Bellamy's

When the Francophile founder of this swish ‘club without a sub’ came to fit out his ideal deli/brasserie – a former stables on Bruton Place – he took the architect to Paris to see how it was done. Hence, the brass rails & banquettes are exactly comme il faut. The civilised bustle & bourgeois menu are spot-on, too. You might start with duck rillettes, leeks vinaigrette or Bellamy’s fish fingers, before poached cod, langoustine brochette, calf’s liver or sliced beef entrecôte served with classic dressings & understated accompaniments. Well-spaced tables & dapper staff create an atmosphere that sits just between formal & casual. The clientele – mostly regulars – aren’t shy of the upper reaches of the mighty, all-French wine list, which glories wholeheartedly in reds from Bordeaux & whites from Burgundy. The tiled deli at the front can accommodate a few oyster gulpers, & sells quality groceries from both sides of the Channel.