Bull market
MOI, Dante Takes Claridge’s, Bar Brasso, Marylebone properties, James Smith & Sons, best counters for dining, The Bull, Edinburgh intel, Le Manoir, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Raw appeal
The Skinny: A shiny new Japanese-inspired grill and omakase bar on Wardour Street, MOI (rhymes with ‘soy’), helmed by head chef Nicholas Tannett, is the debut from hospitality group MAD Restaurants, .
The Vibe: Chic and elegant without being too pretentious. Set over two floors, the large restaurant features a busy open kitchen and different seating areas on the ground level, designed in earthy tones and reclaimed wood. Service is friendly and attentive.
The Food: MOI’s focus is on wood-fired dishes, but the raw items really stand out. The nigiri selection is artfully made and presented — the toro taku temaki was so good, I ordered it twice. House pickles are well-balanced, and vegetarian starters, like pineapple tomato rib served with smoked cream, are worth tasting. Wood-fired skewers are hit or miss: hispi cabbage was charred and doused in a delicious ginger sauce, but the prawns were a letdown.
The large mains are best enjoyed with company, especially if you want to try more than one. I went for red mullet, which arrived perfectly seared, floating in a langoustine bisque. It went perfectly with a side dish of coal-roasted leeks. Desserts are more overtly Japanese, including a refreshing kakigori and an umami chocolate mousse with Jersey ice cream.
The Drink: The wine list focuses on low-intervention and biodynamic labels, along with sake and shochu, but the cocktails are more interesting. Everything uses Japanese ingredients and techniques, from a Negroni incorporating potato shochu and yuzu sake to an unconventional martini stirred with Japanese gin. The non-alcoholic highball, which combines de-alcoholised sherry and black rice vinegar, is one of the most interesting drinks I’ve had in London all year.
The Verdict: A worthwhile night out for Japanese culinary craftsmanship. –Emily Zemler
→ MOI (Soho) • 84 Wardour Street • Tue-Sat 12-230p & 6-10p, Sun 1230-330p • Book.
RESTAURANTS • Intel
CHIN CHIN: Robin Gill, the chef-restaurateur behind Darby’s, Sorella and much-missed The Dairy, is opening an all-day café, deli and aperitivo bar in Embassy Gardens, next to Darby’s. Opening later this month, inspired by the bar cultures of San Sebastian and Venice, Bar Brasso will serve everything from espresso and pastries to sandwiches and lasagne, with a strong line in Campari-centric cocktails. Opens 27/09; follow.
SLICE OF MANHATTAN: After its popular summer residency, New York cocktail bar and restaurant Dante has extended its stay at Claridge’s Restaurant until the end of the year. For the autumn months, Dante Takes Claridge’s will serve toffee apple Manhattans, tiramisu eggnog and panettone Negronis, alongside new seasonal dishes. Ends 01/01/26. Book. –Laura Price
LONDON RESTAURANT LINKS: ‘Complex fire’ temporarily closes Endo at the Rotunda in White City • Ryan Lebreux named head chef at Shoreditch’s Clove Club • Bubala named hospitality’s happiest place to work • Chefs take advantage of octopus boom • The sauce, the sauce, the sauce.
REAL ESTATE • First Mover
Three for-sale houses in Marylebone that recently came to market:
→ Park Crescent Mews East (Marylebone) • 4BR/2BA/2R, 167 m2 terraced house • Asking price: £2.375mn • in gated mews, subscribe to use Park Square Gardens • Ownership type: leasehold • Agent: Dexters.
→ Tennyson Ct (Marylebone) • 2BR/2BA/1R, 88 m2 flat • Guide price: £2.395mn • fully refurbished overlooking Dorset Square • Ownership type: share of freehold • Agent: Sandfords.
→ Hallam Mews (Marylebone, above) • 4BR/4BA/2R, 181 m2 end mews house • Asking price: £3.25mn • private outdoor space and parking • Ownership type: leasehold • Agent: Dexters.
WORK & PLAY LINKS: Massive makeover coming for The Design Museum before it turns 40 • The four London buildings shortlisted for 2025 Stirling Prize • Running clubs incorporate bakery pit stops • Are Gen Z actually bad at partying?
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
Rain day reprieve
I have an umbrella – multiple, in fact – but whenever I walk past James Smith & Sons on Gower Street, I yearn to be a Victorian flaneur in need of a matching parapluie for every outfit. I even yearn for rain, an opportunity for these magnificent accessories to be showcased on London’s puddled pavements.
