Restaurants

“The world’s oldest sandwich” is not the most appealing of tag-lines. Visions of that episode of The Simpsons, in which Homer falls ill after eating a ten-foot hoagie from the nuclear power plant’s company picnic are instantly conjured: the bread having turned purple and cloaked with fungus after a few weeks of stubborn perseverance. Instead, the label actually refers to the roujiamo (literally “meat sandwich”) – a street food staple originating from the Shaanxi Province in China. Now considered the...

St Luke’s Table is leading the march to revolutionise the fine dining experience for the UK’s growing community of vegans with a new luxury plant-based menu in the heart of Theatreland. Residing within the LIBRARY hotel and private members' club the restaurant is hidden away from the hubbub of Leicester Square and Covent Garden. It is accessed via a staircase illuminated by a stunning stained-glass panel featuring Saint Luke himself - the patron saint of artists and bookbinders – and...

It wasn’t always like this. Hotel restaurants were once, until quite recently, generally considered a last resort, aimed at guests too tired or unadventurous to explore the local area. During the late 1800s, Auguste Escoffier revolutionised hotel dining when hired by César Ritz, with the pair eventually collaborating on the food offering at the Savoy Hotel, closely followed by the Ritz in Paris. Between then and now, however, a wave of hoteliers became avaricious, idle, uninspired and – ultimately -...

Staff were told there would be a conference call where they were given the devastating news

To begin, I must be honest: Italian food is one of my favourites. Unfortunately, this means I’m not easily impressed. With either an ‘authentic’ or ‘modern’ Italian restaurant on what seems to be every corner, we Londoners are spoilt for choice. That is not to say that London doesn’t have some of the finest gems in the crown of Italian cuisine, outside of Italy. The team behind nearby Japanese restaurant UKAI and Head Chef Roberto Vezzanni hope that their restaurant,...

Synonymous with the city of Lucknow in North Indian State Uttar Pradesh, Awadhi cuisine arose during the 18th Century rule of the Mughal Empire. Originally inhabitants of Persia, the Nawabs (emperors) of Awadh were used to a certain type of diet - largely composed of grains, dry fruits and vegetables – so trained royal chefs to incorporate these ingredients into their dishes, thus setting the benchmark for a distinctively aromatic cuisine. As well as utilising intricate spice blends, ‘Dum’ (slow)...

Taken over by the East London Pub Co, The Gun has re-launched with updated interiors and a selection of new food menus. First opened in 1929, named after Henry VIII’s nearby artillery factory, the pub’s new building, on the ground floor of the London Fruit & Wool Exchange has seen an expensive renovation, with the group planning to make The Gun its flagship London venue, joining the likes of Ten Bells (just around the corner) and The Lock Tavern in...

Sister to adjoining Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle, Galvin HOP Bistrot & Bar has been re-invented for 2019, recently equipped with a meat and cheese counter and a new menu. Modelled on the fashionable bistrot and bars of Paris and New York, the Spitalfields restaurant continues to serve brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin’s high-standard of food while acting as a less formal alternative to the likes of La Chapelle or Galvin at Windows on the 28th floor of the Hilton Hotel...

Bermondsey is an area close to my heart. I’d spent several years working there; a stone’s throw away from Borough Market. I’d consumed many a lunchtime exploring the food options available and I can safely say that during my time, they were limited. Those days seem to be well and truly behind us, however. In recent years the area has experienced a boom of sorts. From the beer mile to Vinegar Yard, it seems that Bermondsey is quickly becoming the...