Labombe by Trivet reinvents an unforgettable Cool Britannia hangout

If you can remember the 1990s, were you even there? Certainly, the habitués of the Met Bar might struggle to recall wild nights spent at the definitive watering hole of Cool Britannia, on the ground floor of the Como Metropolitan London hotel. Now, the site of the late 1990s legend has been reborn as Labombe, thanks to the team behind two-Michelin-starred Trivet in Bermondsey, with a mood that is more ‘Champagne Supernova’ than ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’.

Wallpaper* dines at Labombe by Trivet

The mood: wine of the times

Labombe began life as a one-night-a-week wine bar when Trivet was closed on Mondays. Co-owners Jonny Lake (chef) and Isa Bal (master sommelier) are calling this evolution of Labombe ‘a wine-forward restaurant’ and the first thing that guests see by the entrance is a glass-enclosed wine cellar, with more than 1,000 bottles on display.

Food doesn’t play second fiddle, though. An open kitchen runs behind the dining counter, while the dining room beyond has been designed in neutral tones and textures by Umay Çeviker of Derin Yeşil Architects – cognac-suede banquettes, natural-wood floors, Calacatta Viola marble-topped tables – illuminated by lighting by Lee Broom and Kreon and separated by sliding glass doors that give the option for private dinners and wine tastings.

‘We were influenced by northern European modernism,’ says Çeviker, ‘a design language that values clean proportions and restraint, but we sought to balance it with Mediterranean ease. The result is a balance of clarity and warmth. This guided many of our [interior design] choices: Rimadesio for their sleek and precise sliding systems, Sørensen for their timeless nubuck surfaces, and the use of warm, textured plaster to soften the geometry of the space.’

Colour comes courtesy of a rotating display of works by young British artists, loaned by Chiltern Street’s Incubator gallery in a nod towards the YBAs of the 1990s. ‘This layer of art helps the space stay alive, changing with time and adding wit, vibrancy and contemporary flair to the dining experience,’ Çeviker adds.

The food: thrilling grilling

Day-to-day cooking duties fall to head chef Evan More, who worked at The Fat Duck when Lake was its executive head chef. Punchy flavours from the grill-focused menus include a snack of a hot tongue bun followed by Lake’s sweet-and-sour signature of costoletta alla Milanese with fresh cabbage and agrodolce, with an equally sweet-and-sharp balance on display in a dessert of crème caramel with a bitter steak of Campari.

Bal, meanwhile, has left the wine offering in the capable hands of Trivet’s former sommelier Philipp Reinstaller, who won the UK sommelier of the year award in 2024. There’s a particular emphasis on offering older vintages and rare options by the glass, though there is more everyday drinking, too.

If the wines are Eurocentric, cocktails take a more global approach, with a Ginza Sour, an umami-laden combination of whisky and a salty-sour umeboshi garnish inspired by Bal and Lake’s drinking sessions in the namesake Tokyo district, which sounds almost as much fun as a night at the Met Bar.

Labombe by Trivet is located at 19 Old Park Ln, London W1K 1LB, United Kingdom.