Leonie Cooper Time Out Profile (original) (raw)
Leonie Cooper is a restaurant critic and editor.
She has written for Time Out since 2019, and has also contributed to The Guardian, The Independent, Evening Standard, Conde Nast Traveller, NME and the BBC.
Leonie was raised in north London and is on a never ending quest for the perfect pint of London Guinness. She covers London food news, and reviews restaurants across the capital, everywhere from Malaysian casual dining spot Mambow in Clapton, to slap-up dinners at Claridge's Restaurant in Mayfair, and modern Filipino sharing plates at Donia in Soho. She also keeps a keen eye on our many food and drink lists, which let you know the best places to eat in Soho, as well as the best pubs in London, and our epic 50 Best Restaurants in London Right Now rundown.
Time Out has covered the world’s greatest cities through the eyes of local experts since 1968. For more about us, read our editorial guidelines.
Articles (214)
Want a drink? You've come to the right place. This is Time Out’s list of best bars in London, our curated guide to London’s drinking scene, featuring the buzziest booze dens in the capital right now. If it’s on this list, it’s excellent. These are the 50 places we'd recommend to a friend, because we love drinking in them and have done many times over. From classy cocktail joints to delightful dives, hotel bars, speakeasys, bottle shops, rooftops and wine bars, London's got them all. But what makes a truly good bar? Well, our critieria for inclusion on this list is simple; a menu of genius drinks is important, but so is overall vibe – there’s no point having the perfect paloma if you have to drink it in a bar that smells of bins. To make the Top 50 a bar has to be fun, full of lovely folk, be inclusive and also look the part. The latest additions to our list include the new Three Sheets in Soho, Rasputin’s by London Fields, Bar Lina, an Italian aperitivo spot underneath the famous Soho deli, Jumbi hifi bar in Peckham, Oranj's vertitable wine warehouse in Shoreditch, and Helgi's, a suggestively Satanic rock bar in Hackney. Now go forth and booze. RECOMMENDED: Like bars? Then you'll love London's best pubs. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and she'll have a dirty gin martini if you're buying. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
London’s best restaurants for breakfast
Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day, and luckily for London, the city caters to every possible whim. These days, London isn’t just home to the fry-up, but the ubiquitous smashed avocado on toast, the shakshuka and many more besides. In fact, London genuinely might be the best place to eat breakfast in the entire world. Whether you’re the kind of person who favours a posh restaurant over a greasy spoon, or who champions a caff over a swanky hotel, we’ve rounded up the ultimate list. From morning mezze to croissants, udon noodle bowls and south Indian platters – it’s all here. RECOMMENDED: Breakfast’s a little too early for you? Try one of London’s best brunches instead. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.
The humble brunch is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of the modern age. Breakfast is too early to really get stuck into, while eating eggs and downing buckets of coffee at lunchtime seems odd. Brunch, then, is the one true morning-ish meal, especially if it incorporates pancakes, bacon and those aforementioned eggs – or a totally vegan take on proceedings like at LD's at The Black Heart in Camden or WAVE in Hackney. London is particularly well stocked with places to indulge in the famous breakfast/lunch hybrid. Let us guide you to the best restaurants in town for a fabulous brunch in our city, from a traditional full english to innovative twists on the majestic meal, such as a bacon bao brunch. And it’s not just a weekend treat; some of these spots serve brunch every single day. RECOMMENDED: Like unlimited fizz with your fry-up? Here are the best bottomless brunches in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. Want to brunch for less? Check out the awesome selection at Time Out Offers.
What's better than an amazing meal? An amazing meal, served up alongside a delicious pint in a cosy pub, obviously. London is the gastropub capital of the world, full of boozers that can compete with our fantastic restaurants in the culinary stakes – but they just happen to come with cracking Victorian buildings, as well as roaring fires, and the occasional dog. So whether you’re after fish and chips, a roast, an oxtail ragù, or a desi pub serving up sublime South Indian cuisine, you’ve come to the right place. RECOMMENDED: London's 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
The best coffee shops in London
Londoners love coffee. In the summer, the city’s coffee shops are swarming with queues of thirsty commuters hankering for an iced latte. Come winter, and the rest of the year, hot coffee pumps through the veins of Londoners. These super spots are also great for the freelancers out there, acting as de facto offices – as long as you keep the rounds of cake coming. Whether it’s a flat white or an iced chai latte, the capital's cafés and coffee shops are churning out caffeine-laden cups. There are plenty of spots for speciality drinks too, like pumpkin, turmeric or matcha lattes. Read on for our top picks of London’s best coffee shops. RECOMMENDED: Best breakfasts in London.
