The trend for casual dining continues apace, with the launch of Basque chef Eneko Atxa’s new restaurant in London’s One Aldwych hotel.
A departure from the precise creations at his three-Michelin star establishment Azurmendi, in Bilbao, the food here, is playful and casual, with a DNA that is a clear extension of the chef’s fine-dining Basque roots. As such, dishes such as the fish soup, which has been reduced to an intense, treacle-like consistency, are compact with powerful flavours, while the hake’s light tempura batter, provides a delicate steam casing, allowing the fish – rightly revered by the Spanish – to be delivered in perfect simplicity.
This is all served up in a space outfitted by London-based firm Casson Mann, who smartly addressed the challenges of the restaurant’s basement location with an intelligent design and a strong attention to detail; a palette of rich reds, neutrals and copper panelling emerges in a range of of fabrics across the banquettes and in furnishings such as the butterfly-jointed tables, which highlight artisanal quality.
The absence of a ceiling allows diners to look upwards where a mezzanine bar, suspended over the restaurant, is the perfect spot for a pre-prandial glass of wine from Atxa's own vineyards, pared with a selection of delicious Basque-inspired bar bites.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
1 Aldwych
-
Let there be light: a closer look at Prada’s stripped-back S/S 2026 show set‘This is the first time the Fondazione is completely bare, with the light coming in,’ said Raf Simons backstage at Prada’s ‘light, fresh, colourful’ and ‘human’ S/S 2026 men’s show in Milan
-
A Swedish scooter blends Teenage Engineering’s aesthetic with accessible electric mobilityThe EPA1 Scooter is the first product from mobility start-up Vässla, an assured and flexible design shaped in conjunction with TE to assist everyday urban mobility
-
Discover Canadian modernist Daniel Evan White’s pitch-perfect homesCanadian architect Daniel Evan White (1933-2012) had a gift for using the landscape to create extraordinary homes; revisit his story in an article from the Wallpaper* archives (first published in 2011)
-
The best bars in London for bartending greatnessFrom chic hotel cocktail classics to game-changing flavour combinations, our resident drinks correspondent, Neil Ridley, explores ten of the best bars in London
-
NoMad London’s new restaurant fast-tracks you to New York’s jazz ageMartin Brudnizki Design Studio conjures up old-world glamour at Twenty8 NoMad, where the menu features nearly as many martini variations as main courses
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria AngelinaA Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
This Hackney bar is reviving London’s legacy of lesbian spacesDesigned by Studio Popelo and Wet Studio, La Camionera emerges as a vital sanctuary for London’s FLINTA* community, honouring it right down to the details
-
Time-travel to the golden age of the cruise ship at Sea Containers LondonThe South Bank hotel celebrates its tenth anniversary with four new suites inspired by period cabin design, from Edwardian elegance to 1980s glamour
-
Twin Peaks’ Double R Diner is coming to London (for a day)Mubi marks Twin Peaks’ 35th anniversary with pop-up diner and streaming release
-
Ukrainian restaurant Sino adds to London's diverse food culture with warming traditions that feel familiar yet newPronounced see-no, the new Ukrainian restaurant in Notting Hill, by Polina Sychova and chef Eugene Korolev, is built on the intimate relationship between people and nature – offering beauty in simplicity
-
Art, pasta and maritozzi: this is Locatelli at the National GalleryChef Giorgio Locatelli is the National Gallery’s new Italian master with the latest chapter of his beloved London restaurant
