Best Restaurants, Bars and Things to Do in the City of London

via londonf00die

📍 Pool House, Liverpool Street 🎱🍸The newest and dare I say BEST game bar in London?🍸🎱 @poolhouse.uk is the kind of place you pop into and somehow end up staying all night. Great food, cocktails flowing, and such a fun atmosphere - the perfect spot for after-work drinks, dates, or a night out with friends ✨ We had: 🫛 Edamame 🍗 Popcorn Chicken 🥟 Duck Bao 🍔 Cheeseburger Sliders 🎱 The Game: this isn't your standard game of pool. Their interactive tables come with loads of different challenges that make it so much more fun. One game had us chipping away hexagons on the board to score points, another was Mario Kart inspired with bananas that deducted points, and one had us bouncing the ball off the sides while trying not to sink it into the surrounding water. Such a fun twist on classic pool and perfect whether you're competitive or just there for the laughs. 🙌 Also have to mention the staff - so lovely, welcoming, and made the whole experience even better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Final verdict: @poolhouse.uk has really nailed it. Great food, good drinks, fun games, and a genuinely good vibe. Somewhere you'll definitely want to come back to!! ✨ Highly recommend for your next night out! Thank you for having me❤️❤️ @poolhouse.uk *invite

via proper_boozers

📍Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese ❌Nil

via Living London History

Have you seen London's smallest sculpture? 👀 It can be found on Philpot Lane in the City of London and has a dramatic local story to explain its origins. It is right next to the Walkie Talkie and entrance to the Sky Garden so you could combine it with a visit there. For copies of my first book, there is a link in my bio. #london #londonhistory #hiddenlondon #londontravel #secretlondon

via Living London History

The stories and legends of the mysterious London Stone. This block of oolitic limestone has possibly been in this area of London going back to the Roman period, perhaps even further… It is mentioned in Shakespeare, the works of William Blake and legend has it that London's prosperity depends on its survival. Have you seen it and what do you think of this unique London landmark? #london #londonhistory #londontravel #hiddenlondon #secretlondon

via proper_boozers

📍The Blackfriar ❌ Nil

via bowlofchalk

Georgian houses are known for having lantern windows or fan windows above the front doors which allowed light to come in to the corridor during the day and for lanterns inside the house to light the street at night. However, this created security risks. Thieves would remove the glass and if they didn't gave a hook, lower a child down to unlatch the door and remove the security chain. Georgian home owners came up with an ingenious security solution, an example of which can still be seen today in London at @benjaminfranklinhouse and I believe @drjohnsonshouse. #london #history #georgian

via This Food Bangz

Must try South African Meat and wine taster menu 🇿🇦 @vivatbacchus South African restaurant is doing an event called Club carnivore features a five-course menu paired with five bold and expressive South African wines, hand-selected by the restaurant's expert wine team for £100pp Guests can look forward to a selection of lekker dishes, including smoked ostrich, boerwors sosatie, braised springbok, and more unique offerings that spotlight the immense flavours of South African cuisine. Next Club Carnivore is 15 May at Farringdon Branch #invite #southafricanfood #wine #meat

via Living London History

Have you heard about the time a City of London church was sold to the United States of America? St Mary Aldermanbury was a medieval church, that burnt down in the Great Fire before being subsequently rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren. The church was then gutted in the Blitz and the ruins shipped over the Atlantic and rebuilt to commemorate a very specific event. #london #londonhistory #usahistory #londontravel #ww2history

via londonf00die

📍PYO Pick Your Own, Broadgate Circle Just opened and already getting a lot of attention…🥗💚 Swung by PYO for a work lunch today and it's safe to say this one's a solid new addition to London's lunch scene💥 I had: 🥗 Everyone Picks (Coronation) Caesar (Baby spinach & herbs, soft British leaves, chicken crackling, sourdough croutons, coronation caesar dressing, pulled rotisserie chicken & crumbled Lancashire cheese (590 kcal, 38g protein)) 🥑 Avo & Chips (Baby spinach & herbs, miso pearl barley & grains, smokey cucumbers, green herb salsa, lemon & basil dressing, avo & cucumber guac & torn roast potatoes (678 kcal, 13g protein)) The Coronation Caesar was the standout for me - super satisfying and packed with protein without feeling too heavy 💥 The Avo & Chips is a great plant-based option too - fresh, filling and a bit different from your usual salad bowl thanks to the grains and potatoes. Perfect work lunch spot - quick, nutritious and actually keeps you full through the afternoon 🙌 Still new so expect a bit of a buzz at peak times, but definitely one to add to your lunch rotation 👀 *invite @invyted.app

