DUCKSOUP is part of the family that includes Little Duck The Picklery and Camille. All three London gems in our humble opinion! Head straight to Soho for chef Tom Lake’s exquisite small plates and a whole array of natural vinos.
The bedrooms here were created to accompany the original Soho House on Greek Street, a three-minute walk away. Since then a second Soho-based Soho House has opened just five doors down. Because a stay here, for many, is as much about access to the clubs as it is the paisley-print headboards, the drinks trolleys and the Peter Blake's on the walls. Our hot take? Skip supper at the clubs for a booking at The French House over the road.
This spot specialises in udon: thick, soft, flour noodles from the south of Japan, traditionally kneaded by foot. The noodles here are made authentically (allowing body weight to do much of the work) and the broths are vividly flavourful. Everything is designed to be eaten quickly (so the noodles remain al dente), making this one of Soho’s finest in-and-out spots.
Angelo Sato has been cooking some of the best yakitori in the city since 2021. But in a bid to move away from the juicy Japanese skewers, the chef shifted his own goalposts with a relaunch just two years later. Humble Chicken 2.0 is a magical multi- course omakase experience that leaves diners giddy. Crisp tartlets of beef tartare arrive in a puff of smoke; bouncy loaves of milk bread are served with layers of miso sesame butter and chicken liver parfait. There are only a few seats so book ahead.
There’s a strict “no phones, no music, no machines” policy at this pub, which only serves beer by the half pint. Dylan Thomas, Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon were once regulars and there’s still a touch of Bohemia to the crowd. On the first floor find a mini restaurant from Neil Borthwick (husband of London cheffing royalty Angela Hartnett), with a scribbled menu of French classics such as confit garlic and goat’s curd on sourdough and country pâté with pickles. Always lively and lots of fun.