The restaurant that rewrote the book on contemporary Italian dining continues to bring a taste of La Dolce Vita with its stylish and colourful caffes and restaurants, now with nearly 50 sites. Classic antipasti, pasta and meat dishes made from produce imported especially from each gastronomic region of the mother country articulate the dedication to authenticity present, from breakfast to to delicious picnics to take away and sit-down dinners.
One of the first restaurants to rewrite the rule book around Indian cuisine in Britain, the Cinnamon Club is an award-winning, contemporary restaurant in the classic setting of a former library in Westminster, boasting inspired and imaginative menus from Vivek Singh, taking traditional recipes and giving them a contemporary twist.
The Cinnamon Club’s City of London outpost, the Liverpool Street venue is located in the former offices of the historic East India Company in the landmark Devonshire Square development and presents Vivek Singh’s modern Indian cuisine in a more relaxed, contemporary offering with a standalone cocktail bar, Anise, and a good-sized al fresco space.
Giraffe’s energetic and bustling group of restaurants embodies a truly global fusion of food. Now with more than 45 venues (including airports) around the country, the family-friendly restaurants are bold, bright and brimming with personality, with classic dishes from Greece, Mexico, the UK, Portugal, Thailand and a host of other countries, with plenty of fresh, healthy produce for the little ones.
Ever since the first YO! Sushi opened in 1997, complete with conveyor belt and speaking robot bartenders, it redefined perceptions of Japanese cuisine and culture. Since then, it has continued to break boundaries – not just in making raw fish an acceptable and popular dining experience in the UK, but developing a fantastically strong and quirky brand identity. YO! Sushi now operates more than 50 restaurants, each with their own distinct identity, united by that famous conveyor belt.
Roche Communications was retained by YO! Sushi for five years in the brand’s early days – responsible for all marketing, PR, design, print and sales promotion. YO! Sushi recently returned to the fold with Roche, once again responsible for all public relations and profile building.
Tom and Ed Martin’s flagship site occupies an enviable location on Sloane Square. Named after pioneering naturalist Sir Hans Sloane and with its interior decorated with illustrations from his journals, The Botanist’s draws on influences from far and wide across its breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner menus. As ever with the Martin brothers, the venue articulates their faithfulness to the finest, carefully sourced ingredients. All elements combine to create their most sophisticated site yet, though it still manages to remain an informal space.
www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com
London’s first Bombay café has redefined British diners’ perceptions of drinking and dining from the subcontinent. Bringing a piece of contemporary cool to the landmark St Martin’s Courtyard development in Covent Garden, with an interior that references the faded grandeur of Bombay’s disappearing Irani cafes, its all-day menu turns the ‘curries and rice’ concept on its head and gives a London twist to some classic Bombay dishes.
With a sweeping riverside view, The Gun is Tom and Ed Martin’s Docklands outpost. At the mouth of West India Dock, and allegedly home to Lord Nelson’s secret assignations with lover Lady Hamilton, the brothers emphasise high quality British cuisine, with much sourced from nearby Billingsgate Fish Market, while A Grehla, its fully equipped outdoor space with bar and charcoal barbecue, is the perfect spot for al fresco, summery dining.
Young’s is a brewer with heritage that stretches back centuries, but it’s also a brand that moves with the times, and nowhere is that more evident than in the new breed of quality pubs it is launching and its modern take on the traditional coaching inn, The Alma Hotel. A new emphasis on quality – from design, to the ingredients sourced by its chefs, and service – is ensuring this new generation of pubs is leading by example.
A destination French restaurant in an iconic setting in Covent Garden, Clos Maggiore is regarded as a hidden gem, and described as London’s most romantic restaurant by Harden’s guides, and echoes the romance of Provence with beautiful, simple dishes and an award-winning wine list.
Drake & Morgan’s Canary Wharf outpost occupies an impressive position in the Park Pavilion development. The Parlour bar and kitchen is a glamorous new destination venue with style, substance and a seasonally tempting menu, open from breakfast to dinner and boasting an innovative menu that includes a range of sharing boards, wine flights and skinny cocktails for connoisseurs that want to cut the calories.
Another of Renaissance Pubs’ Clapham outposts, The Avalon embraces its iconic English heritage and presents a stunning dining room based on skilful cooking, traditional pub values and elegant design that fuses its Victorian origins with industrial, luxurious and contemporary stylings.