London, obviously, has a great many cafés, but how to choose? We've got normal ones and really posh ones. Massive ones and tiny ones. Ones with loads of cake, and ones with loads of sandwiches. All of them, thankfully, with coffee and tea. This list is our attempt to group together the best ones. Want to know the difference between this list and our ranking of London’s best coffee shops? Well at these spots you can get eggs (fried, poached or scrambled) or a sit-down meal with your flat white. RECOMMENDED: London's best breakfasts. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Afternoon tea is what makes a trip to London truly iconic – even if you already live here. You’ll find some of the best at London’s chicest hotels, restaurants, and art galleries - and we’ve worked out what makes an afternoon tea a truly memorable experience. It'’s not just perfect pastries, the most elegant of teeny tiny cakes and finger sarnies with the crusts cut off, but swish service, the option to have something boozy and bubbly and a picture perfect, characterful room in which to enjoy it all. From The Ritz to a Caribbean restaurant, the National Gallery and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, there's truly something for every cake-munching tea-drinker in this round-up of London's best afternoon tea spreads. Expect to pay in the region of £50 to £80 for the pleasure per person, but you'll be in for a treat if you go with one of our recommendations. Remember, many of the teas have set times for seatings, so booking in advance is always a good idea. RECOMMENDED: The best hotels in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor and knows her stuff when it comes to tiny little cucumber sandwiches and drinking Champagne at 3pm. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now.
The best restaurants in Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park – not just home to the relentless palace of fun (aka karaoke, bowling and booze slushies) that is Rowan's – but over recent years, it's become one of London's most interesting areas to grab an extremely good meal. In this busy pocket of north London you'll find restaurants serving up unsung global cuisine, impressive small plates at classy little wine bars, wildly cool gastropubs and some of our favourite cheap eats as well (shout out to the legendary Baban's Naan on Blackstock Road). RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Islington and Angel. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
The best restaurants in Holborn
Whether you're after old school fish and chips, arty cafes, fancy fine dining or down-to-earth little neighbourhood eateries, you'll find it in Holborn and nearby Bloomsbury. The area might not have the most glamorous of reputations, but you only have to stroll these historic streets for a few moments to find some seriously good eating, with none of the hype of Soho or manic pre-theatre rush of Covent Garden. RECOMMENDED: Check out London's 50 Best Restaurants. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
The best Thanksgiving dinners in London to celebrate
Sure, Thanksgiving is a classically American tradition, but there are loads of reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving in London. Maybe you’re American, maybe you’ve got American mates, or maybe you just want an excuse to feast on turkey a month before Christmas (and frankly, we support that decision). When do people in London celebrate Thanksgiving? On the same date as in America, of course, which in 2024 is Thursday November 28. And the easiest way to get in on the fun is by eating out, stateside-style, at one of the many London restaurants that are laying on special menus for the occasion. Here are some of the best. RECOMMENDED: Amazing autumn day trips from London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and really does not understand that sweet potato and marshmallow dish Americans eat at Thanksgiving. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
The best Sunday roasts in London
Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of homely pubs and restaurants all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a cosy room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or pork and a decent plant-based option too. A Sunday roast is more than just lunch - it’s self-care. From snug neighbourhood staples to more bijou gastropubs, posh hotels, Michelin-star spots, and even a metal bar in Camden, we’ve got something for every taste (if that taste is for comforting mounds of roast meat, lashings of gravy and carbs for days). A lot of these places get quite busy, by the way. So you’re always advised to book ahead to avoid disappointment. RECOMMENDED: London's 50 best pubs. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and her Sunday roast order is usually pork belly with extra gravy, extra roasties and a big glass of Pinot Noir. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
The best restaurants in Brixton
Brixton is one of London's most perfect culinary hotspots: it's buzzing with hyped restaurants, as well as much-loved local eateries. Brixton Village is where you'll find a hefty selection of local food culture, with cuisine from across the globe all under one roof. But venture beyond the market's walls and you'll discover plenty of other restaurants you need to experience, from special sushi spots and Caribbean classics to buzzing little bistros in nearby Herne Hill. RECOMMENDED: These are the best restaurants in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
Listings and reviews (119)
