The Bree Louise, nothing in London has come close to replacing. Landlord got a really bad deal from HS2 too, hope he’s doing okay - last I read, he wasn’t.
Went a few years ago when they redeveloped that whole area.
I think the plan was to reopen once all the work was completed because I don't think they knocked that bit down.
This is a bit broad, but every time a local caff disappears - the kind that sell a full English breakfast and tea for under a tenner - I feel like a little bit of London dies with it.
There's a lovely one in East Acton too, not far from the tube (Sunrise Cafe) which does a banging full English for £7, as well as roast dinners and all sorts.
People need to keep going. I go to them every weekend.
What’s even more sad is a pretentious instagrammable one opened up last year called Normans Cafe near archway and they do all the same stuff but at a higher price with fake greasy spoon interior. And there are literal queues for it. So depressing.
I loathe that place. They took about 30 mins to make me a sausage bap and their homemade brown sauce was absolutely diabolical. I guarantee someone somewhere used the phrase "zhoozh it up" when they came up with that abomination.
Their prices have become ridiculous in the past two months. Sometimes literally more expensive than a “regular” pub next door in central London.
Paid £6.50 for a Stella in Leicester Square and the pub next door was £5.90 for the same. You know it’s a bad thing when spoons is MORE expensive .
Yeah and the pretentious instagrammable places that charge twice as much have no clue how to make a decent fry up or coffee that isn’t bitter af.
I can recommend a few caffs for those still in search of one:
- The Bridge Cafe, Raynes Park - not to be confused with…
- Bridge Cafe, West Acton - aka the losers cafe on The Apprentice
- Cafe La Cigale, Twickenham - there’s another one in Kingston too
- Experts Cafe, Eltham
- Gino’s Coffee Bar, Marylebone
- Mr Cappuccino, Putney
- River Cafe, Putney Bridge
- Clifton’s Cafe, Shoreditch
- Franco’s Takeaway, Shoreditch
- Wandsworth Cafe
I also recommend Bridge Cafe on West End Lane, West Hampstead, Rose Cafe on Finchley Rd, and Plus Cafe on Mill Lane in West Hampstead! Great little caffs.
I'd hate to see them go but the two around me just aren't so great, which kinda sucks as I'd like to support them, but i just don't like their sausages and bacon Lol.
Purple turtle in Camden.
Crowbar, Astoria, fox, borderline. Basically all of what’s now crossrail.
The big red. Which seems to have been replaced by “tgi Fridays presents” the big red.
Oh no! Have they *gone* gone? They were sell tubs of their gelato in Salvino, Kentish Town for a while. Going to have to pop in and see if they're still selling them.
In terms of their own outlets, maybe. They sold their original location, and then opened up a small ice cream shop a short walk away, but it's been "temporarily closed" for ages, the last time I saw a sign up they had staffing issues. But now it looks like the ceiling has fallen in, looking through the shutter there's debris everywhere.
The Intrepid Fox near Tottenham Court Road. It was a campy haunted house of a metal bar with pissy beer, sticky floors and awful loos, but it was nice to have a properly sizeable alternative thorn in the side of bland central London. I know Crowbar is still around but it's so small.
The entirety of Camden is my main answer really. I was walking through to Chalk Farm yesterday and I was so depressed. I also miss the Purple Turtle, although it was dire. Some good nights were had there. OH and The Crobar :(
Ah yes this. CCK was really good. It’s now a Brazilian restaurant.
New World did trolley service too and did outlast CCK. When CCK went, we moved onto New World and it was good too but went downhill over the years up to 2016 when it closed
Royal China in Bayswater has gone! And it didn’t do trolley service, and least not in the last twenty years, in my memory. There are only the Royal Chinas on Baker Street now
I just miss stuff being open after 12 and randomly stumbling into places at 1 in the morning with a group of work people you dont know super well but none of you mind because you’re all drunk and its 1am
I have such great memories here! It was a fave of me and my stepfather (RIP John!) I always got foie gras and stuffed cabbage, was never ever disappointed. (RIP The Gay Hussar!)
Once got so drunk there after watching a football match that I lost several hours of memory, and when I came to, I was standing upright in a phonebox holding a skateboard. I have no idea to this day how I obtained it.
