The Botanist

If you can see past the Sloanes, Sloane Square is one of London's nicest spots: a leafy hub of urban life that is the gateway to Chelsea and all the overpriced silliness it holds. I'd advise any tourist, or Londoner, to go for a glass of wine and a good bit of people-watching.

But for years the increasingly sorry Oriel has been the only real option as a meeting place. The Chelsea Brasserie opened as part of the Sloane Square Hotel about a year ago but it has a strangely adventurous menu that doesn't really sit with its location and leaves the clientele looking slightly disoriented.

The newly opened Botanist (named after naturalist Sir Hans Sloane), on the other hand, fits the bill perfectly. I'm not sure I'd call it a gastropub, although that's how Tom and Ed Martin have made their names with other establishments like The Gun and Empress of India.

The interior is expensively glossy and there are good hearty dishes like crab linguine and chateaubriand on offer but there's also a delicious breakfast menu - kippers with poached egg on toast or blueberry pancakes - and even a take-away service offering coffee and croissants to go for those with their sights set on the Kings Road.

And there are some spiffing tipples too. Hurrah!

Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-11.30pm • Sat & Sun 9am-11.30pm
Place: 7 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EE
Cost: £40
Web: thebotanistsloanesquare.com
Book: 020 7730 0077
 

by SL

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.