Who needs sunshine and beach when you have rain and (checks notes) clouds?
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Thank you! We are going to stay near Sloane Square and are mostly looking at places around there, so this is super helpful.
Pavillion Road runs off the north side of Sloane Square behind the Peter Jones department store. You will find a branch of Ottolenghi restaurant, Bread Ahead bakery and London Cheesemakers, a good cheese shop. There is also Mother Vine, a decent but slightly expensive wine shop. If you are self catering, the most convenient grocery stores are The Chelsea Grocer and Waitrose, both on Kings Road.
We will also be in the area mid-January, I will look out for a two year old trying to pull his father into Venci Ice Cream on Kings Road
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Anyone been to Noizé? I don’t see it mentioned on this thread, but a friend mentioned it as both BYO friendly and having a strong wine list.
I will be in London solo for a few days in mid-Feb, and my dear friend with whom I usually spend at least 2 meals will be out of town, so I am expanding my horizons.
I haven’t been, but I have certainly noticed that some heavy hitters in London will use it for their dinners. Given that some of them are coming from places like Richmond/Kingston-upon-Thames I can only assume that it is up to a good level.
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I’ve noticed several threads on Noize over on the wine-pages forum…might be worth checking out?
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Thanks - I see @dbailey is a fan. That speaks well.
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Just got back from three nights in London (and before that Paris) with the family (wife and two kids, ages 10 and 12). We did not go for the food, to say the least. But we ate well and had a phenomenal time.
Everyone in the family loves seafood, so on two of the three nights we did Bentley’s and Scott’s. I had great fun at both. Sole and fish and chips excellent at both and of similar quality. Tasty oysters too. I preferred the energy and style of Scott’s, though the clubby second floor of Bentley’s is plenty nice. Kids loved both. I’d been to J Sheekey before, and the quality at all three is similar.
We also ate at Petrus because my 10yo son really wanted a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and we had previously been to the Savoy Grill. It was a weird experience. The service and pomp and circumstance were really spot on; made it feel like a special Michelin experience. But the food was some of the most pedestrian and boring I’ve had at any avowedly serious restaurant–with the fish being particularly meh. Dining room was also half-empty, which was really weird given that the entire city was wall-to-wall packed with people for the holidays. Wine list good but very pricey. A 17 de Montille Beaune 1er was drinking shockingly well.
Not about restaurants, but a quick note about our hotel: the Raffles at the OWO may be the single finest hotel I’ve ever stayed in, and we have stayed at top properties all over the place. It’s stunning, almost breathtaking in its grandeur and polish. And then layer on the history and first-rate service and it’s one-of-a-kind. I can’t possibly recommend it more highly.
Quick note on Paris as long as I’m here:
Everyone wanted one special, traditional Paris restaurant, so we did Taillevant. It was truly magical. Service and hospitality were perfection, our table was wonderful, and the food, while obviously classical, was impeccably executed. Everyone was smitten. The cheap Coche Rougeots was nice too.
Also check out Bistro Volnay, which was around the corner from our hotel. I’ve never really heard it mentioned, but it’s a really lovely postage stamp of a bistro with a superb, well-chosen, well-priced wine list. We drank reasonably priced Arnoux-Lachaux. Food won’t change anyone’s life but is plenty tasty and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.
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Awesome, cheers Ryan. I have a work meal scheduled at Scott’s, so definitely enjoy hearing that.
Bummed to have missed the holidays.
Thannks; I contemplated Bistro Volnay for it’s convenience (likely same hotel) but didn’t venture in.
Is Mountain a place one person could go, or is the menu really only good if you have a group and can share?
Best for sharing imo but you can sit at the bar and try a few things. Question is will it be the right few things…the menu is expansive and cheekily vague so for me it was kind of an order most of it and see how it shakes out first visit. I don’t like having an extended dialogue with servers especially when it’s lunch and business (feels pedantic and drawn out). We were 3 people fwiw.
Thanks, that makes sense. Will save it for next time when I have more people.
Mountain reminds me of BRAT, which isn’t surprising, as the same people (Thomas Parry and his group) are behind both.
Funny, I didn’t know that, but thought the same thing! I have eaten solo at BRAT, but definitely like it better with at least 2.
Mountain is very good and much closer to where we stay. We go to both. We met Thomas and his Mountain team at Kiln (Thai-ish grill, also owned by Parry). We like all of his restaurants.
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Have you Mountain fans been to Barrafina as well? If so how do they compare? I was planning on Barrafina for a trip soon but now my eyes are wandering… thanks!!
Barrafina is a Spanish tapas restaurant. Mountain is modern eclectic British, for lack of a better descriptor. I like both.
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Quick notes after a few days in London for business:
-Excellent meal at the counter at Kiln — electric environment walking in at 1030 on a Saturday night and really enjoyed the food
-Good not great dinner at Maison Francois — had a classic French meal on a cold night of onion soup and quarter roast chicken — solid but not distinctive
-Hide - extensive wine list is the highlight and elaborately designed space; food is fine but more of a spot I would go to for a business dinner (which I did) than for my own night out
Stayed at the Soho Hotel — a Firmdale hotel, not Soho house — love the whimsical design of these properties and had a lovely stay.
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Spent New Years in London. Had an excellent meal at Murano. Now that Gymkhana is a two star they have an excellent tasting menu. Difficult to get a reservation. Off topic, saw Paddington- excellent musical-difficult to obtain tickets.