On the hunt for top places to eat in the square mile? The Don at The Sandeman Quarter is a contemporary restaurant serving a seasonally-changing modern European menu alongside a diverse wine list. It’s something of a City institution with a history dating back to the early 1800’s. It lives in the same building as Bar 1790, in The Sandeman Quarter on St Swithins Lane, which was once the home of Sandeman Port until 1967. It more recently re-opened its doors in 2023 following a four-year hiatus, with a brand-new look and management team.
The stylish interiors centre around a blue and yellow colour scheme, with a stunning underlit blue bar and canary yellow stool seating and lighting. White tablecloths signal that this is still a fancy sort of place, while large windows overlooking the street outside flood the room with lots of natural light during the day.
The menu changes regularly in line with the seasons, with a set offering for lunch and an a la carte menu for dinner. In the evening, you might expect to start with the likes of golden beetroot and Rosary goats’ cheese with elderflower and Champagne dressing, or ballotine of Cotswold chicken with smoked ham hock, girolles and tarragon mayonnaise. Mains include guinea fowl breast with baby leeks, peas, cocotte potatoes and Albufera sauce, and aged fillet of beef with Bordelaise Sauce. While desserts continue along the classic theme.
The wine list features the largest collection of ports and wines in the City, so don’t sleep on this. If you have trouble deciding on the best bottle to pair with your meal, simply ask a member of the team who will be happy to assist. You can expect a range of global wines available by the glass or bottle, along with port, madeira and sherry.