The best things the CODE team ate this week: 7 August 2020

45 Jermyn Street

I was very happy returning to 45 Jermyn Street following it’s post-lockdown re-opening. Its well-lit, 1940’s American-style dining room and bar is one of my favoured spots in the city. It opens for breakfast and stays open all day for a late dinner service – I chose Sunday lunchtime for my visit so I could luxuriate in the space with no pressure to be anywhere else. Chicken liver pate and Welsh rarebit started us off, both deliciously rich – the perfect Sunday indulgence. To follow we ordered roast beef with all the trimmings – enormous Yorkshire puddings and tender beef were polished with ease. The slow amble around St James’s park was a necessary digestif.
Edward Pettifer, Events and marketing manager

Tavolino

New restaurants have been a rareity of late for obvious reasons but since 4 July a few have opened their doors that were due to open in March and April. One of these is Italian restaurant Tavolino by Tower Bridge and instantly has to go into the top 5 restaurants with best views in London. Their sprawling terrace and two floor restaurant has views to Tower Bridge and across the river to the City and the Tower of London. This restaurant suits the area well with a casual Italian menu made up of antipasti, pizzas, pastas and secondi. The Sicilian red prawn bucatini was the highlight of the dishes we ate.
Adam Hyman, Founder

Baozilnn Soho

Back open and offering guests a taste of northern China, BaoziInn in Soho made for a fantastic lunch. Despite an outside temperature of 34 degrees, there was plenty of space (and incredible air-con) inside. Not that we needed any excuse to indulge in Chengdu dumplings, and prawn wonton with great selection of sides including deliciously silky tofu with pickled vinegar and chillis and some crunchy crispy fried prawns. Despite it being lunch, this epic feast was topped off with a spicy ginger Aperol and a chamomile Negroni. What’s more? BaoziInn have joined the Government’s eat out help out scheme. Perfect.
Tom Pilgrim, Partners & Memberships

Hot Numbers

Having still not returned to the capital post lockdown, I’m becoming increasingly envious of the endless Instagram stories of people at my favourite London restaurants. So, I decided to head to one of the best brunch spots in Cambridge. I’ve never been able to skip past pancakes on a menu, so it was buttermilk pancakes topped with honeycomb, strawberry and cream for me on Sunday. Granted, things are a bit different nowadays, but those pancakes are definitely worth queuing up in a mask for.
Harriet Prior, Editorial assistant

The Vineyard, Berkshire

When we’re usually looking to board a flight for a long weekend in Europe, the summer of 2020 seems like no better a time to embrace the staycation and explore country hotels around the UK. A hop up the M4 from London is The Vineyard at Stockcross, just outside Newbury, that is owned by Sir Peter Michael and has a strong focus on wine. The hotel has done a summer popup called Inside Out, that focuses on quality produce in airy surroundings with dishes such as their in-house cured smoked salmon and grilled lobster with fries. For those who like their wine, they’ve a very strong Californian section with a number of Sir Peter’s bottles available.
Adam Hyman, Founder

Lobster and chips, The Vineyardt

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