13 Restaurant Hotspots For Celeb-Spotting
Annabel’s
Nightclub and members’ club Annabel’s has a global reputation that dates all the way back to 1963. This year, the acclaimed spot opened the doors to its much-anticipated new home, a Grade I-listed Georgian mansion house at 46 Berkeley Square. For the first time, Annabel’s offers an all-day and all-night experience, all in one intensely Instagrammable location. This weekend, auction house Christies is selling off the original club’s furniture and fittings for charity: think velvet fringed sofas, antique mirrored columns and crystal coupe glasses – all used by the likes of Kate Moss, Frank Sinatra, the Rolling Stones and Elizabeth Taylor over the years.
46 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 5AT
Visit Annabels.co.uk
34 Mayfair
A Mayfair classic from the team behind The Ivy, 34 Mayfair has been a hit with the stars since 2011. Recently Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner; Simon Cowell and the rest of the BGT crew; and royals such as the Duchess of Cornwall have been spotted, while frequent visitors include Anna Friel, Lily James and David Gandy. Kate Moss is such a fan she collaborated with the restaurant to develop the ‘34 Kate Moss Coupe’ glass, in honour of her 40th birthday in 2014. Look out for The Emin Room, the private dining room upstairs, designed by eminent modern artist Tracey Emin. And make sure to order its lobster macaroni cheese.
South Audley Street, Mayfair, W1K 2HD
Visit 34-Restaurant.co.uk
Chiltern Firehouse
Perhaps the most obvious on this list, Andre Balazs’s Chiltern Firehouse shows no signs of fading since its high-profile launch in 2014. The Marylebone hotspot – Balazs’s third site after Chateau Marmont in Hollywood and the Mercer hotel in NYC – has been host to the likes of Lindsey Lohan, Lily Allen, Kate Moss, the Beckhams, Bill Clinton, Bradley Cooper, Alexa Chung and, more recently, the cast of Queer Eye. We love that after Harry and Meghan’s wedding, those who wanted to carry on into the small hours were chauffeured from Windsor to Chiltern Firehouse for (what we imagine was) one hell of an afterparty.
1 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, W1U 7PA
Visit ChilternFirehouse.com
Bluebird Chelsea
A regular scene-stealer on Made in Chelsea, the original Bluebird restaurant has been serving well-heeled locals for the last two decades. A familiar haunt for the likes of Pippa Middleton, Millie Mackintosh, Lottie Moss and Kimberley Garner, come summer Bluebird’s expansive terrace is the place to be seen for a glass of champagne and white truffle tagliatelle. Within, a 2016 refurbishment saw the outdoors come in with the addition of mature trees and bespoke Celia Birtwell textiles. The chic private dining room is the place to try and sneak a peek at those familiar faces.
350 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UU
Casa Cruz
A haunt of David and Victoria Beckham (who hosted her OBE party here), Bay Garnett, Natalie Massenet, Anya Hindmarch and Prince Harry, Casa Cruz opened in residential Notting Hill in 2015. Following the success of its original site in Buenos Aires, Casa Cruz serves up Argentinian fare (all cooked over a Josper grill) in clubby, glamourous surroundings – accessed via giant copper doors. The tree-lined rooftop cigar terrace is the best spot to get a glimpse of Beckham and co.
123a Clarendon Road, Notting Hill, W11 4JG
Hakkasan Mayfair
This Michelin-starred Cantonese eatery has been frequented by the likes of Will Smith, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell and Kanye West. Whether they’re a fan of the super-dark interiors and booths or enjoy the familiarity of its New York counterpart, Hakkasan continues to draw in celebrities on the hunt for next-level sushi. The in-house DJs (occasionally celebrities themselves), and signature dish of Peking duck with beluga caviar are no doubt another draw.
17 Bruton Street, Mayfair, W1J 6QB
Visit Hakkasan.com
Isabel
The newest site to Caza Cruz restaurateur Juan Santa Cruz’s empire, Isabel opened in Mayfair in 2017. A bar-cum-restaurant-cum-club, the Albemarle Street hotspot has played host to the likes of Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Cara Delevingne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller and Stella McCartney. With a Mediterranean menu that nods to Argentina, this is the spot to head for if you fancy heading down to the dancefloor to mingle with celebrities at a late-night lock-in.
26 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, W1S 4HY
Visit IsabelW1.com
J Sheekey Oyster Bar
David Walliams, Sienna Miller, Suki Waterhouse and Gordon Ramsay have all shown their faces at this Covent Garden institution. Launched in the 1800s, this seafood-focused hotspot is now owned by the group behind Le Caprice and The Ivy, bringing with it a clutch of famous regulars. Get there late, and you might just spot a couple of famous thesps, fresh from treading the boards. We love the look of its current winter terrace – the perfect spot to see and be seen.
28-32 St Martin's Court, Covent Garden, WC2N 4AL
Visit J-Sheekey.co.uk
Petersham Nurseries Café
Madonna, Mick Jagger, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, Richard E Grant and Stella McCartney are all fans of the original Petersham Nurseries Café in Richmond. Spring chef Skye Gyngell’s old stomping ground, this beautiful restaurant is a sophisticated, family-run spot serving modern European fare in a glasshouse. For sophistication closer to the centre of the capital, opt for the team’s popular 2018 launch in Covent Garden.
Church Lane, Richmond, TW10 7AB
Visit PetershamNurseries.com
Sexy Fish
With its dark, private basement and design by modern artist Damien Hirst, Sexy Fish was always going to attract the glitterati. Since opening, Johnny Depp, Lindsay Lohan, Kate Moss and Rita Ora have all been spotted here – and each weekend, celebrity DJs take to the deck. Within, A-listers like to tuck into the likes of tuna tataki; king crab with bone marrow and truffle; and seaweed and blood orange salad.
Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 6BR
Visit SexyFish.com
Sketch
When Sketch opened in Mayfair in 2003 – three years late and four times over budget – it was hailed as London’s most expensive restaurant and panned by critics. Today, its pastel pink Gallery is the capital’s most recognisable eatery, and a popular hangout for the likes of Harry Styles, Jessica Alba, Alice Temperley, Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez. An Instagram snap in the egg-shaped loos is mandatory for both celebs and regular visitors alike.
9 Conduit Street, Mayfair, W1S 2XG
Visit Sketch.London
Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe
Those specifically on the lookout for actors could do worse than head to Swan, Shakespeare’s Globe for a late-night dinner. Part of the Globe itself, close to the National Theatre and across the river from the West End, this high-end eatery is often the backdrop for working actors to head for dinner following their performance. Mark Rylance, Dame Judi Dench, Stephen Fry and Jude Law have all been spotted here for a pre-theatre bite to eat.
21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1 9DT
Visit SwanLondon.com
The Ivy
The original Ivy on West Street in London’s Covent Garden has been a dining hotspot since 1917. A hit with the fashion and theatre crowds, its menu offers traditional British dishes with an international lilt. A favourite with Princess Margaret, more recent guests include Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kit Harrington, Tracey Emin, Rod Stewart, Barbara Windsor and Dannii Minogue. They must all be after a taste of the kitchen’s signature Ivy shepherd’s pie.
1-5 West Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9NQ
Visit The-Ivy.co.uk
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