Fonda is kind of a big deal. The second London restaurant from Santiago Lastra, it follows the storied chef’s Michelin-starred Kol, a place that people discuss in such reverential tones that you can’t be sure Lastra isn’t the millennial version of a groovy 1970s cult leader, leaving in his wake a host of giddy disciples willing to lick the mole from his apron. Opening in 2020, his Marylebone-based ‘modern Mexican’ is one of the few London spots to regularly feature in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking (placing 17th at the most recent ceremony). Securing a table at Kol remains more difficult than sitting through The Substance without wincing (even with a £185 tasting menu, which prices most diners out of the experience entirely.) A tart rhubarb and gooseberry take on the tequila paloma is just the right sort of rocket fuel Many then, would consider the arrival of Fonda a blessing, as it pitches itself as a more casual, a la carte alternative to Kol’s fine dining largesse. The space is welcoming and warm, cast in soft pink and orange tones, with massive palms nestling next to impressive, XXL Mexican arts and crafts. This being Mayfair, the crowd is a mix of city boys in suits, fashion execs and beautiful people, all of them getting stuck into the punchy cocktail menu. Here, the humble margarita is eschewed in favour of the regal paloma. A tart rhubarb and gooseberry take on the tequila drink is just the right sort of rocket fuel and a smokey pasilla chilli version with
If you want to drink well in London, Hackney has long been one of the best places to do so. The pubs are unparalleled and you’re rarely more than five feet away from a small-plates restaurant with an erudite line in natural wine. Over the past decade Hackney has also been refining an excellent collection of astutely un-grotty dive bars, from the emo-adjacent Blondie’s in the far reaches of Clapton to the satan-worshiping Helgi’s, which you’ll find right next door to Mare Street’s latest booze hole. The overall vibe is Sex and the City directed by Tarantino Rasputin’s comes from, weirdly, the same folk as cult sandwich slingers Dom’s Subs. And though there’s not a single sarnie on the menu here, cheap hot dogs help place Rasputin’s somewhere in the middle of a niche Osakan mini bar and rowdy Texan drinking den. It’s a giddy little space, and one lit mainly by sultry red light but also TV sets pumping out cult movies. Film noir-worthy shutters on the front windows let in minimal distraction from the street, and the resulting effect is a chaotic kind of chic. When we visit, it’s early on a Thursday night, and there’s a spaghetti western soundtrack to punters basking in the neon glow. Some are sat on mid-century sofas next to equally neat coffee tables, or perched by the long, well-stocked bar. Most are drinking sweet but powerful five olive martinis, which at £7 might just be the best value cocktail in town. The overall vibe is Sex and the City directed by Tarantino. The rest
Bravo to Café François for securing what must be the most-wanted spot in all of Borough Yards. Directly facing Borough Market – it’s nearly impossible not to fall through its doors after a spot of jamon shopping at Brindisa, not least because of the giant neon sign brandishing its name – you can’t help but think the other eateries hidden at the back of this big ticket development might be un petit peu jalouse. An all-day adjunct to swish and romantique St James's brasserie, Maison François, Café François is more casual by nature. The deli counter opens at a bracing 7am and they plough through until midnight with a well-curated canteen menu that ticks numerous Gallic boxes; escargots, pâté en croûte and onion soup are all present and correct, as are a few more experimental takes, such as a McDonald’s-taunting foie gras, bacon and egg muffin. Crispy frog’s legs are served with sassy bottoms facing upwards. Think ‘cute’, but with David Cronenberg pulling the strings The large space itself feels fittingly daytime-y, with slatted wooden seats and tightly packed tables, a fondness for stainless steel which at times borders on the clinical, and the feeling that wherever you’re sitting, you’re kind of in the way. We arrive for dinner, and a platter of chunky, explosive comté gougères (five for £5.50, which seems wildly reasonable) come utterly drenched in fluffy cheese shavings. They make the ideal, creamy foil for a trio of crispy frog’s legs, which are served with their sassy bot
Sael is a flashy, brash and extremely glossy production – the Starlight Express of central London brassieres, if you will, with Jason Atherton the sous vide-brandishing Andrew Lloyd Webber of the piece. It marks the celeb chef’s 37th restaurant in two decades, and third London opening in as many months. Of all them, this is the spot that has ‘flagship’ most keenly scrawled all over it. The concept is, in decor at least, a kind of Britpop take on the nearby French bistro Brasserie Zedel, but with Toulouse-Lautrec prints replaced by Union Jacks, framed pictures of Bryan Ferry and Idris Elba, and a soundtrack provided by Oasis. The overall effect is more Dubai skyscraper than swinging London, and might all be rather cringe, were the cooking not so utterly phenomenal. Wood-fired and port-roasted figs are wistfully erotic in the way that all the best figs are Of course, Atherton knows what he’s doing. His Michelin stars and numerous television appearances attest to that. Straight out of the traps, the food is hilariously good. Opening snacks include an imperious Marmite custard tart, a decadent slice of savoury pud with a crispy top and earthy, super umami kick. If you’re feeling flash, you can whack a dollop of caviar on top for an extra fiver, but even without it the depth of flavour is so intense you’ll be dizzy from the bends when you finally come up for air after gleefully scoffing it. Stupidly scrumptious too is a tempura battered rock oyster decorated with a mess of crisp
Hotels don’t come steeped in much more history than Le Meurice. A ‘palace hotel’ – which essentially places it one above a five-star ranking – the 160-room hotel moved to its grand Rue de Rivoli site in 1835. As much a landmark as the nearby Tuileries and Louvre, it’s long been an old-school celebrity hotspot, with Salvador Dali, Liz Taylor and all manner of global monarchs counting themselves as fans. And you can see why it’s so loved – despite recent tweaks by noted French designer Philippe Starck, the hotel remains traditional in the most spectacular way. Rooms are quietly ornate, decked out with Louis XIV-style furniture and with classy, ivory walls. Meanwhile, the main dining room is as regal as anything at the Chateau de Versailles, dripping with crystal chandeliers and graced with glorious frescos, a multitude of marble and double Michelin star menu overseen by Alain Ducasse. However, such luxury comes with an appropriately intimidating price tag. Rooms and suites start at well over £1,000, with the rooftop suite coming in at a pretty punchy £25,000 a night. Neighbourhood Bang in the middle of the 1st arrondissement, Le Meurice is opposite the Tuileries Garden and sandwiched between Place de la Concorde and the Musée du Louvre. If you hate walking and are extremely wealthy, this is undoubtedly the spot for you. Nearby Musée du Louvre: For peering at some of the most famous art in the world, feat. da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Harry’s New York Bar: For the best classic cock
