Farewell Shepherd’s

The end of an era for Westminster lunchers. Shepherd’s, the favourite haunt of Cabinet Ministers, political editors and TV types since 1993, has closed. The sister restaurant of Langan’s Brasserie — the joint venture between notorious alcoholic Peter Langan and Michael Caine —  Shepherd’s shut its doors unexpectedly yesterday, leaving staff stumped as to why.

Famed for its house pie, even devout vegetarian Adam Boulton has lamented this as a ‘sad day’ for the ‘best restaurant near Parliament’. The increasing Americanisation of lunch in London is clearly taking its toll.