Covent Garden, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

“Step back in time at London’s oldest restaurant” – on this site, in Covent Garden, since 1798 – “where the best of British resounds in its decor, menu and ambience”. “Sometimes derided for being outdated or a tourist trap” (“fellow guests were either Yanks or elderly Brexiteers”), it actually remains remarkably “popular with the locals” and its large fan club says “a visit should be on everyone’s bucket list”. Hollywood would be proud of the decor (“it looks like the kind of place you dine in before deciding to conquer a remote land in the name of the crown”) and – though some of its antique furnishings are vaguely “preposterous” – the “special time warp” that’s created is “enchanting”. The “classic” menu has a fair share of “old-school-boy favourites” featuring a good amount of meat and game; and although it is “expensive” and “won’t blow you away”, it is “done well”. “The wine list is OK if not great (sort of gentlemen’s club level) but at least the mark-ups are reasonable”. “Don’t forget to visit the hidden gem of an upstairs cocktail bar to get the full experience”. Top Menu Tip – “the old fashioned steak and kidney suet pudding with rich extra gravy in a silver boat. Crisp on the outside, meltingly soft on the inside with gloriously tender pieces of meat”.

Could it be a dream team? Restaurant supremo Jeremy King has partnered with Savoy owners Fairmont to mastermind the autumn 2024 relaunch of this celebrated temple to roast beef on the Strand (est. 1828) which backs onto The Savoy. King has described Simpson’s as “the last of the ‘grande dame’ restaurants that still retains its original décor and features” and few relaunches carry such expectations and potential. The astonishing mediocrity of its traditional fare over recent decades has – notwithstanding its period charms; ongoing fame; large size; half-hearted relaunch after half-hearted relaunch; the huge surge in interest in dining out; and rising esteem for British cuisine – become an ever-more-obscure anachronism. King has said he envisions “a big-theatre brasserie”, but one that would “very much hark on its tradition” (“I want people to walk in there and say, ‘Oh good, they haven’t changed it’, although it will have changed”). Even if they have auctioned off the famous beef trolleys, if anyone can do it, it will be King… it could be so good.

“Always a place to impress your business guest” – this famous chamber (one of Lady Thatcher’s favourites back in the day) has “sufficiently widely spaced tables to encourage discreet conversation” and the Art Deco elegance of its surroundings has, by and large, survived its recent ‘Gatsby’ makeover. It’s had its ups and downs under the Gordon Ramsay group’s long (20+ years) tenure here and is not in a purple period currently. Much of the problem is “ludicrous prices”. Those on expenses do acclaim “the iconic Arnold Bennett soufflé, the deeply satisfying Cote de Boeuf to share (if your guest is a meat eater: if not point him/her in the direction of the steamed turbot) and the magnificent Beef Wellington” but even they acknowledge “the bill is serious”. Those paying their own way are more inclined to feel: “it used to be a favourite, especially for that special occasion, but the mark-up on the wines in particular have become a rip-off”.

“A wonderful old-school oasis below the hell that is Leicester Square” – this “fabulous throwback to a proper wine bar” is “remarkably unchanged” since Don Hewitson opened it in 1971 (and his successor Will Clayton sticks to the winning formula). “The famous ham-and-cheese pie is well worth its million-odd portions! and is the perfect accompaniment to a great wine list”.

“We always come here when in London, as it’s such an atmospheric venue in a fantastic location” – St Martin-in-the-Fields has a superb, brick-vaulted crypt and its self-service cafeteria provides an unusually affordable option in this prime area. It’s variable though – hit lucky and you can have “a good value, very casual meal, if from a limited menu”; but one or two reports this year noted “real disappointment with the food offering”.