Rondo — Restaurant in London

I stayed at the Hoxton Holborne from Monday - Saturday, and rarely write reviews, but just need to take a moment to sing Rondo's praises.

In the same way I rarely write reviews, I rarely frequent hotel bars– they are often underwhelming, and usually feel trapped in 2017. let me TELL YOU. This could not be farther from the truth for Rondo, the bar / restaurant in the lobby of the Hoxton.

While the food was consistently delicious, what really stood out to me were the drinks. The seasonal cocktail list featured freshly-squeezed juices, surprising ingredients (palo santo-infused mezcal?? cantaloupe juice??) that were combined in ways that felt as creative as they were balanced, AND there were a handful of really delicious, nuanced N/A options, which can so often feel like an afterthought at other bars.

The drink that kept me coming back was the "pretty green," which was a perfectly balanced blend of greens, ginger, and gin, and had a delightful layer of foam at the top (how??). I went back three times for this drink, and had the joy of chatting with John, the mastermind behind the drink menu. Getting to connect with John and hear about his passion and process made my experience at Rondo one I will always remember– you can really tell that the team brings a level of passion, love, and artistry to their work.

In short: excellent food and beverage, excellent service, excellent environment. Whether you're a traveler passing through, or local to the area, this one's not...

This event happened on September 14th, 2021. There were no seats available in the hotel lobby with a high enough table to comfortably eat especially with a wheelchair. We cleared with the hotel that we could eat in the lobby as my mom had short time before a flight. I asked the Rondo restaurant if it was possible to sit at one of the tables that was outside the direct restaurant area and the hostess said yes. To be clear, the table was not within the direct restaurant, but was instead in front of the hostess area in view of the bar. A man then approached us from the restaurant and told us that this was “a restaurant” that served “food” as if our take away was dog food. He then dumped out our pasta on to plates, threw away our plastic cutlery, and made us very uncomfortable as we then had to ask for cutlery. He then asked if we were even staying at the hotel… I gave him our room number and told him we were stayed 3 nights showing him my card key. Afterwards he left us alone, but it was embarrassing. People with disabilities live their lives feeling incapable of enjoying simple pleasures. This hotel restaurant took away what was meant to be a beautiful time with my mother and made us feel unworthy after spending £700 at the hotel. This was the definition of discrimination. Never again. The man was slender, tall and balding that worked at Rondo that day...

Wow, what a treat. It’s rare these days that the entirety of a programme delivers tip to toe. Hoxton-Holborn and its in-house restaurant Rondo did just that. We were in for just a flash from Paris, and very much enjoyed the service, style and impeccable appointments typical of Hoxton experiences—. But what a surprise & delight to find an exceptional dining experience an elevator’s ride away! Not once but twice we noshed in-house at Rondo—both in the restaurant-proper and its adjacent bar. Each evening we were perfectly taken care of by ALBERT, whose personal recommendations have now become our own: the celeriac gnocchi starter, hen of the woods main and a side of the broccolini in a pitch-perfect anchovy-chili drizzle. (Pro tip: save yourself for the sticky bun and a few scoops of the chef’s own gelato—finally, it’s a pistachio flavour true-to-life!)

The Hoxton lobby and bar area are always a great hive of activity, but somehow seem to provide intimacy, still. Night two, we curled up in a banquette bar-side for a veggie burger, chips and a few 0% ABV botanical tonics—. Again, the meal wowed, the ambiance delivered, and ALBERT found us to ensure a most terrific evening, yet again. THANK YOU, dear ALBERT! And thank you Hoxton Holborn / Rondo / and crew.

(Post script: not only was Rondo vegetarian-friendly, it was vegetarian-motivational! Bravo...