Country Life 02-Jun-2021

IS THIS LONDON'S BEST ALTERNATIVE TO A SUMMER HOLIDAY ABROAD? Eataly, 135, Bishopsgate, EC2 Londoners no longer need to wrangle with Government restrictions, multiple PCR tests and unreliable flight schedules for a long-awaited slice of la dolce vita, because Eataly-Italy's beloved food market—has finally flung open the doors to its first UK location. It’s been worth the wait. For starters (no pun intended), the site itself (next to Liverpool Street Station) takes up a gargantuan 42,000sq ft of space, over two floors. Inside, 5,000 Italian food products jostle for your attention, alongside three restaurants, a bar and six counters (the fresh pasta station should be your first port of call). There are also regular group cooking classes and tastings and private events can be arranged upon request. At Pasta e Pizza, the…

Old Red Lion Theatre This theatre-pub flies the flag for the area's thespian tradition, in the tradition of the 17th-century Red Bull and Fortune theatres (418, St John Street) Timorous Beasties From seaweed prints to graffiti, this is the place to come for unusual fabrics (44–46, Amwell Street) St John On the border with Barbican, this restaurant brought offal back onto the nation's menu (26, St John Street) MagCulture A store with one of London's largest and best selections of magazines (270, St John Street)…

A MEDIEVAL well lies hidden inside a brick office block on Farringdon Lane. It may look little more than a hole in the ground, but it’s from there that Clerkenwell came to life. ‘The parish clerks from the City of London would come to perform plays and read from the Bible and, because they gathered around this particular well, it became known as the well of the Clerks,’ explains Mark Aston, local-history manager for Islington Council, under which authority Clerkenwell falls. ‘It’s not only water that sprung from it, but Clerkenwell’s name itself.’ The well originally belonged to the nunnery of St Mary, one of the many religious institutions that found their home in the parish, which, in the Middle Ages, was blessed with a sizeable river (the Fleet, now interred),…

Amwell Street, £2.5 million With four to five bedrooms, this Grade II-listed Georgian house is ideal for a family. The almost 1,900sq ft interiors make the most of original features, which have been paired with period-authentic ones. Contemporary touches have been introduced, too, such as the kitchen with Sub-Zero and Gaggenau appliances, the bathrooms with walk-in rain showers and underfloor heating throughout. The paved garden is perfect for alfresco dining. Hamptons (020–3369 4378; www.hamptons.co.uk) Britton Street, £3.25 million Plenty of space awaits behind the blue door of this Grade II-listed Georgian house, which overlooks St John's Gardens. The interiors span 3,235sq ft across five floors, some of which are connected by a glass lift. A self-contained apartment takes up the lower ground floor, with an open-plan kitchen and dining area, office and reception…

Seasonal suggestions Strong and sweet native lobster are usually pot-caught off the coast of the UK between June and September. Here’s where to go for a shellfish feast Best for big spenders J. Sheekey, WC2 (if you’re a couple, ask to sit at the bar; if you’re with friends, on the terrace; www.j-sheekey.co.uk)and Scott’s, W1 (where the lobster comes grilled, thermidor or with mayonnaise; www.scotts-restaurant.com), are reliable seafood favourites Best on a budget Not quite the sea, but almost: The Grand Duchess, W2, is a seafood restaurant aboard a static boat in the Paddington Basin, with 90% of its fish from Cornish fishermen, including the lobster (www.londonshellco.com) Best for eating at home Buy your own at Billingsgate Fish Market, E14. There are more than 40 merchants trading at any one time, which keeps prices low Best for something…

THE sun is finally shining, which means that barbecue season is, at long last, upon us. Provenance Village Butcher (multiple locations) has launched a same-day barbecue-box delivery service, which can include classic or themed pre-marinated skewers, ribs and side dishes, among other things. The company can even throw in a portable grill or selection of ready-to-drink cocktails (www.deliveries.provenancebutcher.com). Family-run delicatessen Colette (www.colette.co.uk)is also jumping on the bandwagon. Its latest store in Wimbledon Village, SW19, will stock pre-prepared barbecue meats, alongside the already popular beef wellington. If you need to brush up on grilling skills–no one likes a charred sausage–Marylebone’s Carousel restaurant, W1–home to a revolving line-up of guest chefs and workshops–is holding barbecue masterclasses on July 10, August 7 and September 4 (www.carousel-london.com). The only thing better than a well-fed…