After a two-year absence, Frieze is finally back in London. Whether visiting the fair at its homebase in Regent’s Park or one of the satellite events around the city, the experience of indulging in the vast visual feast that is London’s best known art fair is bound to stir up your physical appetite as much as your aesthetic one. To help, we’ve gathered a list of the best art-filled London restaurants, cafés and bars to visit after a day at the fair. From a bar brimming with Jenny Holzers, to a private dining room packed with Tracey Emins, it’s time to dig in.
London restaurants for artful dining
Toklas
What better place to eat during Frieze than a restaurant founded by its creators? Since opening earlier this year, Toklas has become a go-to destination for a contingent of London creatives. Named after the writer Alice B Toklas, nods to the love of food she documented in her eponymous 1954 cookbook, with an elegant, mostly fish- and plant-based Mediterranean menu.
It is a straight-forward menu ideal for sharing and the relaxed, congenial presentation is reflected in the decor of the space. A combination of pine tables, leather booths and art-filled wall makes it feel like a particularly stylish canteen and an ideal place to decamp after a day at the fair.
Fischer’s
Is there any better way to finish off a day at Frieze (or any day for that matter) than with a glass of wine and the best schnitzel in London? The like-minded should book a table at Fischer's next week.
The beloved Austrian restaurant from the Corbin & King group is an ideal setting for a relaxed and reliably delicious meal only a few minutes walk from the Frieze hub in Regent’s Park.
Scott’s
Originally opened as an oyster warehouse in 1851, Scott’s has evolved into one of the most glamorous restaurants in London. Boasting an illustrious clientele (and as the rumoured origin of James Bond’s ’shaken not stirred’ martini) Scott’s is the place to go if your seeking an opulent finish to your day.
Enjoy oysters and champagne at the famous Champagne bar, or cap off your art-packed day in the most decadent way possible with a booking at The Platinum Arowana Room private dining room, where you can dine on golden pearl caviar and lobster soufflé, surrounded by Renoir, Miró and Chagall paintings.
The Painter’s Room
Claridge’s The Painter’s Room is an Art Deco style bar serves cocktails inspired European art and culture, including the ‘Saint Remy’ – a variation on a martini inspired by Van Gogh’s Almond Blossom painting. Food comprises of small plates, among them bar classics such as crispy scampi and updated delicacies like beetroot tartar, all served by a bar team dressed in ‘bleu de travail’ blue worker jackets inspired by the signature outfit of American fashion photographer Bill Cunningham.
The calming pink interiors and art filled walls makes it an ideal place to unwind after a busy day at the fair.
Red Room
Wind down after a day of art-fair hustling with a glass of wine at The Connaught’s Red Room. The newly opened space is a showcase for the iconic hotel’s unparalleled wine collection, which features 30,000 bottles, many of which can be enjoyed by the glass thanks to the revolutionary Coravin system that makes it possible to pour wine without removing the cork.
Enjoy your glass of fine wine alongside the Red Room’s equally impressive art collection. The red-hued artworks that have given the space its name include original works by four female visionaries: Jenny Holzer, Louise Bourgeois, Trina McKillen, and the young Vietnamese artist, Tia-Thuy Nguyen.
The Wallace Collection
Take a break from the contemporary wonders of Frieze with a look back at the Old Masters at The Wallace Collection. Located near the Frieze hub in Regent’s Park, the former residence of the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace is home to both an expansive collection of 18th- and 19th-century art and an excellent lunchtime cafe.
The bright glazed courtyard is a good pit stop for a healthy salad or afternoon tea. Or, better yet, start the day there with the new brunch menu inspired by the forgotten masters of the East India Company. Tempting offerings include paratha scrambled eggs with chilli, ginger and toasted sesame seeds; and white peach and jasmine gin and tonics.
Scarfes Bar
‘A place where paintings and potions meet’ is the tagline for Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood hotel, and its true that the glitzy Covent Garden lounge boasts some of the most creative cocktails and creative interiors in town.
The bar is named after British artist Gerald Scarfe, and playful caricatures of historical and fictional figures adorn the walls. The theme is carried into the cocktail menu, which features the Amy Winehouse-inspired ‘Rickstasy’ cocktail (a blend of Remy Martin 1738, Old Duff, sea buckthorn, and lavender) and the Princess Diana-themed ‘Spencer Bevvy’ (a sophisticated mix of Havana Club Seleccion de Maestros, fig, and chestnut mango).
34 Mayfair
The lavish menu and art deco interiors of 34 Mayfair make it worthy of a visit any time of year, but art lovers in town for Frieze London will particularly enjoy the restaurant’s famed Emin Room. As the name suggests, the private dining room is packed with specially commissioned artworks by British artist Tracey Emin.
Even better, 34 Mayfair’s head chef, John Edwards, routinely creates new seasonal menus specifically for The Emin Room with a focus on steak and fish.
Jikoni and Rita's
The Hot and Sour Sweetcorn Risotto at Jikoni's pop-up.
There are some delectable dining options available inside the fair itself. Jikoni will open a vegetarian pop-up at the fair with a matching menu available at the restaurant's Marylebone outpost.
Its British, African and Middle Eastern fusion cuisine has always taken an innovative approach to vegetables, with most ingredients sourced from their biodynamic farm partner, Waltham Place. Mouthwatering items on the menu will include Hot and Sour Sweetcorn Risotto with Lime Leaf Butter; Burrata, Bitter Leaves, Figs and Roasted Muscat Grapes with Pomegranate Dressing; and Marinated Tofu Schnitzel, Katsu, and Autumn Truffle.
While Soho hotspot Rita’s will be serving up some of their famous margarita’s alongside small bites like Potato latke with sour cream, crab and sea vegetables and hearty mains like Lamb breast, creamed corn grits and chow chow.
jikonilondon.com; ritasdining.com
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