Last month I went to the opening of new members' club Eight in Moorgate. It's now fully opened its doors to city slickers and gentrified eastenders. Eight is on the top two floors of a building on Dysart Street, EC2 with a 360 degree panoramic view over London's skyline. The plush chesterfield sofas and tinkling jazz piano makes it feel like a chic, exclusive library lounge and the floor-to-ceiling windows and terrace offer a bright, airy atmosphere for an eclectic mix of people to drink, eat, work and play.
All glass and steel, the interiors are shiny cutting edge mixed with classic furniture - the library’s wood-panelled walls and roaring fire hark back to the 1920s with propeller fans and velvet chaises. Dark leathers, woods and fabrics lend the club a sophisticated warmth and comfortable intimacy. The on-site tailoring by one of Savile Row's finest is an unusual gimmick and one which should appeal to their suited and booted clientele.
The carefully-selected cocktail lists and food didn't disappoint: Head Chef Richard Lyndon has worked with Michelin starred chefs and has created beautiful international dishes. Pastry Chef Vanessa Antoni, famed for her work with Tom Aikens and The Berkeley, has put together an irresistible dessert menu and her canapés were delicious. Open 'til 3am Monday-Friday, I can already picture Eight being a hit with city boys and fat cats conducting leisurely business meetings, reclining in the cigar lounge with the backdrop of skyscrapers and steeples of EC2. Sometimes I wish I had a city job. Or liked cigars.
1 Dysart St London, Greater London EC2A 2BX
