Match

Can a bar that was cool in the late 1990s cut it on a much-changed London scene? Match fans say yes, & the management stays true to the ratio of high quality & low showing-off. Drinks include own-label Proof beer, a clutch of good-value wines selected by Aussie expert Matt Skinner, & cocktails designed by Match or its prestigious hired hand, the drinks guru Dale DeGroff – try his velvet fog (Wyborowa vodka shaken with falernum, Angostura bitters, orange & lime juices, flamed in orange zest). The bar itself is laid-back, with bare brick & sofas offering comfort for Oxford Street escapees, while the menu has an Italian inflection, promising crostini & arancini alongside burgers & steaks. Free water & Wi-Fi, common to all venues in this global brand, increase its daytime appeal.