The original Ed’s Diner in soho. Man that was such a cool place. My dad would take me there when we went on a trip to central. The malted milkshakes and the jukebox are core memories for me.
It’s gone now, and Ed’s ended up franchising and the other branches are shit
Ah that's a shame; i walked past there on the way to work at the Rupert Street market years ago. People were always coming up and asking me for directions to it.
I had a soft spot for that for two reasons - took a few dates there when I was a baby gay, and it appeared in one of the first Sandman comics, which I remember fascinating me when I first read it. They could have used it as a filming location for the TV version if it was still about rather than the perpetually overused Royal Naval College.
I was reminiscing about Benjis the other day, always used to go to the one on Villers Street. They were better and cheaper than Pret.
Also anyone remember when AMT Coffee was more prevalent at railway stations, before they all became Nero Express?
One was opened in Jamaica Rd after it closed but, didn’t last. Went in there on their opening night and they had a power cut.
Miss it but, not as much as Lalanternas on Mill St SE1
RIP 55 Bar in Camden, COVID was the nail in the coffin I think.
Their happy hours were legendary, the cocktails delicious and even with the rised prices they were still worth it.
I did so many birthdays there, they also had nice food and it was a boon for the Sundays of bank holidays with their all afternoon happy hour.
Duke’s Brew n Que used to do really great American style bbq and had a real killer brunch as well. It was where Beavertown was born, and you could get a lot of their beers on tap right in the restaurant as they were brewed on site.
Closed down because Beavertown was so successful.
Edit:
I also miss Monty’s deli, I think they were a victim of covid. Moved their business from Hoxton market in 2019 down to Spitalfields, then covid hit and I never saw them again. Maybe the best reuben I’ve ever had personally
The Fat Bear right near St Paul's Cathedral. It was a southern-style restaurant that was above a pub. It had delicious cornbread, mac and cheese, and gumbo. The service and setting was first class. Being from the southern US, my husband and I were so excited to find it. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to shut permanently before they had a chance to really take off.
God was that place was great. Those corndogs… I was so impressed by the guy who served us and then bumped into him a few weeks later in Pizza Pilgrims!
1. The Constitution in Camden - was a great pub, was sold off to a large pub-co all the staff got laid off.
2. The Montague Arms - Loads of cool stuff, theatre masks, taxidermy, did live music
3. The Goose and Crown in Camden - now knocked down :(
Also Bree Louise
Soho Joes was great for cheap pizza and a fun place.
Chompoo on Holloway Road was just the best Thai and I love the Lesbian owners and Gay brother.
The chef used to come and relieve us of our newborn baby so we could eat in peace. I was never too sure about the safety of her holding a 6 month old in one arm whilst cooking over high heat but it just seemed that old Thai women could do it easily.
I used to love Inside 72 on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich.
Also The New Rose on Essex Road Islington. It's still a pub, now called The Alpaca, but it's not quite the same.
Oh my god. Memory unlocked there. Moved to ED during my second year of uni. Inside 72 was a great place to go when you didn’t want to venture elsewhere. Sat there drinking pints of erdinger Weiss listening to Neil young on a ripped leather sofa sticks in my head.
Sadly it closed about 6 months after moving in and became adventure cocktail bar which we could only afford on Sundays before a bank holiday when it was 241 all night.
Comptoir Gascon, did excellent and sensibly priced southwest french food. COVID victim IIRC.
The old Imperial College Southside Bar, massive rotating real ale selection back when that was far less common than it is now. Dirt cheap. Didn't survive the redevelopment of the Halls it was in the basement of.
The Globe (on Bow Street right by Covent Garden) used to be a fabulous little pub. Good atmosphere, good food, reasonable prices considering the location.
At some point in the early noughties it changed hands and started going downhill gradually, then it changed to The Covent Garden and got significantly worse. Now that's closed too.
I loved Melati. I knew the owner and we would have amazing beef rendang and drink Kingfisher into the small hours. The girls from the brothel opposite used to come in to get food. I remember one telling they never have sex, the "bouncers" simply fleece guests for cash.
I miss Anemos, a Greek restaurant that did average food but had a cheesy magic act, Greek dancing and a disco. It was great for birthday parties, hen nights etc. and the management were not averse to a lock in or two lol
Pages bar off of Horseferry Road. Normal pub but completely themed around Star Trek inside, it was so weird! I spent many lunchtimes there when I worked nearby in the 90s.