via Living London History

Have you seen this wonderful monument to London history on the North bank of the Thames? For one, it is located at Queenhithe, the oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon dock in the country. You will also find a 30 metre long mosaic covering London's nearly two thousand year history, incorporating pottery and shells found on the foreshore. It was made by @tessahunkin as part of the London School of Mosaics with around 300 volunteers. One to add to the London list! #london #londonhistory #londontravel #londontrip #londonart

via bowlofchalk

St Bride's Church on Fleet Street is a wonderful church in the City of London with connections to journalists and printers and has some great artifacts in the crypt, including some sections of Roman pavement, revealed during the bombing raids of WW2. Those same bombs revealed another secret @stbrideschurch was hiding, which remarkably had been missed by Christopher Wren in the late 17th century ...a medieval Charnel House packed with about 7,000 bones of those once buried in the surrounding grave yards. Many thanks to head verger Robin, who very kindly took me to see the remains and also where many others are stored.

via Living London History

A look inside Britain�s most famous courthouse: The Old Bailey. The phrase �if walls could talk� comes to mind, this building has witnessed many of the most famous and infamous court cases in British history. Oscar Wilde, the Kray Twins, Dr Crippen, Ruth Ellis, Dennis Nilsen, the list goes on. But did you know you can go on a tour of it? The Old Bailey, or the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, dates from 1907, but as is often the case with London it has a history that stretches back much further. You are taken in to see the spectacular Grand Hall, two court rooms, the court cells and the judge�s dining room. It is amazing and slightly unsettling to be seated in a room where some of the most notorious criminals as well as the unjustly convicted have been tried. There is a link in my bio for my full blog post as always and links to book. #london #londonhistory #londontravel #londonarchitecture #secretlondon

via bowlofchalk

Thanks to @sallyweather from @itvnews / @itvlondon for letting me show her around Chancery Lane a bit to explore my bit of hidden London.

Barbican Centre

via samaspeaks_

* I meant early May bank holiday 🫣 We're taking advantage of this three day weekend by experiencing the world (honestly, this weekend it's mainly Latin America) without leaving London. Here is my Early May Bank Holiday itinerary: Saturday 1. The Latin American Market on Liverpool Grove - 10am-4pm 2. East Street Market - the prices are so cheap I felt like I was in 2006 @eaststreet.market 3. Dinner: El Señorío Criollo - Peruvian rotisserie chicken, homemade chips and three homemade sauces AND salad for £10 @elsenoriocriollolondres Sunday: 1. Tina's Tea @tinasteacompany 2. Raqueta y Reggaeton @raquetayreggaeton Tennis 4:15-5:45, absolute beginners friendly Reggaeton social 6-9pm Monday: 1. Mexico Vivo Festival (found out from @mexibrits ) Celebration of Mexican culture at Hackney Bridge Street food, arts and craft shops, music - including Mariachi's and workshops 2. Las Poderosas - Colombian Queens, part of La Linea, the London Latin Music Festival at @barbicancentre A concert - Colombian icons bringing porto, ballenato, marimba and more Enjoy <3 #travellingaroundtheworldwithoutleavinglondon #thingstodoinlondon #london #londonguide culture

