Bobby Fitzpatrick

Mon–Wed 4pm–11.30pm, Thu 4pm–1am, Fri–Sat midday–1am, Sun midday–midnight

The blurb

Everyone dreams of a ‘golden age’ they’d like to travel back in time to. For me, the 60s and 70s look like a simple and carefree time—where people drove without wearing seat-belts, swallowed bubblegum, had gaudy kitchen units with linoleum flooring—and were happy. At Bobby Fitzpatrick, I was able to head back in time–‘a child of the 90s heading to the grand old 70s. Retro doesn’t even cut it.

The style

Close your eyes and imagine. Orange leafy carpet. Crimson red velvet sofas and velvet foot stools. Stomach-turning wall-papers, nightmarish polyester fabrics and psychedelic nonsense. Every little detail perfected, all the way down (or up) to the ceiling Artex, the ancient hand dryer, the Pear’s soap blocks, and baby pink sinks in the bathroom.

I couldn’t help but fall in love with every single overly-textured, madly accessorised, colour-blinding style, and I was left feeling slightly envious that my parents got to have ‘actual’ house parties like this in the ‘actual’ 70s.

The crowd

Young people coming in for cocktails, chit-chat, and some nibbles. It’s got ‘lounge vibe’ down to a tee and basically felt like a really cool house party you’d (somehow) got invited to. People had even subconsciously dressed ‘70s style’ with roll-neck tops and mini skirts, or corduroy trousers—winklepickers and platforms optional.

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The food

Starters and stodgy nibbles are £4, pizzas start at £7, scoops of ice cream are £1.50. It’s all stodge but somehow that’s okay when you’re sitting in an all-orange-and-brown velvet living room. We tucked into delicious dough balls dipped in fondue cheese, one of those chequered wooden bowls of cheesy garlic breaded mushrooms, and devoured bacon and sour cream potato skins.

We went the whole hog and sampled a selection of the American pizzas—to cut to the chase, the best by far is the lamb doner pizza (£8.50). Don’t judge until you try it, is really all I can say. It was phenomenal in flavour and totally memorable—despite my not being a kebab fan. Other flavours include a tandoori chicken pizza, and The Full English (£9.50), as well as the more usual varieties of Hawaiian and Margarita.

The drink

Bobby Fitzpatrick is all about the drinks. This is where it really scores top marks, with a bar upstairs on ground level and another tucked downstairs in a speakeasy-esque room styled like someone’s house. We sipped on pineapple & pisco punch, we slurped Tequila Sunrise slushies (my favourite), and snapped pictures of a ‘Sexy Ting’ with a flaming lime garnish.

In a nutshell

I’d like to meet this Bobby Fitzpatrick. He sounds like a cool guy, and his living room was pretty awesome too. Order the cheese-dipped dough balls and a slushie, and party like it’s 1970.

The details:

Bobby Fitzpatrick, 273 West End Lane, London NW6; 020 7433 1989; bobby@bobbyf.co.ukwww.bobbyf.co.uk

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