The latest hot ticket to arrive in London is not yet another velvety underground watering hole in the city's centre, but a chic midcentury-style salon for a creative posse. Bar Blondie sits amid the buzz of Queen’s Park’s Lonsdale Road, which has recently seen an influx of mews buildings turned into atmospheric restaurants, including Pyrá and Don’t Tell Dad.
The opening is driven not so much by the rock’n’roll associations of its name as by country-and-western influences and the artistic inclinations of award-winning sommelier Alexandra Price (most recently head of wine at Michelin-starred Plates) and Aussie restaurateur Elliot Milne (founder of Silver Tree Restaurants). The duo collaborated with architecture and design studio Macaulay Sinclair on the charming, intriguing interiors, and with Ryan Stanier, founder of The Other Art Fair, on the engrossing art curation.
Wallpaper* dines at Bar Blondie, London
The mood: Once upon a time in Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park’s rich history of influential creative residents and Lonsdale Road’s recent creative reinvention are palpable in the choices that shaped the interior. The mews’ architectural bones allowed an eccentric country-and-western theme to play alongside the leading idea: an artist’s residence. ‘We used legendary Italian director Sergio Leone, creator of some of the most culturally significant spaghetti westerns of all time, as one of our muses. The name “Blondie” comes from Clint Eastwood’s character in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,’ says co-founder Elliot Milne.
A sleek bar in stained sapele and burl wood anchors the intimate 45-cover room; its shelves are layered with records, midcentury books, vases and lamps sourced through Vinterior. Bar-stool backrests are upholstered in Nobilis Paris’ golden, cowhide-like Velours Faon, while vintage chrome dining chairs by Gastone Rinaldi – sourced by Milne and reupholstered by Craftwood UK Interiors – sit beside plush banquettes conceived with the ease of a living-room sofa. Country-inflected prints lend the upholstery a homely, slightly raw character.
Macaulay Sinclair worked with LightOn on a scheme combining architectural fixtures with custom dim-to-warm bulbs. ‘Every western saloon has a chandelier, so we found one in Murano glass,’ Milne explains. ‘We also have Murano glass wall lights between the vintage prints.’
Designed by Tateside, the sound system plays a collection of new and second-hand vinyl curated with the help of Audio Gold in north London. Art provides another dimension to the wood-panelled walls: Lucy Robson created the tender commissioned work As Above, So Below, while original spaghetti-western posters came from At the Movies Posters in Marylebone. Among them are a limited-release 1970s Japanese poster for the Dollars Trilogy and two black-and-white photographic stills from the set of For a Few Dollars More, dated 1967.
The food: the best of both worlds
The word ‘bar’ rather undersells the kitchen. Its concise, deftly executed menu draws on head chef Alastair Walling’s background in southern French cuisine and executive chef Alexander Busca’s Italian heritage. A selection of snacks and small plates begins proceedings: Maldon oysters with champagne mignonette; thinly sliced Wagyu bresaola best paired with the house focaccia; and a cherry and pineapple tomato salad with black olive tapenade. It is often said that you can judge a restaurant by the quality of its tomatoes. These make a persuasive case.
Handmade on-site each day, pasta acts as the backbone of the menu. Choose between creamy fazzoletti with Devon crab, chilli and lemon, or punchy paccheri alla vodka with ’nduja and pecorino. From the grill, the Provençal-inspired monkfish tail is served with mussels and samphire in a broth sharpened by peppery aïoli. Room for dessert? Don’t miss the red Mayan chocolate mousse with apricot and a gentle drizzle of olive oil.
While the cocktail list covers enduring favourites – namely the Vodka Martini and Venetian Select Spritz – the comprehensive wine list is a love letter to the arts. It opens with a section titled The Writer, celebrating Joan Didion while exploring historic and rare grape varieties, before continuing to The Actor, which champions inventive winemaking and independent producers. The Architect, a nod to Ray Eames, spans classic and contemporary styles, while The Director, inspired by Sergio Leone, spotlights iconic estates and singular cuvées.
Bar Blondie is located at 19-21 Lonsdale Rd, London NW6 6RA, United Kingdom