Tucked into a velvet banquette behind snowy drapery at Wiltons restaurant in St James's, London, I felt like Alice tumbling into an Edwardian wonderland.
Just across the room were semi-private booths, resembling enormous four-poster beds, conjuring up historic images of deliciously decadent trysts with showgirls. The deservedly famed oysters arrived, followed by the domed silver trolley trundling into view with Friday's special, salmon coulibiac.
It was several hours and the cheese trolley and pudding later before I left. It had been such a rare, delightful indulgence that it made me wonder about the restaurant's origins.
George William Wilton set up his oyster barrow in 1742 on Cockspur Street off Haymarket – so-called for selling hay and straw for London's livestock. Wilton's stall was popular with the traders: oysters were cheap,…
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The Oldie (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025