Thanks to a frontage dripping with thousands of red geraniums, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is one of Paris’s most instantly recognisable hotels. You’ve seen it in fashion lookbooks, celebrity shoots and Sex and the City (it’s where Carrie stays in the final season of the iconic show, naturally), and in real life it’s just as impressive. Eiffel Tower views aren’t guaranteed with every room – and there’s a premium on those that are – but it’s still a highly haute destination, and has been ever since it opened in 1913. With 154 rooms and 54 suites, there’s a gentle art deco energy to the place, especially in its thrilling 1930s-built restaurant, Le Relais Plaza – which is much more vibey than their Michelin-star spot, Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée. A glistening cruise ship-style glamourpuss of an eatery, in Le Relais clever French cookery is matched in swankiness by a wall of fame studded with shots of old-school Hollywood visitors, from Sophia Loren to Lauren Bacall. Breakfast is a grand affair, with diners seated down a long central table in a grand, gilded room and lavished with huge platters of pastries under giant flower displays (80 florists make up part of the hotel’s 550-strong staff). There’s also a lush garden courtyard best enjoyed in the summer season. Neighbourhood Situated on Ave Montaigne, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is sandwiched between a host of designer boutiques – Chanel, Prada, Valentino, Loewe, Versace etc – and as such makes an ideal base for some serious high-end shoppi
It’s always sad to see beloved favourites shut down – especially ones that made you believe there was more to London Fields than pints in the Spurstowe garden, burning sausages at Cunts Corner and avoiding exes at the lido. Pidgin – which opened in 2015 and gave Wilton Way its first Michelin star the following year – was one of those era-defining epoch shifters, and its recent closure after a decade of ever-changing menus (no dish ever served twice!) was a bit of a misery-maker. Yet we’d barely had time to wipe away the tears before it was announced that head chef Drew Snaith and one-time manager Hannah Kowalski would be re-opening the restaurant under the name Sesta. That these members of the Pidgin extended family couldn’t bear to see the homely space leave their clutches just goes to prove just how special it really was. Silliness sits comfortably alongside seriousness, with nduja-scotched olives leg-dropping the gilda into oblivion The intimate room has been kept largely the same. It’s perhaps even more like a monied millennial’s living room than it already was, with a couple of new, arty prints dotted about and 7” punk vinyl in the loo with names we cannot reference here for fear of you being told off by HR for reading it on a work laptop. No longer bound by the chains of a tasting menu, the first thing you notice is how much fun Snaith is having. Silliness sits comfortably alongside seriousness, with nduja-scotched olives leg-dropping the gilda into oblivion. These
Turns out that even Paradise can do with a makeover. Five years after opening, founder and creative director Dom Fernando’s rather special Soho spot has not just been remodelled and refurbished, but now offers a confident six-course tasting menu that sees Fernando’s souped-up Sri Lankan classics given a loving kick up the backside. Where it once resembled former small plates Italian occupant Spuntino – complete with bar stools around a high island table – Paradise 2:0 is a cosier affair, exuding warmth despite the fact that the walls resemble poured concrete rather than a tactile sheepskin rug. Who knew Paradise was grey? Instead, vibrancy and colour comes from the multifaceted dishes that arrive over the two hours dedicated to each seating. The sturdy kimbula banis is a hunk of croissant-ish pastry inspired by Fernando’s dad’s love of cheese toasties Because sometimes it’s nice to take a break from chowing down on endless flesh, tonight I plonk for the vegetarian tasting menu (diners can pick from veggie ‘veg + plant’, fishy ‘sea + veg’ or the meaty ‘land + sea’), which begins with an artsy ceramic pot of lacto-fermented Kentish strawberry rasam, dotted with potent splodges of lime leaf oil. Though a thin broth, it packs an almighty punch, humming with extremely butch-tasting strawbs. Next, a snack of a crispy nelum ala roll with raw lotus root tartare. It’s pleasant enough, but the sturdy kimbula banis – a hunk of croissant-ish pastry inspired by Fernando’s dad’s love of
Jose Pizarro will not stop until every single shop front on the delightfully quaint Bermondsey Street is serving up unparalleled pan con tomate and endless boquerones, the cobbles awash with streams of sherry. Lolo is the street’s third (third!) joint from the convivial Spanish chef, joining the pokey but perfect tapas bar Jose and more formal (but just as fun,) Pizarro. SE1 domination? Done it, mate. Lolo literally and figuratively sits somewhere in the middle of Jose and Pizarro, named as it is in honour of the Spanish nickname for Jose’s middle name, Manuel. Neither super-fancy Michelin star Madrid grill house nor a bare-bones Cadiz cava bar, Lolo is casual but content with its easy-breezy lot. Unlike his other two nearby spots, this one is open all day, starting with sassy little breakfasts of baked eggs with pisto and thyme croutons or bacon sarnies with pineapple ketchup. Does it resemble something I would make if hungover and un-arsed to go to the shops? Yes. Is it also delicious? Definitely I arrive in the evening, and the dusty pink room easily transitions from a relaxed cafe into a romantic resto, with demure salmon-shaded tiles and lovely, low lights. The menu is short and divvied up into a series of enticingly snackable Spanish dishes with coyly British bent. Take a starter of devilled eggs, graced with a single smoked anchovy, bringing together both 1970s suburbia with a breezy Barcelona evening, the saltiness of the fish slicing through any potential yolky cl
