About Vivi - our editors and editorial standards
Who writes Vivi, how we review London restaurants, our editorial standards, and a note on this domain's history as the former VIVI Restaurant at Centre Point.
Vivi is an independent editorial guide to eating and drinking in London, written by two people. Clara Whitfield is the editor; Nathaniel Ashford is the senior contributing editor. Both have been professionally reporting on the London food and drinks scene for more than a decade. Every article on this site carries a single named byline; there is no anonymous aggregation.
Editor and restaurant critic Clara Whitfield
Covers: Restaurant reviews / Neighbourhoods / Desserts / Tasting menus
Clara Whitfield is the editor and lead restaurant critic of Vivi. She has eaten through the London restaurant scene professionally for over a decade, contributing reviews and features to regional and national food publications.
She writes Vivi's weekly restaurant review and the Saturday essay. She prefers early dinners and a table facing the room.
Senior contributing editor Nathaniel Ashford
Covers: Cocktail bars / Pubs / Drinks-trade news / Neighbourhoods
Nathaniel Ashford writes about bars, cocktails, pubs and the London neighbourhoods that hold them together. A former drinks-trade journalist, he now contributes a weekly cocktail column for Vivi and leads the Vivi Neighbourhoods series.
He knows more about vermouth than is strictly respectable. Based in Fitzrovia; generally found two doors down from wherever he is supposed to be.
How we review
Every restaurant review on Vivi is based on at least one anonymous visit, paid out of our own pocket. We do not accept comped meals, press nights, or sponsored content. When a restaurant knows we are coming, we say so in the review.
We revisit where it matters. A review carries the date of the most recent visit. If a restaurant has changed materially since we last ate there - new chef, new owner, clear change in the kitchen - we update the review or remove it.
A note on this domain's history
This domain, vivirestaurant.co.uk, was previously home to VIVI Restaurant & Bar at Centre Point, a restaurant that operated in central London until its closure. The current Vivi is an independent editorial guide and is not affiliated with, and is not the continuation of, that business. The domain name is retained because the word "Vivi" is short, editorially clean, and suits the site. If you arrived here expecting a menu, our apologies - try one of our reviews instead.
Editorial standards
- Anonymous, paid-for visits.
- One named author per article.
- No affiliate links in reviews. Outbound links to booking platforms are clearly labelled.
- Price bands reflect the cost of a typical meal for one with a glass of wine and service. £ to £££££.
- Star ratings are editorial. We do not publish one without at least two visits.
- Corrections are published openly, with the date, at the foot of the affected article.
Contact
Corrections, tips and editorial queries: see the contact page. Press: please write "Editorial" in the subject line.