We all fancied a Friday lunch at work so popped into Simpson’s Tavern. Now these taverns/restaurants are a rare treat, you feel like you are being transported back in time. I loved the whole vibe of the place, very homely and you feel like you are in a time machine eating a meal in the 60s/70s.
We all ordered various dishes and I managed to get salmon and a side salad with a gin and tonic. The food was delicious and for the city of London it was well priced. Will definitely come again and one place that you do have to book!
Early morning breakfast was nice, their Full English is exactly the kind of old school hearty English Breakfast you would expect. They just don't have deep fried toast (I know it's disgusting, can't help it).
Service was ok, and definitely worth it for the novelty. Get there early as it can get busy quite quickly.
I visited for lunch with a colleague last year. The service was ok, difficult to get the attention of the waiters most of the time.
The food was typical old school English good grub, and well done meats so that made me very happy. Basically a traditional feeling inside with all the wood panelling. Price wise was ok, it is London after all.
Blast from the past.. I really enjoyed my visit to this old tavern
cramped benches
busy, rushed atmosphere
smells of cooking and shouting from the kitchen
loved the place
reminded me of Parisian eating
I had Smoked Mackerel followed by the Roast Beef special. Shared a lovely bottle of Claret and followed it off with a Sponge pudding.
Old fashioned grub
£40 each including massive tip.
Definitely worth a visit .
Get there early.
This place is fantastic - straight out of Dickens. Matronly service dishing up doughy British originals along with pints of ale. All at shared bench tables. A regular pinstripe banker's hang-out hidden in the heart of The City.
Simpson's Tavern should not be confused with Simpson's in the Strand (also known as Simpson's Divan Tavern) and if a friend suggests you eat at Simpson's, you'd be well advised to check with them exactly which one they are proposing. Both are historic London institutions, both have a thing for roast dinners and both retain much of their old charm, if you like that sort of thing. Simpson's in the Strand may date back to 1828, but as the picture on the left shows, Simpson's Tavern claims heritage back to 1757, the year after Mozart was born. Oddly, Rules , which opened in 1798, claims on its website to be the oldest restaurant in London. Well, let's just say that they're all very old. Simpson's Tavern itself is located just off Cornhill, across from the Royal Exchange and reached via a small alley. It's worth remembering that in 16th/17th century London, what is now The City was the food and restaurant centre of the capital, Cornhill itself being up to that point a hill on which corn was
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