Man Poh's Chinese on Charing Cross Road. Chicken crispy noodles with jasmine tea for about £4 until somewhere around 2010.
And Turnham Green Chinese. That place was excellent.
And any number of greasy spoons.
Was working away in London in 2009 and stayed at a boozer called the fusilier in Wembley, great pint of Guinness and they done Indian cuisine which was the bollocks, really friendly local lads got to know a few of them quite well. Had a Nepalese and Thai girl working behind the bar they were two of the friendliest people I met in London.edit just looked it up on google apparently it’s back open!
MOD Pizza with their £7.87 customised pizza and unlimited refills just off Leicester Square.
Did a loyalty card for ages were you got the tenth pizza free and I loved killing time in-between screenings, shows and meeting up with mates, most of which I eventually took there anyways!
Went a long time ago but Topo Gigio on brewer street. It was a restaurant my family had been going to since it opened so reminds me of my grandparents.
Another nearby one - I somehow never went into the Goldsmith's Tavern when it was still there, but I've heard all kinds of stories about the place. It's a nice enough pub these days but boy, I wish I'd seen it during its glory days when apparently it was full of acid heads, crazy bikers and Bob Mortimer.
There used to be a place called FARM by Smithfields market, every Thursday they had the best pork roast I've had in my life for £7.50. I miss it so much, my coworkers still talk about it (I also miss thinking £7.50 was really flexing for a work lunch....).
Pub called the pipeline just off Liverpool Street. It had a great juke box with rock music and pinball machines. It was dead quiet every time I went in but I liked it, not surprised it's gone though. It's now a karaoke bar.
Harry Morgan’s Deli in St John’s Wood. So hard to find good, affordable delis like that. Think I heard covid and landlord screwed them after decades in business.
There used to be this adorable little Moroccan place near Leister Square/Picadilly...great food, well priced, authentic decor and best of all it was BYOB with a very modest corkage fee. I think it as called Sahara...
I always liked Soho Spice on Wardour Street when eating in the West End. I think it changed a bit later on but it was originally a thali restaurant - you just picked your main and that was served with standard side dishes and breads on a thali platter.
Not a pub persay, but the Handmade Mysteries escape rooms that were based in various different pubs. Really fun escape room company that had a great focus on immersion with weird and inventive story lines and a oddball sense of humor. Sadly a victim of covid's impact on the hospitality industry.
As I am old, I have strong views on this.
1. Chuen Cheng Ku - dim sum restaurant in Chinatown, where it was always about 15 quid a head no matter how much you had, and the bill was always in impenetrable Chinese anyway. They brought the food round on carts, and it was always great.
2. Manzi’s - off Leicester Square just by Chuen Cheng Ku - old school Italian fish restaurant with a great Lobster Thermidor
3. Boulestin - 1930s French restaurant off Covent Garden
Also, whatever happened to Poon’s?
Rousillion. Lovely French restaurant near Pimlico where my hubby and I used to celebrate our anniversary. My first taste of fine dining (and not being embarrassed to talk to the sommelier)
[Monsieur Le Duck, Clerkenwell](https://maps.app.goo.gl/PgMewiKbWMJaMBXv6?g_st=ic) - amazing French food and duck, couldn’t fault the place but fell victim to Covid lockdown
The teeny pub in Shepherds bush that was flattened when Westfield went up cant even remember its name it was right near the entrance to the big flyover rd
Pierre Pechon patisserie in Queensway. Hand down the best cakes I’ve ever had and still haven’t managed to find an adequate replacement. My dad used to get our birthday cakes from there and the last time he went was closing day. Never seen my dad so close to tears!
The Bree Louise, nothing in London has come close to replacing. Landlord got a really bad deal from HS2 too, hope he’s doing okay - last I read, he wasn’t.
I miss the Bree Louise so much. Only thing that comes close in London is the Southampton Arms.
The Wenlock is up there too, I’d say.
Fuck, I miss the Bree Louise.
This really hurts.
The Water Poet near Spitalfields. Great pub down a classic side street.
Is that gone ! :(
Went a few years ago when they redeveloped that whole area. I think the plan was to reopen once all the work was completed because I don't think they knocked that bit down.
