Doing Toklas

Art meets food in this exciting new culinary opening from the founders of Frieze. Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the revered art world names who launched the London fairs and the Frieze magazine, have pivoted to a new venture: Toklas, a modern European restaurant housed in 180 The Strand, the central London site owned by Soho House.

The eatery takes its name from Alice Toklas, the life partner of Gertrude Stein and author of a groundbreaking 1954 cookbook that is notorious for including the first modern recipe for cannabis brownies and for kickstarting the 1960’s passion for edibles. Cannabis may not be a star ingredient here, but instead the chefs curate an evolving seasonal menu that focuses on celebrating the natural flavours and aromas of the ingredients. There is also a bakery on site, where those on-the-go can pick up breads, pastries, sandwiches and breakfast bites — alas, no brownies here either.

Casual yet refined, the Frieze duo have applied an artistic eye to the interiors, decorating the brutalist space with forest green leather banquettes and mid-century furnishings surrounded by art school-like prints, posters and original artworks. With the arrival of spring, though, it’s the terrace that’s sure to be the most coveted spot.