{"id":337115,"date":"2026-09-03T17:03:58","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/337115\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T17:03:58","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T17:03:58","slug":"bar-blondie-opens-on-lonsdale-road-in-queens-park-read-our-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/337115\/","title":{"rendered":"Bar Blondie opens on Lonsdale Road in Queen\u2019s Park. Read our review"},"content":{"rendered":"

The latest hot ticket to arrive in London<\/a> is not yet another velvety underground watering hole in the city’s centre, but a chic midcentury-style salon for a creative posse. Bar Blondie sits amid the buzz of Queen\u2019s Park\u2019s Lonsdale Road, which has recently seen an influx of mews buildings turned into atmospheric restaurants, including Pyr\u00e1<\/a> and Don\u2019t Tell Dad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The opening is driven not so much by the rock\u2019n\u2019roll associations of its name as by country-and-western influences and the artistic inclinations of award-winning sommelier Alexandra Price<\/a> (most recently head of wine at Michelin-starred Plates<\/a>) and Aussie restaurateur Elliot Milne<\/a> (founder of Silver Tree Restaurants). The duo collaborated with architecture and design studio Macaulay Sinclair<\/a> on the charming, intriguing interiors, and with Ryan Stanier<\/a>, founder of The Other Art Fair<\/a>, on the engrossing art curation.<\/p>\n

Wallpaper* dines at Bar Blondie, London<\/p>\n

The mood: Once upon a time in Queen\u2019s Park<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bar Blondie)<\/p>\n

Queen\u2019s Park\u2019s rich history of influential creative residents and Lonsdale Road\u2019s recent creative reinvention are palpable in the choices that shaped the interior. The mews\u2019 architectural bones allowed an eccentric country-and-western theme to play alongside the leading idea: an artist\u2019s residence. \u2018We used legendary Italian director Sergio Leone, creator of some of the most culturally significant spaghetti westerns of all time, as one of our muses. The name \u201cBlondie\u201d comes from Clint Eastwood\u2019s character in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,\u2019 says co-founder Elliot Milne.<\/p>\n

A sleek bar in stained sapele and burl wood anchors the intimate 45-cover room; its shelves are layered with records, midcentury books, vases and lamps sourced through Vinterior. Bar-stool backrests are upholstered in Nobilis Paris<\/a>\u2019 golden, cowhide-like Velours Faon, while vintage chrome dining chairs by Gastone Rinaldi \u2013 sourced by Milne and reupholstered by Craftwood UK<\/a> Interiors \u2013 sit beside plush banquettes conceived with the ease of a living-room sofa. Country-inflected prints lend the upholstery a homely, slightly raw character.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bar Blondie)<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bar Blondie)<\/p>\n

Macaulay Sinclair worked with LightOn on a scheme combining architectural fixtures with custom dim-to-warm bulbs. \u2018Every western saloon has a chandelier, so we found one in Murano glass,\u2019 Milne explains. \u2018We also have Murano glass wall lights between the vintage prints.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Designed by Tateside, the sound system plays a collection of new and second-hand vinyl curated with the help of Audio Gold in north London. Art provides another dimension to the wood-panelled walls: Lucy Robson created the tender commissioned work As Above, So Below, while original spaghetti-western posters came from At the Movies Posters in Marylebone. Among them are a limited-release 1970s Japanese poster for the Dollars Trilogy and two black-and-white photographic stills from the set of For a Few Dollars More, dated 1967.<\/p>\n

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The food: the best of both worlds<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bar Blondie)<\/p>\n

The word \u2018bar\u2019 rather undersells the kitchen. Its concise, deftly executed menu draws on head chef Alastair Walling\u2019s background in southern French cuisine and executive chef Alexander Busca\u2019s Italian heritage. A selection of snacks and small plates begins proceedings: Maldon oysters with champagne mignonette; thinly sliced Wagyu bresaola best paired with the house focaccia; and a cherry and pineapple tomato salad with black olive tapenade. It is often said that you can judge a restaurant by the quality of its tomatoes. These make a persuasive case.<\/p>\n

Handmade on-site each day, pasta acts as the backbone of the menu. Choose between creamy fazzoletti with Devon crab, chilli and lemon, or punchy paccheri alla vodka with \u2019nduja and pecorino. From the grill, the Proven\u00e7al-inspired monkfish tail is served with mussels and samphire in a broth sharpened by peppery a\u00efoli. Room for dessert? Don\u2019t miss the red Mayan chocolate mousse with apricot and a gentle drizzle of olive oil.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bar Blondie)<\/p>\n

While the cocktail list covers enduring favourites \u2013 namely the Vodka Martini and Venetian Select Spritz \u2013 the comprehensive wine list is a love letter to the arts. It opens with a section titled The Writer, celebrating Joan Didion<\/a> while exploring historic and rare grape varieties, before continuing to The Actor, which champions inventive winemaking and independent producers. The Architect, a nod to Ray Eames<\/a>, spans classic and contemporary styles, while The Director, inspired by Sergio Leone, spotlights iconic estates and singular cuv\u00e9es.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Bar Blondie)<\/p>\n

Bar Blondie<\/a> is located at 19-21 Lonsdale Rd, London NW6 6RA, United Kingdom<\/p>\n

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