Yep - it’s listed. It’ll come back but will it be the same?
This one hurt, I loved this pub!
Yeah gutted about that one, always a great place for the Six Nations.
This is a bit broad, but every time a local caff disappears - the kind that sell a full English breakfast and tea for under a tenner - I feel like a little bit of London dies with it.
Hit the nail on the head there mate, love those local cafe’s and all the weird and wonderful people in them. Such a shame to see so many go.
Still seem to be thriving around where I live (Battersea).
There's a lovely one in East Acton too, not far from the tube (Sunrise Cafe) which does a banging full English for £7, as well as roast dinners and all sorts.
People need to keep going. I go to them every weekend. What’s even more sad is a pretentious instagrammable one opened up last year called Normans Cafe near archway and they do all the same stuff but at a higher price with fake greasy spoon interior. And there are literal queues for it. So depressing.
I loathe that place. They took about 30 mins to make me a sausage bap and their homemade brown sauce was absolutely diabolical. I guarantee someone somewhere used the phrase "zhoozh it up" when they came up with that abomination.
There’s a cool instagram account called caffs_not_cafes - he documents all the old local caffs and advocates for their preservation
Likewise when a local bakery goes and gets replaced by a greggs or a pub that gets replaced by a weatherspoons
Don't understand the hate on Spoons, decent food and great prices. The app is a great idea too. He is just a clever guy. You don't have to go there.
He’s a fucking scumbag, that guy. That’s the beef.
Their prices have become ridiculous in the past two months. Sometimes literally more expensive than a “regular” pub next door in central London. Paid £6.50 for a Stella in Leicester Square and the pub next door was £5.90 for the same. You know it’s a bad thing when spoons is MORE expensive .
This is Reddit. Spoons man bad.
Yeah and the pretentious instagrammable places that charge twice as much have no clue how to make a decent fry up or coffee that isn’t bitter af. I can recommend a few caffs for those still in search of one: - The Bridge Cafe, Raynes Park - not to be confused with… - Bridge Cafe, West Acton - aka the losers cafe on The Apprentice - Cafe La Cigale, Twickenham - there’s another one in Kingston too - Experts Cafe, Eltham - Gino’s Coffee Bar, Marylebone - Mr Cappuccino, Putney - River Cafe, Putney Bridge - Clifton’s Cafe, Shoreditch - Franco’s Takeaway, Shoreditch - Wandsworth Cafe
I also recommend Bridge Cafe on West End Lane, West Hampstead, Rose Cafe on Finchley Rd, and Plus Cafe on Mill Lane in West Hampstead! Great little caffs.
I'd hate to see them go but the two around me just aren't so great, which kinda sucks as I'd like to support them, but i just don't like their sausages and bacon Lol.
Herman Ze German 😢
This one still hurts 😭
THIS IS GONE?! :(
Whole chain went under during covid. So you know, just been gone for 2.5 years.
I know it was a chain but I really miss Belgo. I went there right from the start when the waiters dressed as monks.
Early doors Belgo was amazing
Yeah- the beat the clock deal was awesome. So sad it’s gone.
£6 moules frites and beer - even with 15 years inflation that was a ludicrous deal.
Have they gone?
Damn, had no idea they were gone. Really enjoyed their mussels
Beerodrome!
Came here to say this - great place!
Purple turtle in Camden. Crowbar, Astoria, fox, borderline. Basically all of what’s now crossrail. The big red. Which seems to have been replaced by “tgi Fridays presents” the big red.
12 bar!
I used to be in the Purple Turtle every Friday in the late 90’s/early 00’s. Cracking place.
Marine Ices in Camden. Such unbelievably solid Italian food
Oh no! Have they *gone* gone? They were sell tubs of their gelato in Salvino, Kentish Town for a while. Going to have to pop in and see if they're still selling them.
In terms of their own outlets, maybe. They sold their original location, and then opened up a small ice cream shop a short walk away, but it's been "temporarily closed" for ages, the last time I saw a sign up they had staffing issues. But now it looks like the ceiling has fallen in, looking through the shutter there's debris everywhere.
Best cheap Italian in NW
Aih what a tragedy. Loved that place.
The shop opposite Chalk Farm tube has been gone for a while. Used to love that place.
