3 Things To Do While You’re Waiting For A Table At Hoppers
Hoppers – order the whole menu once you get in there
Time is the one thing that we are all lacking in our lives. No one wants to waste a second of it queuing for a restaurant, yet we put ourselves through this pain anyway – those must-visit new openings practically insist on it. On a recent visit to Hoppers, I found myself with almost three hours to fill, from putting my name down on that Qudini virtual queuing system thing, to being seated with Ade and a friend.
For the majority of these three hours I was solo. I’m still not that comfortable sitting on my own in a bar, I struggle to feel content with my own company and am a little self-conscious but I’m working on that. Luckily, Hoppers is slap bang in the middle of Soho so there are many options to fill that time, here are my favourites.
Tuscanic – a hidden gem. Photograph: Tuscanic
1) GO FOR SOME FREE SNACKS. Head down to the lesser-known Tuscanic on Old Compton Street. This lovely little Italian cafe provides free nibbles to graze on whilst you sip your drink. Plus, you can hear yourself think in there and easily grab a table. What’s not to like?
tuscanic.com | 72 Old Compton St, London W1D 4UN
2) DRINK PISCO SOURS. Perch at the bar in Ceviche across the road for a Pisco Sour (or three), glaring at those smug customers in Hoppers who have a table and are happily munching away. This way you’re ready to leap into action what you get that important text letting you know your table is ready.
cevicheuk.com | 17 Frith St, London W1D 4RG
3) GO TO THE DOCTORS. OK, so this one’s a little random but whilst I was aimlessly wandering the streets of Soho the other week, I remembered there’s an NHS walk-in centre at the end of Frith Street that I’d used on the odd occasion back in the day. So if you’ve been struggling to get an appointment with your own GP to treat that little niggle, give it a go, it’s open til 8pm, seven days a week. Yes, you will be queuing for two things at once but at least you’ll have a seat while you do so.
clch.nhs.uk | 1 Frith St, London W1D 3HZ