With a stunning bar, two cocktail lounges, a contemporary English kitchen complete with chef’s table and a quintessentially British delicatessen, Drake & Morgan’s Gresham Street location in the City of London venue boasts superfood boards, a signature seafood ‘vault’ and traditional mains including pies, with a range of sharing punches and a retro cocktail trolley encapsulating a quirky approach to drinks.
A refined local pub and dining room in Battersea from Renaissance Pubs. The emphasis is on high quality British pub food, made from specialist suppliers and artisanal suppliers, served in a stunning glass-roofed dining room. Behind the bar, the drinks menu is balanced between renowned Old and New World wines as well some homegrown English vintages, along with cocktails and an alternating collection of guest ales.
The latest gastropub from Renaissance Pubs, The Tommyfield is named after the Oldham market where the first chip shop in this country was recorded 150 years ago – a handsome interior takes design cues from Britain’s market heritage. Seafood and fish rightly takes centre stage, with sustainable sources from day boats dominating the menu, as well as a great selection of hearty pies and cuts of British beef. Rustic British fare, no fuss.
This hidden gem on Clapham High Street from Renaissance Pubs is one of the area’s finest pubs, boasting a south-facing garden and open fire – the perfect setting for a modern European menu alongside classic cocktails, fine wines and excellent beers.
The first venue from nascent bar and dining company Drake & Morgan, The Refinery provides Southwark socialites with something special. Located in the landmark Blue Fin building on Southwark Street, itself a symbol of the regeneration of Bankside area behind the Tate Modern, The Refinery sees locals enjoying innovative cocktails, global wines and an impressive menu, emphasising provenance and organic ingredients, in a truly multi-faceted venue.
Tucked away in the heart of Clapham, The Abbeville is one of London’s most enchanting and charming public houses. With a stylish new look, two cosy snugs and a working fire, The Abbeville boasts a menu serving a feast of the finest yet affordable British produce and an excellent selection of leading British cask ales and international wines.
For their second Chelsea outpost, Tom and Ed Martin have restored a Victorian boozer to its former glory, exposing and enhancing many authentic features, creating a refined pub and dining area and rebuilding an original billiards room. Food has been refocused on what this country does best, combined with some contemporary and deft additions, accompanied by a strong international wine list, a carefully selected selection of cocktails and some leading cask ales.
A sparkling gem at the heart of London’s jewellery quarter in Hatton Garden, Tom and Ed Martin have returned what had become a rough diamond to its 19th century roots with a loving renovation and a name that plays on its location. Perfect for a pie and a pint, the Hat and Tun proudly reclaims classic London snacks such as salt beef and potted shrimps alongside some of the finest brews from across Britain, Ireland and beyond.
Tom and Ed Martin’s light and airy Clerkenwell pub has an impressive list of international draught and bottled beers and worldly wines, and is a popular location for weekend brunches. And there’s a cosy cocktail den below stairs, offering innovative twists on some classic drinks.
Bringing power to the patty, Giraffe Burgers offers a fresh and friendly new approach to burgers that’s anything but fast food. Choose from British beef or ground turkey patties or grilled chicken breast; whether you have it ‘LA’-style, ‘rodeo’ or ‘topless’, build your burger just the way you like it. Giraffe Burgers doesn’t take itself too seriously – it’s a place to hang out, have fun and make the space your own.
A staple on the fashionable King’s Road for nearly 20 years, The Big Easy Barbecue and Crabshack is a celebration of Southern hospitality, with a mouthwatering array of steaks, ribs, fried chicken, crab and lobster dishes available, and an award-winning wine list, bespoke Southern-influenced cocktails and pitchers of homemade lemonade. From its Big Pig Gig to its annual Lobster Festival, this is soul-filled authentic American fare.
In an area once famed for its concentration of impoverished hacks, aspiring poets and literary satire, Tom and Ed Martin have opened their latest venue in the City, Chiswell Street Dining Rooms.
Located on the corner of Milton Street (formerly known as Grub Street) and Chiswell Street, in the original home of the Whitbread brewery (c.1748), the bar and restaurant provides the best of new and old-fashioned British cooking, courtesy of head chef Richard O’Connell, who formerly worked at The Groucho Club and One Aldwych. Chiswell Street Dining Rooms is open throughout the day for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and supper.
Ed’s Easy Diner has been offering diners a taste of 1950’s American culture serving classic stateside favourites against a backdrop of jukebox hits since 1987.
