Americans in London

Ny-Lon collabs

New York City cocktail bar Dante popped up in Claridge’s so successfully last summer that the two city icons have cemented their special relationship. The just launched permanent Dante Mayfair brings the spirit(s) of Manhattan to the capital’s grande dame with its signature martinis, negronis and Garibaldis (the secret is ‘fluffy’ orange juice) and a menu that focuses on seafood and meat.

Over in Neal’s Yard, the Gallic-inspired, West Village-originating Buvette is back for another crack at the London scene with James Beard-winner Jody Williams at the helm. Beloved in the Big Apple, Buvette London struggled when it opened in Notting Hill in the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, but the menu – spanning morning pastries and madeleines, all-day classics such as salade niçoise and croques, and seasonal favourites such as coq au vin, along with an ‘unapologetically French wine list’ – is sure to tempt a bounced-back central crowd

American eats done well

With these London eating experiences, Yankophiles don’t have to cross the pond to get their culinary fix. Texan-Afghan BBQ specialist Cue Point brings southern grilling to The Garden Bar Grill and Smokehouse in W10. Expect Wagyu brisket steak with Texas naan and saffron butter and a Texan-Afghan roast on Sundays.

For those on the hunt for the UK’s answer to LA hypebeast Erewhon, Panzer’s Deli in St John’s Wood is a name that keeps cropping up. It’s beautifully curated (new additions include a sushi atelier and the viral Circus Pizza) and Sir Paul McCartney and Harry Styles shop there.

For retro comfort food, American diner Automat quietly returned to Mayfair's Mount Street in late 2025 (its old site has become much lauded New York Italian restaurant The Dover), serving up elevated burgers, lobster rolls and grilled cheese and – importantly – flattering lighting.

 

Tinsel Town treads the board

Sandra Oh is currently starring at The National as the straight-talking lead in a modernised and gender-flipped (Alceste becomes Alice) new version of Molière’s dark comedy The Misanthrope. Hollywood’s most famous road trip? Thelma and Louise. A musical version of the ride-or-die classic comes to the Young Vic in September with original screenwriter Callie Khouri providing the book. Also in September, Gillian Anderson and Billy Crudup take on Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at Soho Place. And Hollywood-adjacent humourist David Sedaris – who keeps a ‘stars I have seen’ list – will be reading his essays at the Royal Festival Hall. He attended the Oscars this year, so perhaps some A-listers will warrant a mention.

Jett’s set

This summer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Joan Jett is coming to the UK with the Blackhearts for their first headline tour in 16 years. The grand finale is on 8 July at British Airways ARC at Olympia. 

May the 4th be with you

There’s plenty going on culturally to commemorate the USA’s birthday in London. A rare Dunlap print of The Declaration of Independence forms the centrepiece of Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story at The National Archives in Kew. The exhibition also features The Tea Act (which led to the Boston Tea Party) and the ‘olive branch petition’ sent to George III in a last attempt to avoid war in 1775. Or head over to Founding Father Benjamin Franklin’s London house in Craven Street, which is running walking tours and talks across the year. On the 4th itself, The National Gallery explores America through art with expert guide Anne Gowan.

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