Lyle’s isn’t like other Michelin star restaurants. There are neither bells or whistles at this brazenly industrial warehouse space – not even tablecloths (though they will stretch to starched linen napkins). What you will find is utterly heroic British food. Opened by James Lowe in 2014, the chef’s history as head chef at St John Bread & Wine seeps from every surface. Of course, the airy space recalls the white-washed walls of the iconic London restaurant, but you can also feel the pull of Fergus Henderson in the razorsharp dedication to sourcing the best-of-the-best seasonal produce and plating it up with less of a flourish, and more of a nonchalant shrug. Of course this diminutive quail is going to taste good, you can almost hear Lowe whisper, I caught it with my very own hands just this morning in the middle of Epping Forest. A swirl of fresh summer vegetables seem plucked straight from a Beatrix Potter illustration Many might attribute such blase brilliance to the influence of sleek, Nordic dining but it’s much more down to British modesty than Scandinavian sass. For our mid-week dinner, an eight course tasting menu (£119 a head), is delivered with charm and care but also an expectation that this is how everything could be if only people gave enough of a damn. First, of course, sourdough and cultured butter so creamy and salty it could almost be cheese, then a trio of beautiful, blissed-out starters. Pretty-pretty oysters with pink rosette apples assist a tangy tartar
Alongside the sturdy likes of Quo Vadis and L’Escargot, Kettner’s is one of Soho’s grande dames of gastronomy. Dating back to 1867, this French restaurant wowed the city’s most fabulous flaneurs with foods even richer than they were. Head chef Auguste Kettner might have been German, but he knew his way around a bouillabaisse, serving as personal chef to Napoleon III (the one who rebuilt all of Paris) before opening up this luxe corner spot. Instantly cloaked with the seductive air of scandal, it was said to be where King Edward VII wooed his mistress Lillie Langtry. Over the years, the great (Oscar Wilde) and the good (Agatha Christie) and the absolutely despicable (Margaret Thatcher) have all dined at Kettner’s, which survived the Blitz, but not the 1980s, when it became a Pizza Express. Kettner’s is made for flirtation, or at the very least, a night of shocking, flagrant gossip In 2016, the regal but dusty site was bought by the Soho House Group, who restricted entry to members only, closing one of London’s prettiest dining rooms to regular folk. Thankfully, they backpedalled in 2023 and reopened Kettner’s to the public with a Med-ish menu devised in collaboration with Stoke Newington gastropub, the Clarence Tavern. Then, another backpedal, and in 2024 the French bistro fare of yore was reinstated. Like a lowkey Palace of Versailles side suite, lit only by a handful of creamy coloured sconces and white taper candles, you can see why King George thought Kettner’s the perf
As a pub, Soho’s Sun & 13 Cantons isn’t necessarily one we’d run to for a Friday afternoon pint, but as a breeding ground for some of the finest restaurants in London, it’s unbeaten. Over the past decade, this boozer’s angular back room has been home to a run of astounding food residences, hosting pop-ups by everyone from Asma Khan’s Darjeeling Express through to Mandy Yin’s Sambal Shiok. Both chefs now have (extremely popular) restaurants to call their own, and from the moment that a fizzy, Technicolor pickle plate is laid in front of us, it’s obvious that Kaneda Pen has similar designs on the London food landscape. If deep fried panko pork toast wasn’t so delicious you’d have to have it arrested for crimes against arteries Former head chef at Flank (RIP), Kaneda has set out to create the only dedicated Cambodian eatery in London, starting with this 12-month residency. It’s long been hard to find Khmer food in the capital, but rather than offering super trad dishes, Kaneda has brought a few soulful twists to the table. Named in honour of his mother, Mamapen also serves up other dishes inspired by another woman in Kaneda’s life, his Scottish girlfriend. We dare you to find us a dish in London with a cuter origin story than the braised beef tattie mince noodles, a bowl of endearingly sloppy, meaty noods given a Caledonian makeover, then lavished with cucumber, a riot of spring onion and ribbons of red chilli, combining the couples’ cultures in a bowl. But before we slurp on
News (393)
Beer-heads alert! Double Diamond is being served again in London after 30 years
Classic beer Double Diamond has returned to the hand pumps of London. The legendary beer was one of the UK's biggest selling pints throughout the 1950s through to the 1970s, but the pale ale fell from favour in the 1980s and by the 2000s had been discontinued in pubs. Your grandparents will be happy to hear that Double Diamond is once again available – but only in one pub; west London’s Blue Stoops. Why so? Well, the recently opened boozer is run by Allsopp’s Brewery, which created Double Diamond in 1876. Speaking about the return of the iconic, 3.8 percent beer, Jamie Allsopp – who now runs his family brewery – said: ‘Double Diamond is our A-list star, a beer so popular it was up in lights on Piccadilly Circus, so famous the government considered nationalising it, a beer that worked such wonders it sold 50 million pints a year. Double Diamond, whose recipe was based on our 1822 India Pale Ale, is now back being brewed by Allsopp’s and it means a great deal to me.’ He adds: ‘This sessionable Pale Ale is the next iteration of Double Diamond and we hope will find a place in the affections of new drinkers, as well as those that haven’t tasted it in 30 years.’ Photo: Double Diamond A big deal for brewery buffs, The Blue Stoops opened in September, and marks the first ever London pub from Midlands brewery Allsopp’s. It is also the brewery’s first new pub in almost 100 years. Pub food comes from the mind of Caravel founder and official Time Out London hot chef Lorcan Spiteri.