This umbrella shop is a quintessentially London time capsule for anyone seeking highest-quality rain protection with character. These are not designed to be left on public transport. Over the road from the British Museum and nestled amongst Bloomsbury’s literary landmarks, James Smith & Sons combines functionality with true craftsmanship. Somehow, this ancient department store even smells faintly of petrichor.
The shelves and racks are lined with an astonishing variety of umbrellas, from timeless classics to bold, artistic designs, butch to avant-garde, catering to all tastes and budgets. Which handle best represents me: a magic eight ball or a bull dog? A silver snake handle or a small wooden owl? The staff are as charming as the collection, ready to guide you through their curated offering or provide repair services for the beloved or well used.
With its rich history and dedication to quality, James Smith & Sons is more than a store – it’s a London institution. –Amy Rose Holland
→ Shop: James Smith & Sons (Bloomsbury) • 53 New Oxford St • Mon-Fri 1030a-530p, Sat 1030a-515p.
CULTURE & LEISURE • We Got the Beat
Coldplay • Wembley Stadium (Wembley) • Fri @ 5p • lower 102, £512 per
Blondshell • Electric Brixton (Brixton Hill) • Fri @ 630p • GA, £28 per
Belinda Carlisle • Hammersmith Apollo (Hammersmith) • Fri @ 7p • circle, £56 per
GETAWAYS • Charlbury
Country chic
Dubbed ‘Notting-Hill-on-the-Wolds,’ charming Charlbury is a Cotswolds market town turned fashionable retreat with a flourishing food scene. Much of its current buzz revolves around The Bull, a pub that’s been at the heart of this idyllic Oxfordshire village since the early 1500s, and was recently named the best in Britain.
The Notting Hill connection isn’t a coincidence. The Bull’s new owners, James Gummer and Phil Winser, are also behind hit London pubs The Hero (Maida Vale) and The Pelican (Notting Hill). In 2023, they picked their Cotswolds hometown to revive The Bull, and it’s been on the up ever since. Adding to its culinary cachet is the recent arrival of chef Sally Abé, who has left The Pem in London for literal pastures new, getting stuck into The Bull’s garden farm in her role as ‘head of food’.
The food is excellent. A focus on open-fire cooking means everything is outrageously flavourful, from salt-flecked beef ribs to whole-grilled market fish with buttery roast potatoes. Much of the produce comes from nearby Bruern Farms, with everything from runner beans to damsons (there’s even a handy online produce calendar).
I was fortunate to visit on a blue-sky day with blazing sunshine, so the generously sized beer garden was heaving with diners and (well-behaved) drinkers. But I’m already hankering after a return in the colder months, for log fires and candlelit tables.
If you fancy making a weekend of it, there are 10 uniquely designed rooms equipped with everything from Wellington boots to hair straighteners. Room 6 even has its own en-suite complete with freestanding bath and log fire. For groups or families, Loaf Cottage is a bakery-turned-villa with a fully stocked kitchen so you can cook your own meals. Or you could just walk a few steps and treat yourself to another meal at The Bull.
FOUND Pro: Don’t mistake The Bull for The Bell, another charming Charlbury pub with rooms that also relaunched in 2023. –Laura Price
→ The Bull (Charlbury) • Sheep St, Charlbury OX7 3RR • Rooms from £210.
GETAWAYS • Intel
WINE NOT?: In Edinburgh, Stuart Ralston (of Lyla, Noto and Tipo) is opening a duo of spots: a wine-led restaurant, and a cocktail bar. Inspired by Parisian wine bars, Vinette will serve sharing plates and bistro-style, European cuisine with seasonal Scottish ingredients. Ralston’s younger brother, Calum, will run the kitchen. Meanwhile, the downstairs space will house Vivien, an intimate cocktail bar. Ralston is closing his debut restaurant, Aizle, this month after 11 years. Vinette and Vivien open October; more info.
ALL CHANGE: Celentano’s, the popular Italian restaurant with rooms in Glasgow, has announced it will be relocating as the property is on the market. Anna and Dean Parker will be closing Celentano’s at Cathedral House on 31st December, and are working on finding a new home for 2026. More info. –Laura Price
GETAWAYS LINKS: Oxfordshire’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons closing in January for 18-mo. refurbishment • On Grosvenor Square, Chancery Rosewood opens its doors following massive overhaul • Two months after opening in Edinburgh, The Hoxton debuts maximalist restaurant Patatino • Appreciating the Olonzak Market in L’Occitanie, one of the finest in France • Copenhagen turns sustainability into tourist perk.
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RESTAURANTS • The Nines
Counter seating
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Counter 71 (Shoreditch, above), tasting menu focused on seasonal, British ingredients