In a nutshell
On a corner facing the Coach & Horses pub (once the famous haunt of the journalist Jeffrey Bernard), Kettner’s is in the heart of Soho. The original restaurant was opened in 1867 by August Kettner, believed to have been Napoleon III’s chef, and last week it was reopened by the Soho House private members’ group. This is a restaurant and bar with 33 super-smart, art nouveau-style rooms in a series of Georgian townhouses. You do not have to be a Soho House member to sleep, eat or drink here, although the property backs on to Soho House London (with no connecting corridor).
What are the rooms like?
They’re lavishly decorated, with flowery wallpaper, marble bathrooms, acorn-coloured velvet sofas and minibars stocked with fine wines. Windows have been well soundproofed, so there is no Soho noise. The rooms are reached by lifts or a winding staircase with a brass handrail. The cheapest “Tiny” rooms are decent value for the heart of theatreland: from £225, room only.
Which is the best room?
The biggest room, the Jacobean Suite, is massive, with oak panelling and a dining table for eight (from £800, room only). Room 12, on a corner on the second floor facing the Coach & Horses, is also great (from £550, room only).
So what’s the food like?
Meals are served in a splendid dining room with 1920s mirrors, a parquet floor, candles and oriental screens between tables. The menu covers everything from roasted bone marrow on toast to caviar blinis and poached chicken with a broth. My Normandy oysters with lemon and Tabasco sauce were juicy and fresh, while my fillet steak with (good) fries and a spicy peppercorn sauce was a perfect medium-rare, with a steamy portion of spinach on the side. I enjoyed the Bourdaloue tart with crème fraîche. Three courses cost from about £28.
Who goes there?
Celebrities and media types.
The highs, the lows, the verdict
Nine out of ten
This is marvellously OTT, with superb cocktails in the dimly lit Champagne Bar, but a night out can be very pricey (with drinks) and, for those staying over, breakfast is extra.
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Need to know
Tom Chesshyre was a guest of Kettner’s Townhouse (020 7734 5650, kettnerstownhouse.com), 29 Romilly Street, London W1D 5HP; room-only doubles cost from £225; wheelchair-access rooms available; no single-occupancy discount; no dogs allowed
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