Kettner's

 

This elegant Baroque building doubles up as a modern French restaurant and champagne bar. Originally a grand hotel built in the 1860s by Auguste Kettner, chef to Napoleon III, Kettner's spreads over two huge floors. Until recently it was an upmarket Pizza Express chain, reputedly the flagship outlet, but a 2008 revamp has tried to restore the je-ne-sais-quoi of its Gallic past. Set in the heart of bohemian Soho, Kettner's is a renowned Theatreland haunt and often has a buzz about its grand, belle epoque interiors (although The Guardian's food critic Matthew Norman was not overly enamoured by the "joyless" refurbishment). Over the years a fair few personalities have passed over its impressive threshold, including writer Oscar Wilde, King Edward VII and his mistress Lillie Langtry, Agatha Christie and Bing Crosbie. Critics have expressed a certain nostalgia towards the previous set-up, where even hard-up students could have a slice pizza and quaff champagne in opulent surroundings at an acceptable price. Certainly, with a three-course meal for two with wine coming uncomfortably over ?100 (fancy onion soup for ?6, Lobster Shepherds pie for ?23, a small sorbet for ?5 and a ?2 espresso, anyone?), the food comes at considerable price in these tough times. But a night at Kettner's really isn't about budgeting - start the evening in the adjoining Champagne Bar, one of the most celebrated places to drink fizz in the area, and you'll be in for a treat. The building also has a club-like space, The Apartment, which is open daily as a bar but can also be hired for events, holding up to 100 guests for a drinks reception or 70 for a seated dinner.