Artsy cool
Bottarga, South Kensington listings, best food trolleys, Coya, Prezzemolo & Vitale, The Black Swan, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Counter service
The Skinny: The Pachamama Group’s latest tribute to Greek cuisine, Bottarga, arrived in Chelsea last November, drawing a lively crowd with Mediterranean-inspired sharing dishes, buzzy atmosphere, and a quirky drinks list.
The Vibe: Modern corner bistro with an artsy cool sensibility. Guests can opt for a candlelit table, a counter spot overlooking the busy kitchen, or in the summer months, an outdoor terrace. It’s distinctly lively, with a constant hum of diners — even on a Tuesday evening, plenty of hopeful diners were showing up at the door (only to be rejected if they were sans reservation).
The Food: Although the restaurant presents itself as Greek, the menu occasionally draws on Spain and Italy. Start with mezze, like the rich tarama and sesame-coated saganaki tapioca bites, coated in hot honey and served alongside grilled pita or sourdough (go for the pita). Starters, including a standout of raw bluefin tuna and roasted red pepper, are small and arrive in a feast-like spread. Other dishes, like a well-executed Greek salad, the creamy bottarga orzo, and crispy lamb belly, are more substantial. For dessert, chocolate burnt cheesecake made in the Basque tradition is a fitting, rich finale that no common human could finish alone.
The Drink: Contemporary takes on classic cocktails are the main draw — take, for example, a twist on the Negroni (a ‘Negroily’) that subs out Campari for the Greek liqueur mastiha, bitters, and olive oil. The wine list focuses primarily on European bottles, with a few Greek selections to complement French and Italian varietals.
The Verdict: It’s a hike for many Londoners, removed from the ease of public transportation, but Bottarga is worth the hassle. It’s more fun at dinner, especially if you score a counter seat. And do stay for dessert. –Emily Zemler
→ Bottarga (Chelsea) • 383 King’s Rd • Daily 12-330p & 530-1030p • Book.
LONDON RESTAURANT LINKS: Chef Brad Carter teaming with Tom Brown to open Island in King’s Cross next month • In Chelsea, Tom Kerridge’s Butcher Tap & Grill to shutter this weekend • New executive chef named at London Hilton Park Lane.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale, four-bedroom properties in South Kensington that recently came to market:
→ Alexandra Court, 171-175 Queen's Gate (South Kensington) • 4BR/3BA/1R, 184 m2 flat • Asking price: £3.5mn • 5th floor, in need of ‘light cosmetic uplift’ • Ownership type: freehold • Agents: Jonathan Adams & Hugh Miller, Napier Watt.
→ Queen's Gate SW7 (South Kensington) • 4BR/3BA/3R, 237 m2 flat • Asking price: £4.95mn • 2nd-floor views over Kensington Gardens • Ownership type: leasehold • Agent: YOUhome.
→ Pelham Place (South Kensington, above) • 4BR/3BA/4R, 261 m2 terraced house • Guide price: £7.25mn (reduced from £7.65mn) • on tree-lined street with southwesterly garden • Ownership type: freehold • Agents: William Duckworth-Chad & Toby Anderdon, Savills.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: After decade of work, Finsbury Circus reopens • Crystal Palace National Sports Centre plans major revamp • Trending: the hidden kitchen • Men’s suits for when smart casual isn’t enough.
RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Food trolleys
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of London’s best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundldn.com.
The Game Bird (Mayfair), 3 variations of H Forman and Son smoked salmon served w/ horseradish and soda bread
Maison Francois (St. James), French brasserie-style steak tartare prepared à la minute w/ optional truffle or caviar
Dovetale (Mayfair), nostalgic knickerbocker glory (aka fancy ice cream sundae) wheeled tableside, made in a very tall glass
Los Mochis London City (City), Caesar salad dressed and mixed to order w/ unique twist of nopales and red miso
The Goring (Victoria), traditional rum baba doused and set ablaze precariously close to the table
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (Knightsbridge), ice cream whimsically crafted w/ liquid nitrogen, scooped into a cone
45 Jermyn St. (Mayfair), choice of high-end caviar presented w/ scrambled eggs made tableside, served with blinis
Cinnamon Bazaar (Covent Garden & Richmond), selection of chaat on a colourful cart offered as ‘bottomless’ lunch option
Il Pampero (Belgravia), classic Italian tiramisu prepared to order, option to add selection of booze
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Picturesque corners
ROSSELLA BEAUGIE • founding director • The Thinking Traveller
Neighbourhood you work in: Shoreditch
Neighbourhood you live in: Muswell Hill
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
Wednesday is lively in our office, located in the buzzing Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch. The courtyard hums with activity, and inside, the atmosphere is filled with energy and the irresistible aroma of treats brought back by team members returning from holidays or trips to our Thinking Traveller villas and destinations.
What’s on the agenda for today?
