Browns Bar & Brasserie - Covent Garden

Browns St Martins Lane is situated in the heart of London's West End and theatre-land and just a stone's throw from the renowned shopping district of Covent Garden. A dozen theatres, cinemas and the bright lights of Leicester Square are located within a hundred yards of its doors.

The first Browns opened for business in Brighton in 1973. Based on the colonial style brassiere of the early 20th century, this 21st century version of the genre traditionally occupies historic buildings of interest, with high ceilings, sweeping fans, beautiful wooden floors and luscious palms, and Browns in Covent Garden is no exception. Its style is all about casual elegance where guests come to relax with friends in a calming bustle.

The building was converted in 1995 from the original Westminster County Court, and now houses a superb restaurant on its ground floor, famous for its pre and post theatre buzz, for which there is an excellent menu available offering two courses from 5pm to 6.30 and 9.30 to 10.30pm, and its ability to cope with large parties.

The main restaurant area also houses a spectacularly long bar serving fantastic wines, beers and cocktails with some of the best value champagne in London; the bar area of the brasserie has had a facelift and has been extended with the addition of a champagne bar and mini grand piano. Relax with an award winning Bloody Mary and digest your paper among the palms, or enjoy a drink with friends and colleagues.

Alternatively, improve the hour with their Hendricks's and elderflower Collins, a classic mojito or if driving is an issue there's always an organic farm pressed juice. If it isn't follow the trend, 'most popular at-home long drink', a glass of cyder, this one from Aspall's in Suffolk Continental beers and lagers include Leffe Blonde from Belgium and German Clausthaler.

Upstairs Browns St Martins Lane boasts two of the original Courtrooms still with the trappings of the judicial process, including benches and judges chairs, which are available for private hire for up to 200 people. Whether it be for a special dinner, company presentation, conference or even a wedding, a great menu and service to match can be tailored to suit all requirements.

The success of Browns restaurants is based on the service of freshly prepared food and drink delivered by impressive and apparently well-trained staff in a bustling and thriving atmosphere.

Their menu offers a formidable selection of starters including half a dozen fresh oysters, crab and avocado salad, and grilled goat?s cheese while main courses tend to stray towards salads, pastas as well as some more traditional grilled and roasted dishes such as steaks and roasted rack of lamb. Chicken schnitzel with poached egg, tomato, onion and herb salad or the slow braised pork with black pudding and crisped bacon are also excellent choices.

Choices amongst desserts include poached pear with warm chocolate sauce, Pimms jelly with strawberry coulis, profiteroles, a raspberry and chocolate brownie and sticky toffee pudding. Their cheesecakes are also legendary, with such choices as baked vanilla, banoffee or rum and raisin.

It is strongly recommended that large groups book in advance but otherwise tables are usually available even at busy times, when you might take advantage of the bar for a pre-dinner snifter. "It's where everyone goes and quite rightly so," said The Guardian.

For more information including details of menus and private dining in the Courtrooms, take a look at their excellent Website.