Sometimes there is nothing better than unearthing that perfect go-to restaurant, where you know a table will always be available, the service spot-on, the atmosphere approachable and the menu filled with crowd-pleasing classics.
And while the original Ivy restaurant has honed its reputation for upscale exclusivity, Caprice Holdings has smartly traded on that, to create a series of accessible, informal neighbourhood restaurants, first with its grills and brasseries arm and now with a string of cafés- all of which possess that distinct Ivy prestige but with a comforting openness.
Following Marylebone and Wimbledon Village, the third opening to join the group’s fleet of cafés, is on St John’s Wood High Street. Here, London-based Martin Brudnizki Design Studio has assembled a dazzling eye-catcher that is anchored by an antique onyx bar, gold pendant lighting and marble flooring underfoot. That further leads into a dining space where a feature skylight sits above cosy burnt orange banquettes and mirrored walls overlaid with glass murals depicting various wildlife.
Open seven days a week, the all-day diner serves up a vast menu of comforting bites to suit all tastes, from creamy Eggs Benedict to cottage pie, a series of tummy-filling sandwiches and good ol’ crispy battered fish and chips. Of course, a Saturday spent shopping wouldn’t be complete without popping in for an indulgent champagne afternoon tea, served with a selection of savouries along with freshly baked fruited scones, clotted cream and strawberry preserve.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
120 St John’s Wood High Street
-
The artistry of Japanese wineFine wine from Japan may not yet register highly on the radars of most oenophiles, but for those who know, it's a hugely rewarding and rich tapestry of flavour. Drinks expert, Neil Ridley visits London's Luna Omakase for the launch of a new dedicated Japanese wine pairing menu
-
In Los Angeles, Darling doesn’t want to be your average dinner spotVinyl, live-fire cooking, and California’s finest ingredients come together in this immersive new concept from a celebrated Southern chef
-
Ashlyn, the quietly romantic New York label from a Yohji Yamamoto alumnaThe focus of our latest Uprising column, Seoul-born Ashlyn Park worked for fashion greats before starting her own label in 2020. Showing her S/S 2026 collection at NYFW yesterday, she talks to Wallpaper* about marrying Japanese influences with the romance of Parisian savoir-faire
-
Carmela’s joins London’s pizza renaissanceA Little Italy-inspired pizzeria lands in Islington with 13-inch pies, pepperoni heat and big flavour energy
-
Has the ice cream parlour come of age?A global wave of architecture studios is treating the scoop as spectacle, turning parlours into immersive social spaces
-
Legado brings a bold Spanish legacy to ShoreditchMichelin-starred chef Nieves Barragán Mohacho’s second venture marries design-led interiors with regional Spanish flavours rarely found in London
-
The Macbeth, an icon of indie sleaze, goes from grotty to gastroAn East End legend meets Portuguese small plates in Jamie Allan’s ambitious revival of a beloved Hackney watering hole
-
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
