London Lamppost - Page 2 of 23 - The Illuminating Guide to London

Love Simon

By Joss Bassett 4 September 2018

It’s impossible not to have come across Love Simon, before it was even released in the UK, new from it’s casting and production was all over Social Media. Thankfully this charming, comforting and funny film lives up to all the hype that preceded it. The performances of leads Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, and…

Book Review: Where to Drink Beer

By Joss Bassett 30 August 2018

Out September 3rd, Where to Drink Beer is the latest in Phaidon’s highly successful ‘Where to…’ guides – previous editions include guides to restaurants, pizza, cocktails and coffee. Their success is thanks in the main to their being second to none in the quality and depth of places they list. Where to Drink Beer has…

God’s Own Country ★★★★★

By Joss Bassett 21 August 2018

Francis Lee’s debut film, God’s Own Country is set on a farm in Yorkshire. It’s so raw, intimate, quite and unassuming that it draws you in, you can feel the cold driving winds pounding into you and they whip across the moor. The film follows Johnny (Josh O’Connor) a young man left to single handedly…

Cafe Boheme

By Joss Bassett 16 August 2018

Cafe Boheme is all about that wonderful Parisian/French Cafe culture and has just had a refit along with its owner Soho House. The menu, is, as you’d expect, covered in nothing but the classic French dishes. While sadly no frogs legs, you’ll find Steak Tartare, Escargot, Croque Monsieur, Pate, Salmon Rillettes, Toulouse Sausages, Poulet Frites,…

The Connaught Bar

By Joss Bassett 14 August 2018

Consistently ranked among the top 10 cocktail bars in the world you’ll find the Connaught Bar tucked in the corner behind the central staircase of the famous Connaught Hotel. The decor is classic wood panelling painted a cool grey and highlighted with silver leaf with low marble tables, leather trim about the place. The drinks…

St John

By Joss Bassett 9 August 2018

It is ‘simply’ the home of nose to tail eating in the Western world, the movement and approach to cooking reestablished and championed by the globally revered Fergus Henderson. His kitchen has seen many of the head chefs of London’s best restaurants and gastro pubs like the Anchor & Hope pass through it, learning and…

As You Like It at the Open Air Theatre

By Joss Bassett 7 August 2018

The verdict – certainly not Shakespeare as you know I, but can we be surprised by that given recent productions of Shakespeare and non-Shakespeare at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre? The play came replete with music, and while some Shakespeare plays did have songs and music to go with it, it didn’t have these.…

Lisbon's New and Old Heritage

By Sammy Gao 2 August 2018

I was in Lisbon in early spring with my sunglasses, linen trousers and loafers ready, and… it was raining, raining cats and dogs, and rather cold. However, I was not really upset. I was sat comfortably in an armchair next to a quirky 18th century fireplace that crackled away giving off a light smoky aroma,…

Characters – The European Posho

By Matthew MacLachlan 25 July 2018

Nicknamed the ‘posho Euro’, he sat opposite me in a rooftop bar, chainsmoking. The cigarettes mustied the pashmina around his throat. The waitress came over. “Hello, yuz?” A Polish inflection. “I’ll have a whisky and soda, please.” He looked at me. “Oh, whithky and thoda? I love you awready,” a smile, a frank expression. He…

Set Lunching at Tredwell's

By Steven Shakeshaft 19 July 2018

The venue for lunch was to be Tredwell’s, one of Marcus Wareing’s fine restaurants. Tredwell’s offers “relaxed fine dining” and was the winner of the AA Restaurant of the Year Award 2015. It’s now under chef-patron Chantelle Nicholson, who has been working with Marcus Wareing since 2006. By the way, Chantelle recently released a fantastic…