1 | For Pasta Worth Shouting About: Pastaio
It's hard to resist the allure of a good pasta restaurant – you know, a really good one. One where the pasta in question genuinely makes you feel like the world might end up ok. And London is currently lucky enough not only to boast more of these fiendishly irresistible establishments, but affordable ones at that.
Take Stevie Parle's new Carnaby restaurant, Pastaio: we all know the guy can make decent pasta but he's brought that with astoundingly delicious, warming and homely flavours to Soho, and at bewilderingly cheap prices. Slow cooked sausage with little pasta shells is an instant hit; grouse, rabbit and pork agnoli blows the mind for just £11 (and that's the priciest thing there). The fried cheese toastie of mozzarella, nduja and honey is also difficult to turn down within the starters. An easy-going vibe with no reservations and long communal tables makes this the perfect place for a quick bite that packs a punch. Your wallet will thank you. Your waist line may not.
19 Ganton Street, London, WF 7BN; pastaio.london
2 | For A Taste Of The Black Forest: The Monkey 47 Winter Lodge
Within the stunning courtyard of the Rosewood London hotel, there is currently a wooden lodge that you might expect to see halfway down a ski slope. If you venture inwards, you will find a wintery haven of hot gin punches, Negronis and festive bites. One of the finest gins going, Monkey 47 is so called for the 47 botanicals from Germany's Black Forest that comprise it (and the 47% ABV, which makes it go down ever so nicely). It makes a phenomenal G&T or, as you will find, its sloe varietal can turn into a hearty Monty Strudel (with apple juice and liqueur, tea syrup, lime and Pernod Absinthe) or Oma's Secret (with vermouth, tea and winter spices). Those are apt alongside the mince pies, custard tarts and all such comfort foods made by the Holborn Dining Room's chef, Calum Franklin. And – this seals the deal – there are heaters hidden under the chairs of the benches, which make you feel like you're in an Alpine spa.
Monday - Sunday, 7am - late
Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN; rosewoodhotels.com
3 | For Fashionable Breakfasts: Ralph's Coffee & Bar
The supremely smart coffee and cocktail bar adjoining Regent Street's Ralph Lauren store has started waking up a tad earlier, so that you can now nab some breakfast before work (or a mammoth shopping stint, if you're just that keen). The menu has therefore expanded to offer an appropriate mix of American indulgence and fashionably healthy choices: if you're owed a treat, opt for the waffle sandwich (yes, sandwich) containing bacon, egg and Cheddar cheese and draped in maple syrup, or the lobster Benedict. If you're trying (however desperately) to be well behaved, there are boiled eggs, avocado on toast, a hearty oatmeal, or a big plate of chia – the super seeds are soaked in coconut milk and served with figs, berries, nuts and seeds to fill and fuel you up. And, for the first time, the coffee is available to takeaway, should you fancy sporting a snazzier coffee cup than you'll get at Pret.
Open from 8am
173 Regent Street, London, W1B 4JQ; ralphlauren.co.uk
4 | For Whisky With A View: Glenfiddich Experimental Series At The Shard
As of this week, you have a new reason to head up to The View From The Shard: you'll find whisky up there as well as the glorious cityscape. Glenfiddich has taken over and you will be greeted by a machine that works out your personality and its corresponding whisky cocktail, made using one of the limited edition 'Experimental' bottles. As a fresh Speyside single malt, Glenfiddich suits both connoisseurs and first timers alike so this is not reserved for whisky lovers. Plus, there's a seating area made out of a massive oak barrel known as a marrying tun. So there.
Until 21 December
Railway Approach, London SE1 9SG; theviewfromtheshard.com
5 | For Martini-Soaked Surprises: Bocca di Lupo
When a sommelier arrives at your table with their big book of decadent booze, you inevitably try to impress them with your own wine knowledge. You'll sit there, reeling off lines from Saturday Kitchen, dipping your nose so deep into the glass that the restaurant have to throw it out for health and safety reasons. It's not dignifying for anyone.
That's why Italian Soho joint Bocca Di Lupo's vast and creative martini menu is a great alternative. An expert arrives at your table and whisks you away on a gin-soaked journey of discovery, all without having to lie about smelling undertones of plywood. One rule, however: every martini has a 50:50 mix of vermouth and gin/vodka, an ode to the way martinis used to be made.
The food menu is just as inventive, daring you with surprisingly delicious cuts of tripe, tongue and calf intestine. A real experience from start to finish.
12 Archer St, Soho, London, W1D 7BB, boccadilupo.com/
