Having done quite a bit of travelling in and out of the UK recently, the last couple of weeks have been more ‘home’ focussed. While I do love a good bit of exploring, it is also nice to slow down for a minute and spend some time in your local city. It also means I’ve had more time to continue exploring the London foodie scene, something I’m not particularly mad about! So here’s round two of places to eat and drink in London!
St John – Bakery and Restaurant
St John is a bit of a cult favourite in London and boasts shops all throughout the city. Some are simply bakeries while others offer a bar and restaurant. However, no matter which venue you choose to visit, St John will be a delicious addition to your London food itinerary. The Seven Dials venue acts just as a bakery – enjoy freshly baked bread, still warm out of the oven, or a host of different pastries. The Clerkenwell venue is a bigger affair, offering a bar and separate restaurant alongside the bakery. With an all white palette and simple, industrial décor, St John is a great place for an afternoon drop. The bar has an excellent selection of wines and provides little bites if you’re feeling peckish. The restaurant itself has a very strong reputation and has definitely been put on the list to visit for a proper meal!
This is a properly hidden bar that is a bit tricky to find but well worth the effort. Located in Bishops’ Gate just across from Liverpool Street, the entrance is a nondescript doorway with very little branding. Enter the lobby, take the lift a few floors up and you’ll enter a world of cocktail delight! Utilising stylish, dark tones, this bar is a great spot for either an after dinner drink or something more special. The menu itself is extremely innovative – you choose the cocktails based on a few key ingredients and symbols explaining the main flavours (don’t worry there is a key provided so you don’t have to decipher it yourself!). Every drink is delightfully different and makes you want to try each cocktail on the list. If you’re looking for something more simple, the bar has a well curated wine and spirit list as well and the staff will happily walk you through their recommendations.
This small bar sits above The Blue Posts pub just by China Town in Covent Garden. Contrasting from the raucous space below, the bar itself feels removed from the hustle and bustle of the city streets below. A relatively small space, the bar is best known for it’s wine list. The choice here is almost overwhelming, as you look through wines from nearly every corner of the globe. The bar also offers some incredible snacks from the downstairs restaurant, the Michelin starred Evelyn’s Table, without the price tag. If you do decide to try this bar out, I would highly recommend you try the Lamb and Rosemary Sausage roll. It’s packed full of flavour and perfectly compliments a red wine from the list.
Lyaness sits on the river Thames in a converted shipping container. An extremely popular bar, we were only able to grab a seat on the bar stool but it was still great to watch the masters at work. The bar does twists of the classics and creates some extremely well balanced, yet different, cocktails. The atmosphere is lively without feeling too loud or crowded, which can be a very difficult feat to achieve! If you’re on the hungry side, they also provide a small menu of bar snacks to enjoy which are almost just as worthwhile trying as the drinks themselves.
Centred around the open grill, the main feature of this restaurant, Brat is the perfect starting point into Michelin dining in London. Neither pretentious or overly fancy, Brat is all about good food shared with friends. While the space can sometimes feel a little cramped as the tables are sat side by side in close proximity, the restaurant has a lively, neighbourhood get together vibe. The menu itself is all about championing the delicious food you can create on the grill. The crab toast was the perfect mix of fish and smoke while the duck rice was like a warm comforting hug from home. Add home made bread and roasted potatoes to the menu and you’ll be in a foodie heaven, all finished with either their home-made olive oil ice-cream, if you need something refreshing, or the St Jude soft cheese and homemade flat bread, if you want a more classic end to the meal. I may have rolled out of this restaurant but there is not much I would have changed about what we ate!
Nestled in a below ground bunker around the corner from the Piccadilly Theatre, Soma is a hidden oasis away from the hustle of the busy London centre. Being underground, the bar completely disassociates from the world above and provides a stylish, cocktail haven. Aligned with Kricket restaurant, which sits next door, Soma provides Indian inspired cocktails for those who are looking to be a bit more adventurous. Think cocktails involving Lime Leaf and Peppercorn or a mix of Coconut and Gin. The bar is a well known secret (yes, I’m aware of the oxymoron there) so go early or in the middle of the week if you want to ensure you can grab a table!
Manteca is an Italian inspired restaurant focussed on top to tail cooking – that is, using every part of the animal where possible. From cold cuts to mussels to home made pasta, Manteca does a great job of championing good quality produce using lovely, Mediterranean flavours. While it may not sit in the my top ten restaurants to visit in London, it is a great choice if you are looking for something a bit more comforting and homey. The space is quite big but I would still recommend you book a table to avoid disappointment.
Behind was an experience not just a restaurant. Hidden in a back corner in Hackney, Behind is a unique, intimate chef’s table sitting just 18 people. A fish-focussed tasting menu, the setting allows you to watch the chefs prepare, cook and plate your meal as you ponder what next morsel of goodness is coming your way. The food at this restaurant was innovative and new and, despite being multiple courses long, managed to balance the meals perfectly so you didn’t feel sluggish or too full. Each course had clearly been planned and thought out to perfection, with unique flavours and beautiful plating. While it can be difficult to get a table, it is well worth trying to reserve a spot here and making a special evening out of it. If you can, include the wine pairing as well – the staff expertly pair the wine to the course you are eating and it provides an opportunity to try different varietals you may not have thought of before.
Roaming with Red 
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