The story
Simpson’s in The Strand brings acclaimed British cuisine back to the heart of London under the stewardship of Jeremy King and executive chef David Stephens. The kitchen champions traditional British cooking by securing Devon Red Ruby beef from Exmoor farms. The cattle graze on natural pasture before their carcasses hang on the bone for four weeks. Stephens roasts the joint over open fires, applying constant basting until the meat arrives at the table within sixty seconds, earning a recent National Restaurant Award for preserving historical methods.
The Grand Divan extends well beyond the roast, offering boiled ham with parsley sauce and a rotating selection of daily pies. Evening service frequently features a whole rabbit accompanied by morel mushrooms and grain mustard fricassee. Diners seeking lighter British fare visit the adjacent Romano’s restaurant, where the post-theatre set menu pairs pork and herb faggots with sautéed green beans and concludes with a chocolate éclair.
The original 1828 coffee house evolved into a celebrated centre for chess, hosting Adolf Anderssen during his famous Immortal Game in 1851. Today’s Grand Divan retains polished Art Deco joinery and glazing installed during the 1930s renovations. A bronze clock above the entrance famously stopped ticking the moment women were permitted inside in 1984. Guests also gather at the adjoining bar for Lancashire cheese puffs and tequila-based cocktails between theatre intervals.
Recognition
Ambience
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