Bob Bob Ricard

Bob Bob Ricard is one of Soho's most theatrical dining rooms, a jewel-box of a restaurant on the corner of Upper James Street famous for the Press for Champagne buttons at every table. Opened by Leonid Shutov and dressed in opulent Art Deco blues and golds, it has spent well over a decade as a byword for glamour, celebration and a certain gleeful excess.

It is best known as the original Press for Champagne restaurant in Soho: press the button in your booth and a glass arrives, and the kitchen matches the theatre with a menu of English and Russian comfort classics. Beef Wellington, lobster macaroni, chicken Kiev and caviar sit alongside a famously deep list of Champagne, wine and vodka.

What to expect from this Press for Champagne restaurant in Soho

Expect indulgence by design: private-feeling booths, that button by your elbow, and a menu of rich, familiar luxuries done properly. The beef Wellington and lobster mac and cheese are signatures, the caviar service is a draw, and the drinks list rewards a celebration. It is dress-up dining rather than a casual bite, and it leans into the occasion.

The room and the story

The Art Deco interior, all sapphire banquettes and gold, is as much the point as the food, and it has made the restaurant a fixture of Soho's special-occasion scene. It sits near Golden Square, a step from pasta specialist Bancone, with more of the area's tables in our Soho restaurants listings.

How a visit works

Bob Bob Ricard serves lunch and dinner on Upper James Street, with booking strongly advised and a smart dress code in keeping with the room. Menus and reservations are on its official site, and it is listed in the Michelin Guide.