57 Lamb’s Conduit Street, Bloomsbury, WC1N 3NB This smart deli near our offices is run by husband and wife team Stefano and Marie. He’s from Italy, she’s from France and the cafe reflects their heritage: the name is a hybrid word of the French word gourmand, and the Italian suffix ‘ina’,…
More
143 Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green, E2 7DG Picking a drink here is a challenge. In a good way. The menu is crammed full of craft beer with interesting names, such as the Old Engine Oil by Harviestoun Brewery (very dark, surprisingly pleasant). Original tiling gives the place a touch of an East…
More
38 Upper Clapton Road, Clapton, E5 8BQ The northern side of the Lea Bridge Roundabout once signalled the end of the hip part of Clapton. Not any more. The Old Tram Depot is a former tram shed, now renovated as a creative space and cafe, The minimalist backroom makes an ideal space for exhibitions…
More
Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, 23 Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, EC1R 4QL Well, this is fun: a Forties-style cocktail bar hidden above The Exmouth Arms. Walk to the back of the pub, go through the door and head upstairs. There you will find 5CC, a ‘secret’ lounge with a retro drinks list and a…
More
29 Park Road, London N8 8TE We’d been waiting with anticipation for the opening of Bar Esteban in Crouch End – and it was worth it. With former Moro chef Pablo Rodriguez-Lopez at the helm, this tapas bar transported us back to sunny Andalucía. Razor clams, pimientos de padron and the best…
More
39 Albemarle St, Westminster, W1S 4JQ Babbo is old-school in the best sense of the word. Family photos line the walls of this Mayfair-based Italian and the service is friendly and unobtrusive. Head chef Carlo Scotto, who trained under Angela Hartnett, cooks with ambition and flair. He’s scoured…
More
Unit 5, off Cowross Street, Farringdon, EC1 With barbecue sauce dripping down our wrist, we realised Lazy Bones is not the place for a date or meeting. Do not come here to show off your demure side. You need to get stuck in to enjoy the food: two-day marinated chicken wings with a choice of sauces…
More
11 Bellevue Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 7EG “Ooh it’s a bit Sean Connery-era James Bond in here,” remarked our friend when we arrived at this upmarket Chinese restaurant. There’s a pleasingly retro feel to the interiors, with fixtures of polished mahogany and a heavy wooden door guarding…
More
To celebrate the London Underground’s 150th anniversary, Penguin asked 12 people, including comic John O’Farrell and Kids Company’s Camila Batmanghelidjh to share their experiences of London, each inspired by a Tube line. The result is a set of proud, personal accounts of the Big Smoke. Pick…
More
225 Ladbroke Grove Notting Hill, W10 6HQ Portobello House Bistro treads just the right line between cosy and chic. The deep chairs and huge blackboards are reassuringly pub-like but the fairy lights, vintage-style wallpaper and vases of wildflowers give the place a slight boudoir edge. The…
More
