Martin Williams, CEO of the Evolv Collection of restaurants, which includes Quaglino's, Bluebird and Orrery, shares his personal guide to London. He lives between Balham and Wandsworth Common with his wife Claire, a clinical nurse specialist in HIV, and their labradoodle Wilbur. On rare nights when they cannot get home, usually due to Tube strikes, they stay at South Place Hotel. For overnight trips out of London, they favor the Gallivant or Crafted by Powdermills Hotel, which Williams describes as like Soho Farm House without the snobbery and Land Rovers.
First Flat and First Job in London
Williams' first flat was in Earlsfield. He met his wife at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, a drama school housed in the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building near Spencer Park, home to Gordon Ramsay. His first job in London was as an actor playing a transvestite prostitute in ITV's The Vice, towering over Mark Warren and Kenny Stott, who made him remove his six-inch stilettos to fit into frame. While acting, he worked in hotels and restaurants, beginning as a kitchen porter.
Recommendations for First Dates and Shopping
For a first date, Williams suggests dinner at Liverpool Street Chop House and Tavern followed by fun at the newly opened Pool House. He relies on five shops: Oswald Boteng on Savile Row for British sartorial splendour, Sunspel and John Smedley for his work wardrobe, Moxons for the finest fish in South London, Majestic to keep his wine fridge stocked, and Pets at Home for labradoodle supplies.
Best Meal and Mayoral Ambitions
The best meal Williams has had in London was at Trinity by Adam Byatt, where each course was paired with an expression of Ruinart champagne. If he were Mayor of London for a day, he would cut the straps off every backpack entering the Tube, calling it a sartorial abomination and casual anti-social act.
Iconic Londoners and Cab Stories
Williams considers Boris Johnson a great mayor, pro-business and fighting for the capital, and King Charles clearly loves London, championing it over the decades. Charles's frequent visits to Quaglino's resulted in private dining rooms named in his honour. In 2014, when Williams opened his restaurant M in Threadneedle Street, a cabbie told him everyone was talking about it being a great place, which was music to his entrepreneurial ears.
Letting Loose and Extravagances
Williams lets his hair down at cocktail bars like the American Bar at the Savoy, The Colony Room on Heddon Street, and Tato Giavannoni's residency at the Emory. His biggest extravagance is food, fine wine, and flamboyant jackets, with his wardrobe livened up by Arlette on Elizabeth Street, which has weekly sample sales of Bond Street fashion brands.
London Secrets and Current Work
His London secret is Wimbledon Common for weekend dog walking, especially fun for celeb spotting during Wimbledon fortnight. Currently, Williams has reimagined, refurbished and reopened Orrery with chef Pierre Minotti, whom he considers the greatest young chef in London today and destined for Michelin stardom. They have also opened Sartoria and Chophouse and Tavern, which are fully booked most days.
Heroes, Collections, and Art
His hero is Peter Reid, the legendary England player and Sunderland FC manager during his teenage years. Williams collects menus from the finest restaurants around the globe, having collected hundreds with his wife. His favourite works of art in London are Sir Christopher Wren's St Paul's Cathedral and Sir Thomas Gresham's Royal Exchange, which he marvels at daily. The last thing he Googled was Silverstone Concerts F1 2026, as they are creating an exclusive trackside and backstage Bluebird lounge at the British Grand Prix this year.
