Hoppers Soho

Hoppers opened on Frith Street in 2015, the first of what is now four London sites and still the smallest. Karan Gokani built it with JKS Restaurants around the village toddy shops and roadside stalls of Sri Lanka: terracotta floors, rattan ceiling panels, vintage Ceylon poster art and carved raksha masks on the walls. The kitchen sends out hoppers, dosas, kothus and karis, and the drinks list is built on arrack and genever.

It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and has never made itself easy to book. Reservations are taken only for parties of two to four; everyone else joins a virtual queue and waits for the call. That is what makes the exclusive hire worth knowing about — for one evening the whole room, bar counter and window seats included, goes to one party of up to forty.

Smaller bookings can take the communal table for twelve, which sits in the main dining room rather than behind a door. The bar team works to South Asian flavours and will put an arrival list together to suit, and the alcohol licence runs to 11.30pm. Menus for a private booking are written around the table; hire is arranged through the JKS events team.