Bocca di Lupo

Bocca di Lupo is a classic Soho, turned Italian restaurant. The décor is very inviting with a well lit bar upon entering. My companions were both 30 minutes late and so I had a conversation with a friendly waiter. He brought over some bread, olives and water. The bread was fabulous: doughy with a sweetened onion and drenched in Olive oil, probably best to keep away from those prone to heart attack! Lo and behold my companions wafted in half an hour later and I ordered the partridge. I refused to have the mash drenched in fat and so I just had polenta instead, the staff were very easy about this. The service was slow, however it was a Sunday afternoon and it was pretty packed. I was certainly the youngest there and probably dressed the shabbiest.

The food eventually came and it was pretty damn delicious. Although not most artistically presented, the taste made up for this. Polenta is quite hard to flavour, but the chef had added a lovely cheese taste to the bland cornmeal. The side of spinach and pine nuts was also very successful.

£36 (2 people)

12 Archer St, London W1D 7BB

Maison Bertaux

Almond croissants, sugar-glazed pretzels, fruit tarts, the choices go on. Maison Bertaux, London’s oldest French patisserie has been around since 1871. That’s 143 years! They were even behind the bespoke masterpiece that was Lily Allen’s wedding cake. Cakes, pastries and the rest are all baked above the shop and tearoom. Decorated with pink bunting, fairy lights, child-like scribbles on the mirrors and an assortment of things on the piano, it is a charming little oddity in the midst of rowdy Soho pubs. Things may get a little busy in the evenings but at half past 9am on a weekday, the quaint patisserie was endearingly quiet save for the barely audible discussion about Wimbledon between two elderly men.

£9 (2 persons)

28 Greek Street, London W1D 5DQ