RESTAURANTS

Dining out was based in the great hotels. It moved into the restaurants.

Cookshops

Poor people did not have kitchens. Cookshops would heat up food that could be bought from street vendors.

Ordinaries

An ordinary was an eating house that had a set-menu.

Location: French Ordinary Court, EC3N 2AP (blue, purple)

Slapbangs

Slapbangs were cheap eating houses that required their customers to pay for food with cash. The name may have derived from the brusque way in which the staff of many interacted with the customers

(In the 1920s ordinary cafes were known as slap-bangs.)

Joe Allen's

Joe Allen's was a New York bar on Broadway that had been established by Joe Allen, a former actor. In 1975 he sent Richard Polo (1935-2019), one of his barman, to open a London branch. Polo found a basement site on a side street in Covent Garden. He had it decorated so that it resembled a Prohibition era speakeasy and limited its street presence to a simple, small plaque that stated its name. Using the licensing laws effectively he was able to keep it open late into the night and as a result the theatrical profession took to patronising the establishment. While the restaurant sold an excellent burger it was never listed on the menu because Polo was insistent that the establishment should not become known as a burger joint. A number of Polo's staff worked for him for decades, notably his head chef Martin Wilson with whom he had a superficially fractious relationship. Others, such as Jeremy King and Rowley Leigh, proved to be more transient but went on to become influential figures in London's restaurant world. In 2012 Polo sold the business.

Location: 2 Burleigh Street, WC2E 7PX (purple, yellow)

Website: https://joeallen.co.uk

Richard Caring

Richard Caring made his wealth from clothes manufacturing. In 2006 he bought The Ivy, Daphne's Le Caprice, J. Sheekey, Rivington, and the associated restaurants. Subsequently, he purchased Scott's of Mayfair.

D & D

Bibendum was the Michelin company mascot. It was first used in 1898.

Paul Hamlyn and Sir Terence Conran set up Bibendum with Simon Hopkinson, a chef who had made his reputation at Hilaire on Old Brompton Road, a restaurant that Elizabeth David had taken to dining at two or three times a week.

In 2007 Conran sold 49% of Conran Restaurants to Des Gunewardena and David Loewi, who were two managers in the business. It was renamed D & D.

Location: Bibendum, 81 Fulham Road, SW3 6RD (purple, grey)

Website: www.danddlondon.com

Quaglino's

Giovanni Quaglino

Location: 16 Bury Street, SW1Y 6AJ (purple, red)

Website: www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk

The French

In 2024 prominent French chefs who were involved in London restaurants included: Yannick All no (Pavyllon); Claude Bosi (Bibendum); Alain Ducasse (The Dorchester); Anne-Sophie Pic (Le Dame de Pic London); and Jean-Fran ois Pi ge (Mimosa at The Langham).

The George & Vulture

The George & Vulture has been a hostelry since the 12^thC.

In his novel The Pickwick Papers (1837) Charles Dickens had Mr Pickwick stay at The George & Vulture while the case of Bardell vs. Pickwick was being heard.

Location: 3 Castle Court, EC3V 9DL (blue, brown)

Website: https://georgeandvulture.com

The Ivy

The Ivy restaurant has long been intimately associated with London's theatrical life. The establishment opened in 1911.

Location: 1-5 West Street, WC2H 9NQ (purple, pink)

See Also: THEATRE RELATED

Website: https://the-ivy.co.uk

Julie's

The designer Julie Hodgess was involved in the design of Biba. In 1975 she established Julie s restaurant. She attracted a fashion crowd. She withdrew from running the business but has continued to be involved in its design aspects. It was acquired Tim and Cathy Herring, who had been bedsit landlords and were to go on to be involved The Portobello Hotel.

In the early 1980s Julie's became associated with the music industry. This was because Chrysalis Records and Virgin Records were based locally.

Location: 135 Portland Road, W11 4LW (orange, brown)

Website: www.juliesrestaurant.com

Kettner's

Kettner s restaurant was founded in 1868 by Auguste Kettner, who had been Napoleon III of France's chef.

The restaurant was acquired by Peter Boizot, who had created the PizzaExpress business. In 2002 he sold it to the pizza chain for £2m, plus a free glass of champagne every day for the rest of his life.

Location: 29 Romilly Street, W1D 5HP (pink, blue)

Website: www.sohohouse.com/studio-spaces/kettners-soho

L'Autre

L'Autre is London's leading - and quite probably only - Polish-Mexican bistro with a French name.

Location: 5B Shepherd Street, W1J 7HP (purple, grey)

Website: www.lautrerestaurant.co.uk

Le Caprice

Le Caprice first opened in 1947. Mario Gallati named the restaurant after his wife's preferred bra brand. In 1981 the business re-opened under new management. There is a story that upon one occasion Mick Jagger booked a table. The eatery did not have any other bookings for the session. Its owners could not face the prospect of the singer and his guests having the experience of being its only customers that night. Therefore, they rented a crowd and packed the place out.

