Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, the founders of Frieze Art Festival, opened their first restaurant, Toklas, at 180 The Strand to much fanfare in late 2021. Taking over one ground floor section of the huge 180 The Strand building (home to the Frieze offices as well as a number of other creative organisations), Toklas’ entrance is halfway down Surrey Street and has a pretty awesome outdoor terrace. Inside, the large space is roughly split in two, with a casual bar area and lounge seating at the front, transitioning to more of a sit-down dining area in front of the semi-open kitchen at the back. Food is loosely described as modern European, with a mix of Italian, Spanish and French influences, meaning dishes like panisse with crisp sage leaves & parmesan; buffalo mozzarella with fresh green puntarelle, anchovy & mint; chicken grilled over charcoal with courgettes & preserved lemon aioli; spinach & ricotta ‘rotolo’; and almond tart with bitter orange & creme fraiche. With a great food, a dedicated bakery, lovely natural wines, and a buzzy little room, Toklas is a top central London spot.