An expert guide to the 5 best martinis in London by Missy Flynn
‘Martinis are definitely having their moment,’ explains Rita's co-founder Missy Flynn. So much so, that we’ve asked the cocktail specialist and Soho restaurateur to take us through her favourite takes on the classic drink. ‘I have thought about this a lot, maybe too much. In part because we make so many each week at Rita’s, but also because I am interested in what moves trends in the food and drink world,’ she adds. ‘My guess would be that the so-called cost of living crisis has sparked an increased interest in ‘bang for buck’ and this famously strong cocktail offers a direct route to a buzz. There’s also the joy in lack of restraint – a martini is a fun way to kick off a fun dinner. Thankfully, you can now get a half decent one in most respectable establishments in London.’ Here’s where you’ll find Missy’s favourite martinis. 1. Ognisko, South Kensington Missy: ‘At Ognisko, vodka is the play. Do not ask for a gin martini. This beautiful, grand old Polish restaurant offers a huge variety of vodka, specialising, as you might imagine, in those from Poland. A couple of martinis on arrival quickly morphs into a night of chilled, infused shots such as the punchy Chrzan (horseradish) and Wisniówka (cherry). My martini order is a Zytnia Polish Rye with an olive and a twist to take the edge off, because these martinis are punchy!’ 55 Exhibition Rd, SW7 2PG 2. Hawksmoor, Spitalfields ‘I gained most of my formative restaurant training working for Hawksmoor. Back then it was a one-site
Let us extend a huge, battered congrats to Brockley’s Rock in Brockley and Stones Fish and Chips in Acton – the only two London chippies to make the shortlist for Takeaway of the Year in the 2025 National Fish and Chip Awards. Though the two London takeaways have made the final 40, they can't totally relax just yet. The list will be cut down to 20 and then 10, before the finals at the National Fish & Chip Awards ceremony on February 26 at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. The new winner will replace current Takeaway of the Year champ, Ship Deck in Caerphilly. And the shops won’t just be judged on how tasty their haddock is, but ‘industry awareness, product knowledge, environmental and sustainability best practice, employer responsibilities and customer service.’ So it doesn't matter how good their scraps are – they have to be nice people as well. Last year no London chippies featured in the National Fish and Chip Awards. Organised by the National Federation of Fish Friers, also in the running are Kellaway’s Fish and Chips in Truro, The Hook of Clacton in Clacton-on-Sea, Newington Fish Bar in Ramsgate, Sea Salt + Sole in Aberdeen and Zero Plus Fish & Chips in Cardiff. For a full list of nominees visit the Fish and Chip Awards. Speaking about the awards, President of the NFFF, Andrew Crook, says: ‘Fish and chips is such an iconic British staple and it takes huge amounts of skill and hard work to not only perfect the dish and other menu offerings but to also overcome challeng
Nando’s has just unveiled a new hot sauce flavour and it’s... Fanta?
A new Nando’s menu just dropped and it’s, well, a bit weird. Just in time for Halloween, the high street chicken purveyor has launched a new flavour on its heat scale and it’s inspired by orange-flavoured fizzy pop, Fanta. Nando’s says it’s ‘zesty with a hint of chilli’ and that it ranks somewhere between ‘mild and ‘medium’ on the brand’s heat scale. But the new Nando’s spooky menu doesn’t stop there. On top of Nando’s x Fanta Wings, but also cheesy garlic pitta with a sourdough pitta and melted cheddar cheese, garlic, spring onions and peri-peri sauce, with red pepper chutney on the side. There’s also the brand new cheesy chickle Burger; grilled chicken breast with melted cheddar, ketchup, garlic PERi-naise, lettuce and and herby pickles. The new items launch tomorrow (October 15) and will be available across the UK and Ireland. They follow the launch of the limited edition PERi-PERi Saka Sauce earlier this year, which combined football player Bukayo Saka’s fave flavours with signature Nando’s spiciness. Made of tomato, garlic and smoked paprika, it was ‘sweet and fiery’ and ranked at about the same level as ‘medium’ on the Nando’s PERi-ometer. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.