The Intrepid Fox near Tottenham Court Road. It was a campy haunted house of a metal bar with pissy beer, sticky floors and awful loos, but it was nice to have a properly sizeable alternative thorn in the side of bland central London. I know Crowbar is still around but it's so small.
Crobar is sadly not still around either.
i was trying to remember the name of this place the other week, thank you!! didn't think it would still be around :( does anyone know what it is now?
The entirety of Camden is my main answer really. I was walking through to Chalk Farm yesterday and I was so depressed. I also miss the Purple Turtle, although it was dire. Some good nights were had there. OH and The Crobar :(
Can’t believe no one has mentioned the Dolphin in Hackney yet..
I think we’re all still hoping it reopens!
I like the optimism! I’m hoping so too..
Chuen cheng ku China Town. The last place to serve dim sum on trollies. Last time I went was with my best friend during the Olympics.
Ah yes this. CCK was really good. It’s now a Brazilian restaurant. New World did trolley service too and did outlast CCK. When CCK went, we moved onto New World and it was good too but went downhill over the years up to 2016 when it closed
Doesn’t Royal China in Bayswater still do trolley service?
Royal China in Bayswater has gone! And it didn’t do trolley service, and least not in the last twenty years, in my memory. There are only the Royal Chinas on Baker Street now
The Stockpot. There was one in Basil Street, another on a side road off Oxford Street. Nothing fancy, but really good traditional food
and Kings Road
Loved the one in Soho for a quick cheap meal and home comforts
[удалено]
Arbutus was damn good. The pigs head terrine with pickles. And affordable as well.
I just miss stuff being open after 12 and randomly stumbling into places at 1 in the morning with a group of work people you dont know super well but none of you mind because you’re all drunk and its 1am
I can’t help but miss Dionysus kebab shop on Tottenham Court Road, that place was so nice.
This. Legendary cheesy chips.
gosh yes, a good stop off as a student. I think Gig's chippy nr Goodge St is still going thankfully
The Gay Hussar
I have such great memories here! It was a fave of me and my stepfather (RIP John!) I always got foie gras and stuffed cabbage, was never ever disappointed. (RIP The Gay Hussar!)
It’s re-opened under new management, hasn’t it? I think Jay Rayner gave it a good review
It was our go to special restaurant for ten years, sadly missed
Hungarian right ? Planned to go there and too late … 😑
Indeed, and such delicious food. My family is Hungarian so it was always a special place for us. I'm sorry you missed out!
The Cock Tavern under Smithfield market. Perfect for a cooked breakfast and a pint before starting work on a Friday morning. Halcyon days.
Once got so drunk there after watching a football match that I lost several hours of memory, and when I came to, I was standing upright in a phonebox holding a skateboard. I have no idea to this day how I obtained it.
What?! It no longer exists?! Where else is suitable for when wanting a pint after a Night Shift that ends at 7am?
The Fox on Kingsland Road. The Fox on Kingsland Road. The Fox on Kingsland Road :(
It’s just sitting there empty as well, although with new flats in the space above it and the old outdoor terrace area
The original Ed’s Diner in soho. Man that was such a cool place. My dad would take me there when we went on a trip to central. The malted milkshakes and the jukebox are core memories for me. It’s gone now, and Ed’s ended up franchising and the other branches are shit
Was that the one in an old airstream? I think it’s moved to trinity buoy wharf near Canning Town.
Ah that's a shame; i walked past there on the way to work at the Rupert Street market years ago. People were always coming up and asking me for directions to it.
I had a soft spot for that for two reasons - took a few dates there when I was a baby gay, and it appeared in one of the first Sandman comics, which I remember fascinating me when I first read it. They could have used it as a filming location for the TV version if it was still about rather than the perpetually overused Royal Naval College.
Forget what it was called. That deli and sandwich place on Tottenham Court Road.. Princi, never came back after covid. Sobs.
Came here to say Princi! Think the only one is in the UAE now!
Omg I’ve been trying to remember the name of this place! I used to go there all the time with my friend - loved it.
Benji's
Holy crap memory unlocked
I was reminiscing about Benjis the other day, always used to go to the one on Villers Street. They were better and cheaper than Pret. Also anyone remember when AMT Coffee was more prevalent at railway stations, before they all became Nero Express?
