The Year of London

Wolfgang Puck’s first European restaurant is Cut London, above.

FOOD AND DRINK

Walking distance from Seven Dials is the Lobby Bar at One Aldwych Hotel (OneAldwych.com), one of the most glamorous places in London to enjoy a pre-dinner (or post-, or midday) cocktail. The seasonally rotating menu is imaginative, and tasteful. While it’s tough to go wrong with a traditional Manhattan, it would be foolish to pass up the True Unique, a cocktail of whiskey, port, and an apple and ginger reduction, the work of a passionate mixologist. Indigo, the restaurant that overlooks the Lobby Bar, is relaxed and informal, serving a modern European menu emphasizing organic produce. From its second-floor windows one can see the front steps of the Lyceum Theatre, where The Lion King is now being performed, making Indigo a great spot for dining before or after the theater. From there it’s a short walk to the Waterloo Bridge over the Thames.