In a regular series of features, Bob Sturges, Head of Communications at Omni Capital, reveals his personal favourites among the Capital’s many tempting dining establishments.
Each of Bob’s choices, have stood the test of time – sometimes for decades – and continue to offer a special and memorable experience. Read on…
The Guinea Grill, 30 Bruton Place, London W1J 6NL
This venerable grill restaurant has been attached to the popular and bustling Young & Co’s pub of similar name for as long as I can remember – and I sank my first pint here in 1976. Known among locals as the ‘Pound and a Bob’, The Guinea is in a fine old building located in a cobbled mews street running off Mayfair’s iconic Berkeley Square. Its relatively traffic-free position encourages drinkers to spill out of the pub’s unspoilt wood-clad interior to enjoy their pints in a little more space. Once the preserve of well-heeled property types – Knight Frank, Savills et al – The Guinea has, in recent years, become the unofficial ‘club bar’ for the hedge funds that now proliferate in Mayfair.
The restaurant that sits behind the pub is pure Olde London: all heavy furnishings, warm reds and gold, and the smallest amount of space between tables that they can decently get away with. It’s beloved of American and Japanese tourists seeking out the authentic British pub dining experience. Sometimes annoying, they nevertheless, provide a lucrative source of income for the pub (and Black Cab drivers) and a welcome distraction from some of the more brash and less well-behaved hedgies.
But don’t let any of this deter you: the food is terrific. For vegetarians, this place is definitely one to avoid; but for lovers of superb aged-beef, game and fish it rarely misses. The wine list – over-priced, of course – is also pretty irresistible, and it’s difficult to think of a better place in which to sup on a foggy, damp and chill November evening.
Top Tip: Sean, the estimable and immaculately frock-coated doorman (the Grill has its own dedicated entrance and small bar which is closed to pub drinkers at restaurant opening times), has been a fixture of The Guinea for many years. A bar steward of note throughout the ‘90s, he was tempted out of retirement by the current landlord to provide cover for a few weeks. Two years on and he’s still covering. Highly affable and devoted to golf, the offer of ‘half a Bombardier for later’ will ensure Sean’s friendly attention for the duration of your stay.
Nearby Watering Hole: Should the tourists and braying hedge fund herberts prove too much, adjourn to the ‘Polo Bar’ of the nearby Westbury Hotel (Conduit Street – 5 minutes walk) for an entirely different experience. Sleek, smart and with a price tag to match, sipping Dry Martinis at the bar is the best way to watch Bond Street habituees wind down after a hard day’s shopping.
Attributed to Bob Sturges, Head of Communications at Omni Capital.
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