Hotel DeBrett’s House Bar

Overview

I’m not an easy dinner guest: I notice things like when staff don’t turn the label of my drink out and can get quite grumpy about it.

At Hotel DeBrett’s Housebar I’m an altogether different diner. Why? Because there’s actually nothing for me to moan about.

We wandered in on a Wednesday evening looking for a casual bite and some interesting drinks. The original art deco fittings of the beautiful old High Street building was the first hint of the quality we could expect inside. Guided by a succession of friendly, elegant-mannered staff over marble floors, up a carpeted staircase and into the warmly lit bar, we were greeted, seated and watered immediately.

It was quiet in there, which made a change from the pre-Christmas madness outside. We sipped on expertly mixed cocktails while the bar staff entertained us with absorbing detail about everything from tequila to peach bitters. They backed off when our food arrived – more elegant manners – and we were left in peace to eat our perfectly seasoned Thai fish cakes, and brightly-flavoured Vietnamese rolls. We topped that off with the best chips in the world, as proclaimed by my guest, a well-known connoisseur of the fried potato.

For a fuller, sit down dinner, a few steps through the glass ceiling atrium will lead you into a quiet, restaurant dining room full of delicious smells.

It’s the attention to detail that really impresses about Hotel DeBrett’s Housebar: there are hooks under the bar for bags, the toilets were immaculate (as they are every time I've gone) and staff check in to make sure we were happy with our food.

This is the place to take your most exacting loved ones or while away an evening with that special new someone you’re trying to impress. And since they always turn the label out, you could even take me.