Bancone City

via Lets Discover

Nine rooms. The city doesn't stop. @ignilondon_ opening on St George Street, Mayfair. Theo Clench left a Michelin kitchen and built a fire. Seafood-forward, tuna cuts you won't find elsewhere. Counter seat if you can get one. @bancone.pasta opens its fifth location in the City. Same silk handkerchief carbonara. Now with booth seating in EC2. The pasta hasn't changed. @cuepointldn finally has a permanent home in White City. Mursal Saiq and Joshua Moroney's British-Afghan BBQ now has 200 seats and a garden. The smoke has an address. @jimmyspopup turns the rotisserie on the South Bank after a decade of BBQ. Every table faces the river. One bird, done right. @the.latimer opens in Ladbroke Grove. The Spiteri family — behind St John and Rochelle Canteen — opens their own pub. Fin cooks oxtail with mash. Go eat. @mikomeifair takes over the Curzon Street room from Koyn Thai. Chef Soonthorn Apaipat sharpens it. Robata-led, ingredient-first. The Peking duck Penang curry is already the one. @jolene_bridlelane opens inside The Aries flagship on Bridle Lane. Two floors, seasonal pastries, proper bread. Flour in Soho. Worth the slow. @kinzrestaurant opens in a 1930s bank on Notting Hill Gate. All-day Lebanese with proper bones. Order the things you don't recognise. @mana.mayfair is the Thesleff Group's luxury Japanese room. Dark wood, premium wagyu. Not a trend piece. Come when you mean it. Swipe for the full details on each. Comment EAT on any slide you want to know more about. #LondonRestaurants #NewOpenings #LondonEats #NewRestaurants #LondonFoodie #LetsDiscover

Philpot Ln

via Living London History

Have you seen London's smallest sculpture? 👀 It can be found on Philpot Lane in the City of London and has a dramatic local story to explain its origins. It is right next to the Walkie Talkie and entrance to the Sky Garden so you could combine it with a visit there. For copies of my first book, there is a link in my bio. #london #londonhistory #hiddenlondon #londontravel #secretlondon

Vintry and Mercer

via raisingislainlondon_

Step right up 🎪✨ AD Enter a world of wonder where the magic of the circus meets a spectacular afternoon tea at @vintryandmercer Playful sweets and show-stopping treats come together in a delightful performance, with every bite bursting with colour, flavour, and fun! Little ringmasters can enjoy their own magical adventure with the Junior Circus Tea, perfect for smiles, surprises, and sweet moments. 🎪 FAQ's 🎪 📍 Location: Under the big top 💰 Adults: From £54.50 | Kids: £39.50 📅 Weekends + daily during school holidays ⏰ 12:30pm – 5:00pm The circus is in town… and it's never tasted so magical ✨ #londonafternoontea #afternoontea #londonfoodguide #londonforkids #explorelondon

