To fully appreciate South Place Hotel, allow me to give you a potted history of its origins. Rewind to 1953 and a young Terence Conran founded Soup Kitchen – the first restaurant of an empire that would go on to include London stalwarts The Orrery, Neal Street Restaurant, Bibendum, Quaglino's, and many more.
By 2007, Conran had more than served his time – and sold 49% of his business to two of his trusted lieutenants, Des Gunewardena and David Loewi. The resulting (and rebranded) D&D group took up the reins with aplomb, and much of the capital’s luxury restaurant landscape has been shaped by them since: Bluebird Chelsea, Madison, Paternoster Chophouse, 100 Wardour Street: the list goes on.
And when you get to the top of the restaurant game, the only way is up. In this case, seven floors – with their first hotel – up. Welcome to South Place.
South Place is the first purpose-built hotel to be constructed in the City for more than a century
The vibe
D&D’s bread and butter is the City – from 14 Hills to La Pont de la Tour, this is its heartland. So it makes sense that its first hotel would be in the centre of the Square Mile. In this case, about two and a half minutes’ walk from Moorgate.
Launched in 2012, riding the wave of a £50m investment, South Place was actually the first purpose-built hotel to be constructed in the City for more than a century. So this was – and remains – kind of a big deal.
The 80-bedroom, luxury hotel features Conran-designed interiors as a nod to the company’s Godfather. And when it comes to the restaurants and bar offering, you won’t be disappointed. More on that in due course.
The rooms
It’s important – nay, essential – for a hotel to get the basics right. For example, a proper desk where you can work should you need to, with a chair that’s comfortable and at the right height for carrying out said work. Given South Place is located in the centre of the City, it knows that, the chances are, most of its clientele may need to do just that. So yes, it gets that right. And then it adds in a rather fancy reading lamp; a special textured work pad which grips onto your laptop; a built-in wireless chargepad for your phone; and extra plugs not underneath the table or beside your bed but built into the top of the desk. Temporary office complete.
Now for relaxing. There’s a proper bar. With an ice bucket, lemons and limes poised on a wooden chopping board, a bottle of Sipsmith practically begging you to pour it. There are even premixed cocktails from Edmunds should even that feel like too much effort.
The bathrooms are slick – big tubs and welcoming rain showers. The soaps by Heeley London read ‘Oranges & Lemons say the bells of St Clements’ on their wrappers – a nod to St Clement Eastcheap, a few minutes’ walk away. (It was beside this church where citrus fruits were unloaded onto the wharves around London Bridge back in the olde days.)
This is bolstered by vegan body washes and lotions from Hackney’s Soapsmith – all reassuringly local.
In the bedroom, you’ll find a Bang & Olufsen TV that Patrick Bateman would be proud of – and remote-control black-out blinds. (Also Bateman approved.)
Dark wood, plush carpets, silk screens and a bed that can swallow you whole makes this a very lovely place to be.
Food & Drink
One cocktail bar; two restaurants; three terraces; and seven private dining and event spaces. Yep, South Place is suitably armed in the F&B department.
First shout-out is to The Secret Garden, a hidden outdoor terrace with waterfalls, twinkling lights and beautiful, hanging plants. It’s fitted with a retractable roof, ideal for Britain – there’s a reason there are more convertible cars sold in the UK than any European country.
But South Place’s crowning glory is Angler. Since opening in 2013, it was quickly elevated to Michelin-star status within the first year of opening – and has retained the hallowed star ever since.
For the best part of a decade it was in the hands of Gary Foulkes (a disciple of another Gary – this time, Rhodes) until the mantle was passed to Craig Johnston, a MasterChef: The Professionals winner who joined his October from stints at Pollen Street Social (RIP) and as head chef at Marcus Belgravia.
As the name attests, Angler is big on its fish. Indeed, it makes a strong case for being the best seafood restaurant in the capital.
Craig Johnston, head chef of Angler
Stunning snacks at Angler
After tasting his first bite of a succulent Roast Orkney scallop starter – served on a bed of silky squash, topped with a golden-brown caramelised onion garnish – my dining companion simply took a moment, a smile forming at the edge of his mouth. “Wow… that scallop certainly didn’t die in vain!” It was a sentiment that echoed throughout the impressive eight-course tasting menu which saw tuna tartare enlivened by wasabi followed by smoked Loch Duart salmon served with celeriac remoulade and a Pommery-infused mustard. (I have since decided all my mustards should be infused with Pommery.)
The aforementioned scallop was next – probably our favourite dish of the night – before steamed halibut, then St Austell Bay mussels and Newlyn cod with a chicken butter sauce delivered a left-right knockout for our mains.
It was like an ocean-born greatest hits: Now That’s What I Call Seafood.
Yes, there are plenty of veggie and meaty alternatives on the a la carte menu, but we went all in on Angler’s party piece – and it’s fair to say, we were hooked.
Spend a night or two at South Place, and you will be, too.
South Place Hotel, 3 South Pl, London EC2M 2AF; 020 3503 0000; southplacehotel.com