Dishoom has unveiled a brand-new menu for the first time since it opened in 2010
Big news for the Dishoom faithful – the Indian restaurant chain has unveiled its biggest ever menu update since it opened back in 2010. Brand new dishes include a Goan monkfish curry, chicken and mango salad, chicken kathi roll, chota papad poppadom puffs with mango chutney, deep fried fish amritsari, makhmali paneer, grilled greens with pineapple and sweet potato, warm aubergine chutney and masala paratha with mint, chaat masala and butter. There are also a few new puds, with a coconutty fruit crumble and orange caramel custard on the new menu. Want more?! You got it. How about a brand new cocktail offering, with 23 new drinks, including an India Gimlet, a Bombay Bellini, Lime-leaf Collins and Bloody Gosh Mary. The new dishes are available at all branches of Dishoom across the UK now. Speaking about the new menu, Dishoom founders Shamil and Kavi Thakrar, said: ‘Making significant changes to the Dishoom menu feels like a really big deal to us. Our recipes are a true labour of love - they take months - sometimes years - to get to somewhere where we’re really happy with them. It’s hard to say goodbye to any of them!’ The pair devised the new recipes following a trip to India: ‘Bombay, however, is a real melting pot of a city that is constantly bubbling and evolving. There are new ideas and influences each time we return. We went on a research trip to Bombay with executive chef Arun Tilak at the start of this year, and tried literally hundreds of dishes across the city. We re
7 London pizza restaurants have made it to the final of the UK’s 2024 National Pizza Awards
Pizza people of London, your edible Oscars have arrived. The 16 finalists for the National Pizza Awards 2024 are here, and we are dripping with pride to see that seven are London based restaurants and pop-ups. A few Time Out favourites have made the cut as well, include Ace Pizza at the Pembury Tavern, as well as Rudy’s, Bad Boy Pizza Society at Seven Dials Market and Voodoo Ray’s. The finalists will face off in a live cooking showdown on November 12 at Walthamstow’s Big Penny Social to determine the 2024 winner, with specific pizzas from each 16 spots being made. Full info on those pizzas below. As well as the signature round to determine the National Pizza of the Year, the east London event will see the finalists take part in a technical challenge where they must create the ultimate pizza, which is how the Pizza Chef of the Year title will be decided. This year will also see the introduction of The Alternative Slice Award, given to the competitor who puts together the most delicious dish using free-from products. Winners on the night will be decided by a hand-picked panel of expert industry judges. The London finalists – and their signature slices – are: Ace Pizza, HackneyHoney Pie Bad Boy Pizza Society, Covent GardenSausage Party Botanica Hall, ClaphamParadise Lost Crust Bros, various sitesSmokestack Lightnin’ Homeslice, various sitesThe Bebé Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana, various sitesThe Lorenzo Voodoo Ray’s, LondonPorky’s May the best slice win! Time Out and the London’s b
All the things I’m looking forward to eating this autumn
Autumn is for eating. It’s a proper belly-filling time of year; think of it as your own personal harvest festival, a time to joyfully put on a bit of extra timber to keep yourself cosy and soft over the cold, hard winter. I’ve already got a sizable list of restaurants that I’m excited about visiting over the next few months, as well as a tally of the dishes I can’t wait to devour. This includes new openings of course, but also old classics and places that really only work for a meal when it’s gloomy outside, but toasty and candlelit within. Here are my top five dishes and destinations for London’s Loveliest Season™. 1. Hogget massaman at AngloThai This ones been on the cards for, ooh, years? Finally, John and Desiree Chantarasak are opening their very first restaurant after a run of pop-ups, residencies and general flirting with various kitchens across the capital. Their Thai-British joint opens in Marylebone on November 7, and we’ve had a little peek at the menu – so far we’re keen to ram their Brixham crab, Exmoor caviar and coconut ash cracker into our bellies, as well as their lion’s mane mushroom and sunflower seed satay, and hogget massaman curry with black fig. Oof. 2. Midday martinis at Rita’s I still get misty eyed thinking about the OG Rita’s on Mare Street, where in the glory days of 2014 I would feast upon American diner-inspired green chile mac and cheese and work out if I was drunk enough to brave going next door to The Dolphin. Since moving to Soho in 2021, Ga
The 6 best new London restaurant openings in October
Embrace the drizzle. Grab onto the grey. Summer has gone and all we can do is retreat indoors until spring. Thankfully, there are lots of lovely places to do just that, including new restaurants from two of London’s most talented, Michelin-star boasting chefs; Santiago Lastra of Kol and Jason Atherton of Berners Tavern. Sit down, order something cosy while the evenings draw ever-closer in. You love it really. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and knows everything about everything in the city’s current restaurant scene – yep, even that. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. Photo: Fonda 1. The masterful Mexican restaurant Fonda, St James’s Santiago Lastra doesn’t mess about. The co-owner and chef-patron of Marylebone’s Kol – regularly voted one of the best restaurants in the world – is opening up a new Mexican joint inspired by traditional family-owned ‘fondas’. The focus will be on regional flavours, informal and market-style cookery. Bring on the Baja tacos with cucumber, pistachio and mint sauce, chipotle and sourdough and tostada with baked beetroot, seaweed oil, marigold and elderflower vinegar. But most of all, we’re excited by the dedicated paloma section on the cocktail list. It opens October 3. 12 Heddon St, W1B 4BZ Photo: Tamila 2. Dosa delights in south London Tamila, Clapham With their north-of-the-river pubs – The Tamil Prince and The Tamil Crown – doing a roaring trade in roti and pints, this mini desi chain is
