Based in the original rehearsal rooms of Charing Cross Road’s Phoenix Theatre, this award-winning bar and restaurant is one of the area’s few remaining independent drinking and dining venues. The basement premises leave you in little doubt you’re in Theatreland, with the dark walls hung with myriad play posters and star photos. Neon lighting adds to the razzmatazz, as does a nightly entertainment programme ranging from cabaret drag acts to musical singalongs. The simple menu of European brasserie classics comes in prix fixe (including pre-theatre) or à la carte versions, where seared scallops with cauliflower mousse might precede char-grilled rump of lamb with smoky aubergine. There’s also a strong suit in summertime salads such as a pomegranate, pear and avocado assembly. Desserts (‘curtain calls’) include crème brûlée, boozily matched with vodka-marinated cherries – though you could conclude with a theatre-inspired cocktail along the lines of Trunch’s Sour (a pineapple-packed version of Whisky Sour).