Alex S.
Yelp
This place is *magic*. I almost, almost, don't want to share Maison Assouline with a larger audience. But I'm a generous type, so here goes:
This is labeled as a 'bookshop' but it's really much much more than that. It's almost a lifestyle 'concept' store (I KNOW, I'M EYEROLLING FROM MY OWN TERMINOLOGY, TOO!) but without the pretension.
Maison Assouline is the flagship location of the Parisian publisher. The space itself is, at street level, something you could easily pass by in the hustle bustle of Piccadilly Circus. But don't. Step inside and it opens up to a 2.5 level (the top level is small and attic-like) shop with displays of books and a cafe/bar on the main floor, and art pieces and knick-knacks artfully displayed throughout.
The books are beautiful: big picture books that are so large and weighty they have their own 'Assouline'-branded stands. The space is perfectly perfumed. Soft music from an Iranian performer is piped through the room. Truly; every element is...to quote my friend..."spot...on".
A special note for the bar, impressively stocked with wines, spirits, and *perfect* cocktails. There were roughly five signature cocktails on offer, and the manhattan was the best version I have ever tested. The daiquiri was nowhere close to the unappealing versions I've had in the past; which is to say, it was tart with grapefruit and lime, and only slightly sweetened with gomme syrup. 12GBP/per.
Yelp note: watch the hours, here! Although there's a bar, it closes at 9pm. Reservations recommended.