It used to be that securing a table at your favourite restaurant required nothing more than a quick phone call and a bit of luck. Now, some of London's top spots want a down payment before you've even sat down. Minimum spends are creeping in, turning a night out into an investment before you've glanced at the menu. Fancy dinner at Gymkhana? That's £100 a head before you order a thing. For restaurants, it's a way to combat no-shows, reservation bots and influencers angling for free meals, while also making up for the departure of high-spending non-doms. But for diners, it's yet another hurdle in an already costly dining scene. Will customers accept it, or will they take their business elsewhere?
From money matters to milk, the blue-top brigade is back in charge. Full-fat cow's milk is making a comeback after years of being shunned in favour of skimmed, semi-skimmed and plant-based alternatives. The reason? A backlash against ultra-processed foods and a growing body of research questioning the demonisation of dietary fat. Tim Spector argues that low-fat dairy is a marketing myth, and plant-based milks, often highly processed, may not be as healthy as they seem. Meanwhile, regenerative dairy farms are pushing for a more sustainable approach. Are we ready to embrace the white stuff once again?
If all this talk of changing tides has left you feeling parched, it might be time to rethink your wine rack. Rosé – once relegated to summer terraces and poolside lounging – deserves a spot on the table year-round. High-class rosés from Bandol, the Rhône and even England's own vineyards are proving their worth, offering everything from light, citrusy sippers to deep, complex food-friendly bottles. Our wine columnist Rosamund Hall makes the case for drinking pink in winter, rounding up four bottles that might just convince you to ditch the heavy reds and crisp whites in favour of something a little more blush-toned.
For those still clinging to their new year's resolutions (or at least the budget-conscious among us), Joe Wicks has stepped in with three easy, hassle-free midweek meals to get you through the rest of winter. There's a slow cooker sweet potato hotpot, a Mexican meatball traybake and a hearty Italian chicken and orzo bake – all designed to be big on flavour and low on effort. Because let's be honest: by mid-February, the novelty of batch-cooking lentil soup has worn off, and the air fryer has been relegated to a cupboard. Wicks, now a father of four, knows that sometimes you just need something simple, filling and – crucially – delicious.
Meanwhile, the Big Mamma group is making sure your midweek meals aren't just quick, but knock-your-socks-off tasty. Their five Italian dishes in under 30 minutes include a fiery arrabbiata, vodka-infused rigatoni and a four-cheese gnocchi. There's also a creamy porcini tagliatelle and a simple but perfect orecchiette al pomodoro. Plenty of cheese, plenty of carbs and not a sad desk salad in sight.
For something rich and slow-cooked, Omar Foster's beef short ribs with beetroot and blackberry bring deep, earthy flavours, while his milk-and-honey-braised pork belly is a sweet-and-crispy flavour bomb. Meanwhile, Amy Poon's Chinese claypot rice – a one-pot wonder packed with beef, egg and a crispy rice base – is proof that comforting meals don't need to take all day. Whether you're after a dish that bubbles away in the oven for hours or one that's ready in 30 minutes, these recipes deliver big on warmth and flavour.
So whether you're dodging minimum spends, debating the dairy aisle, or just trying to figure out what to eat tonight, this week's stories have got you covered.
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Want a table? That'll be £100 per head before you even order |
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Diners are being asked to stump up triple figures just for the privilege of booking a table – but with no-shows, influencers and Britain's wealthiest leaving town, is this a necessary evil or just another way to squeeze customers? Hannah Twiggs investigates |
Once upon a time, booking a restaurant was simple: you found a place, called up, made a reservation and – crucially – turned up. Now, in an era where dining out is already an expensive endeavour, restaurants are adding yet another hurdle: minimum spends.
London's top spots are now enforcing spending thresholds, turning tables into high-stakes investments before you've even glanced at the menu. At Gymkhana, the first Indian restaurant in London to receive two Michelin stars, that's £100 a head. Hutong, a northern Chinese restaurant in The Shard, demands £80 per person on weekends. Chutney Mary, another Indian restaurant, which has been going since 1990, expects you to drop at least £60. Even if you just fancy a quick cocktail and a dessert at Jean-Georges at The Connaught hotel, you'll need to part with £50 per person to secure a spot. What was once a courtesy booking is becoming a financial commitment.
For restaurants, this is a necessary defence against rising costs, reservation-squatting and social media freeloaders. But for diners, it's yet another way of extracting cash in an already pricey dining landscape. The real question is: who are restaurants actually fighting? The culprits – no-shows, bots and influencers – or the ordinary customers left holding the bill?
Let's be clear: running a restaurant right now is no easy task. The hospitality industry has been battered by rising costs, post-pandemic recovery struggles and shifting dining habits. No-shows are rampant, online bots are reselling reservations and ultra-wealthy diners – once reliable big spenders – are leaving the country in droves.
One of the biggest headaches for restaurants is people booking multiple tables across the city and deciding last minute where to actually dine. Chris D'Sylva, owner of Dorian in Notting Hill, calls this "reservation squatting" and has introduced a £25-per-head deposit to stop it. The problem? Unlike theatre tickets, restaurant reservations are free to make, meaning diners feel no real obligation to commit. This leaves restaurants with empty tables and lost revenue...
Read the full article here |
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