A couple of meetings with owners of aristocratic mansions in the Sicilian or Puglian countryside, or villas nestled in the most picturesque corners of the Greek islands, all hoping to join our portfolio. Later, an interview with international press or answering queries from our villa specialists about Mediterranean destinations, photography, or branding.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
We celebrated our eldest daughter’s 21st birthday this weekend with a surprise dinner at Coya in Mayfair. While we usually opt for Japanese or Italian, her love for Machu Picchu after a gap year trek inspired us to try Peruvian cuisine this time.
How about a little leisure or culture?
We’re avid fans of the dance shows at Sadler’s Wells — Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is a favourite.
Any weekend getaways?
In the UK, we love quaint villages like Burford in the Cotswolds or Frome near Bath, combined with countryside walks. For a more exciting escape, we head to Paris, Menorca, or my native Sicily for sunshine and a rejuvenating swim.
What was your last great vacation?
Indonesia with the family last summer. From majestic volcanoes and ancient temples in Java to world-class scuba diving on secluded islands surrounded by turtles and vibrant coral reefs, it was awe-inspiring. It reinforced my gratitude for our planet’s beauty and the urgency of protecting it.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Prezzemolo & Vitale for the best Sicilian food. It was my go-to deli in Palermo for bread, cannoli, cheese, and specialty meats. I was thrilled when they opened in London — a lifesaver for impromptu dinner parties and whenever we miss a taste of home.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Hoopla
John Legend • O2 Arena (Greenwich) • Sun @ 630 • section 111, £169 per
Cat Power • Barbican Centre (Barbican) • Sun @ 8p • stalls seating, £167 per
Mighty Hoopla • Kesha, Loreen, Erika Jayne et al • Brockwell Park • Sunday ticket, GA, £85 per
GETAWAYS • North Yorkshire
Swan’s way
Once a run-down village pub, The Black Swan now ranks among the north of England’s top dining spots, with a tasting menu of foraged and fermented produce to rival any in London. It’s all thanks to the Banks family, farmers who took over the 16th-century Oldstead pub in 2006, reviving it into a food destination that’s won countless accolades over the last 20 years.
Nowadays, chef and farmer Tommy Banks has a food empire that ranges from fine dining restaurant Roots to casual pub with rooms The Abbey Inn, online pie shop to food delivery business Made in Oldstead, along with several restaurants at the hot new luxury resort, Saltmoore. But the jewel in his crown is The Black Swan at Oldstead, the original pub with rooms where head chef Alice Power now looks after an outstanding tasting menu (lunch £135 per, dinner £175).
The meal starts with cocktails and canapés in the downstairs reception area, which could be any old Yorkshire pub. The food, though, is not your average pub fare. There are snacks of smoked eel with fennel pollen and Beluski caviar, or roe deer with beetroot and blackcurrant, alongside lemon verbena martinis and Oldstead dry vermouth.
Then it’s up a rustic staircase to the main dining room — all uneven floors and low beams — for a series of courses culminating in the season’s meat. That might be Dexter beef from the Banks’ own cattle, or Herdwick hogget, served multiple ways, the belly paired with fermented turnip and smoked potato, the saddle with courgette, and the sweetbreads with black garlic, lovage and mint. Everything is grown and reared on the Banks’ farm, and there’s a fermentation operation to rival that of Copenhagen powerhouse Noma. Choose from three wine pairings: the ‘experimental and adventurous’ (£85 per), the ‘grand and classic’ (£150) or, for a true blow-out, the ‘rare and exceptional’ (£320).
As for the rooms, it’s laid-back luxury, with antique wooden furniture, Yorkshire-made blankets and cushions, and freestanding cast-iron baths. Breakfast is a treat of the Banks’ mangalitza pork sausages, black pudding, and eggs, plus Oldstead yoghurt, granola, toast, and preserves. There are packages including bed, breakfast, and dinner at The Black Swan — plus an optional stay at the nearby Abbey Inn — but booking a few months ahead is recommended, as both restaurant and rooms sell out quickly. –Laura Price
→ The Black Swan (Oldstead) • Rooms from £200.
GETAWAYS LINKS: In Manchester, chef Sean Moffat debuts hearty Winsome with ‘flavours of the north’ • 20 of the UK’s best gardens to visit • Checking in at the new hotel SO/Paris in the Marais • World’s tallest 3-D printed tower opens to tours in Swiss Alps.
ASK FOUND
A timely request from a FOUND London subscriber:
I need suggestions on where to stay, plus what to eat and do in the Richmond area (willing to do Teddington) for 48 hrs.
Plus, three FOUND subscriber PROMPTS for which we are seeking intel:
If you haven’t already, tell us your favourite London restaurant.
What London hotel do you always recommend for visitors from out of town?
Tell us about your favourite driving-distance getaway?
Got answers or more questions? Hit reply or email found@foundldn.com.