There’s a fairly inconspicuous roundabout in Battersea called Queen’s Circus.
Next to that roundabout there are a series of similarly unassuming railway arches.
And underneath one of those railway arches (Arch 65, to be precise) you’ll see a jet-back door, with a small, illuminated doorbell. Ring that bell, and a waiter will pop their head around and you’ll be ushered into an elegant little hidden gem of a restaurant for one of the best meals in the neighbourhood (in fact, it’s just been listed in the Michelin Guide).
Inside, Archway is a cozily intimate, candlelit space covered in off-white wood panelling, and filled with cloudy marble tables, and rich olive-green seating. Oh, and don’t be alarmed by the rumbling roof; that’s just from the trains passing overhead.
Presiding over all of it is the small open kitchen at the back, which is headed up by the young and talented, chef Lorenzo Nigro. He’s created a modern Italian menu that focuses on bold flavours, sustainability and seasonality which manages the remarkable feat of actually being fairly reasonably well-priced, too. (Be warned, you’ll probably be asked to order dessert at the same time as everything else, which makes for an interesting guessing game of ‘how full will I be?’).
So, saving some room, start with the creamy burrata topped with delica pumpkin & cavolo nero. Then there’s pasta including wild mushroom agnolotti with sage & brown butter. And for your main course you can tuck into the likes of lamb breast with olives, capers, lemon & oregano, or some delicate grilled langoustines with herbs butter. And for the all important dessert? The apple & thyme tarte tatin is tough to beat.
As for the drinks, you can expect your fair share of Italian wines which you’ll see lined up by the bar. They’ve also got a small selection of cocktails some of which are infused with seasonal ingredients, such as a blood orange and pomegranate bellini, as well as a classic negroni sbagliato.
Which is all a roundabout way of saying that Queen’s Circus is worth a visit.
PREVIOUS PERK: Nudge Members got 50% off Archways new January menu for lunch and dinner for the whole of January.
NOTE: Archway is now open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday. You can find out more and book a table on their website right here. Nudge Members are getting 50% off the food bill for Friday & Saturday lunches from November 1st until December 31t 2023. To find out details of the Perk, just head to the Members’ Box at the top of this page.
Not yet a Nudge Member? Start a free trial here.
Archway | Arch 65, Queens Circus, SW8 4NE
Fancy taking a trip over the river? Check out one of the best Chelsea restaurants next time.