J Sheekey

28-32 St Martin's Ct, London

By anyone’s standards, 105 years is a pretty good innings. That’s how long the legendary fish restaurant J Sheekey has been trading for and, judging by the clamour for tables most nights, it could keep going another century. Back in 1896, market stall-holder Josef Sheekey opened his oyster bar under permission of Lord Salisbury – who owned St Martin’s Court – on the condition that he’d also feed the peer’s theatre-going chums. The restaurant was quickly adopted by cast and audience members alike and had its heyday in the 1950s; ensuing decades, however, saw a gradual decline in fortune. It was only when Caprice Holdings (owners of nearby The Ivy) took over, that the site was refurbished and began attracting the great and good of theatreland once more.

The intimate, clubby atmosphere lends itself well to a classy menu of fish and seafood; dishes are deliberately unfussy, allowing the topnotch ingredients to sing out. Kick off with dressed crab, a dainty mound of white meat topped with home-made Marie Rose sauce, ahead of the signature fish pie – generous chunks of succulent fish smothered in a creamy mustard-spiked sauce and cheesy mash, a dish that’s as rich as it is comforting. Another must-try is pudding – in this case, hot white chocolate sauce poured over a plate of iced Scandinavian berries (think frozen fruits of the forest). It’s a final lesson in simple decadence.

While the restaurant may be better suited to formal occasions, with its traditional dining room and extensive menu (from potted shrimp to Dover sole), it’s the adjoining oyster bar, opened in 2008, that thrills. Showcasing the best of these bivalves (there are at least four varieties to choose from), it also reels in a pared-down selection of affordable marine delights, such as the terrific shrimp and scallop burger – a steal at £10.75 – all served around a horseshoe-shaped bar.

Formerly a second-hand bookshop, the space echoes the old world glamour of the restaurant: smoky art-deco mirrors and warm wood panelling lined with black-and-white photos of thesp diners. Still playing to packed houses, J Sheekey is a theatreland institution that everyone should visit.