Cornish cod, butter bean and agretti stew [Rebecca Hope]

COVID changed our habits for ever – especially in how we work and eat out. Mortimer House in Fitzrovia is a prime example: a handsome Art Deco building near Goodge Street tube transformed into a thriving seven-floor hybrid space combining bars, a restaurant and member’s club complete with gym and a room for meditation.

You can hire a hot desk for five, 12 or unlimited visits per month. Bigger teams may opt for a dedicated workspace – saving on the cost of long-term office leases and providing somewhere fun and communal to meet up when not working from home.

But it’s the ground floor, Mortimer House Kitchen, that is open to the public from 7.30am until late every day of the week.

It’s an attractively styled space, lit well, with a large marble-topped bar running down the left-hand side and open-plan kitchen at the back. The plant-filled conservatory to the side is ideal for larger groups.

Chef Tom Cenci has revamped the menu, which he says brings to life fond memories of family summers spent in Orta San Giulio and the Amalfi coast.

His breakfast menu features dishes such as Tuscan beans on toast with focaccia and Parmesan or a spicy n’duja bruschetta with whipped ricotta and poached eggs.

Later in the day, the menu revolves around scarpetta (traditionally dips and dishes to mop up with bread), pastas dishes and larger plates or “secondi”.

We came for dinner, starting with truffle arancini and a lovely plate of hand-chopped beef on toast, tartare-style, tossed with spicy n’duja (£16).

A rainbow salad of radicchio, flat-leaf parsley, orange and caramelised pecan nuts (£14) was the ideal contrast, with plenty of crunch and a lively acidity.

We tried two of the pasta dishes. A light green pea ravioli was a clever idea, the filled pasta topped with a crisp crumble dehydrated peas, blitzed pistachio nuts and mint. The overall texture was on the dry side – I craved more of a sauce and bolder seasoning.

The calamarata pasta shape resembles the calamari rings you order on holidays. Here it is tossed with prawns, tomato and chilli and was priced at £28.

The cost of eating out has increased and it’s become harder to know what is good value.

But even the spaghetti with breadcrumbs, garlic and olive oil – a rustic and frugal dish – cost £20, which does seem a bit steep.

For a main, we shared some Cornish cod on a stew of butter beans and finished with spoonfuls of a rich tiramisu.

Open all day, Mortimer House Kitchen is a useful destination if you find yourself in this part of town. You can drop in for a coffee or a cocktail, too, if you don’t want a full meal.

The owners have opened a similar venue in Soho, called 1 Warwick – with plans for more to come.

Mortimer House Kitchen
37-42 Mortimer St, W1T
@mortimerhousekitchen
www.mortimerhousekitchen.com
020 7139 4404