Glam bars: the chicest new drinking spots across the capital

A little over a week ago, on a Friday evening, the ES team collectively primped, preened and steamed ourselves into black tie attire for the opening party of The Maine. Billed as a blend of ‘old world elegance, New England extravagance and subterranean decadence’, this meant we were, naturally, excited to get our glam on. What we didn’t realise is how many other Londoners were, too. Outside the venue we found a lengthening queue of famous faces frantically making disgruntled calls to friends and agents. The unthinkable had happened: on a fiercely competitive Friday evening, even with hundreds of events taking place, almost everyone invited had turned up, and the venue was bursting at the seams.

This was not a one-off, either. Grand, glamorous, new and reimagined establishments are attracting Londoners en masse. Russell Norman’s Trattoria Brutto regularly has a 200-strong waiting list each evening while Martin Henstock, maître d’ at the new incarnation of the iconic institution Langan’s, is having trouble squeezing in even the most high-profile visitors.

Could it be that after a decade of small plates at concrete benches and free-from snacks in dens dressed like a French fancy, old school allure is making a comeback? Harry Handelsman, owner of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel and its opulent new bar and restaurant, Booking Office 1869, thinks so. ‘Since the easing of lockdown restrictions, people have been going out a lot. The initial wave of excitement has passed, but what is the next step? People are asking: “What can we have that is different? What can we have that’s exciting?” I think the next step is feeling special, feeling spoiled.’

Though it isn’t all about the food, drink and surroundings, according to Norman, who is also involved with the relaunch of long-standing thespian favourite Joe Allen. ‘It’s about going back to basics,’ he says. ‘When the final lockdown lifted everyone was desperate for that human interaction again. A restaurant like Joe Allen is still a very convivial place even though it has been in Covent Garden for 45 years, because it’s about people. It’s about delivering experiences above and beyond what’s on the plate.’ Plus, co-owner of Langan’s, Graziano Arricale, says, it’s simply time for something new. ‘Style is all very cyclical. Maximalism and layering and detailing has been done to death and every reaction has an opposite reaction. Upstairs at Langan’s is very Seventies, very Biba. We wanted to recreate this super-luxe, comfy environment.’

If you’re tempted to travel back in time for a touch of old-world charm and glamour, may we present the most fabulous new and renewed destinations the capital has to offer.

Langan’s

Founded by Peter Langan and Michael Caine in 1976, this glittering London spot was the debaucherous hangout of A-listers from Princess Margaret to Mick Jagger. Due to a dwindling profile and the strains of the pandemic, the institution sadly shuttered last year. Fortunately, old school friends Graziano Arricale and James Hitchen couldn’t bear to see it gone for good, and made it their mission to bring the brand back to life ‘over a few Negronis’. Capturing the same mischievous atmosphere, the new incarnation features a marble-clad bar, a dining room bursting with British art and a ‘brasserie deluxe’ menu by ex-Ducasse chef Julien Jouhannaud. For those in the know, there’s also a sumptuous invite-only nest upstairs, filled with nooks and crannies for enjoying live music and cigars until 3am. Stratton Street, W1 (langansbrasserie.com)

Joe Allen

Following success on New York’s Broadway, this thespian favourite arrived in Covent Garden in 1977. With walls clad in theatre memorabilia, Joe Allen soon became the go-to haunt for theatre dwellers, attracting regulars such as Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen. After an 18-month closure, owners Tim Healy and Lawrence Hartley have relaunched with chef Gary Lee and Russell Norman on the team. Expect the same theatrical faces plus a tantalising new menu of New York-style fare and the addition of Joe’s Bar, a cosy space serving up classic cocktails. Don’t leave without trying the Jerry Thomas Manhattan. 2 Burleigh Street, WC2 (joeallen.co.uk)

Booking Office 1869

Ten years after the renovation of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, hotelier Handelsman thought it high time for an injection of glamour into the area. Replacing the previous Booking Office bar, the magnificent 15m-tall room has been reimagined with the building’s Victorian heritage in mind. Boasting a maze of snugs among tall palm trees and an exceptionally long bar, the decadent space promises all the intimacy of a private club. Book in for slow roast lamb shoulder, prop yourself at the bar for a refined classic cocktail, or dance the night away. Opens 16 Nov. Euston Road, NW1 (booking-office.co.uk)

Bob Bob Ricard City

Previously known as Bob Bob Cité, this Franco-Russian restaurant’s hyper-luxurious revamp is channelling big art deco energy. Everything is polished to perfection — including the menu. Indulge in grilled quail with truffle jus, break-the-internet beef Wellington and Armagnac doughnuts infused with any of the bar’s 70 vintages. Don’t worry, there is still a ‘press for champagne’ button at every table. Level 3, 122 Leadenhall Street, EC3 (bobbobricard.com)

The Maine

Set across five different spaces, every visit to this beguiling 18th-century townhouse promises a unique experience. Pop in for a lobster Benedict-fuelled breakfast meeting in the drawing room, or cosy up next to the fire after a hard day’s work for oyster happy hour at the speakeasy-style tavern. To really dial up the glamour, enjoy dinner and live music in the cabaret club-inspired brasserie, furnished with extravagant chandeliers and Hollywood regency sofas. 6 Medici Court, W1 (themainemayfair.com)

Trattoria Brutto

This new spot by the brains behind Polpo may not be as flamboyant as many of the aforementioned openings, but it’s both glamorous and charming in the way that only venerable Italian restaurants can be. Stalk the website’s booking page to bag a table and devour the simple yet perfectly balanced Tuscan classics in the old-school surroundings. Menu highlights include the beef shin and peppercorn stew, rabbit pappardelle and Florentine T-bone steak, which sells out within minutes. And don’t forget to wash it all down with the £5 Brutto Negroni, available all day, every day. 35-37 Greenhill Rents, EC1 (msha.ke/brutto)

Le Petit BeefBar

Following rave reviews in Monte Carlo, Paris, Saint-Tropez, Mykonos and Sao Paulo, Riccardo Giraudi is finally bringing a touch of glitzy Beefbar to London. This less-ostentatious Chelsea setting is dressed with art deco light fixtures, boldly painted walls and humorous, modern twists such as artworks by David Shrigley. There is, of course, a lot of delicious steak on the menu, but we’re staying for the quirky ‘street food’ style dishes such as jasmine tea smoked bao buns. 27 Cale Street, SW3 (beefbar.com)

BiBi

For contemporary Indian cuisine in a ravishing setting, look no further. The brainchild of Chet Sharma, who climbed the ranks of several two-Michelin-starred restaurants, the food at this intimate 33-seater restaurant is an ode to the fare cooked by his beloved grandmothers. Swaledale lamb belly galouti is simply divine, and the Orkney scallops with Indian lemonade mustn’t be missed. Meanwhile, make sure to slurp the raspberry and ajwain shaved ice gola, while drinking in the regal interiors. 42 North Audley Street, W1 (bibirestaurants.com)