Small but Perfectly Formed, with amazing river views – Fulham Pier Hotel is an oasis of calm. Have you heard of Fulham Pier? Despite being close to my last London home, and despite travelling regularly to the area to see friends, I didn’t know much about the place. It’s a relatively new development, opened in […]
Royal Philharmonic Society Awards 2026
For the Love of Music Despite my background in music (I have a degree in music and many years of singing in choirs and playing piano and violin as an amateur), an invitation to the Royal Philharmonic Society awards left me slightly confused. I’d heard of the awards, of course, but thought that the Royal […]
Carte Blanche at Salut!
Local dining in style at Salut! Islington The brainchild of Martin Lange, who grew up in a family-run restaurant in northeast Germany, Salut! is a small neighbourhood restaurant in Islington, founded in 2016, with Martin running front of house and his brother (and co-founder) Christoph in the kitchen. Although Christoph has returned to Germany, Salut! […]
Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry – Reading
1066 and all that – Elizabeth Wardle’s Arts and Crafts Bayeux Tapestry. What must it have been like for the women of Canterbury who embroidered the authentic Bayeux Tapestry? Imagine your country has just been conquered, and you have to spend the next few months making a celebratory embroidery for the enemy. The 70-metre embroidery […]
Ten Best London Fish Restaurants
Searching for the best London fish restaurants is a fascinating delve into the past. London’s relationship with fish is as old as the city itself, woven into its culinary and cultural history. From the bustling stalls of Billingsgate Market to the lavish dining rooms of iconic establishments like J. Sheekey and Scott’s, fish has always been a cornerstone of London’s gastronomic identity.
Tom Brown at The Capital
Great meals are often about timing – our visit to Tom Brown at The Capital couldn’t have been better. The day this year’s Michelin stars were announced happened to be the very day we had booked to visit one of the newly starred restaurants: Tom Brown at The Capital. We honestly didn’t have any inside […]
The Braywood, Maidenhead
Scandinavian Calm Meets Modern British Cooking at The Braywood I will take almost any excuse to leave London these days, and an invitation to try The Braywood, a contemporary restaurant just outside Maidenhead in Paley Street, was not one to ignore. Opened in late 2024, it is a sibling to The Woodspeen in Newbury and […]
Iolanthe – Charles Court Opera at Wilton’s Music Hall
Lords and Fairies Frolic in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe Walk through the large wooden doors into Wilton’s Music Hall, and you’ll find a rabbit warren of bars serving cocktails, beer, wine and food. It’s an intimate, atmospheric setting with stripped-down wood, bare plaster, and mismatched chairs and tables, making it a great place to meet […]
Sartoria, Launceston Place – Sunday Lunch
Pranzo della Domenica in Kensington at Sartoria, Launceston Place. There are restaurants in London that instantly feel as if they are going to work. Recently opened Sartoria is a great example. On the site of Launceston Place restaurant, at one time Michelin-starred and a favourite of Princess Diana, Sartoria has much to live up to. […]
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny – ENO
English National Opera at the London Coliseum Presents Brecht and Weill’s City of Mahagonny in a New Production In the hedonistic city of Mahagonny, almost everything is allowed. Eating, sex, fighting and getting drunk are celebrated. But everything has its price. A designer town, built from scratch by three criminals on the run from justice, […]