The Wigmore at The Langham

Flying under the banner of the Langham Hotel, The Wigmore has carved out a niche for itself: a traditional tavern given luxury treatment. Set within a former banking hall in Oxford Circus, its vaulted ceiling splashed in high-gloss hunter green and fitted with an imposing globe light chandelier, The Wigmore wears that hat well.

But despite its pedigree as a Langham offshoot, The Wigmore manages to eschew all hotel stuffiness. Suited elbows rub shoulders with tourists as post-work punters huddle around the bar and linger at lamp-lit tables. Weave your way through to the back and you’ll find a compact dining room with just seven tables surrounded by bookshelves, equestrian paintings, and dark wood panelling.

It smacks of a country house drawing room, but the concise menu reads like a nostalgic gastropub fever dream. We shouldn’t be surprised - it’s under the watch of Michel Roux Jr.; a classically trained French chef with a comprehensive understanding of British appetites.

This is best reflected by the iconic Wigmore XXL stovetop toastie. Crisp, bronzed bread envelops a triumvirate of Montgomery cheddar, ogleshield and raclette, mingling with onions, pickles, and a bolshy smear of mustard. It costs £13.50 and it’s not revolutionary, but it’s over a foot in length, and does a simple job gloriously.

Elsewhere, Scotch eggs arrive atop raita and a punchy, beer-friendly masala dahl, cleverly exchanging breadcrumbs for an upstanding thatch of crispy vermicelli. Meanwhile, set amidst a shimmering jus with a smooth spoonful of buttery mash, slow-braised lamb shoulder is rich and pampered to the extreme. An ox tongue cheeseburger receives similar treatment, accompanied by golden Bloody Mary salted chips that are worth the trip alone.

Matched by serene and effortless service, The Wigmore initially seems more posh than pub. But given its central location, it’s surprisingly affordable. Pints hover around £7 and mains rarely exceed the £20 mark. Although a £19 burger might seem steep, a clever wine list with glasses starting below £8 and bottles from £34 keeps things accessible.

This isn’t a gastropub in the contemporary sense, there are no lime washed walls, reclaimed wood, or contrived attempts at faux-worn furniture. But as swanky gastropubs go, The Wigmore is more than worth its salt.

The Wigmore at the Langham is a gastropub and restaurant at The Langham Hotel in Marylebone, serving a menu of reimagined pub classics overseen by legendary chef Michel Roux Jr.

Roux Jr oversees the food direction at all of The Langham’s restaurants and bars, as well as running the hotel’s in-house cookery school, Sauce at The Langham.

Emblazoned in striking forest green, The Wigmore is designed to be a deluxe version of the quintessential British pub, combining quality pub grub with an accessible wine list and a hefty selection of ales and craft beers, including The Wigmore’s own house ale, ‘Saison’, which has been brewed in partnership with Yonder Brewing. The interiors have been designed with a keen eye for detail - stout wooden tables sit in the middle of the room, each surrounded by studded leather-backed stools. There are seats for perchers up at the bar, where a chalkboard displays the current ale offerings on tap. In the middle, a large modern chandelier hangs from the ceiling.

The menu shows similar attention to detail, whether it’s The Wigmore’s Insta-famous stovetop three cheese toastie, or a masala-spiced scotch egg. Among the mains you’ll find classic upmarket pub grub like a cheeseburger with grilled ox tongue, confit duck leg with braised lentils, and fat chips with Bloody Mary salt. Desserts at the time of writing include a mandarin trifle with gingerbread foam, and a warm, gooey chocolate tart with coffee mascarpone.

The Wigmore also serves breakfast, with a menu that ranges from smoked salmon on buttered crumpets with chive sour cream, to buttermilk pancakes with marmalade glaze and creme fraiche. There are also a handful of signature morning cocktails available, including a Passion Fruit Mimosa and a Bloody Mary.