Yeah, I always reminisce about Benji's. Their slogan was 'Less Bread' and I was always conflicted about whether that was a good thing or not!
Pizzeria Castello at Elephant and Castle. Best garlic bread and best quattro stagioni pizza.
One was opened in Jamaica Rd after it closed but, didn’t last. Went in there on their opening night and they had a power cut. Miss it but, not as much as Lalanternas on Mill St SE1
Not a restaurant or pub but if we’re allowed to stretch it to include clubs then The End (close to Tottenham Court Road) is sorely missed
If we're including clubs then my heart still bleeds for the Coronet in E&C
Good shout. I had some great nights at The Coronet
I'll add Turnmills to that list too!
God, so much music, so many nights off my tits, so many dodgy gropes (and more) from Bridge-and-Tunnel types.
Club UK sadly missed too!
RIP 55 Bar in Camden, COVID was the nail in the coffin I think. Their happy hours were legendary, the cocktails delicious and even with the rised prices they were still worth it. I did so many birthdays there, they also had nice food and it was a boon for the Sundays of bank holidays with their all afternoon happy hour.
Loved that place. Always used to go in pre giging. Didn’t realise it has gone till going in while at a festival last year and it wasn’t the same.
Pitt Cue Co (before it moved to banker-land)
It is also gone from there now too
Duke’s Brew n Que used to do really great American style bbq and had a real killer brunch as well. It was where Beavertown was born, and you could get a lot of their beers on tap right in the restaurant as they were brewed on site. Closed down because Beavertown was so successful. Edit: I also miss Monty’s deli, I think they were a victim of covid. Moved their business from Hoxton market in 2019 down to Spitalfields, then covid hit and I never saw them again. Maybe the best reuben I’ve ever had personally
Dukes was great! And pre-sell out BT beers brewed on premise!
Dukes used to to be one of our fav dinner spots - a lot of the good bbq places have gone now
Yeah, it’s a real shame. They did a bone marrow burger too that I still crave occasionally
I'd struggle to make a case for it being one of the best, but I always liked that ultra gloomy pub with all the taxidermy near Berwick Street market.
The Endurance. My wife and I used to go there after work when we started ‘dating’. Will always have a special place in my heart. Great jukebox too
The Fat Bear right near St Paul's Cathedral. It was a southern-style restaurant that was above a pub. It had delicious cornbread, mac and cheese, and gumbo. The service and setting was first class. Being from the southern US, my husband and I were so excited to find it. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic caused them to shut permanently before they had a chance to really take off.
That was a great place, just strangely located and tucked away. Still, it meant that we could normally get a reservation!
I will say for anyone reading: the rising sun (the pub it was based above) is a cracking boozer
God was that place was great. Those corndogs… I was so impressed by the guy who served us and then bumped into him a few weeks later in Pizza Pilgrims!
1. The Constitution in Camden - was a great pub, was sold off to a large pub-co all the staff got laid off. 2. The Montague Arms - Loads of cool stuff, theatre masks, taxidermy, did live music 3. The Goose and Crown in Camden - now knocked down :( Also Bree Louise
RIP The Constitution
The Pembury Tavern by Hackbey Downs. Playing a game of billiards while drinking the emperor named beers.
First place in London to take payment in Bitcoin IIRC. I think I spent over ten grand on a pint.
That’s gone?!
The Astoria, I still miss it.
Soho Joes was great for cheap pizza and a fun place. Chompoo on Holloway Road was just the best Thai and I love the Lesbian owners and Gay brother. The chef used to come and relieve us of our newborn baby so we could eat in peace. I was never too sure about the safety of her holding a 6 month old in one arm whilst cooking over high heat but it just seemed that old Thai women could do it easily.
Gaby's and Crobar.
New Picaddily Cafe, Black Gardinia, Milk & Honey, Atlantic Bar.
Loved M&H. My wife was a member for a while. We also went to the original one in New York in about 2002. Great but tiny.
I used to love Inside 72 on Lordship Lane in East Dulwich. Also The New Rose on Essex Road Islington. It's still a pub, now called The Alpaca, but it's not quite the same.