St Stephen Walbrook

via Living London History

What Is This Odd Little Building In The City Of London? The City of London is very much a patchwork of the centuries. Each era jostles for space in the tightly-packed financial district, where the Romans established Londinium, nearly two thousand years ago. Not far from the Bank of England, wedged between a 17th century church and a 21st century glass office block you will find a curious little building. it is towered over today and many compare it to the house from the films Up or Stuart Little. But what is inside? It is, in fact, the home of the City of London�s only family-run private members� club, The Walbrook Club. It is not as old as it might initially seem, it is a pastiche, but is indicative of the rich tapestry of lives, whims and tussles that make up London�s history and cityscape. I have walked past it many times and have always been intrigued by it, so I was delighted to be invited to have a nose around. A Lost River The building sits just off a street called Walbrook. This nods to one of London�s �lost rivers�, the River Walbrook, that once flowed along this route, through the heart of Roman London and into the Thames. A map of London in 1300, wiht the Walbrook running through the middle of the city. Image from wikimedia commons, licensed under CC by SA 3.0. The Walbrook was eventually culverted and built over in the 15th and 16th centuries. On the banks of the Walbrook in the Roman period was the Temple of Mithras, a underground Roman cult temple. The remains of these can be seen today underneath the ultra-modern Bloomberg Building opposite the Walbrook Club. I have written a blog post about it before here. The remains of the temple were discovered in the rubble of the Blitz, during post-war rebuilding. This brings me on to the origins of the Walbrook Club building itself. Post-War Origins The City of London was extremely heavily bombed during the Blitz. As you can see from the bomb damage map below, the area around Walbrook was largely destroyed, purple designating �damaged beyond repair�. The night of the 10th-11th May 1941, was particularly devastating, often referred to as the �Second Great Fire of London� due to the sweeping destruction caused by incendiary bombs. 1,000 tons of bombs were dropped on London by the Luftwaffe that night, claiming 1,486 lives and destroying 11,000 houses. The tide was low in the river and broken water mains deprived the firefighters of water. Buildings ablaze on Queen Victoria Street, very close to Walbrook on the night of the 10th/11th May 1941. Image from wikimedia commons. The Walbrook Club building was constructed in the early 1950s on this bombsite, nestled up against the side of Wren�s 17th century St Stephen Walbrook church. the walbrook club The building was designed and built for property developer Rudolph Palumbo as the family offices. It was designed in the style of a Queen Anne townhouse, to give it a homely feel. Rudolph was born in London in 1901 to Italian immigrant parents Pasquale and Gaetana Palumbo, who ran a cafe on nearby Lower Thames Street. rudolph palumbo A painting of Rudolph Palumbo over the fireplace in the dining room He made a fortune before the war through his property development company City Acre and then after the war by developing bombsites. He was buried in the churchyard of St Stephen Walbrook after his death in 1987. His son, Peter Palumbo, also became a property developer. A Controversial Development Peter Palumbo in 1974, image from wikimedia commons Peter Palumbo�s career was not without controversy. From 1962�1985, Palumbo commissioned and pushed for a 19-storey modernist office tower designed by German-born pioneering modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe on the corner of Poultry and Queen Victoria Street. The proposal was highly contentious, with modernist architecture enthusiasts pitted against conservationists. Prince Charles notoriously described the design as a �glass stump�. A model of the Mies Van Der Rohe tower in the bar of the club. Part of the plan was a public square, outside what is now the Ned. The plan was eventually quashed. An alternative scheme, that did get approved, was the post-modernist Number One Poultry by James Stirling, completed in 1997. The site was previously occupied by a Victorian Neo-Gothic Mappin and Webb building, which was controversially demolished in 1994. number one poultry mappin and webb building The Victorian Mappin and Webb building that it replaced, photograph from 1902. Image from wikimedia commons. Number One Poultry received a Grade II* listing in 2016 for its unique architecture, making it one of the youngest listed buildings in the country. number one poultry view The view from the rooftop of Number One Poultry Peter was heavily involved in the arts, being the last Chairman of the unified Arts Council of Great Britain. He was also a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978-85, as well as chairing, or being the trustee for, various other arts and architecture organisations: the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, Architecture Foundation and more. St Stephen Walbrook st stephen walbrook As I mentioned, the club is nestled up against the side of St Stephen Walbrook church, one of Sir Christopher Wren�s most magnificent post-Great Fire of London churches. Completed in 1672, St Stephen�s was used by Wren to practice designs he then implemented in St Paul�s Cathedral. st stephen walbrook Peter Palumbo was a churchwarden and led a restoration of the church from 1978-87, strengthening the foundations and installing a new altar designed by Henry Moore. The central, circular design was meant to represent the Eucharist at the heart of the community, shifting away from the traditional orientation of a church. Again, this was highly controversial requiring approval from the Court of Ecclesiastical Cases Reserved. The Rector of the church from 1953 until his retirement in 2003 was Chad Varah. He retired at the age of 92, making him the Church of England�s oldest incumbent at the time. He was also the family chaplain to the Palumbo family and is best known for setting up the Samaritans in the crypt in 1953. You can still see the original black telephone inside the church today. The Walbrook Club After a meeting between Peter (Lord Palumbo by this point as Margaret Thatcher gave him a peerage in 1991), and Mark Birley, socialite and founder of Annabel�s club in Mayfair in 1963, he decided to turn the building into a member�s club. entrance hall walbrook club The entrancehall and staircase The Walbrook Club opened officially in the year 2000, housed in the old family offices, after a significant restoration. The interiors were designed by Birley with a focus on comfortable luxury. In 2018 the running of the club was taken on by Peter�s son Philip Palumbo, who I met and showed me around the building. Philip has modernised the club, relaxing the dress code and bringing in younger members. He has also expanded the speaker program and added to the quirky art collection. The interiors are eclectic with a mixture of memorabilia, art works and family photographs giving it a comfortable, individualistic feel. the bar walbrook club The bar of the Walbrook Club the bar ship saturnia Behind the bar is a model of the 1920s luxury Italian liner the Saturnia. the dining room The dining room. You can see the �broken plates� on display by Richard Wentworth, the design replicated across the ceiling. the oak room The Oak Room. The furniture was designed by Mies van der Rohe, there is Beatles memorabilia on the walls and Yayoi Kusama�s Pumpkins hanging on the far wall. the green room The Green Room with its William Morris wallpaper. You can find out more about the various rooms here, as well as more information about the club. Though the building itself is no great relic, more pastiche than strictly historical, it nevertheless speaks to the incredible layered architecture of the City. Each era sits side by side with Roman remains beneath glass towers, next to 17th-century churches and everything in between.

