When viral fame fades: From Binley Mega Chippy to the Spudman October 1, 2024 In March 2022, I visited fish and chip takeaway Binley Mega Chippy in my hometown of Coventry 10 minutes after it had opened for dinner, joining a growing queue of people snaking out across a tarmac car park on the side of a busy A road. A line of cars waiting for a parking spot [...]
Just leave me to my basic b***h pumpkin spice latte, ok? September 30, 2024 We are well into Starbucks pumpkin spice latte season and I for one will be openly celebrating this seasonal joy, says Lauren Potts Nothing seems to irk certain corners of the internet more than the humble pumpkin spice latte (PSL). The sneering usually comes from a certain type of person – mostly coffee snobs and boomers [...]
Bordeaux month: Here are the best clarets to celebrate September 10, 2024 September has been named Bordeaux month – it seems every grape has its own international wine day so why not dedicate an entire month to one of the most renowned and beloved wine regions in the world. Here’s what you need to know when selecting a bottle of Bordeaux red. Firstly, French wine is often [...]
Gen-Z hates stilton – of course they do, they’re not mature enough September 10, 2024 While Gen-Z go loopy for smashed avo on toast, the passage through life will inevitably lead them to stilton, writes Andy Blackmore Around 554 moons ago as I chortled my way through Monty Python’s Life of Brian, I chuckled my little heart out to one line without understanding the meaning. Now, 45 years later I’ve [...]
The Waterloo Wetherspoons is utterly miserable: Of course it is September 3, 2024 In accordance with tradition, I am in the grips of a savage and well deserved hangover as I enter The Lion & The Unicorn, the massive new Wetherspoons that opened yesterday at Waterloo Station. It takes its name from the Lion and Unicorn Pavilion that was constructed for the 1951 Festival of Britain, a celebration [...]
Check these amazing photos of surviving Victorian London pubs September 2, 2024 London has many great things going for it, but among the very best are its great pubs. Many of the traditional “gin palace” style Victorian pubs are functioning relics of a bygone era, listed buildings that stand defiantly against the march of town-planning progress. Photographer Nahidul, who goes by the handle @LondonPubFacades, has made a [...]
England fast bowler Tom Curran on what he’d eat for his last meal August 16, 2024 England international Tom Curran, currently playing in the Hundred, picks out the dishes he’d eat for his last supper on earth, from an entire breakfast to a gooey chocolate fondant. I grew up from the age of six in Zimbabwe so we ate a lot of meat and spent a lot of time cooking on [...]
The 7 best covered terraces and courtyards at London restaurants August 16, 2024 There’s nothing quite like a bit of al fresco dining, especially when the sun is burning down and tempting us to spend all of our waking hours outside. To celebrate the good weather finally showing up, we’ve rounded up some of the best terraces and courtyards where you can enjoy a great meal – but [...]
The 6 best terraces in London to catch the rays this weekend August 16, 2024 With the sun finally exposing itself to us mere mortals, it’s the weekend to explore London’s outdoor drinking and dining spots. Here are some of the very best outdoor terraces in London to spend a lazy afternoon, whether you’re eating, drinking or just chewing the fat with old friends. Century Club Shaftesbury Avenue’s Century Club [...]
Best beer gardens in London from Lock Tavern to The Captain Kidd August 13, 2024 It's almost beer garden season but with the risk of a downpour, it better be a really good one: here are the best London has to offer