Victor Garvey’s mad new MATER1A concept is a Willy Wonka-esque theatre of gastronomy February 18, 2026 MATER1A, 115 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UP | ★★★★★ | Cuisine: Japanese, fine dining, tasting menu A benefit of having written restaurant reviews for 15 years is that you begin to see the overarching warp and weft of the business, the trends that slowly emerge and dissipate, the way hospitality gradually evolves, holding up a mirror [...]
Valentine’s Day: Fancy a romantic bowl of chocolate spaghetti? February 13, 2026 What could be more romantic than a meal out in Soho, a bottle of red wine and a nice bowl of chocolate spaghetti? Well, I can think of a few things… The ‘spaghetti bucatini’ at 27 Old Compton Street is being sold not as a dessert but a main course: thick strands of pasta slathered [...]
Bar of the week: Why Three Sheets is a little slice of old Soho February 10, 2026 Three Sheets Soho | 13 Manette St, W1D 4AP This new column celebrates the great drinking holes of London, the pubs and bars that keep the capital lubricated despite the government’s best attempts to send them crashing out of business. Last week I profiled The rising Sun, the Victorian gin palace that claimed our Best [...]
Gordon Ramsay is the big winner from Michelin Guide 2026 February 9, 2026 Gordon Ramsay was the big winner from the 2026 Michelin Guide, maintaining his three stars at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay for an unbelievable 25th year as well as earning a new Michelin star for Restaurant Gordon Ramsay High at his sky-high fine dining venue at 22 Bishopsgate. Ramsay has developed a sizable presence in the Square [...]
How South Wales became one of the UK’s most exciting food destinations February 7, 2026 Laverbread, rarebit, cawl – Glamorgan sausage at a push. The idea of Welsh food tends to be tied to a handful of dishes, but the country has some of the best produce – and best restaurants – in the UK. The emergence of Wales as a ‘foodie’ destination has slowly built over the last decade [...]
Pub of the week: Toast Award-winner The Rising Sun on Carter Lane February 4, 2026 Nobody loves a pub as much as Morning Wire. Over the years we have campaigned for them, we have reported on their plight, and we have honoured them in our Toast the City Awards. Now we’re launching a new regular feature celebrating the best drinking holes in the Square Mile and beyond. While the exact [...]
Valentine’s Day: My top recommendations for the perfect date January 29, 2026 Whether you’re treating your partner to a night on the town, whisking them out of the city for a weekend away or just cosying up together at home, here are my top recommendations for Valentine’s Day. For London lovers The Elizabeth on Ebury St, Belgravia will be serving a special three-course menu (£55pp) with an [...]
Diet advice: A guide to eating better and living longer January 29, 2026 Food has become noisy. Superfoods, supplements, biohacks, rules. Eat this. Avoid that. Count everything. Track it all. Somewhere along the way, managing your diet stopped feeling intuitive and started feeling like a full-time job. Thankfully I stopped buying into that a long time ago. I have eaten my way through all the diet fads and [...]
Alta review: Serious Spanish food amid the Carnaby crowds January 28, 2026 Alta, Kingly Ct, Carnaby, W1B 5PW | Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus With its jolly pink furniture and candy-striped awnings, Kingly Court has an air of unreality. It’s a Disneyfied version of what food culture might look like if it were imagined by a private equity firm, a place designed to house tourists grappling with their disappointment [...]
London’s top gastropub revealed: Has your favourite made the cut? January 27, 2026 Piccadilly Guinness emporium the Devonshire has been voted the best gastropub in the country, with the capital dominating the list. The Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs awards saw the Devonshire usurp last year’s winner The Unruly Pig in Suffolk, which fell to second place. The Red Lion and Sun in Islington took the final place [...]