For more than two centuries London has been the epicentre of the global wine trade and there has never been a better time to dive headfirst into the literally thousands of great eateries and wine lists our capital has to offer.
Friday
Breakfast
It would be churlish not to start your weekend of extravagance with the most iconic breakfast in London, which is generally accepted to be The Wolseley on Piccadilly. You are, of course, entitled to order the full English, but personally I would suggest keeping with the theme and ordering the devilled kidneys or the kedgeree, both staples of a bygone era, perfectly washed down with a Bloody Mary or two.
Lunch
For lunch, after those glorious kidneys, you may wish to be flexible in how much you eat so, a short walk down the road and into Soho is all that’s required to find Mountain on Beak Street, the Mallorcan-inspired restaurant by Tomos Parry, currently ranked No 74 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list.
My advice here is to take a walk-in (although reservations are possible) and sit at the counter where you can have anything from a few small plates (especially as a lone diner) to a full-blown feast. Unlike at its sister restaurant Brat, the whole turbot is not always available here, but all the fish is equally as good. My personal recommendation would be for the baked rice, a bowl of tripe and to let the sommelier team guide you into something esoteric from the Iberian Peninsula. Not your thing? Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
Brat
Dinner
Friday night is the perfect time to head for something distinctly non-British which we do so well in this multicultural city. If Chinese is your thing, the two-Michelin star A Wong in Pimlico, and Hunan, just around the corner, offer distinctly different options. The former being focussed on fine dining, dishes from the emperor’s banquet reimagined for the modern day, while the latter is a ‘no menu’ free flowing small plate extravaganza with one of the very finest wine lists in the city. Owner Michael Peng has a handwritten list of gems that haven’t hit the main list yet but often sell before the ink dries on the paper.
A Wong
If Indian is your thing, head to either two-Michelin star Gymkhana in Mayfair, serving food rich and bold in style, or alternatively its sister restaurant Trishna in Marylebone, more delicate and based mainly around fish. The good news on the wine front is that being in the same group, both restaurants are furnished by Seamus Sharkey and Emily Jago, who handpick different but equally compelling lists tailored towards the food being served.
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Saturday
Breakfast
You may enjoy a lie-in so Saturday morning is all about the British tradition of elevenses, a fortifying snack taken around 11am to stave off any hunger pains that may arise between breakfast and lunch. The finest choice of all of these is an Eccles cake and a slice of Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese accompanied by a glass of Madeira, and the place to do that is the bar at St JOHN on St John Street just north of Smithfield market. By all means tuck into some of the other small plates or slide into the restaurant for lunch, which usually begins with the iconic bone marrow on toast.
Bone marrow on toast at St John. Credit: Sam A Harris
Lunch
If you escape gout free, then a long walk (or a short cab ride) north into Islington is next on the agenda for lunch at the Draper’s Arms. The British pub is a sacred institution, but rarely does it come with a wine list that goes toe to toe with the best restaurants. This is the absolute exception here, where owner Nick Gibson has created a north London institution around incredibly well priced fine wine and plenty of value picks as well.
The Drapers Arms
Dinner
It goes without saying that there are numerous options for a big Saturday night; fine dining in Notting Hill at The Ledbury or Core, one of the new wave bistros like Josephine or Bouchon Racine, but given the location and the food that has already been consumed I would recommend some small plates and stunning range of by-the-glass options at Quality Wines in Farringdon, a short ride south, owned by one of London’s finest restaurateurs, Will Lander. If something more substantial takes your fancy, then the Quality Chop House is next door, and both have incredibly broad lists with mature offerings to die for.
The Ledbury. Credit: Jonathan Glynn Smith
For those with a penchant for a bottle or two into the small hours, without the noise or extravagance of a nightclub, then The Black Book on Frith Street in Soho is for you. Owned by two Master Sommeliers (Gearoid Devaney and Xavier Rousset) it serves as a haven for those looking for fine wine and cocktails in a relaxed environment until 3am.
Sunday
Breakfast
It would be amiss to have a weekend in London without a traditional full English breakfast (or fry up) at a traditional ‘caff’, which can be found all over town. Most of these come without alcohol (you may be pleased to know) and depending on location I would recommend E Pellicci (in east London), Regency Café (in central London) and River Café (in west London) opposite Putney Bridge station, not to be confused with the iconic Italian restaurant further north.
Lunch
That said, if it is a sunny Sunday in midsummer, then there is no greater lunch than on the terrace at The River Café (the other one!!) with a few plates of the finest pasta and a bottle of Pieropan Soave on ice. If you happen upon your trip in the autumn or winter then Sunday lunch should be spent at The Harwood Arms, London’s only Michelin star pub, owned by chef Brett Graham, eating the finest roast known to man. The wine list here is short, concise and well-tailored to a lazy afternoon meat feast, but to be honest you might just want a pint of ale.
Slow-cooked deer shoulder roast at The Harwood Arms. Credit: Tolga
