South Kensington, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This “lovely traditional pub with a wood-panelled dining room” has been a gathering place for a well-heeled young South Ken pack since time immemorial (it “can be crowded”). There’s a “great atmosphere and a good range of ales, though the food could go up a notch with a little more effort”.

2023 Review: This “lively and friendly local” in South Ken rates well for its “high-quality menu complemented by daily specials”. Opened three years ago by the Lunar Pub Company, it’s “not somewhere for a quiet and romantic dinner, but the young local crowd make it a vibrant venue”.

Wanting to eat in the wee hours? This stalwart chain has fed tolerable diner food 24/7 (VQ = Vingt Quatre, geddit?) to the denizens of the Fulham Road for as long as anyone can remember (before 1995 it was called ‘Up all Night’); and has a more recent outlet (unusually, licensed till 4am, though you must be eating) that’s more convenient if you are clubbing in the West End on the ground floor of a Bloomsbury hotel.

“For something simple with a good glass of vino and some people-watching”, this Golden Oldie in Chelsea can still be a “fun” option. It’s been ground zero for Sloane Rangers since it was opened in 1986 by wine merchant John Brinkley (and “the markup on wine is probably one of the lowest in London, as you don’t have to select from the list but can go to his shop next door”). “The food is nothing to write home about” though, and some people feel the place generally is “losing its footing”… but they’ve been saying this for ages now.