Rivington Bar & Grill

 

Owned by the same group as Le Caprice, The Ivy, J Sheekey and a few other upmarket eateries, Rivington Bar and Grill is nothing like as fancy. But the same winning formula and honest British cooking has been applied to winning effect. The neon artwork on the walls indicates the trendy art crowd they're catering for - we are in Hoxton after all - and Tracey Emin (spotted here) personifies the type of customer the Rivington is going for. High ceilings, white walls, starched table cloths and bare wood floors make for a light, minimalist feel while cushy sofas and seats at the bar are perfect for relaxing. But it's the food that the people come for and find it to die for - and that despite the above average prices. A mini loaf of their own baked bread, still warm from the oven, arrives to start you off and a choice of delicious dishes follow: beetroot salad, grilled sea bass, lobster and chips, Lancashire hot pot are all good examples. Breakfast too is a delightfully non-nonsense affair, you get a bacon sandwich, in either a bap or a muffin, plus boiled duck's egg with soldiers, or fruit and oats with yoghurt.