The Dixon — London, UK
![Provisioners restaurant at The Dixon hotel, London, UK](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R428wQxY3irvhxHPgtuM4f-415-80.jpg)
Over a century after it first opened as a Magistrate's Court, the Grade II listed building on London's Tooley Street, has been given a new lease of life as The Dixon.
Architecture firm Consarc Design Group has been careful to restore and preserve the original features of the 1905 Edwardian Baroque pile, while Rani Ahluwalia of M Studio London along with Twenty2degrees has worked to layer the building with modern touches that subtly reference the building's history.
And so, a 20ft beaded-glass chandelier, that on closer inspection, is made up of tiny handcuffs, takes centre stage in the lobby; original benches etched by former prisoners have been dipped in metal and exhibited as art; the original cell keys are displayed as a feature wall; surrealist interpretations of famous faces from Charlie Chaplin to George Orwell line the walls; and mugshots of previous petty criminals are displayed in the former courtroom, which is now the bar.
Here, against a backdrop of original Edwardian oak panels, perch at the sunken marble bar beneath the judge's original canopy and sip on a preprandial negroni before heading next door to Provisioners, the latest offering from restaurateur Clive Watson of London favourites, Blixen and Lorne.
Designed by Twenty2degrees, the all-day dining space takes its cues from European café culture with a nod to the Bauhaus era – with minimal, linear and geometrical shapes in clean, bold colours – and British industrial designer Sir Kenneth Grange, who gifted work from his personal notebook that now hangs on the walls. A lively backdrop then to enjoy the modern European menu filled with comfort dishes such as the hot brie balls served with a sweet gooseberry and chilli dip, or the the tender lamb shoulder with sun-dried tomato, courgettes and a lemon and anchovy sauce.
Upstairs, the 193 rooms – split between the original building and a newly built addition – are inviting cocoons dressed in a contemporary palette of sobering greys, bright yellows and blues, blackened steel and beehive tiles in the bathrooms, which together, makes it the perfect bolthole to come back to after exploring nearby sites like Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe. Before you head out, make sure to grab a coffee to go from the restaurant's adjoining café, which serves delicious small bites from cakes to toasted sandwiches alongside the hotel's own branded coffee called Shakedown.
ADDRESS
211 Tooley Street
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Lauren Ho is the Travel Director of Wallpaper*, roaming the globe, writing extensively about luxury travel, architecture and design for both the magazine and the website. Lauren serves as the European Academy Chair for the World's 50 Best Hotels.
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
Cabaret, martinis and Yorkshire puddings: The Cockatoo by Bistrotheque has it all
The Cockatoo, a bar, restaurant and performance space designed by Nice Projects, adds spice and rhythm to storied east London venue Bistrotheque
By Daven Wu Published
-
Recharge at Praktyka, the glamping spot all creatives should know
Architectural cabins and art workshops await at Praktyka, a creative retreat on the wild North Devon coast
By Tom Howells Published
-
Tollington’s is the new Spanish-inspired fish bar making a splash in north London
Tollington’s in Finsbury Park is a new opening from the team behind The Plimpsoll, championing Spanish-style dining and interiors
By Billie Brand Published
-
The Orangery at Kensington Palace offers high tea and verdant vistas in a royal London setting
The Orangery at Kensington Palace Gardens is the perfect green setting for a sunny day treat of afternoon tea and more
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Meet Paradise 2.0: the beloved Soho-based Sri Lankan restaurant, reinvented
Paradise 2.0 embraces tropical brutalism following a renovation by Dan Preston Studio
By Billie Brand Published
-
Step inside the majestic Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
In matching its exclusive and central location, a sleek building by RSHP houses the new ultra-refined Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Soak up London’s sunshine at these stylish rooftop bars
Discover the best London rooftop bars, from the Middle Eastern-themed Yasmin Soho to Spanish tapas haven, Amano Rooftop Bar
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Celebrate summer in Ladbroke Hall’s new garden dining space
The London arts space introduces an al fresco oasis boasting a landscape design by Luciano Giubbilei and a pavilion by Jean Prouvé
By Sofia de la Cruz Published