Quo Vadis

"Show us a map of Soho and with muscle memory we can point out Quo Vadis’ Dean Street location, mentally marked with a pin in the shape of a frosty, crisp martini. To some it’s a members’ club, others declare it a Jeremy Lee—MBE super-chef—institution that’s home to London’s most notable sandwich. But anyone who’s spent a long, lingering night on its crimson banquette knows exactly what Quo Vadis is—a modern Great British classic that will serve you a golden good time on a plate. A meal here begins with a warm “may I take your coat” welcome and should end with a stumbling walk to the station, a fluttering giggle still trapped in your throat. Somewhere in between there will be clinked glasses of Sancerre cuvée, a platter of oysters, and a heated dispute over pie versus pheasant, but there’s a certain smooth, Clooney-esque wink to the atmosphere that sets this Soho sophisticate apart. Look at the John Broadley sketches dotted around the dining room and on what is arguably London’s most aesthetically charming menu. This is a restaurant with—yes, white tablecloths—but also a sense of humour. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch The air of an IRL data privacy clause means that no one will ever know that you checked yourself out in the glossy chocolate shine of our favourite edible mirror, “les qv profiteroles au chocolat”. Or that you found carving your spoon into the pie of the day’s flaky pastry lid to be more profound than the last eight minutes of Gladiator. Or that the couple sitting in the corner—one half of which has been on the telly— is making an extreme sport of playing footsie. It’s a bolthole of bliss with the privacy of stained glass windows and a Vegas mentality for people who love pudding and starting a triple-digit, show-off meal with a smoked eel sandwich that everyone should experience at least once. photo credit: Quo Vadis photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Quo Vadis is ideal for all the things that Soho knows how to do best—sipping an old-school cocktail in the hallowed space that Karl Marx once called home, three-hour lunches, and tipsy evenings that incite three-day hangovers. Forget E1, SW1, or W11. QV is our favourite postcode in London for a good time. Food Rundown photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch Smoked Eel Sandwich A confident take on a classic—a line of subtle, smoky eel chunks standing to attention between uniform rectangles of sourdough from Poilâne, paired with an absolute face-slapper serving of mustard and horseradish cream. video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Today's Pie Not to brag, but we’ve tried several of QV’s daily changing pies and they always follow a winning recipe of tender meat (chicken, lamb, and an assortment of other Old McDonald favourites), exceptional golden suet crust, and some kind of herby stock that you’re legally obliged to slurp in public. photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch “Les QV Profiteroles Au Chocolat” Is it a coincidence that ‘profound’ and ‘profiteroles’ start with the same three letters? We think not. These glossy, bulbous QV icons don’t so much reinvent indulgence but celebrate it with crisp, delicate choux, double cream, and humming notes of vanilla, matched with proper grown-up-approved dark chocolate. Incroyable. video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Sticky Toffee Pudding The fruity marmalade crown on top of this sticky toffee pudding is all the evidence we need that Paddington is secretly a garibaldi-guzzling QV member. Thanks to its intense treacle flavour and fruity currant factor, this has the winter warmer capabilities akin to an open fire." - Heidi Lauth Beasley

"Quo Vadis, the historic oyster-wielding institution and members’ club on Dean Street, is so distinctly old-school Soho that you feel like Jeffrey Bernard will walk in for the famed smoked eel sandwich at any second. The tower of profiteroles au chocolat is one of the best sugar hits within the M25, the shade of the never-want-to-leave banquettes is forever imprinted in our minds as ‘QV red’, and we challenge you to not break into a smile while admiring the illustrations on the menu of expert British classics. The pie, the martinis, the smooth as the terrine service—QV will make you forget about every time you’ve ever felt personally victimised by a teenager on a Lime scooter." - daisy meager, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak, heidi lauth beasley

"It doesn’t get more Soho classic than Quo Vadis. A few glasses of wine, their smoked eel sandwich, a little eavesdropping. Sign us up any day, any week, and any lifetime. Plus their outside seating, a mixture of boothy type things and tables on Dean Street, is great." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, rianne shlebak

"There are two kinds of respite in attritional heat. One is the kind that sees you collapse through the doors of Argos, arms outstretched worshipping the AC above you, completely ready to spend three figures on a fan that looks like it will one day become sentient. The other, is to go to British restaurant Quo Vadis. The Soho stalwart not only has wonderfully officious air conditioning but it also makes a martini so crispy and so robust that your senses may just forget to register the temperature." - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak

"As far as Soho institutions go, it doesn’t get much more classic than Quo Vadis. It’s a great spot to escape the chaos of the street outside, and to eat excellent British food in a highly British environment. The service and food are exceptional, and you’ll be reminded of how good a simple soup or roast can be. We like to pay it a visit for an upmarket lunch from time to time, and it’s worth dropping in for the legendary smoked eel sandwich, sticky toffee pudding, and a martini." - jake missing, rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager