Spice market
Dishoom Permit Room, best indie cinemas, Cometa, Osteria Vibrato, Klasik Eyewear, Arches Wine Bar, Colibri, Lyla, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Bombay nights
The Skinny: If any restaurant group knows how to expand without diluting its brilliance, it’s Dishoom, with its 11 cafés across the country (seven in London) and plans to crack the US. In 2023, the upmarket Indian chain chose Brighton to debut its spin-off concept Permit Room, an homage to drinking holes that emerged in then-Bombay after alcohol was banned there in 1949. Following openings in Oxford and Cambridge, London gained its own Permit Room in May on a touristy corner of Portobello Road.
The Vibe: Dishoom-lite. It’s a smaller, more concentrated version of the sprawling multi-floor restaurants, in pub form, with consistently warm service. The ground floor retains the pub look and feel, with a long central bar and tightly packed tables. Upstairs, there’s the usual spacious seating, dark-wood tables and floors, artfully mismatched chairs, South Asian art and a beautifully textured orange-brown ceiling. While Dishoom loos are often a highlight, the bathroom here is apologetically small, with a sign announcing, ‘Very sorry, these are OG 19th century pub loos. Bit cramped’.
In a Dishoom first, the whole top floor is occupied by a boutique micro-hotel, Permit Room Lodgings, with two stylish en-suite bedrooms and a living room complete with record player and vinyl collection (fitting for the Portobello Road location).
The Food: While the menu is packed with Dishoom classics like black daal, Ruby Murray chicken curry and bacon and egg naan, there are plenty of new dishes specific to Permit Room. Kick off with chilli cheesy garlic naan bites filled with melting cheddar and spices (save some to mop up your curry). Fish chapali are three meaty spiced tilapia patties, with a spicy green chutney for dipping, while chicken pick-me-ups are deep-fried marinated lollipops with a hot red chilli chutney. Crispy spinach chaat is a treat of swirling chutney and yoghurt, albeit a little on the sweet side.
From the mains, chicken tandoori is the specialty, but we went for prawn moilee, a mild, comforting South Indian coconut curry that’s also specific to Permit Room. It contrasted beautifully with those spicier small plates, and demanded sides of soft, chewy naan and plain steamed rice. Street-food-style charred sweet potato is a highlight – the pale Indian tuber is soft in the middle, blackened around the edges and bedazzled with chilli-lime masala reminiscent of Tajín. For dessert, there are ice cream sandwiches, rum-soaked gulab jamun and a chocolate brownie.
The Drink: We’re celebrating prohibition rebellion, so the naughtier, the better: try a feni martini, a nod to Indian moonshine, or a New Permit Room Old Fashioned. Non-alcoholic options include the classic Thums Up cola and mango lassi.
The Verdict: A great spot to escape the Notting Hill crowds, with rooms you could live in, and all the flair and flavour you’d expect from Dishoom. –Laura Price
→ Permit Room (Portobello) • 186 Portobello Rd • Mon-Thu 8a-11p, Fri 8a-Midnight, Sat 9a-Midnight, Sun 9a-11p • Lodgings from £700 • Book.
RESTAURANTS • Intel
BREAKING BREAD: Claridge’s has set the date for its new bakery, led by renowned chef and baker Richard Hart (Hart Bageri, Denmark). Opening 21/01, Claridge’s Bakery will focus on all things British, with everything from retro iced fingers to custard tarts and bloomers. Visit.
SLIDING DOORS: Carousel founders Ed and Ollie Templeton are opening a contemporary Mexican seafood restaurant on Charlotte St. Taking over the spot that currently houses Carousel’s Wine Bar, Cometa will serve ceviches, aguachiles, Mexican-inspired drinks and more. Opening in February; follow for news.
GOOD VIBRATIONS: Another February launch is Osteria Vibrato, an Italian spot serving fresh pasta, whole grilled fish and classic desserts with a twist. Owners Charlie Mellor (The Laughing Heart) and Cameron Dewar (Luca, Burnt Ends) are both sommeliers, so the restaurant in Soho will have a strong wine list (with bottles from Mellor’s personal collection) and a separate cocktail bar at the back. Follow for more.