Location: Arlington House, 20 Arlington Street, SW1A 1RJ (blue, red)

Website: https://caprice-holdings.co.uk

The Ledbury

In 2024 The Ledbury became the ninth British restaurant to be awarded a third Michelin star.

Le Relais de Venise l'Entrec te

Le Relais de Venise l'Entrec te, a steak restaurant in Marylebone, does a takeway La Baguette.

Location: 120 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2QG (red, blue)

Website: https://relaisdevenise.com

L'Escargot

L Escargot restaurant was opened by Georges Gaudin in 1927. He served London's freshest snails. He was able to do this because he used the building's (1741) basement as a snail farm. The restaurant's motto is Slow but sure . Its decorations feature the image of m. Gaudin riding a snail.

L Escargot served nouvelle cuisine in the 1980s.

Location: 47 Greek Street, W1D 4EF (purple, orange)

Website: www.lescargot.co.uk

The London Restaurant Festival

The London Restaurant Festival takes place in early autumn. The week-long event was launched in 2009 by Fay Maschler, a renowned restaurant critic.

Location: 6 Lower Grosvenor Place, SW1W 0EN (blue, pink)

Website: https://londonrestaurantfestival.com

Menus

Up until 1970s there were restaurants with pretensions that gave men menus that were priced and women ones that were not.

Moro

Samuel Clark and Samantha Clarke were introduced to one another in the early 1990s. They worked together at The Eagle gastro-pub in Clerkenwell. At separate times they also both worked in the River Caf . The couple married one another in 1996. The following year they opened Moro, a Spanish-Moroccan restaurant. In 2010 they opened Morito.

Location: 34-36 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE (blue, brown)

Website: https://moro.co.uk

Gordon Ramsay

Website: www.gordonramsay.com

Restaurant Guides

Charlie Florman

Charlie Florman (d.2013) was the son of Carl Florman, the founder of the S.A.S. airline. His gastronomic exploits led to him being dubbed The man who ate the Michelin Guide .

Location: 51 Chester Square, SW1W 9EA. Mr Florman's home in the 1960s. (purple, red)

The Good Food Guide

For several years Raymond Postgate ran the Isobar restaurant in Lawn Road Flats. Postgate floated the notion of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Food. He set up The Good Food Guide. Its undercover inspectors would pay for their meals. Their work was supplemented by unpaid part-timers who would identify overlooked and new restaurants. Some people took to arranging their annual copies in year order.

The Good Food Guide was acquired by Waitrose, a supermarket chain. In 2020 a physical edition of the book was not issued. The following year it was announced the guide would no longer be published although the brand would continue to exist.

Website: www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk

Egon Ronay Guide

Egon Ronay (1915-2010) was born into a family of Hungarian hoteliers and restauranteurs. He studied law at university and opted for exile rather living under the Communist regime that seized control of his native country after the Second World War. He was granted an exit by the Russians because of his friend the Mayor of Budapest. The official had a liver condition that meant he could drink alcoholic drinks without ever becoming drunk and therefore could drink every Russian under the table. In 1946 Ronay arrived in London; his first culinary experience was buying a cup of tea at Victoria Station - the spoon with which to stir it was secured by a chain. Family connections led to his securing a job in as a restaurant manager first at the Society Restaurant in Jermyn Street and then at No. 96 Piccadilly. Subsequently, he opened his own restaurant, the Marquee, in Hans Road, Knightsbridge, opposite a side entrance to Harrods. This served-French style food. It caused a stir. Fannie Cradock, the restaurant critic of The Daily Telegraph newspaper, became a champion of the establishment. In 1954 she defected to The Daily Mail, Ronay secured the vacancy that she had created. From it, he gave forth of his robust opinions about food in Britain. In 1955 he gave up his interest in the Marquee. In 1957 he launched the Egon Ronay Guide, which sold for 3s.. The publication was based upon France s Michelin guides.

The people whom Ronay employed as inspectors included Ken Lo, who went on to found the Memories of China restaurant. Chefs whom Ronay championed included: Raymond Blanc, Nico Ladenis, Jean Christophe Novelli, Gordon Ramsay, Marcus Wareing, and Marco Pierre White.

In 1985 Ronay sold the rights to his guide. In 1997, following a High Court action, he secured the rights back again.

Location: The Marquee, 6 Hans Road, SW3 1RX (orange, blue)

The River Café

The River Café was founded in 1987 by Rose Gray and Ruthie Rogers.

Location: Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, W6 9HA

Website: www.rivercafe.co.uk

Rule's

While he was Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII used to wine and dine women at Rule's. The restaurant had a side entrance that led to a private dining room.

Location: 34-35 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7LB (brown, grey)

Website: https://rules.co.uk

St John

When St John opened in 1994 its menu, was British, seasonal, and nose to tail.

The restaurant's building was once a smokehouse. It has five chimneys.

