Dave’s Wine Bar: Why I think it’s a Toast the City star Toast the City Dave’s Wine Bar is one of our Toast the City finalists. Libby Brodie visits to find out what makes it such a special drinking den Dave’s Wine Bar is tucked up St James Passage, a handily central space for a glass of great wine in the City. Named for David Howden, the CEO of Howden [...]
We take a food and drink Odyssey through the Square Mile Life&Style As voting for the Toast the City Awards enters its final week, we sent our wine columnist Libby Brodie on a wine Odyssey through the City’s finest bars and restaurants. Vote for your favourites on our website here. As The Odyssey continues to smash records – it’s now Christopher Nolan’s highest ever grossing film – [...]
These are the best restaurants in the City of London Toast the City Bank is almost unrecognisable from when I began my career here with Gaucho in 2004. Fast forward to today and I am the CEO of the Evolv Collection, overseeing 33 venues, nine of which are in the Square Mile. It’s fair to say I love running restaurants in the heart of London. So when it [...]
A tribute to wine legend Matthew Jukes by his friend Libby Brodie August 7, 2026 The wine writer and entrepreneur Matthew Jukes died suddenly this week aged just 58 years old. Our wine writer and his close friend Libby Brodie remembers a legend of the wine industry and beyond Matthew Jukes was one of the very best people I met in my career in wine. Scratch that, he was one [...]
Humble Grape is a wine bar like no other: Here’s its origin story August 4, 2026 Is a bar only as good as its origin story? The calibre of the drinks and service are of, of course, of vital importance but it’s the mythos of a place that gives it that je nais se quoi. Humble Grape, one of our Toast the City Awards 2026 Finalists, has one of the best [...]
Why Horizon 22 Events by Searcys is a City icon July 13, 2026 We have launched the Toast the City awards 2026 and throughout the year we’ll be speaking to some of our nominees – this week, Amber Holdforth, sales and marketing manager at Horizon 22 Events by Searcys tells us all the things she loves about the Square Mile. What makes Horizon 22 Events by Searcys stand [...]
House of the Dragon’s Abubakar Salim dreams of Kenyan kebabs for his last supper June 26, 2026 House of the Dragon star Abubakar Salim tells us what he’d eat for his last meal on earth, from Kenyan kebabs to a warm bowl of ramen My mum has always been the cook in our family. My memories of being young are just my mum being in the kitchen cooking all the time – [...]
Bancone is a pasta restaurant – just don’t call it Italian June 11, 2026 A new restaurant below the imposing walls of the Bank of England is serving pasta – just don’t call this Italian food. I’m told the rare breed beef and marrowbone pasta is a British dish. Is a restaurant Italian because they serve pasta? As any City worker will know, Bancone’s silken threads are kneaded in the [...]
Heinz sandwich ‘automat’ to flog sarnies in Soho for just 57p June 8, 2026 Heinz will next week launch a pop-up “sandwich automat” in Soho, where it will sell 800 sarnies for just 57p a pop – making it quite possibly the cheapest lunch in London. The two-day takeover of 15 Bateman Street is timed to coincide with the start of National Picnic Week, giving Londoners a snack to [...]
Government warned ‘unworkable’ new healthy food rules will backfire June 8, 2026 The food and drink industry has warned Labour its new healthy food red tape will backfire, as manufacturers insist they are already investing millions in making products healthier. Food and drink manufacturers are racing to prove to the government that they are cutting salt, sugar and calories from their products – as Labour plans to [...]