SEOUL FOOD: Korean skincare and food is already dominating the capital and now it’s the turn for drinks, with Europe’s first luxury Korean matcha house. Launched last week in Covent Garden, Tokkia specialises in matcha and hojicha tea, as well as traditional Korean salt bread with fillings including matcha cream. 3 Monmouth St.
FRIENDSHIP GROUP: French restaurant chain Loulou Groupe is opening a private members’ club with dining options in London next year. Set over five floors of a Mayfair townhouse, Les Amis will have members-only salons, bars and restaurants, and a ground-floor French brasserie open to the public. Opens autumn 2026 at 16 Charles St. –Laura Price
LONDON RESTAURANT LINKS: Jamie Oliver relaunching Jamie’s Italian, six years after collapse • Phil Howard opening third Notto pasta bar • Dave’s Hot Chicken expanding to Croydon • Fuss-free restaurant launches are the ultimate flex.
WORK • Wednesday Routine
Shine bright
THELMA WEST • jewellery designer • Thelma West Diamonds & Casina Cinquepozzi
Neighbourhood you live in: Highgate
It’s Wednesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
It’s a whirlwind of brilliance, creativity and just the right amount of chaos. I’m sitting at my desk, which is covered in loose diamonds, sketches of designs pinned to the walls and the faint hum of Afrobeats in the background. My team and I are debating the perfect shade of gold for a custom ring featuring a three-carat diamond from Botswana. Then I’m fielding calls about Casina Cinquepozzi – the 18th-century villa in Puglia I’m restoring with my partner, Stefano Liotta, ensuring the villa’s interiors are as luxurious as the nature that surrounds it. I’ll also be going live on FaceTime to see our olive oil being packed.
My team is a mix of artisans, dreamers and perfectionists who share my obsession with detail. We laugh, argue (passionately, I might add) and sometimes spend an unreasonable amount of time deciding if a diamond catches the light just right. It’s intense, it’s fun, and there’s always great style.
What’s on the agenda for today?
In the diamond world, we’re working to fulfil orders. We have four jewels to complete and deliver. I’ll spend the morning at the studio in Soho, where my assistant will be waiting, hot chocolate in hand. Then I’m meeting my artist friend, Adjani Okpu-Egbe, for an early lunch to discuss objects and paintings for Casina Cinquepozzi. Afterwards, I’ll head to the workshop to oversee production of some fabulous pieces of jewellery.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Tonight, it’s Berenjak for date night with Stefano. I’m craving their stews with rice. That flatbread? A revelation. The whole place feels like a vibrant feast for the senses, like stepping into someone’s Persian home where the only rule is to eat until you can’t move. If you need me tonight, I’ll be elbow-deep in mezze, basking in the glow of a charcoal grill, and we’ll be plotting our first event at the Casina between bites. That’s multitasking at its finest.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’ve just seen one of my favourites: Dave Chappelle at the Apollo. I love comedy. I’m also a huge Arsenal fan, so I go to the home games at the Emirates Stadium. It’s a safe space to scream and shout with either joy or disappointment.
Any weekend getaways?
Tenerife or Portugal to catch some waves. I’m not a pro. I fall a lot. But the handful of times I successfully ride a wave makes the freezing cold water worth it.
What was your last great vacation?
Puglia. We go every year, but the region has this magic of never feeling repetitive. Maybe it’s the way the Adriatic sparkles differently depending on your mood, or how the olives seem to whisper, “Welcome back!”
Last summer, it was all about lazy afternoons under the pergola with great local wines and those sun-soaked explorations of villages where everyone acts like you’ve been friends for decades. Don’t get me started on the food… it’s like the land itself is showing off. I love that it still surprises me, whether I’m hosting friends who suddenly become like family, or finding the perfect quiet corner to daydream about diamonds. It’s not just a vacation; it’s a soul reset.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Colibri, a boutique on Upper Street in Islington run by my dear friend Cristina Bruzzolo. She’s got an incredible eye for style and I enjoy playing dress up in there.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: What the big update means for the Barbican • The large cupboard that saved these property owners £1.7mn • New craft show at Japan House London is the wabi-sabi answer to Santa’s grotto • Inside the Burberry bounceback.
