The Knightsbridge Metro

The Metro Bistro, housed within the basement of the Levin Hotel, on Basil Street, is merely one street away from the madness of Knightsbridge, Harrods and its accompanying tourist trappings, but it offers just the ticket if you’re after a mid-shopping lunch stop that won’t break the bank, or a quick supper. The independently-owned, private hotel, opened in 2007 and The Metro is its second dining offering (also where the hotel’s breakfast is served), alongside the one Michelin-starred Out-law’s at The Capital next door.

Small, informal and intimate, it’s a great location for a casual catch up with friends. With a very reasonable set-lunch menu (two courses for £14 or three for £18) and a happy hour definitely worth noting (every weekday from 5-7pm you can get two glasses of wine and a bowl of nachos for £8… form an orderly queue) it’s worth getting on your radar.

The seasonal menu changes regularly, though classic favourites like fish & chips remain. Stopping by on a weekday evening there were only half a dozen other patrons dining; a pleasant change from previous meals in the area. My starter of a roasted vegetable tart was the ideal comfort food for a drizzly evening, served with a perfectly crunchy apple & fennel salad. The chicken liver parfait chosen by my friend was quite moreish; we could easily have gotten through a whole bread basket with a bigger slab of it. Dangerous.

A little tip, if you’re averse to certain ingredients they may not be listed on the menu, so double check they aren’t secretly included somewhere - I ordered the crab linguine which, unbeknown to me, arrived tossed in a generous helping of chopped coriander; as someone who loathes that par-ticular herb it came as a bit of a surprise. Serves me right for not checking. I certainly couldn’t complain about the serving of crab however - a meatier dish of pasta I never did see and darn juicy it was as well. The steak and chips arrived cooked perfectly rare with a devilish portion of frites (almost worth ordering an extra dish…), a good cut, though it was mentioned it was a tad gristly in places.

Make sure you leave some space for pudding; I can heartily recommend the bread and butter pud-ding with banana rum ice cream, a great combination. Be warned - the chocolate brownie is enor-mous; we struggled to finish it (though of course, managed in the end…).

For a fast, informal, purse-friendly meal with friendly staff and excellent service (away from the an-noyances of Knightsbridge’s tourists) the Metro is a great option. There’s also a fabulous-looking afternoon tea on offer, a great pitstop if you’re out and about shopping!

The Knightsbridge Metro

Smoking Area

Food Served

Children Welcome

Credit Cards Accepted

Music Played

Outdoor Area

The Knightsbridge Metro Picture Gallery

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