Rail House Victoria

"Rail House in Victoria is the swiss army knife of all-day restaurants. It specialises in things that are surprisingly difficult to come by in London—a welcoming attitude towards loud tiny humans and happy dogs, sprawling menus that cater to every friend’s dietary requirements, and a kind-of-glam setting fit for business meetings before 9am. The menu wanders from European brasserie staples to red lentil dhal and za’atar numbers, but the former are safer bets. Steer clear of anything that sounds like it probably shouldn’t exist—we’re looking at you, OTT hollandaise-rich ‘burgerdict’—and lean into classics like the pancake stacks, big bowl salads, or the courgette-loaded pesto rigatoni. It’s a very useful reprieve from all of the chaotic mega-chains in the area and thanks to the lofty space and abundance of outdoor seating, it also works for a last-minute get-together when you forgot to make a booking." - Heidi Lauth Beasley

"You and your colleagues have been stuck in all-day meetings for a week straight, and you’re all in need of a stiff drink and a plate of delicious cheesecake. The Rail House Cafe in Victoria is an excellent go-to for everyone to let off a bit of steam. There’s a shiny bar and loads of sofas for your work crew to sprawl with a few cocktails, and the easy brasserie food is exactly the kind of no-fuss stuff you want after a long day." - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, eileen twum, rianne shlebak

"Of course you’ve been socialising! You saw Carrie on Tuesday, Miranda on Thursday morning, and Samantha, that fox, you’ve been seeing her for months. You might even introduce her to your other mate, the Duke, they’d really get - oh wait, hang on, those are TV characters. If your socialising has been strictly 2D, then The Rail House Café is the perfect place for a post-lockdown catch-up for a multitude of reasons. First of all, it’s got that whole boujie lunch thing going on that will remind you of the 820 hours of reality TV you watched during lockdown. Secondly, you can either use it for quickfire coffee and nibbles or a full four-hour debrief over buttermilk pancakes and eggs benedict burgers. Thirdly, they make a very solid cocktail. Rejoice, brunch is back in 3D and so are you." - Heidi Lauth Beasley, Jake Oliver

"Rail House Cafe, the Victoria sibling of Fitzrovia’s Riding House Cafe, is celebrating Thanksgiving with a feast menu, served “sharing style”. At £40 per head, the main event includes a roasted Norfolk bronze turkey, cornbread and sausage stuffing, mac and cheese, glazed sprouts and bacon, and finishes with pecan pie and a pumpkin brulee pie. Of course, start with a ginger pilgrim." - Apoorva Sripathi