• Subterranean Sensations!

  • By Alan Rutter

    Posted: Tue Sep 27 2005

  • Nothing beats the illicit vibe of stepping down into a speakeasy for a sneaky half. From frozen-in-time wine bars to ocean liner opulence, London boasts the world‘s best cellars.

    Subterranean Sensations!

  • 1 Belgo Centraal
    The Covent Garden branch of this Belgian chain is a little too heavy on the hard surfaces, and can get noisy. The beers – amber, blond, dark or fruity – are excellent, though, and mussels and chips make perfect pub grub. But the best bit of the Centraal experience is descending from the Covent Garden street in the giant cage lift.
    Belgo Centraal, 50 Earlham St, WC2 9HP (020 7813 2233) Covent Garden tube.

    2 Axis Feature continues

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    A great destination for pre-theatre dining, this basement restaurant offers a chilled out atmosphere with classic Modern European food. Organic sea bass, venison cutlets and hay-baked leg of lamb are among the mouthwatering mains, while the desserts range from pistachio soufflé to baked peach and lemon sorbet.
    Axis, One Aldwych, 1 Aldwych, WC2B 4RH (020 7300 1000) Covent Garden or Embankment tube.

    3 The Don
    This City cellar has retained its atmospheric brickwork. It’s heaving at lunchtime, but surprisingly quiet in the evenings. Standout dishes when Time Out visited were warm goat’s cheese mousse with mixed leaves and grilled lamb burger with caramelised onions.
    The Don, The Courtyard, 20 St Swithin’s Lane, EC4N 8AD (020 7626 2606) Bank tube/DLR.


    4 Le Cercle
    High ceilings and net curtains give Le Cercle an old nightclub feel, but the French tapas is certainly at the culinary cutting edge.
    Le Cercle, 1 Wilbraham Place, SW1X 9AE (020 7901 9999) Sloane Square tube.

    5 Gordon’s
    This wine bar looks frozen in time; the walls are papered with old press cuttings. Wine, from a tenner a bottle, comes from all over the world.
    Gordon’s, 47 Villiers St, WC2N 6NE (0871 075 2518) Embankment tube.

    6 Tamarind
    The pan-Indian food here is sublime. It also does takeaway, so you can nip downstairs to admire the decor then settle in front of the TV with one of the poshest curries in London.
    Tamarind, 20 Queen St, W1J 5PR (020 7629 356) Green Park tube.

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