John Banville

A Memorable Meal

A world-famous novelist once went for lunch in an Umbrian tavern. He's remembered it for the past fifty years. He recounts it for us now.
Joe Bishop

Bib Brother

The Michelin Guide is arcane, self-serious and totally nonsensical. Even the chefs themselves can't workout the star system. And yet, we can't bear to break away from it.
Róisín Lanigan

The Princess and the Pitta

Truly the people’s café.
Margaret Mitchell

If You Can’t Beauchamp, Join Them

Learning the secret of eternal life from a Kensington pizzeria owner, Ciro Orsini, who at the age of 75, still dresses like a biker – and who still has an eye for the ladies.
Jimmy McIntosh

A Pint of Plane

Following a famous footballers’ binge.
Ian Trueger

The Feast of Saint John

A particular central London restaurant has enjoyed an offally good time over the past few years, wouldn't you agree?
Charlotte Ivers

Baker’s Dozen

Tom Baker was a hard-drinking, fine-dining legend whose Soho sprees were captured in an infamous 1978 newspaper profile. 45 years later, a younger writer retraces his steps in a new, more sanitised era.
Ed Cumming

Two Eds are Better than One

Our writer has a funny name. He's not the only one. So he took his name twin out for lunch to commiserate this reality.
Jimmy McIntosh

The Life of Reilly

Our pints correspondent ventures through time and place at a gently pissed pace, in search of John Betjeman's London.
Ed Cumming

Lunch for The Fence

How often do you have to file in order to be called a regular columnist? As this story proved, the answer is 'two years', as our free lunch editor returns for his second bite at the cadging cherry.