London Mithraeum | Bloomberg SPACE

via Living London History

What Is This Odd Little Building In The City Of London? The City of London is very much a patchwork of the centuries. Each era jostles for space in the tightly-packed financial district, where the Romans established Londinium, nearly two thousand years ago. Not far from the Bank of England, wedged between a 17th century church and a 21st century glass office block you will find a curious little building. it is towered over today and many compare it to the house from the films Up or Stuart Little. But what is inside? It is, in fact, the home of the City of London�s only family-run private members� club, The Walbrook Club. It is not as old as it might initially seem, it is a pastiche, but is indicative of the rich tapestry of lives, whims and tussles that make up London�s history and cityscape. I have walked past it many times and have always been intrigued by it, so I was delighted to be invited to have a nose around. A Lost River The building sits just off a street called Walbrook. This nods to one of London�s �lost rivers�, the River Walbrook, that once flowed along this route, through the heart of Roman London and into the Thames. A map of London in 1300, wiht the Walbrook running through the middle of the city. Image from wikimedia commons, licensed under CC by SA 3.0. The Walbrook was eventually culverted and built over in the 15th and 16th centuries. On the banks of the Walbrook in the Roman period was the Temple of Mithras, a underground Roman cult temple. The remains of these can be seen today underneath the ultra-modern Bloomberg Building opposite the Walbrook Club. I have written a blog post about it before here. The remains of the temple were discovered in the rubble of the Blitz, during post-war rebuilding. This brings me on to the origins of the Walbrook Club building itself. Post-War Origins The City of London was extremely heavily bombed during the Blitz. As you can see from the bomb damage map below, the area around Walbrook was largely destroyed, purple designating �damaged beyond repair�. The night of the 10th-11th May 1941, was particularly devastating, often referred to as the �Second Great Fire of London� due to the sweeping destruction caused by incendiary bombs. 1,000 tons of bombs were dropped on London by the Luftwaffe that night, claiming 1,486 lives and destroying 11,000 houses. The tide was low in the river and broken water mains deprived the firefighters of water. Buildings ablaze on Queen Victoria Street, very close to Walbrook on the night of the 10th/11th May 1941. Image from wikimedia commons. The Walbrook Club building was constructed in the early 1950s on this bombsite, nestled up against the side of Wren�s 17th century St Stephen Walbrook church. the walbrook club The building was designed and built for property developer Rudolph Palumbo as the family offices. It was designed in the style of a Queen Anne townhouse, to give it a homely feel. Rudolph was born in London in 1901 to Italian immigrant parents Pasquale and Gaetana Palumbo, who ran a cafe on nearby Lower Thames Street. rudolph palumbo A painting of Rudolph Palumbo over the fireplace in the dining room He made a fortune before the war through his property development company City Acre and then after the war by developing bombsites. He was buried in the churchyard of St Stephen Walbrook after his death in 1987. His son, Peter Palumbo, also became a property developer. A Controversial Development Peter Palumbo in 1974, image from wikimedia commons Peter Palumbo�s career was not without controversy. From 1962�1985, Palumbo commissioned and pushed for a 19-storey modernist office tower designed by German-born pioneering modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe on the corner of Poultry and Queen Victoria Street. The proposal was highly contentious, with modernist architecture enthusiasts pitted against conservationists. Prince Charles notoriously described the design as a �glass stump�. A model of the Mies Van Der Rohe tower in the bar of the club. Part