The Ivy St John’s Wood

A Café Rouge conversion in a handsome terracotta building provides the location for this third branch of The Ivy's café brand, following The Ivy Café Marylebone and The Ivy Café Wimbledon. Straight away it becomes one of the best places to eat in St John’s Wood, one of those affluent London areas that’s curiously poor on the eating-out front. The familiar features from its siblings have been transplanted root and branch – all-day dining seven days a week, from breakfast through to supper via elevenses, lunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and weekend brunch. But the operation is prevented from feeling formulaic by the warm welcome of the staff and the stylishness of the Martin Brudnizki design. An onyx bar, super-flattering lighting, marble floor tiles and burnt-orange banquettes feel a little bit Paris but very much London. Likewise, the something-for-every-mood menu hits the spot whatever the time of day. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner of Ivy classics: the properly crispy duck salad and richly warming (if not exactly generously portioned) shepherd’s pie, as well as crunchy fried prawns and squid with a gentle wasabi mayo, and chicken Milanese with a fried egg, truffle mayo and an au courant side order of creamed kale and spinach with pine nuts. To drink, a short and competitively priced Euro wine list makes ordering easy, there are appealing booze-free options – or try the Negroni tasting set. Very handy for Lord’s and London Zoo, too.

Offering smart all-day dining, The Ivy St John’s Wood is a further addition to the ever-growing empire of Ivy Restaurants. Bringing the typical glitzy Ivy décor to this spot just off Regent’s Park, this branch of The Ivy is based in a stunning red brick building on the corner of two streets. The classic green umbrellas outside immediately signal that it is an Ivy restaurant.

Once you head inside, large pieces of modern art line the walls, leather upholstered chairs sit around the tables, and the gleaming red bar sits elegantly in the middle of the room. The main dining area is bright and airy, lit up by natural light which comes in through a large skylight above. The impressive interiors mean that the Ivy St John’s Wood is place which comes with a real sense of occasion, and makes it a great place to enjoy the extensive food menu.

The food offering begins at breakfast time with options such as eggs Benedict and a full Ivy breakfast. From lunch onwards though, it’s the classic Ivy all-day menu which you’ll be picking from. Starters range from roasted pumpkin soup with truffle ricotta, to lobster risotto; main courses are largely British comfort food such as their signature shepherd’s pie which is topped with Wookey Hole cheddar mash. There is of course also a range of different steaks available as well as sandwiches depending on how hungry you are.

If you have any room left, the Ivy also has a wonderful dessert menu full of classics such as a vanilla Crème brûlée and a rum baba. On top of this there is a completely separate vegan and vegetarian menu meaning that everyone is catered for.Wines, cocktails, craft beers – you name it, The Ivy St John’s Wood also has a fantastic drinks menu to accompany the top notch food.