London’s Oldest Restaurants Like Sweetings Put History on the Menu | Eater London

"Opened in 1867 by Auguste Kettner — chef to Napoleon III — Kettner’s has attracted the likes of Oscar Wilde, Agatha Christie and Bing Crosby over the years. It has changed hands and guises in drastic fashion in its life time — including a period as a Pizza Express — most recently relaunching under the direction of the Soho House group. Despite the questionable nature of a venue that proclaims to be “all about affordable glamour” (Nick Jones, ladies and gentlemen), many listed features, including the mosaic floor in the champagne bar, have been restored tastefully. If history is anything to go by, Kettner’s will long outlast this latest incarnation too, so those of the Jay Rayner persuasion need not fret. Sadly, only the Champagne Bar remains open to the public." - Tom Ford