of the plan was a public square, outside what is now the Ned. The plan was eventually quashed. An alternative scheme, that did get approved, was the post-modernist Number One Poultry by James Stirling, completed in 1997. The site was previously occupied by a Victorian Neo-Gothic Mappin and Webb building, which was controversially demolished in 1994. number one poultry mappin and webb building The Victorian Mappin and Webb building that it replaced, photograph from 1902. Image from wikimedia commons. Number One Poultry received a Grade II* listing in 2016 for its unique architecture, making it one of the youngest listed buildings in the country. number one poultry view The view from the rooftop of Number One Poultry Peter was heavily involved in the arts, being the last Chairman of the unified Arts Council of Great Britain. He was also a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978-85, as well as chairing, or being the trustee for, various other arts and architecture organisations: the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, Architecture Foundation and more. St Stephen Walbrook st stephen walbrook As I mentioned, the club is nestled up against the side of St Stephen Walbrook church, one of Sir Christopher Wren�s most magnificent post-Great Fire of London churches. Completed in 1672, St Stephen�s was used by Wren to practice designs he then implemented in St Paul�s Cathedral. st stephen walbrook Peter Palumbo was a churchwarden and led a restoration of the church from 1978-87, strengthening the foundations and installing a new altar designed by Henry Moore. The central, circular design was meant to represent the Eucharist at the heart of the community, shifting away from the traditional orientation of a church. Again, this was highly controversial requiring approval from the Court of Ecclesiastical Cases Reserved. The Rector of the church from 1953 until his retirement in 2003 was Chad Varah. He retired at the age of 92, making him the Church of England�s oldest incumbent at the time. He was also the family chaplain to the Palumbo family and is best known for setting up the Samaritans in the crypt in 1953. You can still see the original black telephone inside the church today. The Walbrook Club After a meeting between Peter (Lord Palumbo by this point as Margaret Thatcher gave him a peerage in 1991), and Mark Birley, socialite and founder of Annabel�s club in Mayfair in 1963, he decided to turn the building into a member�s club. entrance hall walbrook club The entrancehall and staircase The Walbrook Club opened officially in the year 2000, housed in the old family offices, after a significant restoration. The interiors were designed by Birley with a focus on comfortable luxury. In 2018 the running of the club was taken on by Peter�s son Philip Palumbo, who I met and showed me around the building. Philip has modernised the club, relaxing the dress code and bringing in younger members. He has also expanded the speaker program and added to the quirky art collection. The interiors are eclectic with a mixture of memorabilia, art works and family photographs giving it a comfortable, individualistic feel. the bar walbrook club The bar of the Walbrook Club the bar ship saturnia Behind the bar is a model of the 1920s luxury Italian liner the Saturnia. the dining room The dining room. You can see the �broken plates� on display by Richard Wentworth, the design replicated across the ceiling. the oak room The Oak Room. The furniture was designed by Mies van der Rohe, there is Beatles memorabilia on the walls and Yayoi Kusama�s Pumpkins hanging on the far wall. the green room The Green Room with its William Morris wallpaper. You can find out more about the various rooms here, as well as more information about the club. Though the building itself is no great relic, more pastiche than strictly historical, it nevertheless speaks to the incredible layered architecture of the City. Each era sits side by side with Roman remains beneath glass towers, next to 17th-century churches and everything in between.

The Walbrook Club

via Living London History

What Is This Odd Little Building In The City Of London? The City of London is very much a patchwork of the centuries. Each era jostles for space in the tightly-packed financial district, where the Romans established Londinium, nearly two thousand years ago. Not far from the Bank of England, wedged between a 17th century church and a 21st century glass office block you will find a curious little building. it is towered over today and many compare it to the house from the films Up or Stuart Little. But what is inside? It is, in fact, the home of the City of London�s only family-run private members� club, The Walbrook Club. It is not as old as it might initially seem, it is a pastiche, but is indicative of the rich tapestry of lives, whims and tussles that make up London�s history and cityscape. I have walked past it many times and have always been intrigued by it, so I was delighted to be invited to have a nose around. A Lost River The building sits just off a street called Walbrook. This nods to one of London�s �lost rivers�, the River Walbrook, that once flowed along this route, through the heart of Roman London and into the Thames. A map of London in 1300, wiht the Walbrook running through the middle of the city. Image from wikimedia commons, licensed under CC by SA 3.0. The Walbrook was eventually culverted and built over in the 15th and 16th centuries. On the banks of the Walbrook in the Roman period was the Temple of Mithras, a underground Roman cult temple. The remains of these can be seen today underneath the ultra-modern Bloomberg Building opposite the Walbrook Club. I have written a blog post about it before here. The remains of the temple were discovered in the rubble of the Blitz, during post-war rebuilding. This brings me on to the origins of the Walbrook Club building itself. Post-War Origins The City of London was extremely heavily bombed during the Blitz. As you can see from the bomb damage map below, the area around Walbrook was largely destroyed, purple designating �damaged beyond repair�. The night of the 10th-11th May 1941, was particularly devastating, often referred to as the �Second Great Fire of London� due to the sweeping destruction caused by incendiary bombs. 1,000 tons of bombs were dropped on London by the Luftwaffe that night, claiming 1,486 lives and destroying 11,000 houses. The tide was low in the river and broken water mains deprived the firefighters of water. Buildings ablaze on Queen Victoria Street, very close to Walbrook on the night of the 10th/11th May 1941. Image from wikimedia commons. The Walbrook Club building was constructed in the early 1950s on this bombsite, nestled up against the side of Wren�s 17th century St Stephen Walbrook church. the walbrook club The building was designed and built for property developer Rudolph Palumbo as the family offices. It was designed in the style of a Queen Anne townhouse, to give it a homely feel. Rudolph was born in London in 1901 to Italian immigrant parents Pasquale and Gaetana Palumbo, who ran a cafe on nearby Lower Thames Street. rudolph palumbo A painting of Rudolph Palumbo over the fireplace in the dining room He made a fortune before the war through his property development company City Acre and then after the war by developing bombsites. He was buried in the churchyard of St Stephen Walbrook after his death in 1987. His son, Peter Palumbo, also became a property developer. A Controversial Development Peter Palumbo in 1974, image from wikimedia commons Peter Palumbo�s career was not without controversy. From 1962�1985, Palumbo commissioned and pushed for a 19-storey modernist office tower designed by German-born pioneering modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe on the corner of Poultry and Queen Victoria Street. The proposal was highly contentious, with modernist architecture enthusiasts pitted against conservationists. Prince Charles notoriously described the design as a �glass stump�. A model of the Mies Van Der Rohe tower in the bar of the club. Part of the plan was a public square, outside what is now the Ned. The plan was eventually quashed. An alternative scheme, that did get approved, was the post-modernist Number One Poultry by James Stirling, completed in 1997. The site was previously occupied by a Victorian Neo-Gothic Mappin and Webb building, which was controversially demolished in 1994. number one poultry mappin and webb building The Victorian Mappin and Webb building that it replaced, photograph from 1902. Image from wikimedia commons. Number One Poultry received a Grade II* listing in 2016 for its unique architecture, making it one of the youngest listed buildings in the country. number one poultry view The view from the rooftop of Number One Poultry Peter was heavily involved in the arts, being the last Chairman of the unified Arts Council of Great Britain. He was also a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978-85, as well as chairing, or being the trustee for, various other arts and architecture organisations: the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, Architecture Foundation and more. St Stephen Walbrook st stephen walbrook As I mentioned, the club is nestled up against the side of St Stephen Walbrook church, one of Sir Christopher Wren�s most magnificent post-Great Fire of London churches. Completed in 1672, St Stephen�s was used by Wren to practice designs he then implemented in St Paul�s Cathedral. st stephen walbrook Peter Palumbo was a churchwarden and led a restoration of the church from 1978-87, strengthening the foundations and installing a new altar designed by Henry Moore. The central, circular design was meant to represent the Eucharist at the heart of the community, shifting away from the traditional orientation of a church. Again, this was highly controversial requiring approval from the Court of Ecclesiastical Cases Reserved. The Rector of the church from 1953 until his retirement in 2003 was Chad Varah. He retired at the age of 92, making him the Church of England�s oldest incumbent at the time. He was also the family chaplain to the Palumbo family and is best known for setting up the Samaritans in the crypt in 1953. You can still see the original black telephone inside the church today. The Walbrook Club After a meeting between Peter (Lord Palumbo by this point as Margaret Thatcher gave him a peerage in 1991), and Mark Birley, socialite and founder of Annabel�s club in Mayfair in 1963, he decided to turn the building into a member�s club. entrance hall walbrook club The entrancehall and staircase The Walbrook Club opened officially in the year 2000, housed in the old family offices, after a significant restoration. The interiors were designed by Birley with a focus on comfortable luxury. In 2018 the running of the club was taken on by Peter�s son Philip Palumbo, who I met and showed me around the building. Philip has modernised the club, relaxing the dress code and bringing in younger members. He has also expanded the speaker program and added to the quirky art collection. The interiors are eclectic with a mixture of memorabilia, art works and family photographs giving it a comfortable, individualistic feel. the bar walbrook club The bar of the Walbrook Club the bar ship saturnia Behind the bar is a model of the 1920s luxury Italian liner the Saturnia. the dining room The dining room. You can see the �broken plates� on display by Richard Wentworth, the design replicated across the ceiling. the oak room The Oak Room. The furniture was designed by Mies van der Rohe, there is Beatles memorabilia on the walls and Yayoi Kusama�s Pumpkins hanging on the far wall. the green room The Green Room with its William Morris wallpaper. You can find out more about the various rooms here, as well as more information about the club. Though the building itself is no great relic, more pastiche than strictly historical, it nevertheless speaks to the incredible layered architecture of the City. Each era sits side by side with Roman remains beneath glass towers, next to 17th-century churches and everything in between.

St Bride Foundation

via the_victorian_society

Join us on Thursday 16th April for a visit to St Bride's Printing Library at St Bride Foundation. The St. Bride Foundation Institute was set up in 1893 for printing education, with a strong social and recreational function. London philanthropist and patron of architecture Passmore Edwards donated funds. This visit, which will take us behind the scenes of Fleet Street, includes a visit to the print workshop, a chance to discover historical press and printing equipment, and the opportunity to see their treasury of historical presses. We will also see the original plans of their Grade II listed Victorian building alongside examples of Victorian ephemera, sheet music and type specimens from this period. Book your ticket on the link on our bio. #printing #printtypes #typespecimens #fleetstreet #historyofprint #typography #design #CityofLondon #Victorian

Protein,mate

via londonf00die

📍Protein Mate, City of London Stopped by @itsproteinmate for a protein-packed lunch and it did not disappoint ⭐️ I had: 🥬 Asparagus & halloumi - spring greens done properly. Roasted asparagus, zesty sumac and golden halloumi baked warm and bright. The green sauce was *delicious* and tied everything together perfectly Everything is served as warm tray bakes, so it's quick, comforting and actually good for you. My meal included 34g protein 💪🏼 it was super filling and perfect for a midday boost ✨ Thanks for having me! @proteinmate @invyted.app

1 Lombard Street Bar & Restaurant

via kirstyjarvie

Bottomless Sunday roast in London ??? @1lombardstreet ?? 1 Lombard Street, Bank, London Sunday roasts just got an upgrade at 1 Lombard Street. Housed in a former bank with a stunning domed ceiling and a floral bar, this spot oozes luxury from the moment you step in?? For �35, enjoy a roast with all the trimmings and bottomless sides (yes, that creamy cauliflower cheese is unlimited!). You can also add bottomless drinks for the ultimate Sunday indulgence?? Pair it all with festive decor outside and you�ve found the perfect spot for a cosy, indulgent Sunday afternoon ?? #LondonFoodie #SundayRoast #LondonRestaurants #FoodieLondon #BottomlessBrunch #LondonDining #RoastDinner #FestiveSeason #LondonEats #FoodLovers #LuxuryDining #BankLondon #ExploreLondon #VisitLondon #KirstyEatsFood #LondonFoodie #1LombardStreet

Eataly London

via kirstyjarvie

Do your tomato dishes turn out bland? ?? @redgoldfromeuropeuk @eatalylondon #adinvite Maybe the reason isn�t you, and it�s actually the canned tomatoes you use! I spent the afternoon making fresh ricotta ravioli and a lasagne from scratch, guided by @chefjimmyneutron at La Scuola, Eataly�s cooking school. Was such a fun day and I actually picked up some tips to use at home. @anicav_associazione #EatalyLondon #RedGoldFromEurope #CookingClassLondon #ThingstoDoInLondon