Eat, Sleep, Shop
… Bloomsbury and Soho …
Eating in Soho, sleeping in Bloomsbury, and then exploring a quiet street with exceptional retail.
Eat: Aulis, 16 St Anne’s Court, Soho, London W1F 0BF
Simon Rogan, the celebrated Michelin-starred chef, came back on my radar a few months ago. Never having visited his London restaurant, Aulis, a booking was made, deposit paid and anticipation accelerating. He has been very influential in shaping modern British fine dining through innovation and sustainability with a strong focus on seasonality and farm-to-table dishes. With 6 Michelin Stars across 4 restaurants , then he unquestionably knows what he is doing.
We first ate at his two restaurants in the Lake District nearly thirteen years. After having taking over the village of Carmel in the Lake District, very much in the style of Rick Stein in Padstow, he established a reputation that stretches around the world.
Aulis, in a small connecting street in Soho, is a very small affair. Just 12 covers. Sitting at an oval table where the chef and his team put on a very memorable, almost theatrical, performance as you closely watch their skills to forge 16 courses only a few feet from each guest, makes an impression. Simply outstanding. The attention to detail was extraordinary. The engaging explanation of how each dish had been created, the provenance of the ingredients, the utterly focused orchestration of the complicated morsels to build each concoction was an absolute joy and pleasure to watch. The taste buds were elevated and the anticipation was well and truly worth the wait.
The menu changes on a very regular basis, they may have said daily, and is managed by what fresh foods are available form their own sources. It is presented in a sealed envelope, with a simple typed sheet on this inside. You may wish to open it as you sit in their bar for the first three courses, or keep the whole experience as a secret until you have finished. Charlie Tayler leads the kitchen here, and was supported by Ben and Lauren the night we visited, winning his first Michelin Star in 2024.The sommelier, Charles, is an ambassador for English Wine. There are no Champagnes on the wine list, only the finest of sparkling wines made across England. Given my background at WineGB, we chatted. Rather a lot. He introduced me to two wines that I shall be covering once I have re-tasted them with a panel team in Hampshire. Hopefully, they will perform as well as they did during dinner. Work-in-progress.
When you place your booking, you pay the full price of £195 per head. However, for 16 courses, with all of the theatre that is encompassed in this sitting, then it is a very special, memorable, and immensely enjoyable experience. When we go again, it will be as a foursome. More input and chat about each course, plus other opinions on the wines that have been selected, will enhance the evening. It is not often in one’s life you have the opportunity to be so engaged with the chefs creating food that can only be described as magical and outstanding.
Sleep: Zetter Hotel, 2-7 Montague Street, London WC1B 5BP
This hotel has oodles and oodles of style. Set in an attractive, classic, Bloomsbury street, backing onto the British Museum, occupying six adjoining houses, it contains 68 bedrooms. It has been considerately crafted. Every painting, sculpture, tapestry, chair and table has been given carefully considered assessment before accurately placed to provide a superbly balanced interior.
The garden, still work-in-progress, has considerable space for a central London hotel. The new bar, the terrace, the landscaping of the garden are all being given the same degree of attention as the interior. Bedrooms are very comfortable: mattresses suitably sprung covered in ice white linen, and the rooms kitted out in an understated style, offering views of the garden or the quiet street on the front.
Impeccably trained staff are discrete, welcoming and very helpful. The Eggs Benedict over breakfast were flawless, as was the coffee, croissants, granola and juices. Light snacks sitting on the terrace were creative, unusual and delicious. Overall, really rather special.
Shop & Eat: Lambs Conduit Street
This is a largely undiscovered collection of eclectic, independent shops that embrace clothing, antiques, wine, food, spectacles, shoes, stationers, and many, many food options.
Fisher Londoner, 7 Rugby Street, London WC1N 3QT
I must add a health warning here. There is a wonderful Japanese word, tsundoku, for people who buy too many books, knowing that they will never have the time to read them all. Guilty as charged. There should be a word for those wine-loving individuals who like serving our vinous delights in an array of glasses and decanters. When we buy another glass, set of glasses, or decanter, we say to ourselves that this is the last one, no need to buy any more. Ever. And then succumb when a new item presents itself.
When you find a shop like Fisher London, it is impossible to convince yourself that another piece of crystal is not required. Even if you are made of sterner stuff, and have adamantly decided your home cannot accommodate any further glasses or decanters, then I would advise not being enticed to enter this shop. Otherwise, inevitable purchases will follow, however determined your resolve may be.
Hilary Fisher has a wonderfully curated collection of antiques that will entice people to ponder, debate, and willing purchase a new delight for a drawing room, dining room, study or bedroom. Be cautious, as there is considerable temptation here. Sits in a side street off Lambs Conduit.
Albion Wine Shippers, 56 Lambs Conduit Street, London WC1N 3LW
There is also a very, very old school wine store. For those who remember Liz and Mike Berry’s La Vigneronne in South Ken during the 1980s, then this is almost a carbon copy. You are entering a time-warp. The broad selection of wines literally litter the shelves and floor. The collection that has been assembled in this relatively small environment is a delight. If you lived within walking distance then there would be a constant trek to acquire something new or just hope the firm favourite had not sold out. Allow enough space to carry a few bottles home, or simply select a variety and have them delivered. Their web site does not reflect the emporium that sits here.
Noble Rot, 51 Lambs Conduit Street, London WC1N 3NB
This is still my favourite wine bar in London. They now have two additional branches, one in Soho and one in Mayfair, but they are restaurants and lack the character of this original setting. You feel a sense of calm develop as you enter, the shoulders drop, the wine is chosen, sampled, and then, in time, a menu is consulted. The wine list contains an array of very competitively priced wines of high quality and the budget can be pushed a fair distance for a simple wine bar, in a very quiet street, away from the hustle and bustle of the West End. Lunch, in my opinion, is the best option. Allow plenty of time, and plan a light supper.
