The reservations-only restaurant is the latest project from Costas and Maria Constantinou, the brother and sister team behind Soho’s Prohibition era bar The Arts Theatre Club.
Named after the 18th Century British ‘Old Tom’ gin recipe, Old Tom & English has been inspired by 1960s home entertaining and will serve dinner from Monday to Saturday.
Small plates
The menu will consist of small plates including British classics such as battered fish and chips, Welsh rarebit and jam roly poly, and more creative offerings such as crispy cider braised pig cheeks with apple and fennel sauce, Cornish scallops with buerre blanc & crispy black pudding and deep fried popcorn cockles.
Drinks on offer will include barrel aged gin, Highgate Negronis and gimlets, all served from bespoke decanters and glassware. Cocktails and a selection of wine will also be available.
“Old Tom & English is all about a complete experience, celebrating British food, vintage cocktails and British design delivered in a modern way. It's Old Soho meets New Soho,” said Maria Constantinou.
Home entertaining
Located in a basement on Wardour Street, Old Tom & English will be accessible via a heavy slatted wooden door, with guests greeted through a secret hatch when they ring the doorbell.
The restaurant interior has been designed by Lee Broom. It features a post-modern fire place, vertical panelling, a simple grey colour palette, low lighting, soft furnishings, brass fittings, a red carpet and an oak and marble bar. Seating is available at the bar, in the lounge or in one of five private cloisters.
“I thought about the kind of personal service I like to receive in a venue and the theatre of creating drinks in front of you or presenting the food in a way, which considers its interior, like you would at home,” explained Broom.
“The design has been created around those elements and much like the service informs the design, the design of the interior influences the service.”