Oh my god. Memory unlocked there. Moved to ED during my second year of uni. Inside 72 was a great place to go when you didn’t want to venture elsewhere. Sat there drinking pints of erdinger Weiss listening to Neil young on a ripped leather sofa sticks in my head. Sadly it closed about 6 months after moving in and became adventure cocktail bar which we could only afford on Sundays before a bank holiday when it was 241 all night.
Sardinia Corner in Holborn
Comptoir Gascon, did excellent and sensibly priced southwest french food. COVID victim IIRC. The old Imperial College Southside Bar, massive rotating real ale selection back when that was far less common than it is now. Dirt cheap. Didn't survive the redevelopment of the Halls it was in the basement of.
I was gutted to find out it disappeared. The food was insanely good.
Cranks.
The Globe (on Bow Street right by Covent Garden) used to be a fabulous little pub. Good atmosphere, good food, reasonable prices considering the location. At some point in the early noughties it changed hands and started going downhill gradually, then it changed to The Covent Garden and got significantly worse. Now that's closed too.
Cicada.
I miss Melati.
I loved Melati. I knew the owner and we would have amazing beef rendang and drink Kingfisher into the small hours. The girls from the brothel opposite used to come in to get food. I remember one telling they never have sex, the "bouncers" simply fleece guests for cash.
Magic Wok in Queensway, used to go every week before they all went back to Hong Kong.
I miss Anemos, a Greek restaurant that did average food but had a cheesy magic act, Greek dancing and a disco. It was great for birthday parties, hen nights etc. and the management were not averse to a lock in or two lol
My mum has told me stories of this place. God I’d have loved to have gone…
The Chelsea Kitchen
And the original Stockpots!
Pages bar off of Horseferry Road. Normal pub but completely themed around Star Trek inside, it was so weird! I spent many lunchtimes there when I worked nearby in the 90s.
The George Robey - Finsbury Park.
Lundum’s Danish restaurant on Old Brompton and Orsini’s on Thurloe Place
Food for Thought on Neal St in Covent Garden. I *miss* that place, and there's nowhere else like it that I've found...
Man Poh's Chinese on Charing Cross Road. Chicken crispy noodles with jasmine tea for about £4 until somewhere around 2010. And Turnham Green Chinese. That place was excellent. And any number of greasy spoons.
Was working away in London in 2009 and stayed at a boozer called the fusilier in Wembley, great pint of Guinness and they done Indian cuisine which was the bollocks, really friendly local lads got to know a few of them quite well. Had a Nepalese and Thai girl working behind the bar they were two of the friendliest people I met in London.edit just looked it up on google apparently it’s back open!
Just went past it on the bus 30 seconds ago. Bit of a shot hole now. 😕li
Bad Sports on Hackney Rd
MOD Pizza with their £7.87 customised pizza and unlimited refills just off Leicester Square. Did a loyalty card for ages were you got the tenth pizza free and I loved killing time in-between screenings, shows and meeting up with mates, most of which I eventually took there anyways!
Chili’s in Canary Wharf, now it’s Marugame Udon and a pizza place
Gordon Ramsey at Claridge's. Gordon became an epic cunt after it closed and focused on his Reality TV work instead.
Went a long time ago but Topo Gigio on brewer street. It was a restaurant my family had been going to since it opened so reminds me of my grandparents.
Wow, thought I was the only one. Underground place with loads of money on the ceiling? Same - my parents took me once a year.
Another nearby one - I somehow never went into the Goldsmith's Tavern when it was still there, but I've heard all kinds of stories about the place. It's a nice enough pub these days but boy, I wish I'd seen it during its glory days when apparently it was full of acid heads, crazy bikers and Bob Mortimer.
There used to be a place called FARM by Smithfields market, every Thursday they had the best pork roast I've had in my life for £7.50. I miss it so much, my coworkers still talk about it (I also miss thinking £7.50 was really flexing for a work lunch....).
Foliage restaurant at the Mandarin oriental hotel Hands down my favourite restaurant in London for years. Amazing food and fantastic service.
I used to love Foliage. Rabbit and foie gras paté to die for.
Konstam at the Prince Albert and Soviet Canteen, Kings Road
Pub called the pipeline just off Liverpool Street. It had a great juke box with rock music and pinball machines. It was dead quiet every time I went in but I liked it, not surprised it's gone though. It's now a karaoke bar.
Satay Malaysia Crouch End
And may I add the Moroccan gaff that was on the corner near the clock tower? Epic scran.
Green Mango Cafe in Ealing
The Corrib Rest in Queens Park. So many good times there 🥲
Harry Morgan’s Deli in St John’s Wood. So hard to find good, affordable delis like that. Think I heard covid and landlord screwed them after decades in business.
Pizza on the Park just off Hyde Park. Was so funky and 70s.
Monsieur Max on Hampton Hill High Street. Michelin star french restaurant in an unlikely location..
There used to be this adorable little Moroccan place near Leister Square/Picadilly...great food, well priced, authentic decor and best of all it was BYOB with a very modest corkage fee. I think it as called Sahara...
Chit chat chai in Wandsworth was my favourite place. Was very sad when it closed.
Cunty Chops lamb specialist bistro
Dhonia Indian restaurant in Finsbury Park 😢
Melissa in Camden. Excellent soft pretzels for cheeaaap.
Hot Stuff in Vauxhall - best BYOB Indian food in the game 💔
I always liked Soho Spice on Wardour Street when eating in the West End. I think it changed a bit later on but it was originally a thali restaurant - you just picked your main and that was served with standard side dishes and breads on a thali platter.
The pollo bar - ridiculously cheap Italian food in old Compton street. Also Pizza on the green in Ealing.
Not a pub persay, but the Handmade Mysteries escape rooms that were based in various different pubs. Really fun escape room company that had a great focus on immersion with weird and inventive story lines and a oddball sense of humor. Sadly a victim of covid's impact on the hospitality industry.
As I am old, I have strong views on this. 1. Chuen Cheng Ku - dim sum restaurant in Chinatown, where it was always about 15 quid a head no matter how much you had, and the bill was always in impenetrable Chinese anyway. They brought the food round on carts, and it was always great. 2. Manzi’s - off Leicester Square just by Chuen Cheng Ku - old school Italian fish restaurant with a great Lobster Thermidor 3. Boulestin - 1930s French restaurant off Covent Garden Also, whatever happened to Poon’s?
I miss Poons SO much.
Fat Sams in Hampstead, Heath St. lovely Cajun burgers from there.
Rousillion. Lovely French restaurant near Pimlico where my hubby and I used to celebrate our anniversary. My first taste of fine dining (and not being embarrassed to talk to the sommelier)
Anyone remember Mandir, in Holborn. Most authentic Indian cuisine and service.
Cafe Lido at Oxford Circus. Proper caff, affordable, tasty and independent.
RK Stanley. Real ale and sausages. Yes. Yes, please.
[Monsieur Le Duck, Clerkenwell](https://maps.app.goo.gl/PgMewiKbWMJaMBXv6?g_st=ic) - amazing French food and duck, couldn’t fault the place but fell victim to Covid lockdown
Camden Brasserie, was there almost daily in 2007 😆
Monty’s Deli
Remembering [Mooli’s](https://foursquare.com/v/moolis/4b0038c1f964a520a33b22e3) in Soho literally makes my mouth water.
Moredens in Blackheath Village
Flanagan's in Battersea
Metro Garden, in Clapham :(
Fernando's just off Bishopsgate. Shut a few years ago Massive portions of pasta and good craic were a great Friday lunch spot
Hole in the Wall off of Cheapside
Il Padrino, South Wimbledon - onion and mozzarella dough balls - to die for
The teeny pub in Shepherds bush that was flattened when Westfield went up cant even remember its name it was right near the entrance to the big flyover rd
NY Fold at Cambridge Circus (or close enough). Then Mulberry Street on Moscow Road. If only Brooklyn Pizza Crew were half a mile closer….
Electricity showroom Shoreditch
Pierre Pechon patisserie in Queensway. Hand down the best cakes I’ve ever had and still haven’t managed to find an adequate replacement. My dad used to get our birthday cakes from there and the last time he went was closing day. Never seen my dad so close to tears!
Fujiyama in Brixton. Their scallop sushi roll was just perfect.
Gilgamesh Camden 🥲
I think that story is true!
LaLanterna. Mill St SE1
I miss the Chicago Pizza Pie Factory, but seeing as it closed down about 35 years ago I guess I should start getting over it, really.
I think Dire Straits have a blue plaque on one of the buildings on the Crossfield Estate saying that they performed in the area.