A Taste of Nostalgia: Lunch at All Bar One Tottenham Court Road
Today feels a little like stepping into a time machine and heading right back to 1995. I’d just started a new job as Managing Editor (my first big role really) and the Editorial Director took me out for lunch on my first day (those were the days).
We went to a newly opened wine bar in Angel, Islington, called All Bar One. It was bang on the zeitgeist – quintessentially 90s, cool and bursting with fresh ideas. Bright, airy and wonderfully open with its pale wood furniture and clean contemporary look, it gave the sense that something was changing. Eating out was becoming a more sociable, informal affair, a wider wine selection was becoming available in London bars and we were part of this whole new way of doing things.
Everything about it felt exciting. Looking back now, more than 30 years later, I can still remember that feeling of novelty and possibility – coinciding with my first day in a job that felt like a big step forward. Some memories stay with you, and this one comes with a generous helping of 90s nostalgia.
Sadly my Angel branch seems to have closed in the early noughties, but I’m pleased to say that there are still 16 All Bar Ones across the capital. And we’re going for lunch at their Tottenham Court Road operation, a short walk from Tottenham Court Road station.
This area has undergone one of the most striking transformations in central London in recent years, largely thanks to the arrival of the Elizabeth Line which opened in May 2022. The change begins underground with a major £1 billion station upgrade including a much larger ticket hall, extra escalators and new entrances. The new station is also an attraction in its own right with its striking contemporary finishes, all creating a more accessible and impressive gateway to the West End.
It’s just a short stroll from the station – take Exit 4, signposted Charing Cross Road – straight into the welcoming world All Bar One. The 90s may be a distant memory, but that same sense of warmth and familiarity comes flooding back. Especially after I’ve ordered a Pornstar martini – my absolutely favourite cocktail.
The menu is a tempting collection of sharing plates and bar bites, both small and large, drawing inspiration from cuisines around the globe. We decide to share, always my preferred way of eating with the chance to try a little of everything.
First up are patatas bravas, one of our favourite tapas dishes. These golden little potatoes arrive dressed in a rich tomato sauce, with paprika and saffron aioli adding just the right amount of smoky warmth and fragrant spice.
Next comes the crispy, sticky chicken which delivers precisely what its name promises. The chicken is wonderfully tender beneath its crisp coating, generously glazed in a delicious sticky sauce with a gentle chilli kick. Spring onions and black onion seeds add freshness and texture, while the mysterious secret sauce brings everything together rather nicely.
Moving on to the larger plates, we share garlic and chilli prawns served with crystal bread. The prawns are plump, succulent and gloriously juicy with a lively hit of chilli and plenty of garlicky flavour
Our final dish is lamb skewers, served on a bed of roasted piquillo peppers with wild garlic and lovage pesto. The lamb is beautifully complemented by the sweet, smoky peppers and the freshness of the pesto. Love the presentation, too. Looking back over our choices, we seem to have gravitated towards mainly Spanish-inspired flavours, which is hardly surprising given my love of Spanish cuisine.
So, has All Bar One changed since my first visit in 1995? Of course it has. The menu seems more globally minded and the experience a little more grown up (like all of us perhaps?). More than 30 years on, it’s a pleasure to discover that some things do stand the test of time. Thank you All Bar One for the memories – both old and new.
Find out more at www.allbarone.co.uk
Words by Sandy Cadiz-Smith
There are sixteen branches of All Bar One across London. All Bar One Tottenham Court Road is at 198 New Oxford Street, WC1A. The nearest Underground station is Tottenham Court Road.