The Cafe at Sotheby's

Far from the preserve of Lovejoy-esque antique dealers & moneyed buyers, Sotheby’s Café is an understated add-on to the auction house’s foyer, whose long, mirrored space is typically full with lunching ladies fresh from Bond Street’s boutiques. Apart from a signature lobster club sandwich, the menu changes weekly to reflect seasonal produce – perhaps butternut squash & courgettes beneath a rump of lamb seasoned by salty feta salad & spicy merguez sausages, or broad beans combined with scallops, chorizo & chilli, which crops up again to spike a rich chocolate brownie. Afternoon tea provides a sedate, down-to-earth alternative to the neighbourhood’s grand hotels, & the wine list is a considered selection compiled by Serena Sutcliffe MW with prices aimed at appreciative drinkers rather than auction-house investors. Those looking to snack should note a £15 minimum charge at lunchtime.