Missy Flynn, co-founder of the much-loved American-style diner Rita’s, knows what makes a good restaurant. The bartender and restaurateur came of age with an eye for London’s older dining spots, her first taste of adulthood experienced over food and wine in their stuffy yet charming dining rooms. Now older, Flynn revels in dining solo – and Andrew Edmunds is always top of the list.
Established in an 18th-century town house by restaurateur and art dealer Andrew Edmunds, the eponymous eatery is widely seen as one of the last remaining strongholds of ‘old Soho’. In September 2022, Edmunds died. The legacy and institution he leaves behind are unforgettable. Regularly appearing in lists of the UK’s most romantic dining spots, the restaurant sits proudly on Lexington Street, boasting an understated all-matt-black exterior; inside, handwritten daily menus adorn the walls, and tables are crammed together under dim lights.
Rita’s, founded in collaboration with chef Gabriel Pryce, sits just across the road from Andrew Edmunds. Missy takes us down memory lane as she details a satisfying full-circle moment and is reminded of just what a joy it is to be neighbours with the restaurant she loves most.
When did you first discover your ‘passion place’?
Missy Flynn: I lived in Covent Garden when I was very young, where my dad used to run a pub. From the age of 12 I'd go for walks around central London and marvel at its oldest restaurants – Andrew Edmunds was one of those. At 17, my girlfriends and I began going out for dinner and were obsessed with old-school spots. We’d go to Andrew Edmunds, drink red wine, and pretend to be sophisticated.
What does Andrew Edmunds mean to you?
MF: It’s very much a restaurant of London, in that it’s been there for a long time and has a mixed clientele. It's all the things that people don't allow restaurants to be any more. The seats are too small, it’s not that comfortable and it’s quite dark; but because it’s been there for so long, it can be whatever it wants. In that respect, it represents unapologetic freedom. To me, it’s the bastion of independent restaurants.
Could you tell us your favourite memory there?
MF: My favourite memory of Andrew Edmunds is relatively recent. When we were working on Rita’s, mid-pandemic, I had a few meals there on my own. I wanted to be in a restaurant, to be alone, and eat comfort food. I had three courses, and four glasses of Riesling, and was overhearing the most amazing conversations around me. The table next to me was celebrating a birthday and they offered me a slice of cake, which was coincidentally made by my friend Lily Vanilli. Until that moment, I was in my own world, feeling tipsy and living out some fantasy, as though I was dining in a quiet corner of Paris or Rome. I was immediately brought back down to earth, realising that, in fact, I’m in the middle of London, eating cake made by my friend, and sitting across the road from my own restaurant.
How often do you go, and when was the last time you were there?
MF: I try to go often and was there for lunch a few weeks ago. Particularly in the winter, I go all the time for their carrot and chestnut soup. We’re very friendly with the team now, and visit each other as much as we can.
What’s something someone might not know about the restaurant?
MF: It’s been there since 1986. Andrew, who owns it, is a legend on the local scene and is a sort of Soho conservationist. When we were painting Rita’s exterior, he was very interested in what colours we were going for, and whether it would fit in with the street. The building is Grade II-listed so he was extremely happy we weren't going for a contemporary look. I would say that part of the reason that Rita’s looks the way it does is because of my love for classic restaurants, but also of our love for Andrew Edmunds. We wouldn’t want to be the ones on that street that did something flashy and über-millennial.
Could you describe a typical experience at Andrew Edmunds?
MF: My visits are often unplanned. They have an amazing host and manager, Melissa, who probably wishes I would book in advance instead of just showing up, but she always finds a table for me at the last minute.
The staff is really friendly, and there’s brisk service that to me is so wonderfully old-school. I’ll always order soup, a starter, and a main. It’s acoustically interesting there as they don’t play any music; it’s got the background noise of a restaurant which we don’t hear much any more. I really like restaurants that lean into solitary dining experiences. I used to work in a bar in Notting Hill, and Nick Cave came in alone one time to have dinner and read a book, and I just thought that was the coolest thing. My typical Andrew Edmunds experience is to visit alone, eat delicious food, pretend to read a book, and eavesdrop on the conversations around me.
Top: through Andrew Edmunds’s entrance, untouched interiors have retained the ‘old Soho’ charm the restaurant is known for, with tongue-and-groove timber ceilings, spartan seating booths and chalkboards listing daily specials
.jpg)
.jpg)
