After hours

A place to share your insider knowledge of the best places to unwind where you live or work. Everything from cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants through to galleries, venues and events.

Retired Member 

London Pub - The French House

I say pub - it's kind of something more. Yes there's a restaurant upstairs but it's not just that - it's genuinely different and a little eccentric. It's tiny. It's packed. The walls are packed with interesting photos. It also has a bit of a history of being interesting, Charles de Gaulle drank there during the second world war for example. Mauric...

18 November 2008

Retired Member 

London Pub - The Lamb

You'll find The Lamb tucked down the end of Lamb's Conduit Street and a short 10 minute stroll from Holborn and Russell Square tubes. The street is also home to one of my favourite bike shops - Bikefix - home to all manner of weird and wonderful urban bikes. The street and pub are named after William Lamb, a philanthropist from the 16th century who...

17 November 2008

Retired Member 

Share your favourite after hours haunts with us!

Can it really be that long since I posted my first blog - this review of the Black Friar? Apparently so - not far off two years! How time flies when you're having fun. Well we've been threatening to rename the London food and drink group for some time - so I've finally done it. Welcome to AFTER HOURS - a revived and rejuvenated group with an exte...

17 November 2008

Retired Member 

Indrapura - Amsterdam

Ok, so not a London restaurant (yes, I do know what community this is being posted to!) but a fantastic indonesian restaurant in the middle of Amsterdam - great recommendation from a local - needs booking since busy even mid-week. See www.indrapura.nl or phone +31 (0)20 623 73 29.

25 January 2008

Retired Member 

Canteen - London restaurant review

I walk past the Royal Festival Hall daily and have been relieved to see the renovation work by Allies and Morrison architects has managed to keep the character of the place. I've also been meaning to pop into the restaurant around the back called Canteen. So last night I did. My friend and I sat outside - it was a warm evening anyway but the heate...

12 October 2007

Nick Hastings 

Room with a view

Galvin at Windows is a stunning new French restaurant situated on the 28th floor of the Hilton Hotel on London's Park Lane, and probably has the most stunning restaurant view in the whole of London. A pre or post dinner drink in the bar with its 360 degrees view over London is well worth taking your time over as there is so much to take in. When y...

03 April 2007

Nick Hastings 

Prism a venue for all occasions

Occupying the former Bank of New York building on Leadenhall Street, Prism restaurant and bar is an ideal choice for after work drinks, dinner or lunch. The basement bar has an excellent choice of beers, wine and cocktails both alcoholic and non-alcoholic – very handy if you’re on the wagon. Plus a good selection of bar snacks, ideal for a quick w...

30 January 2007 /wholesale

Nick Hastings 

Fine Riverside Dining - Pont de la Tour

I ‘ve been to Le Pont de la Tour on a number of occasions and it gets better every time. It’s well worth popping over Tower Bridge and enjoying the views of the City from the restaurant and in summer it offers delightful alfresco dining. The wine list is superb especially if you are a fan of French wines and the French cuisine is well worthy of it...

26 January 2007 /regulation

Retired Member 

London pub - The Black Friar

Curious web-shaped, mosaic-encrusted relic now run by Nicholsons. Dating from 1875, the pub was modernised in 1905 in an Arts and Crafts style - hence the mosaic exterior and interior. Not like any pub we can think of - lots of strange, vaulted, tucked away places to take in the ambience. It's non-smoking throughout, which is refreshing - and ther...

22 January 2007