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Where 67 Pall Mall founder Grant Ashton eats and drinks in London

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Where 67 Pall Mall founder Grant Ashton eats and drinks in London

Before Grant Ashton started 67 Pall Mall, he had a similar obsession: finding London restaurants that offered reasonably-priced wines.

The former banker combed through the wine lists of West End’s restaurants looking for bottles that were not triple their market price. Unconvinced, he took over a bank branch in Mayfair and created London’s temple to wine in 2015, with the goal of making the drink accessible both physically and financially.

Today, 67 Pall Mall can be found in Singapore, Switzerland, and soon, France, with thousands of labels and by-the-glass options. The Singapore location just celebrated its one-year anniversary with a party at Gardens by the Bay, and plans to organise more wine events while growing their list of 5,000 bottles and 1,000 wines served by the glass.

Grant Ashton CEO and Founder Image 1
Founder and CEO, Grant Ashton (Image credit: 67 Pall Mall)

Today, Ashton is busy overseeing the global expansion of his brand, but he remains just as keen on the culinary landscape in his hometown. “I am always impressed by the diversity and quality of restaurants in London, the scene’s ever-evolving nature, and frequent new openings,” he said. “You can really eat out in every country without ever leaving the capital.”

We talk to him to discover his regular haunts, where to get classic British pub food, and yes, a restaurant with a great wine list.

67 Pall Mall Singapore is located at 1 Scotts Rd, #27-00 Shaw Centre, Singapore 228208

(Hero and feature images credits: Trivet;

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The Audley Public House

“For pub grub done right, I would opt for The Audley, a stone’s throw from our base in St. James’s. It is hard to go wrong with their pie and mash. It is what you hope for when you order pub food, but rarely get. Closer to home, I would stop by The Engineer in Primrose Hill.”

The Union Jack flies proudly at The Audley, which serves traditional British pub fare and local craft beer. Set in a restored Victorian building, the food features ingredients from local farmers, including their own operations producing lamb, beef, and sausages, while draught pints come from independent supplier Sambrook’s Brewery in Battersea.

(Image credit:The Audley Public House)

Address

41-43 Mount Street, Mayfair, London W1K 2RX google map

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“I recently had a memorable meal with my wife at the Brunswick House, which hosted a Paulée dinner. The setting is a grade II listed Georgian mansion, where we had some delicious food and shared some great bottles, sitting between producers and wine lovers alike.”

Built in 1758 for the Duke of Brunswick, the antique-filled property now houses a restaurant that prides itself on serving rare wines. Food comes in the form of seasonal British dishes with regional ingredients such as Irish Dexter beef and pork chop from the local Tamworth breed.

(Image credit: Elfleda Beauty / Facebook)

Address

30 Wandsworth Rd, Vauxhall, London SW8 2LG google map

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67 Pall Mall: The London Club

“Much like our members, I’m glad to say, when it comes to a milestone dinner, I opt for our London Club. My daughter and son have both recently celebrated their 18th and 21st birthdays at the club in our private rooms.”

The members-only wine club has one of the largest wine lists in the world, boasting over 6,000 wines from 42 countries, and around 1,000 wines by the glass. The choices can be overwhelming, which is why they have 19 sommeliers and iPads loaded with reviews, tasting notes, and producer profiles. The dishes change according to what is in season, but certain items like the Scotch egg and burger have become signatures.

(Image credit: 67 Pall Mall)

Address

67 Pall Mall, St. James’s, London SW1Y 5ES google map

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“La Fromagerie in Bloomsbury is a great place for some superb cheese and wine. Just a few streets away from them is Noble Rot, where there is always something exceptional by the glass, and a carefully thought-out paired dish.”

La Fromagerie began when founder Patricia Michelson sold a wheel of cheese out of her garden shed, and eventually graduated into four stores including this Bloomsbury location. It contains a cheese and wine shop, plus a restaurant serving British and French cheese boards, as well as the store’s curated selection.

(Image credit: La Fromagerie / Facebook)

Address

52 Lamb’s Conduit St, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3LL google map

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“I think what Trivet does particularly well is what I look for in a wine list – diversity as well as the classics. There is something to be said for originality too, with each line organised in chronological order of when that region began making wine. Their location in Bermondsey doesn’t hurt either.”

Named after an archaic cooking tool, Trivet is run by chef Jonny Lake and sommelier Isa Bal, two alumni of The Fat Duck. Their vision is to explore how wine and food go together, with dishes like homemade French fries and winter sweetbread paired with the 350-strong wine list. The restaurant currently has one Michelin star, and was recently awarded the best medium-sized wine list in the UK.

(Image credit: @trivetrestaurant / Instagram)

“We are rather spoilt for choice when it comes to wine merchants, particularly in my local stomping ground, but the first name which springs to mind is always Berry Bro’s & Rudd. Great selection, excellent service, and the kind of heritage you can only find in London. As neighbours, we try to work together as often as possible, and we have an event coming up hosted by their fine wine fraud specialist in April.”

How old is your local wine shop? At Berry Bros. & Rudd, they can trace their lineage back to 1698, making it Britain’s oldest. Still operating from the same shop since day one, they have three Masters of Wine who search the globe for the best and most interesting examples.

(Image credit: Berry Bros. & Rudd / Facebook)

Address

63 Pall Mall, St. James’s, London SW1Y 5HZ google map

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