#wc2h

The Ivy - WC2H

@CapriceHoldings

Neal's Yard Dairy - WC2H

I am a big fan of breakfast. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day, and when the weekend comes I want the perfect location for a long, lazy brunch.

Rather than go for a bog-standard British fry-up with the usual sausage and bacon, I recently opted for Dishoom, which does a daily Indian-inspired Bombay-style brekkie. Swapping builders tea for beautifully sweet chai tea, I perused the menu for inspiration. Having been to Mumbai, I was mildly disappointed not to find the Vada and Idli I came to know and love there, as at Dishoom the choice is certainly tailored towards an English palate. The breakfast bake and omelette came with a choice of sausage and egg, so it looked like I was going to get my usual after all. Nonetheless, both were beautifully spiced and flavoured, and the bacon naan roll is a delicious and inventive improvement on the bacon butty. Also recommended is the Dishoom Frankie, spicy minced lamb in a naan roll. Finish it all off with ginger, mint and Bombay spiced Bhang Lassi, which comes with an optional shot of rum, which I felt no urge to refuse. It was nearly lunchtime after all. Dishoom Address: 12 Upper St. Martin's Lane WC2H 9FB Nearest station: Leicester Square or Covent Garden underground www.dishoom.com Category: Food and Drink Sub Category: Restaurant

I am a big fan of breakfast. It is, after all, the most important meal of the day, and when the weekend comes I want the perfect location for a long, lazy brunch.

Rather than go for a bog-standard British fry-up with the usual sausage and bacon, I recently opted for Dishoom, which does a daily Indian-inspired Bombay-style brekkie. Swapping builders tea for beautifully sweet chai tea, I perused the menu for inspiration. Having been to Mumbai, I was mildly disappointed not to find the Vada and Idli I came to know and love there, as at Dishoom the choice is certainly tailored towards an English palate. The breakfast bake and omelette came with a choice of sausage and egg, so it looked like I was going to get my usual after all. Nonetheless, both were beautifully spiced and flavoured, and the bacon naan roll is a delicious and inventive improvement on the bacon butty. Also recommended is the Dishoom Frankie, spicy minced lamb in a naan roll. Finish it all off with ginger, mint and Bombay spiced Bhang Lassi, which comes with an optional shot of rum, which I felt no urge to refuse. It was nearly lunchtime after all. Dishoom Address: 12 Upper St. Martin's Lane WC2H 9FB Nearest station: Leicester Square or Covent Garden underground www.dishoom.com Category: Food and Drink Sub Category: Restaurant

As the beast that is Crossrail continues to destroy live music venues in Central London, Denmark Street – London’s Tinpan Alley - stands proud and ungentrified, and on it, the 12-Bar Club, reverberating with the Devil’s Music seven nights a week.

The interior pays homage to the earthy watering holes of the American South-West – home of the 12-bar blues. There are vinyl seating booths, a narrow bar, gig space and dancefloor, and a pool room decked out with murals of rockabilly, Two-Tone and blues rock paraphernalia. Out back is an alleyway where you’ll find the nicotine addicted greaser guys and gals who are the mainstays of the 12-Bar’s punters.

There’s live music nightly, running the gamut from psychobilly to folk. All the best beers, lagers and light ales are available on tap and there are often deals on whiskeys and mixers. A small café counter in the front serves the blackest coffee until 7pm.

When the stage is empty, there’s the jukebox, which offers twangy Blues, frenetic rockabilly, punk, hardcore, soul, Motown, ska and stax. Avoid Lonesome Town and head here for some big beat from Badsville.

Address: Denmark Street, London WC2H 8NL

Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 7pm-3am. Sunday 7pm-12.30pm

Café is open Mon-Fri 11-7 and Sunday 12-7

As the beast that is Crossrail continues to destroy live music venues in Central London, Denmark Street – London’s Tinpan Alley - stands proud and ungentrified, and on it, the 12-Bar Club, reverberating with the Devil’s Music seven nights a week.

The interior pays homage to the earthy watering holes of the American South-West – home of the 12-bar blues. There are vinyl seating booths, a narrow bar, gig space and dancefloor, and a pool room decked out with murals of rockabilly, Two-Tone and blues rock paraphernalia. Out back is an alleyway where you’ll find the nicotine addicted greaser guys and gals who are the mainstays of the 12-Bar’s punters.

There’s live music nightly, running the gamut from psychobilly to folk. All the best beers, lagers and light ales are available on tap and there are often deals on whiskeys and mixers. A small café counter in the front serves the blackest coffee until 7pm.

When the stage is empty, there’s the jukebox, which offers twangy Blues, frenetic rockabilly, punk, hardcore, soul, Motown, ska and stax. Avoid Lonesome Town and head here for some big beat from Badsville.

Address: Denmark Street, London WC2H 8NL

Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road

Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 7pm-3am. Sunday 7pm-12.30pm

Café is open Mon-Fri 11-7 and Sunday 12-7

Leicester Square; a West End whirlwind of tourist traps - caricature artists, overpriced ODEONS, innumerable chain restaurants and raucous, boozy bars. Not the place your average wine buff frequents on an evening out… Or is it?

For, unbeknownst to many, tucked away from this world of holidaymaker hell is some semblance of sophisticated charm. For those who prefer a decent wine to a Wetherspoons 2-4-1, seek you out the Cork and Bottle. This wondrous, well-concealed cellar sits inconspicuously on Cranbourn Street, welcoming all appreciators and connoisseurs that discover its narrow doorway. Down the steps and inside the cramped but atmospheric bar you can forget a mere wine list. Here you get a book, and an education, with detailed descriptions of every grape and flavour. The menu has been as carefully considered as the wine, and makes a perfect accompaniment to your carafe (or in my case, bottle). Cork and Bottle has a simple philosophy – legendary wines accompanied by fresh, innovative food. Dinner is served until 11:30pm (making it particularly popular with the peckish post-theatre crowd) and with a cellar reserve of over 40,000 bottles, you will never run dry.