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  Places to stop for a Quaff
Jolly Quaffer's watering holes....
Take a look at...
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The Providores |
| Address: |
109 Marylebone High Street, London W1 |
| Telephone: |
020 7935 6175 |
| Getting there: |
Baker Street or Bond Street Tube stations |
| Open: |
Mon-Fri: 8am - 10.45pm; Sat & Sun: 10am - 10.45pm |
| Wine by glass: |
26 from £4.00 |
| Wine by bottle: |
48 from £12.50, specialising in New Zealand wines |
| Food: |
Fusion cooking; NZ-style brunch during the day |
| Music: |
Yes |
| Need to book?: |
No, but its fame is spreading! |
| Rating: |
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What's it like?...
Strictly speaking, The Providores encompasses an upstairs restaurant and the street-level Tapa Room bar, both run by a partnership which includes Kiwi chef Peter Gordon (erstwhile cook book writer and TV series presenter). Visitors to the former pub premises in the heart of the High Street often express surprise not to sit down to Spanish tapas; in fact the name refers to the huge decorative Polynesian barkcloth ("tapa") hanging behind smart banquettes and high central tables in the bar.
However, the stated aim of the owners is to bring Kiwi café culture to London, which entails an imaginative menu with a wine list to match. There are few places in London where you can enjoy so many New Zealand wines, especially by the glass. This may not be for those on a strict budget, but quality is assured. Wine aside, you haven't lived until you have experienced the Antipodean take on brunch: these Kiwis have elevated it into an art form.
Furthermore, the atmosphere reflects the laid-back Kiwi approach to life, enhanced by friendly and consummately professional staff. You can hang out here with friends, or sit alone and watch the world go by. It won't be long before every New Zealander in the capital has adopted The Providores as a reminder of home, but its particular brand of relaxed sophistication deserves a much wider audience.
www.theprovidores.co.uk |
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