It’s never a bad time for a dose of intoxicating glamour. The type of dangerous and beautiful old-world romance, wreathed in cigarette smoke, that today exists in short supply. The kind of thing that much-loved west London restaurant Langan’s Brasserie was downright synonymous with for decades.
Opened by the Irish-born Peter Langan in 1976, the restaurant attracted a clientele of musicians, artists, films stars and bon vivants. Langan’s Brasserie, on Stratton Street in Mayfair, was where you went to watch the rich and famous let their (impeccably coiffed) hair down. This wasn’t the C-list, either. We’re talking Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Mick Jagger, Francis Bacon and Muhammad Ali. Sadly, at the end of 2020, 44 years after its launch, Langan’s Brasserie closed for good.
The good news is that Langan’s Brasserie is now back from the abyss, thanks to restaurateurs Graziano Arricale and James Hitchen. The menu represents a blend of British and French classics, including seared hand-dived scallops with lardons and celeriac, wild-mushroom fricassee served with toasted brioche and plateau fruit de mer. Mains include the famous Langan’s fish pie, lobster thermidor and bouillabaisse with red mullet and gurnard. The ground floor also now features a new raw bar and an afternoon tea lounge. Meanwhile, upstairs houses an invite-only bar with a late licence and live entertainment. Intriguing.
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What’s also great news is that a new photobook exists (published by Richard Young Gallery), depicting genuinely iconic shots of Langan’s Brasserie (and its oft-sozzled customers) through the ages. Feast your eyes on these bad boys.
The photobook ‘Langan's Brasserie’ can be purchased from the Richard Young Gallery.
Langan’s Brasserie, Stratton St, W1J 8LB.
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