Many a seasoned Soho-er will know of the beautifully-decadent 17th Century townhouse overlooking Soho Square, but perhaps not quite as many will be privy to the faded-glamour stylings of its newest inhabitants, Six Storeys on Soho. Spanning (yep, you guessed it) six separate floors - encompassing cocktail hideaways, private party spaces and just about the prettiest little restaurant there ever was - this Soho spot is proving to be one of London's most intriguing new hangouts.
Venue and Ambience
Marking the 5th opening from Camm & Hooper (the group behind venues like Victorian Bath House and Tanner & Co) Six Storeys on Soho is inspired by the decadence of bygone eras, and in particular, by an eccentric former head butler of the building; a one Mr Cornelius S. Lushington.
There she blows; Six Storeys on Soho opened in late 2016.
The first two floors are dedicated to drinking and dining, and though the venue used to operate as the brilliantly-trashy Edge Bar a few years back, as soon as you enter The Lobby Bar on the ground floor, you'll see the design here is a world away from any sign of that. Instead, expect a sleek drinking space of distressed walls, black and white flooring, vintage lampshades and plenty of design-style seats to perch on. If you’re here to eat - as I was - it's up a flight of stairs to The Parlour; an intimate eating space on the first floor with twinkling candelabras, floor-to-ceiling drapes and gothic, old-age Parisian-esque stylings. I've eaten in a lot of London restaurants over the years, but this is genuinely one of the most special settings I've seen. It's romantic, it's cool and it's beautifully designed with bucket loads of character - and you'd be hard pushed to find a quirkier, more unique place to eat in this area of town.
Similar to the set-up in their sister venues, Six Storeys operate their ‘By Appointment Only’ policy for The Lounge (3rd floor) and The Decantery (4th floor), meaning that you can book in for cocktails on either floors, just providing you do so in advance. All the storeys - inclusive of The Study and The Loft on the 5th and 6th floors - are available for private hire, for all manner of events - with the added bonus of beautiful views over Soho too.
You'll find The Study on the 5th floor of Six Storeys on Soho.
The Food and Drink
Skipping starters, we opted for a selection of the smaller plates to start instead - namely, the pigs in pastry, chicken scrumpets, chicken salt fries, and most intriguingly, the bubble & squeak scotch egg (all priced at £6). The dishes were easy, substantial and mirror the rest of the menu; simplistic options with a notable Six Storeys flair. My love for scotch eggs is well documented - and though the bubble & squeak’s lack of seasoning let this one down slightly – any attempt to innovate with these most humble of appetisers has my full support.
Served with truffled mashed potato the braised beef cheek cottage pie (£14.50) was a belly-warming, old-English main dish smacking of homely comfort cooking, with a modern twist in the fluffy, truffle-infused potatoes. The homemade fishcakes with avocado mayonnaise, tomato relish and roquette leaf (£13.50) while not quite as dense or rich as the beef, also hit the spot with plenty of flavour coming via the avocado mayo and fresh relish. The entire experience here is experiential – from the cutesy crockery to the gothic interior design – and as such it's okay that the food isn't fine dining, as if anything, it'd be out of place if it were.
Drinks-wise they don't disappoint either. From wines and specially-infused spirits to a selection of bespoke cocktails - there's plenty on offer; but if you want a genuinely unique drinking experience, book into one of 'The Appointment Only' bars upstairs and try out one of Six Storeys' handcrafted infusions. All carefully concocted and on-show in The Decantery, you can treat yourself to any number of creations. A creation like, say - a blue cheese-infused gin. ‘WHO WANTS CHEESE IN THEIR GIN’ - I can hear you already. I used to be like you too, until I tried Six Storeys’ quince and blue cheese gin and tonic that is. By all accounts, this shouldn’t work – but it does; a Tanqueray gin infused over several days with blocks of quince and hunks of stilton cheese, this drink needs to be seen/smelt/tasted to be believed.
My dream home (aka The Parlour).
Summary
Taking into consideration the food, the massive drinks selection and its beautiful second floor restaurant – Six Storeys on Soho is easily up there as one of London’s most interesting places to eat and drink. From the design and cocktails, to the brilliant service and Willy Wonka-style infusions, Six Storeys is a Soho gem that needs to be on your London bucket list.
