The bar at Dukes is agreed by all to be one of the finest in London. It comprises a collection of three small Edwardianesq rooms, their walls dripping with portraits and etchings, and low lighting, The head barman, Alessandro Palazzi, is one of the most highly respected and admired cocktail makers, as well as a…
Author: Joss Bassett
Joss is the Editor of London Lamppost, with a special interest in food, drink and Travel. He's also one of those rare creatures that was born and raised in London.
Quo Vadis
If Quo Vadis is one thing, it is the Grand Dame of Soho. Marked out on Dean Street by a giant art deco neon sign down the side of the building, it was founded in 1926 in its current venue, which had served as a brothel and the home of Karl Marx where he began…
Where Chefs Eat – The Massive 3rd Edition
Five years ago saw the release of the first edition of Where Chefs Eat, and little did Phaidon realise what they were starting. Since then the book and its associated app have been expanded at each edition and have given rise to other guides from Phaidon including Where Bartenders Drink, Coffee, and Pizza. Joe Warwick,…
Zédel
Brasserie Zédel was initially very much a word of mouth destination on the edge of Soho and Piccadilly. Hidden from the world by virtue of being underground and entered via a staircase at the back of a small café, ZL Café, at street level, it wasn’t really a place you were likely to stumble across.…
Namco Funscape
One of the great tucked away gems of Central London used to be the multi floored games arcade, complete with bowling alley, in the Trocadero building between Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. Sadly this was shut down in 2011, not a great surprise as it was often empty, and since then the building has been…
Ole & Steen
Founded in Denmark in 2008, but with its roots stretching back over 20 years, 2016 finally saw Ole & Steen open up shop in London. From their first store in the new St James’s Market, they now have four more locations, including Canary Warf and the Nova development in Victoria, with plans for a further…
Sparrow
Having worked at St John’s, Bao and Pollen Street Social, husband and wife team Terry Blake and Yohini Nandakumar have opened Sparrow. Opened for about a year now, it has taken the traditionally good food starved Lewisham by storm and gained plaudits from diners across London. Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, and Saturdays and…
Pies Galore - Sparrow & Chef Calum Franklin
It’s national pie week at the moment, and given the weather it couldn’t have come at a better time, a nice hot pie is just the thing to warm up with. You might not think it but London is a pie lovers paradise, with everyone from the local chippy or East End pie and mash…
Simpson's Tavern
Simpson’s Tavern is certainly not a new restaurant; it’s an old style Victorian chophouse. It was founded in 1757 by Thomas Simpson on its current site in the City of London. So while I refer to it as a Victorian Chophouse, as that is very much what it is, Simpson’s really has its roots in…
The Cocktail Book
Originally published in 1900, The Cocktail Book, is said to be the first book ever published that was solely dedicated to cocktails. Not as famous as the likes of The Savoy Cocktail Book, it is nonetheless a little gem, so it’s unsurprising the British Library has republished this American guide and interspersed it with illustrations…