London’s dining pendulum appears to be swinging away from the elaborate, multi-dish spread and back towards something far more old-fashioned: bar snacks. After years in which smaller plates of carefully arranged vegetables, croquettes and burrata helped define fashionable eating out, many diners now seem weary of the ritual, the expense and the sense that a casual drink has somehow turned into a logistics exercise. In its place, pubs and bars are reviving simple, salty, unpretentious food that feels better suited to a pint, a martini or a glass of wine.

The shift is most visible in pubs, where food has always played a supporting role. The Robin in Crouch Hill has built a menu around pickled eggs, Scotch eggs, sausage rolls and pork pies, while The Pocket in Islington has made a point of avoiding overly fussy fare. According to the reporting, owners say the appeal lies in speed, value and ease: no long wait, no elaborate service and no need to commit to a full meal when a snack will do.

More upmarket venues are leaning into the same instinct. At the Pelican in Notting Hill, diners can order oysters and mince on toast; Rake at The Compton Arms serves battered cockles; and The Hero offers a fish finger roll. Even Soho’s buzzy Devonshire has embraced the idea, pairing a £2 sausage on a stick with bacon sandwiches and cheese and ham toasties. At The Golden Tooth, the team behind Papi has moved away from sharing plates in favour of more traditional dishes and crisp, salty snacks.

The appeal is not just nostalgia, though that clearly plays a part. Tom Noest, who opened The Hawthorn in Shepherd’s Bush last year, told the paper that a Scotch egg or a bit of rarebit sits neatly between a packet of crisps and a full plate of fish and chips. He said London’s heavier drinking culture makes this sort of food especially practical, with customers often deciding on the spot to add something to their order once the drinks are flowing. That spontaneity, he suggested, is part of the charm.

The trend is spreading beyond pubs into cocktail and wine bars as well. At Caviar House & Prunier in Piccadilly, the offering includes hand-cooked crisps with caviar, while Lyaness pairs drinks with tater tots and a mushroom sausage roll. Three Sheets Soho has put a chip butty on the menu after it began life as a staff meal, and Bar Flor’s calamari sandwich has become a signature, reflecting a broader appetite for food that arrives quickly, feels substantial and does exactly what it says on the tin. The message from London’s drinkers seems clear: they want authenticity, salt and something robust enough to carry them from one round to the next.

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