11 London Openings To Know About Right Now
FOR AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE:
Opium, Chinatown
This decadent multi-story drinking den transports guests to a bygone era via expertly mixed drinks and elegant surroundings. Opium’s intimate hidden bar, Peony, offers a signature range of ten cocktails – each one taking inspiration from a Chinese city. Titled ‘A Journey Through China’, Peony’s territory-spanning menu is less about a drink in a glass, and more of a theatrical experience, using many ingredients indigenous to the city each drink is named after. The important news: Opium is open until 3am from Thursday to Saturday.
15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, W1D 6JE
Visit OpiumChinatown.com
FOR ELEGANT EXTRAVAGANCE:
Bob Bob Ricard, Soho
With its red and gold gilded interiors, Bob Bob Ricard really sets the scene for an atmospheric late-night bite to eat. With an ‘elegant’ dress code, the restaurant serves British and Russian classics with a modern touch – think anything from lobster mac ’n’ cheese to elevated beef wellington. For an extra dash of extravagance, order a bottle of bubbles via the restaurant’s famous ‘Press For Champagne’ button on every table.
1 Upper James Street, Soho, W1F 9DF
Visit BobBobRicard.com
FOR ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD:
Cecconi’s Pizza Bar, Soho
This is a relaxed sister restaurant to The Ned’s Cecconi’s. Bearing the brand’s signature marble-striped floor, the interiors reference the landmark Harry’s Bar in Venice: picture a rosewood panelled bar and matching walls, brass fittings, and original Italian black-and-white photos and advertising prints from the 1950s adorning the walls. In its centre is a mid-century Venetian-style bar serving negronis, Aperol spritz and prosecco on tap. The kitchen serves simple Italian comfort food, including pizzas topped with the likes of bresaola, smoked burrata, rocket and cherry tomatoes.
19-21 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 5JJ
Visit CecconisPizzaBar.com
FOR GREAT DIM SUM:
Park Chinois, Mayfair
Behind a set of intriguing red doors in Mayfair is opulent Park Chinois. Paying homage to the decadence of 1930s Shanghai, it serves outstanding regional Chinese food, while its contemporary in-house theatre company lays on live entertainment and mischievous fun. We also like its bar, Wave, which is decked out as a Gatsby-style speakeasy, serving an eclectic cocktail offering and late-night dim sum menu for those who want to keep things a little more casual.
17 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, W1J 8EA
Visit ParkChinois.com
FOR SEAFOOD CLASSICS:
J Sheekey, Covent Garden
Sienna Miller, Suki Waterhouse, Poppy Delevingne and Keira Knightley have all shown their faces at this Covent Garden institution. Launched in the 1800s, the seafood-focused hotspot is now owned by the group behind Le Caprice and The Ivy, bringing with it a clutch of famous regulars. If you’re in the mood for a few plates of food after a night at the theatre, we recommend one of the towering seafood platters to share – plus a bottle of champagne. Another benefit of showing up post-9pm – you might just spot a couple of famous thesps, fresh from treading the boards.
28-32 St Martin's Court, Covent Garden, WC2N 4AL
Visit J-Sheekey.co.uk
FOR A RELAXED ATMOSPHERE:
Old Compton Brasserie, Soho
Old Compton Brasserie is an all-day restaurant with an imaginative cocktail list. On its menu – which is served until 11pm – you’ll find modern, seasonal dishes and a couple of indulgent mains. We like the sound of the OCB Burger (a 6oz patty, mature cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, pickle, fried onion, crackling mayonnaise and fries); the baked truffle camembert with toasted sourdough, chicory, radish, purple carrot, red onion marmalade; and the duck frites with grilled duck breast, fries and bearnaise sauce.
36-38 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 4TT
FOR SOMETHING QUICK & AFFORDABLE:
Wun’s Tea Room & Bar, Soho
Z He and Alex Peffly, the husband-and-wife team behind Bun House and the Pleasant Lady Jian Bing Trading Stall, opened Wun’s Tea Room & Bar a few years ago. Post-theatre drinks are best enjoyed in the downstairs bar which takes on the spirit of Hong Kong nightlife with velvet seating and an eclectic soundtrack, while quick and affordable meals can be enjoyed in the main dining room. Choose from nostalgic Cantonese dishes from Z’s childhood such as salt and pepper cuttlefish with sesame and chilli, crispy duck leg with jasmine-vinegar syrup, and fried chicken kung pao butter. There’s also an excellent choice of Chinese-inspired cocktails and refreshing iced teas – we love the melon oolong blend.
23 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 4DZ
Visit Tearoom.Bar
FOR CHEESE & WINE:
Sager + Wilde, Hackney
The team behind Sager + Wilde has a top-notch restaurant on Paradise Row in Bethnal Green and a lovely wine bar in Hackney. While the restaurant is one of our favourite places to eat pasta in the capital, we also love the bijou wine bar: its drinks list (by glass and by bottle) changes every day depending on what the team are into and which old cellars they’ve raided. On the food front, you’ll find superlative cheese boards and toasties filled with British artisanal cheese and jalapeños, or chorizo and spinach, which are all served until 11pm.
193 Hackney Road, Hoxton, E2 8JL
Visit SagerAndWilde.com
FOR INCREDIBLE VIEWS:
Decimo, King’s Cross
Peter Sanchez-Iglesias won Michelin stars for both of his Bristol sites, Casamia and Paco Tapas. He also heads up Decimo. On the tenth floor of the Standard hotel, Decimo comes with floor-to-ceiling windows offering dramatic views across the London skyline. Accessed via a red elevator on Euston Road, the rattan-filled space includes an open kitchen, intimate standalone bar clad in Jatoba wood, and two attractive private dining rooms. When it comes to food, Sanchez-Iglesias merges the Spanish cuisine of his family with his love of Mexico. Expect tons of flavour via aguachile crab and jalapeno; cauliflower tacos; caviar-topped tortillas; and meat and seafood cooked over open fire. Make sure to have a post-dinner drink at downstairs bar Double Standard.
10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, WC1H 8EG
Visit Decimo.com
FOR PRIVATE CLUB VIBES:
Amazónico, Mayfair
Amazónico can be notoriously hard to get into, but the hidden club in the basement – which has been kept under wraps for the last few years – is now open to all. Operating on a first-come, first-served basis, this South American-inspired speakeasy is reached via a lavish golden staircase. Columns are covered in sequins, a golden octopus hangs from the DJ booth, and the blue walls look like something out of an upmarket club in Rio. In the Bar & Lounge guests can order from the full à la carte menu while resident and guest DJs play Amazónico’s signature ‘electro-pical’ music, which blends electro beats with Latin American-inspired sounds.
10 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 6BR
Visit AmazonicoRestaurant.com
DISCLAIMER: We endeavour to always credit the correct original source of every image we use. If you think a credit may be incorrect, please contact us at info@sheerluxe.com.