If there's one thing that Londoners love more than a pint, it's a new watering hole. Preferably one with some nice nosh thrown into the mix. Enter stage left a new kid on the Old Brompton Road block of bars, pubs and restaurants.
Snug, low-ceilinged, softly lit and kitted out in a splash of blue, black and gold, Coquine (French for 'mischievous') is the latest bolt-hole brought to us by the team behind Chelsea hotspot, The Valmont Club.
The drinks menu is French posh with the regulatory brigade champagne and cocktails. The Gallic-vibe is carried through to the mod-ish menu, featuring things like tiger prawn tartines, foie gras burgers, ballotines and steak tartare, though there are unlikely international interlopers like chicken maki, fish fingers tacos and flash fried Oreos.
But interior designer Lee Broom's fit out of the double-level space is Coquine's most eye-catching feature. Many pieces from Broom's 'Heritage Boy' furniture range - including the 'Carpentry' pendant light and 'Tiles' lamp - have been incorporated, but we're particularly taken with the 'Decanterlight', which is exactly what it sounds like: lights made from vintage lead-crystal decanters rescued from antique shops and flea markets.
Broom liked the 'Decanterlight' so much that he's created a special retail range that will launch on 26 May. The good news, says Broom, is that this will not be a limited edition. 'This is the first, more accessible range I have designed. Although each piece is indeed unique, the collection will only end when no more vintage, cut crystal decanters can be found.'
The snug bar features low-ceilings and soft lighting
Coquine is brought to us by the team behind Chelsea hotspot, The Valmont Club
A secluded booth at Coquine
Coquine features Lee Broom's 'Decanterlights', made from vintage, lead-crystal decanters rescued from antiques shops and flea markets
The 'Decanterlights' are available from www.leebroom.com
ADDRESS
160 Old Brompton Road London SW5 0RA
-
In the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, Chiemgauhof Lakeside Retreat elevates cabin-style charmArchitect Matteo Thun gives a masterclass in clean lines and traditional craftsmanship with this stylish German retreat in harmony with its surroundings
-
Richard Prince recontextualises archival advertisements in TexasThe artist unites his ‘Posters’ – based on ads for everything from cat pictures to nudes – at Hetzler, Marfa
-
Pierre-Yves Rochon celebrates ‘the great tradition of Italian design’ in Four Seasons Hotel Milano refreshThe sophisticated hotel’s 118 rooms and suites have been redesigned by the acclaimed designer and long-time collaborator of the brand
-
A complete collection of Phaidon’s ‘Contemporary Artists Series’ is on display in LondonA 30-year project reaching 100 volumes is being celebrated with an exhibition at the 45 Park Lane hotel, including limited-edition works by Kaws and Dana Schutz
-
London’s best pizza restaurant gets a new home in MayfairSecure a slice of New York-style pizza in central London as Crisp Pizza teams up with the Devonshire pub to set up shop in the relaunched The Marlborough
-
At this east London listening bar, mezcal-fuelled cocktails hit as hard as the basslinesIn Bethnal Green, Little Fires pairs vinyl grooves with mezcal margaritas and Oaxacan sharing plates
-
Harry Nuriev’s Noisy Oyster London bistro isn’t quite finished – and that’s the pointA futuristic, work-in-progress aesthetic forms a striking backdrop for a new, sustainably focused seafood bistro in Shoreditch
-
Head to Lupa for a taste of Rome in the heart of HighburyEd Templeton, Theo James and Naz Hassan unveil an intimate 28-seat restaurant that balances a cosy, candlelit atmosphere with Roman-style dining
-
Underground grooves and a touch of ‘controlled chaos’ make this exciting Japanese-inspired restaurant one to bookMoi, a new subterranean hotspot in London, is a feast for the senses
-
Café Kitsuné doubles down on London with a new locationCafé Kitsuné continues its global expansion with a bijou two-floor venue in Covent Garden that prioritises both craft and flavour
-
You can live out your Gatsby dreams, thanks to Claridge’s new Jazz Age-themed sleepoverCheck in for the legendary hotel's Bright Young Things Sleepover — Shalimar perfume included
