PLACES WHERE YOU CAN EAT AND DRINK LIKE WINSTON CHURCHILL
One of the greatest leaders in world history, Winston Churchill was Great Britain’s Prime Minister during World WWII and impressively led the Allies to victory against Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. What makes his accomplishments even more impressive is the amount of food and alcohol he consumed during his lifetime (some historians estimate that he smoked over 200,000 cigars and drank around 42,000 bottles of champagne!). Whether these were full-size or the special one-pint bottles created for him by Pol Roger, I could not tell you, but that’s a lot of bubbles!
Churchill’s impressive presence was seen around many top London bars and restaurants, so we thought it would be fun to give you a few ideas of places in London where you could eat and drink like the former Prime Minister.
The Caxton Bar, St. Ermin’s Hotel
The Caxton Bar is filled with history, and Winston Churchill is said to have been a frequent customer. He occasionally stayed at St. Ermin’s: the Special Operations Executive, also known as Churchill’s Secret Army, was devised and set up in this bar. The Secret Service Bureau took over an entire floor in the hotel and used it as a headquarters during the war. More importantly, it serves a delicious dirty martini - just as Churchill would have liked - sans vermouth. He allegedly said “Glance at the vermouth bottle briefly while pouring the juniper distillate freely.”
https://www.sterminshotel.co.uk/eating-drinking/caxton-bar
The Churchill Arms
While the former Prime Minister never went to this Kensington pub, it is not far from his final home. This Churchill-themed pub may be the most visually appealing of any London pub: the building’s exterior is completely adorned with flowers. Did you know the Churchill Pub is one of the very few pubs to win at the Chelsea Flower Show? Inside the pub, the Churchill Arms differs from other pubs in that it offers a full Thai menu. I wonder what Churchill would have ordered?
https://www.churchillarmskensington.co.uk/
Donovan Bar at Brown's Hotel
The Donovan Bar was Winston Churchill’s favourite bar in London. He was a frequent guest here and would order a Plymouth gin martini while sitting by the roaring fire. It was perfectly placed between the House of Commons and his Bolton Street home but he still came back to visit after he moved. It was also a favourite with Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt, who stayed here before winning their respective presidential elections and considered it a lucky place to stay. I agree with them.
https://www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brown-s-hotel/dining/donovan-bar/
The Savoy
The Savoy was one of Churchill’s favourite restaurants, and he would routinely bring his cabinet here for lunch. The Savoy Grill has a traditional English and French menu, and if you book, ask to be seated at table number four, also known as “Churchill’s Table”. The Savoy was the hotel where Churchill and Lord Birkenhead founded The Other Club in 1911, a political dining society, which still meets here to this day.
https://www.thesavoylondon.com/restaurant/savoy-grill-restaurant/
Simpson’s in the Strand
Simpson’s in the Strand is a restaurant owned by the Savoy, but it operates separately. One of Churchill’s favourite London restaurants, Simpson’s was once the city’s home of chess. Not only did it host matches between several different coffee houses in the 19th century, but was it was famous for hosting the biggest names in chess right up until the start of the 20th century. If you get a chance to visit, I recommend the full Sunday roast. I can imagine Churchill thoroughly enjoying a few slices of roast beef with a glass or two of claret in between cigars!
https://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/
Peer’s Dining Room
Did you know that you can eat lunch or dinner in the House of Lords? The Peer’s Dining Room at the House of Lords is located inside the Palace of Westminster, and is only open to the public when Parliament is in recess. So, if you fancy dining like a lord, look out for the next opening dates. If you are lucky, you can sometimes eat in the House of Commons dining room - Churchill would approve. He turned down a dukedom so that he could remain in the House of Commons: eventually, he was knighted in 1953.
https://www.parliament.uk/visiting/venue-hire/lords/venues/peers-dining-room-and-peers-guest-room-bar/
