The Chopper Lump

Escape the hubbub of nearby Oxford Street at this atmospheric, candlelit, sawdust-strewn basement which harks back to an era when shopping was a genteel pastime & the name Victoria still suggested Regina, not Beckham. The Chopper Lump is a Davy’s establishment, so the emphasis is on fine wines at fair prices. The own-label French blends (£14.95) head up a list that takes in grassy Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, so-fashionable German Riesling, & a top-notch Margaux for under £50. There’s a small selection of fortified wines, plus Champagne from £38.95 & Whitstable Bay beer for ale buffs. Food is served at lunchtime & for the post-work crowds: choose from potted crab, grilled haloumi, bangers & mash, poached salmon on niçoise salad, syllabub & treacle tart. Some gratuitous info for quiz show junkies: ‘chopper lump’ refers to a method used for joining the barrels of a gun.