proved to be quieter as things get busier outside.
The menu changes regularly. Standout dishes for us were the fermented pumpkin, bavette, char grilled cabbage, and pork. All dishes were perfectly cooked. The fat on the pork was rendered nicely and was tasty. The weakest dish was probably the wagyu steak. The menu gave little detail on the provenance of this, and I?m not certain the style of cooking in Acme Fire Cult suits this cut. It was a small portion, still tasty, but did not justify the price premium. The sauces that came with the dishes were superb; we could happily have sat there eating the loaf of sourdough (from Dusty Knuckle) with them. It is probably important to note that the plates arrive at the table when they are ready. For us, the starters arrived first but overlapped with the arrival of the mains and all are meant to be shared. The wine list was extensive, with a few unusual options, including a nice Sauternes to match the deserts. And it was the strawberries on the cheesecake that most clearly underlined the quality of produce in Acme Fire Cult.
Overall, not just great food, but a great experience.
August 2025 by Joseph Bryant
Tasty food, portions a bit light
August 2025 by Adam
This was amazing. Must haves: leeks, marmite bread, nimbu pani. Flavours were amazing, smoky, buttery, savoury yum. Surprising amount of South and Western Indian influences, but really fit well. One main, two sides/apps, two starters and three soft drinks was £84 for two people.
August 2025 by Lori Neilson
Everything was exquisite. Each ingredient so well thought out. Really beautiful produce and flavours elevated to a very special place which illuminated the mind upon eating. Thank you for the experience. The Bavette and the dressings upon it were otherworldly and the Marmite and pecorino bread was one of the most delicious things I?ve ever put in my mouth. Thank you so much Acme Fire Cult for making me smile from the inside out with each taste. I can?t wait to return ??
August 2025 by Necdet Ya??z Özkan
I like the overall ethos and what they?re trying to do here, and I?ve had a better experience in the past, but it feels pretty hit and miss. The sides and starters were great, but the rib was undercooked and didn?t live up to the hype. Service was patchy, which took away from the night, and the outdoor seating turned out to be shared tables (should have mentioned when booking), not the best for a date night.
August 2025 by Aigerim Nurtazina
Undercooked
Overpriced
August 2025 by rio allison
Has a birthday meal here, the staff were lovely and super attentive. The vibes of the place are also lovely kind of gives busy bar with restaurant if you?re into that vibe!
The food was mainly nice but in my opinion a little overpriced and the cucumber watermelon salad really lacked flavour which was gutting because we ordered three of them but all in all would go back would just change my order !
August 2025 by Scott Milton
Great food great atmosphere
August 2025 by Anastasia B
As someone from the South Americas, the only thing more disappointing than the rump and chicken's dry texture was the absolute aloofness and lack of knowledge and hospitality from the staff. The presentation of everything was stellar and the staff seemed nice but they're not actually keen to do anything but talk to one another or eat food/drink. We never once were checked in on after ordering. AFC seems to have made some changes to the menu and org structure to the detriment of the customer experience. With full certainty, I can absolutely assure the 'cult' aspect is just branding, though anyone returning may show similar IQ to cult members. Far cry from a roast, even further cry from barbecue or grill masters.
August 2025 by Tim Newton
A remarkable meal out. Inventive cooking, and refreshingly focused on vegetables and salads. Tbh when I come back, and we will, I will ignore the meat and just go vegetarian. It was that good.
August 2025 by RICHARD BENTHAM
Outrageous food. Brilliant staff. Cant wait to go again! Made our dog feel as welcomed as us?.
August 2025 by Chris Dunn
The food here is knockout. The staff always super friendly and informative about the menu. Place is pumping.
Just back from a week in Ibiza and trying to pretend we?re still away. We chose well tonight!!
