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Founded in 1828, Simpson’s is a proper London institution. Having had a full spruce-up in 2017, this traditional British restaurant once again has a warm lustre to the oak panelling, fresh paint on the elaborate cornicing and a shimmer to the chandeliers.
Technically part of the neighbouring Savoy Hotel, the vibe here is special occasiony: wedding anniversaries, milestone birthdays. It's the sort of place that the ultra-obliging staff actually come over and offer to take your photo. Oh, and there's a crooning piano player in the corner. Well, of course there is.
As for the cooking, it's pretty solid. The carvery cart (£35, beef or lamb) is the stuff of legend. Moist, full-flavoured slices of lamb came with al dente veg, a puffy yorkshire pud and terrific mint sauce (side note: its horseradish is also great). But the gravy was really a jus and the tatties were a tad tough. Still, the Beef Wellington was good (for £42, you’d want it to be), and a starter of creamy crab salad (£16), with candied morsels of walnuts and apple two ways (thin sticks, blobs of purée), the meal’s star. No teeth? Don’t miss the ‘black forest trifle’.
One final word of advice: go in winter, when the dark, clubby space feels cosy rather than gloomy. And if you're in a four, ask for one of the high-backed booths.