Location: 26 St John Street, EC1M 4AY (red, orange)

Website: https://stjohnrestaurant.com

The Savoy Grill

The Savoy Grill is known as The Canteen . It is one of the most exclusive restaurants in London and is most uncanteen-like in character.

Upon one occasion, the writer and television presenter Jonathan Routh (1927-2008) sought admission to The Grill. He was refused entry upon the grounds that he was not wearing a jacket. His response to this was to declare that the cardigan that he was wearing was extremely well-cut.

Location: The Savoy Hotel, Savoy Court, WC2R 0EZ (red, blue)

Website: www.thesavoylondon.com/restaurant/savoy-grill-restaurant www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/savoy-grill

Scott's

Scott's opened in Coventry Street. It was known as the Oyster Warehouse . In 1967 the business moved to Mount Street, Mayfair.

Location: 20 Mount Street, W1K 2HE (blue, pink)

Website: https://scotts-restaurant.com

J. Sheekey

J. Sheekey is a renowned fish restaurant that was opened in 1896 by Josef Sheekey. Previously, he had been the proprietor of a seafood stall in Shepherd's Market. Thereby, he had come to know the 3^rd Marquis of Salisbury, who was the ground landlord of St Martin's Court.

Location: 28-32 St Martin's Court, WC2N 4AL (purple, turquoise)

Website: https://j-sheekey.co.uk

Simpson's-in-the-Strand

Simpson's-in-the-Strand is famed principally for its roast beef. The restaurant was founded in 1828 by Samuel Reiss as The Grand Cigar Divan, a coffee house that sought to provide a congenial atmosphere in which chess could be played. The establishment's patrons included Howard Staunton, the world's leading chess player of the mid-19^thC. John Simpson, a caterer, joined the business in 1848. It was he who turned the establishment into the eaterie that it is largely to this day. In order that games should not be interrupted joints of meat were taken to players tables on silver-topped trolleys where they were carved.

The original Simpson s premises were demolished in order to accommodate the widening of the Strand. In 1904 the restaurant re-opened under the wing of the Savoy Hotel; the playing of chess was no longer encouraged by the management.

Location: 100 Strand, WC2R 0EW (red, brown)

Website: www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk

The Stockpot

The Stockpot is a small chain of cheap restaurants /affordable eateries. The business was founded in 1958.

Location: 6 Basil Street, SW3 1AA (red, blue)

54 James Street, W1U 1EU. Opened in 2011. (orange, yellow)

273 The King's Road, SW3 5EN (red, blue)

18 Old Compton Street, W1D 4JL. Closed in 2015.

38-40 Panton Street, SW1Y 4EA (blue, red)

Website: www.stockpotlondon.co.uk

Wheeler's

The artist Francis Bacon sought to conduct his social life on a lavish scale long before he had the financial means to do so. While still struggling he persuaded the proprietors of Wheeler's Oyster Bar gave him credit. His tab grew to be many thousands of pounds. At the time, there was no guarantee that he would be able to pay it off. As a mark of faith the restauranteurs accepted one of his paintings as a surety for the debt. With time, Bacon's reputation became established and the price of his paintings soared. He paid off his bill and as a mark of thanks allowed Wheeler's to retain the painting. The value of the work came to far exceed the amount of money that the painter had owed.

Location: 5 Threadneedle Street, EC2R 8AY (purple, brown)

Website: www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk/our-brands/wheelers-of-st-jamess

Marco Pierre White

Marco Pierre White was born the son of a canteen chef who grew his own vegetables and not tolerate tinned foods in the family home. White trained at the Box Tree in Ilkley, under Albert Roux at Le Gavroche, Pierre Kokkman at La Tante Claire, and Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons.

In 1987 White opened Harveys. In 1988 the restaurant won its first Michelin star. In 1990 he earned his second.

In 1995 White became the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars, as well as the youngest chef to receive the honour.

In December 1999 White hung up his whites and returned his Michelin stars

Website: www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk

Wiltons Restaurant

Wiltons Restaurant is a fish, oysters, and game restaurant. The business was founded in 1742 by William Wilton as a stall in the Haymarket. In 1840 it opened a restaurant. In 1884 this received its first royal warrant.

In 1942, during the Blitz, a bomb landed on St James's Piccadilly. Mrs Bessie Leal announced that the restaurant was closed and that she was returning to her native Cornwall. Olaf Hambro, a merchant banker who was eating oysters at the bar, asked for it to be added to his bill. Mrs Leal took the next train to the West Country clasping a cheque for 1200.

Location: 55 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX (blue, orange)

Website: https://wiltons.co.uk

The Wolseley

In 2003 The Wolseley restaurant opened in what had once been the flagship show room (1922) of the Wolseley car company. The eaterie is open from 7 a.m. (9 a.m. at weekends) until midnight.

Location: 160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EB (orange, yellow)

Website: www.thewolseley.com

David Backhouse 2024