The Traitors winner Alan Carr on his new approach to drinking January 5, 2026 On Christmas Eve I was on The Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr and Lee Peart’s new podcast Bottom’s Up!, a hilarious series all about friendship and wine, which, as you are reading this ‘Wine Without the Snobbery’ column, may be right up your decanter. Carr clearly has celebrations in mind. “As I approach a milestone [...]
Food trends 2026: What Londoners will eat in the new year December 31, 2025 Another challenging year is over for the London hospitality scene, with restaurateurs great and small left licking their wounds amid the ongoing cost of living crisis and a hostile tax environment. So whats on the horizon for 2026. While the macro forces look equally bleak, the top chefs we surveyed expect to see a return [...]
Could D&D give a shot in the arm to London’s hospitality sector? December 24, 2025 We visited a D&D cafe transforming nightlife in an unloved corner of Elephant and Castle. Can Matt Kenyon slay the goblins facing hospitality? Burrowed within an almost cartoonishly dodgy corner of Elephant and Castle is a nerd’s nirvana. Finance bros sweep in from the Square Mile to swap gilets for broadswords and elven ears. I [...]
I’ve been speaking to CEOs all year – this is what they really think December 24, 2025 After spending a year interviewing some of the UK’s top business leaders, a number of themes have emerged which paint a concerning picture of their confidence in this country’s future prospects – but there is also hope. In 25 episodes of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered podcast series in 2025, a large number of the CEOs [...]
Who made the naughty list in the wine world in 2025? December 23, 2025 This was another fascinating year in the world of wine, with some great initiatives and events celebrating the people who make this vital and brilliant industry tick. But there were also some things on my naughty list… read on to find out who made the cut. Nice List – Aldi Aldi’s wine department is fantastic, [...]
A matter of loaf and death: How to bake the perfect sourdough December 23, 2025 Standing in silence here at Bread Ahead in Borough Market, awaiting our instructions, you could have heard a pin drop. I am here taking a sourdough masterclass and attempting to breathe life into my creation, not to mention keeping my mother – the flour-and-water starter used to make sourdough – alive. Thankfully, the air here [...]
The history of Christmas dinner, from steamed sheep’s head to traditional turkey December 22, 2025 For me, Christmas is always about indulging, with a slap-up dinner at the heart of things. When most people think Christmas dinner, they think turkey, roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts, parsnips, pigs in blankets, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. For many, turkey is the centrepiece. December’s favourite dish has come a long way from humble origins [...]
What I have learned from eight years of sober Christmas December 22, 2025 The last time I had alcohol on Christmas Day was 2017, at the age of 40. This year will mark—excuse me while I count on my fingers—my eighth sober Christmas, enough to make a statistically valid sample. So I thought I would distill any wisdom I’ve gathered from the two slopes of the mountain into [...]
Eating Dave’s Hot Chicken Reaper Tenders – the best of 2025 December 19, 2025 As Dave’s Hot Chicken opens its second branch in Croydon, we revisit this feature in which magazine editor Steve Dinneen attempts to break a UK record for eating the world’s hottest chicken tenders… It did not end well. I feel lightheaded, short of breath and the room has started to spin. Intense waves of heat radiate [...]
Last minute gift guide: Top presents from tech to games and books December 18, 2025 Whoever you’re buying for, we have the perfect present ideas in our guide to the best Christmas gifts 2025. Whether you want cutting edge tech for the nerd in your life or fancy socks to keep dad happy until Boxing day, we have you covered. Christmas gifts 2025: Books Always Remember the Boy, the Mole, [...]