An expert guide to the best cocktails in London
If you need an excuse to switch your pint for a paloma, we have it; London Cocktail Week. Taking place from October 3-13 (which is surely longer than a week, but let's not argue with an event that literally encourages us to get drunk for 10 days), this annual celebration of all things mixology. Celebrating 15 years of the event, co-founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne spoke to Time Out about their current fave cocktails in London, and where to find them. 1. Vesper Martini at Spy Bar, Whitehall Hannah and Siobhan: ‘If you’ve not ventured to Spy Bar yet, we can’t recommend it enough. You need a bit of chutzpah to convince whoever’s at the front desk of the impressive Raffles London at The OWO to show you the way down, but once you’re there, you’re in for a treat. It’s all ever so cloak-and-dagger, so lean right in and order their Vesper Martini – which is given a modern twist with the addition of a house-made London honey distillate, adding rich, floral notes to the classic recipe and complemented by the bar’s own vermouth blend. It is also, notably, available alcohol-free.’ Spy Bar’s Vesper Martini is available as a tasting flight as part of the Connoisseur’s Collection during London Cocktail Week. More information here. 2. Sgroppino Royale at Swift, Soho ‘Trends may come and go and the weather might be getting colder – but when is elderflower liqueur, lemon sorbet and Champagne not a delicious treat? Wherever you are in London, you’re never far from an outpost of S
This west London restaurant has been crowned the best in the capital by the AA
Chiswick? The culinary capital of London? Apparently so. According to the AA Hospitality Awards, that is, which has just awarded the west London neighbourhood’s the Silver Birch with the title of London Restaurant of the Year. It scored the gong for ‘excellence in food, service, and dining experience’, after appearing in last year’s AA guide with three Rosettes. The AA Rosettes were established in 1956 and restaurants are rated from one to five Rosettes. In 2023, the AA’s London Restaurant of the Year was Chutney Mary in St James’s. The Silver Birch serves contemporary British cuisine, and was opened in 2020 by first-time restauranteur Tim Price. Current head chef Nathan Cornwell joined the restaurant last year after spending four years at The Barn at Moor Hall in Lancashire. Speaking about this week’s win, Cornwell commented: ‘Winning this award is an incredible honour for the entire team at The Silver Birch. It’s a testament to our hard work, dedication, and passion for creating exceptional dining experiences. This recognition inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of contemporary British cuisine and to keep delighting our guests with innovative and sustainably sourced dishes. We’re deeply grateful for the support of our wonderful guests.’ We here at Time Out reviewed the Silver Birch earlier this year and were equally impressed by its refined, low-key elegance. Our writer Amy Houghton went wild for ‘beautifully soft, mildly sweet Devonshire crab, which was hidden u
London stand-up Jamali Maddix has launched his new docu-series with Louis Theroux
‘Sometimes, when you’re dealing with people in telly, everything takes a lot of explanation,’ says Jamali Maddix, the Ilford-born Londoner who made a name for himself on Vice, Taskmaster and the Never Mind the Buzzcocks reboot. ‘It’s hard for them to see your mind’s eye, right? But Louis Theroux has been around for fucking years. There’s a thing where not a lot of explanation needs to be made. He sees it. You can just get right to it.’ Maddix’s new series, Follow The Leader, is a new four-part docu-series on U&Dave made with Theroux’s production company. A similar ilk to Maddix’s nervy face offs on Vice TV’s ‘Hate Thy Neighbor’ 2021 series, the show sees the stand-up travelling across the US and South America to interrogate those on the sidelines of society – from paedophile hunters and ‘passport bros’ to Chicago’s most notorious gangs – with infectious charisma. Photograph: Leonardo Machado / Mindhouse / UKTV ‘You know the mad guy at the pub?’ Maddix says, when asked why he’s so drawn to these outsider extremist groups. ‘I always want to know: why is he mad? What he’s saying is always interesting to me. I’ve always been interested in those things: it’s refreshing to see people with their mask off.’ And when it comes to pubs, Maddix is no stranger. Stay tuned for Jamali Maddix’s Time Out London cover to launch our best pubs list on November 5. Jamali Maddix: Follow The Leader airs on U&Dave at 10pm each Tuesday until October 8, with the box-set available to stream free
South London is getting the UK’s biggest Oktoberfest party
Fetch your dirndl and steel yourself for some serious drinking, as the largest Oktoberfest booze-up in the country is coming to London. Clapham Common will be turned into a Bavarian beerhall of massive proportions from October 11-12, and 17-19, with the Oktoberfest on the Common event. A huge 17,500 people are expected to attend the seven hardcore drinking sessions in the park, making it the biggest Oktoberfest event in the UK. As well as beer, there’ll be live oompah music, all manner of German sausages to eat, salty pretzels, fairground rides and keg-tapping contests. RECOMMENDED: Time Out’s ultimate guide to Oktoberfest 2024 in London. Speaking about the upcoming celebration, Nick Jackson, the event’s director, said: ‘Over the years, Oktoberfest has become more of a staple in UK diaries, bringing traditional Bavarian fun to UK shores. What better way to celebrate the German tradition of enjoying a stein or two than by bringing it to life with the UK’s biggest Oktoberfest?’ Tickets start at £31.50 and there’s no access on the door, so you’ll have to buy tickets in advance if you want to partake in the fun. If the UK’s biggest Oktoberfest party sounds a little too, well, big, there are plenty of other options across London next month. Check out Time Out’s rundown of the best Oktoberfest parties here. Frankly, we’re quite taken by the promise of ‘Rocktoberfest’ down at Blondies Brewery in Leyton which combines all things hardcore and heavy metal with the great Bavarian tradi