Home to great hamburgers, delicious hot dogs and arguably the best milkshakes in town, Ed’s remains a firm favourite for diners everywhere and has become a hotspot for film and TV locations, photo shoots and celebrities.
The perfect place to chill out and enjoy great tasting food and legendary music, Ed’s is a big slice of Americana that tastes as good as it looks.
Situated in the newly developed Heron Tower on Bishopsgate, the drift is the latest venue from Drake & Morgan. A sanctuary in the heart of the City it boasts a fine-dining nook, mixology table, secluded cabana with a captivating view of Europe’s largest private aquarium and a ‘pontoon’ lounge bar. Diners choose from an imaginative menu with plenty of sharing options and innovative cocktails include calorie-counted ‘skinnies’, afternoon tea martinis and liquid desserts to die for.
A secret garden, away from the bustle of the City, The Folly is a botanically inspire haven from the Drake & Morgan group. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an 8m vertical tree trunk, plant-pot lampshades and a bee hive-inspired back bar work together to create a bar and restaurant that instills a sense of the outdoors. The Folly is an all-day drinking and dining destination, with coffee and pastries for breakfast and signature sharing boards and hearty mains for lunch and dinner along with cocktails and an accessible wine list.
A legend on the London culinary scene for the last 50 years, The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant has been given a new lease of life following an extensive refurbishment, courtesy of designer du jour Martin Brudnizki and the arrival of Michelin-starred head chef Ian Rudge from Northcote.
Located in the heart of Knightsbridge and frequented by a diverse mix of Hollywood stars, politicians, supermodels and royalty, the menu of cleverly re-invented classics and a whole host of modern British dishes is elegantly complimented by a glamorous destination cocktail bar, two private dining rooms and a unique cigar terrace.
Comptoir Libanais brings the flavours of the Middle East to the capital, with it’s eye-catching restaurants offering fresh and authentic Lebanese cuisine at affordable prices, from breakfast through to supper. With three venues in Westfield London, Westfield Stratford City and on Wigmore Street, it offers bold and vibrant dishes, bursting with rich, intense flavours. Comptoir Libanais provides a refreshing and contemporary alternative to the usual casual dining scene.
Kimchee on High Holborn has set out to be one of London’s finest Korean restaurants, with its sleek and stylish interior you can’t help but fall in love with the place. Kimchee packs in all the wonderful flavours of Korean cuisine at reasonable prices, with an open plan kitchen and charcoal BBQ serving delicious meat and fish dishes – the perfect way to truly experience a unique taste of Korea.
Injecting new life into a pub that has stood at 58 St Martin’s Lane since 1727, Tom and Ed Martin, are setting their own date in history as they make their West-End debut in the heart of theatreland with The Angel & Crown. The menu showcases signature modern pub dishes featuring seasonal British produce sourced from select artisan producers, regional farmers and Billingsgate Market. Theatreland applauds The Angel & Crown!
Variety is certainly the spice of life at Volupté, which brings back vintage in a big way with dinner, drinks and entertainment near Chancery Lane. Stealing the show – quite literally – are the nightly shows: from cabaret and burlesque to comedy and magic, diners are dazzled as the drama unfolds in the sexy underground Cabaret Salon. The hearty British menu, meanwhile, is small but perfectly formed and features locally-sourced food and comfort food classics. And fitting the format of dinner-and-a-show is a side menu of small plates, perfect for sharing as you enjoy the entertainment. Rounding things of is a boozy afternoon tea – with a vampy Volupté twist, of course – and a cool collection of cocktails, whether taken downstairs or upstairs in the separate sweet-themed Bon Bon Bar. A space with speakeasy style.
Take an oriental culinary journey that goes beyond sushi and sashimi at Watatsumi, the Japanese-inspired restaurant on Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square in the capital. Highly skilled chefs and husband and wife team, Peter and Hili Makohus (who met in the kitchens of Nobu Park Lane) offer exquisitely presented dishes that marry classic Japanese recipes with bold contemporary flavours. Menus range from the full ‘omakase’ tasting experience to Watatsumi’s exquisite bento boxes. The elegant restaurant boasts a fantastic ‘raw bar’ allowing customers the opportunity to watch the sushi chefs in action and a stylish cocktail bar with an impressive sake list.
Benito’s Hat brings brilliant burritos and tasty tacos to the capital with sites at Goodge Street, New Row, Great Castle Street and Kings Cross station on the newly opened concourse. Add to this agreat range of Margaritas, Mexican beers and South American wines and Benito’s Hat have got it wrapped.