English wine has moved up a notch – here’s why May 26, 2026 English wine is on the up, from Kent’s new Wine Garden of England collective to the Surrey Hills Wine Week. How English counties are racing to establish distinct regional identities English wine is considered a collaborative rather than a competitive industry. The feeling was “a rising tide lifts all ships” as our wines began to [...]
No, you don’t hate Chardonnay. Here’s why it’s your favourite grape May 20, 2026 Here’s why you love Chardonnay (yes, really), by our wine columnist Libby Brodie Move over Christmas, take a sidestep Easter, because this Thursday 21 May it is National Chardonnay Day. For any of the ABC crowd (those who drink ‘anything but Chardonnay’) I am here to tell you that you love this grape… and you [...]
Pan Pacific London director: The City is ‘incredibly special’ May 15, 2026 We have launched the Toast the City awards 2026 and throughout the year we’ll be speaking to some of the nominees. Today we caught up with Pan Pacific London director of marketing communications Michelle Whittemore, whose hotel has been nominated in the Best Overnight Experience category. To nominate your favourite Square Mile spots, from bars [...]
Eurostar menu: We were first to try the new food – was it good? May 14, 2026 As the debate rages about whether it’s okay to drink pints of lager at 5am before boarding a Ryanair flight (how else are you supposed to get through it?), we at City AM turn our thoughts to an altogether more refined method of transport: the Eurostar. Readers of City AM hardly need to be educated [...]
Campanelle hopes to pick up Toast the City Best Restaurant win May 13, 2026 Campanelle is one of our favourite new Square Mile restaurants, a vast Italian dining room set inside the beautifully restored London Shipping Exchange on Billiter Street. Created by restaurateur Ninai Zarach, the all-day venue is an excellent showcase for grand City architecture. The menu takes inspiration from across Italy, catering for everything from breakfast meetings [...]
Music and wine is the ultimate pairing- where to enjoy it this summer May 12, 2026 If music is the food of love, no wonder it pairs so well with wine. Many great wine houses have clocked this already, but none so perfectly as Krug Champagne who have worked with famous composers to create truly exceptional artistic experiences. In February I was invited to the Roundhouse in London’s Chalk Farm for [...]
Evolv: Revenue at Quaglinos, Coq d’Argent, Madison and Bluebird owner soars May 8, 2026 The group behind restaurants including Quaglinos, Coq d’Argent, Madison and Bluebird has seen its earnings surge despite the challenges facing the hospitality sector. Evolv – formerly D&D London – saw revenue increase 20 per cent from £126.3m to £151.6m year-on-year, with Ebitda rising from £2.6m to £14.6m. Evolv reported a modest loss of £6.8m for [...]
This is how to choose between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris May 6, 2026 While on Alan Carr and Lee Peart’s podcast Bottoms Up recently, Peart asked me what is the difference between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris. I replied, “one of them is drinkable”, which was perhaps a little unfair. It is true I would never choose to drink Pinot Grigio, but it remains one of the most [...]
The Inner Table podcast host: Why it’s wrong to demonise alcohol April 30, 2026 Our wine columnist Libby Brodie has teamed up with her friend Anna Lancaster to launch a new podcast exploring the meeting point between wellness, wine and food. We caught up with her to ask what we can expect from The Inner Table: The Art of Living Well. Why does The Inner Table stand apart from [...]
Our favourite Square Mile rooftop bars – one for every vibe April 30, 2026 In this series, we round up the best sky-high drinking spots across London. The first of the area focuses on the London rooftop bar options in the Square Mile. Madison, Coq d’Argent and Sushisamba are old favourites, but how do they fare against newer openings like Aviary, Sabine and PocketSquare? And which one should take [...]