CULTURE & LEISURE • Holiday Keys
Jamie Cullum • The Pianoman at Christmas • Royal Albert Hall (South Kensington) • Fri @ 730p • 2nd tier box, £144 per
Three Days Grace • O2 Academy (Brixton) • Sat @ 7p • BLK2, £224 per
Bowling for Soup • OVO Arena (Wembley) • Sat @ 6p • sec E3, £61 per
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
Sight lines
You know those people – the Iris Apfels and Prue Leiths of this world, the ones at art exhibitions on a Tuesday afternoon, leisurely taking themselves out for decadent lunches – wearing the best glasses you’ve ever seen? Striking, chunky, idiosyncratic frames that look so good on someone that – surely – they must have been born wearing them.
These are the frames they trade in at Klasik Eyewear. Tiny, tortoiseshell frames to snippy, cat-eye models, each with a label noting only the price and the date they were made.
I’ve long and loudly lamented the high street specs shops that offer 500 identikit pairs of interchangeable, uninspiring styles: glasses that fit everyone and suit no one. With the exception of Kylie Minogue’s 2019 capsule collection at Specsavers (this writer’s Roman Empire), the offering is bleak: your main accessory reduced to a bland but practical necessity.
Not here. On the Roman Road and only open Wednesday to Sunday, Klasik Eyewear is the brick-and-mortar iteration of their regular stall at Spitalfields market. Blink and you’ll miss the modest façade, as well as the boutique collection of vintage and contemporary frames within. Of note is their wide selection of ’80/’90s German brand Cazal frames, headed up by the iconic Cari Zalloni, featuring avant-garde models with exaggerated temples and eyebrow bridges. They also stock modern, unisex frames inspired by older styles and shapes.
Adam, the owner, is an optical encyclopedia, preternaturally skilled at evaluating face shape and features to help pick out your perfect pair. –Amy-Rose Holland
→ Shop: Klasik Eyewear (Mile End) • 443A Roman Rd • Wed 10a-4p, Fri 11a-6p, Sat 10a-5p.
BARS • First Round
Night cap
The Arches Wine Bar is a small miracle – I know this because I grew up round the corner, and it’s hosted more of my first dates than anywhere else. It’s a modest enough looking spot with a few outside tables overlooking Swiss Cottage roundabout. There are another few inside, and a garden so cosy you’re practically obliged to speak to the other punters.
But it’s the décor that gets you: wall to wall, floor to ceiling bric-a-brac, a visual feast of jazzy lampshades, ancient school photos, wooden sculptures from far-flung corners of the globe, bottles, beer mats and a million other things accrued by a lifetime of magpie gathering.
The previous owner, Harry Gill, had one of London’s finest wine collections, but under new ownership, a spruced-up Arches retains its charm, and still takes its wine seriously. If you know what you like, there’s plenty to keep you amused. If you’re less sure, the list is helpfully broken down into tasting and stylistic notes – ‘dry, crispy and fruit forward’, ‘elegant, mineral and complex’. The food isn’t half bad either, whether you’re after a proper dinner or just some snacks and small plates to support your drinking.
If you’re feeling flush, book an early table at the nearby Singapore Garden, one of London’s finest Chinese restaurants, then totter over to the Arches for what may turn into a very long nightcap. –David Bard
→ Arches Wine Bar (South Hampstead) • 7 Fairhazel Gardens • Mon 4-10p, Tue-Thu 4-11p, Fri-Sat 12-11p, Sun 12-10p • Book.
GETAWAYS • Intel
ROOM AT THE INN: Chef Stuart Ralston is turning Lyla into a restaurant with rooms, taking over the bedrooms above the dining room at the Georgian townhouse in Edinburgh. Previously part of 21212 from the late Paul Kitching, the four renovated bedrooms will become part of the tasting menu experience from mid-February. Overnight with dinner for two from £650 incl. breakfast, or without dinner from £310.
GETAWAYS LINKS: UK’s first sober members’ club coming to Sussex next spring • Former Claridge’s Restaurant head joins Cotswolds gastropub Killingworth Castle • The battle between planes and trains to get you to Paris.
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GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Independent cinemas
The Nines are FOUND’s distilled lists of the best in London and further afield. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundldn.com.
Prince Charles (Soho, above), old school West End indie