Just Back From London with Ross Simon
Before he was Phoenix’s preeminent mixology tastemaker, Ross Simon honed his craft at London’s legendary industry incubator LAB Bar. In 2004, the then-20-something Scotsman relocated to the Valley, where he built an epicurean empire that includes award-winning Downtown cocktail bars Bitter & Twisted and Little Rituals; sustainable citrus juice company Stabyl Beverage Co.; and Arizona Cocktail Week, which returns for its 15th year next spring.
But Simon never strays too far from his roots. This summer, he embarked on a whirlwind two-week tour through Europe, with stops in Paris, Tuscany, Rome and the Isle of Man. He spent the final days of his trip in London, revisiting old stomping grounds and discovering new haunts. “It’s evolved into a top-tier city that rivals any city in the world as far as food,” says Simon, who returns to England’s capital every few years. “You just have to know where to look.” He walks us through several gems from his latest treasure hunt in London Town.
Speedboat Bar at The Electric
Simon recommends this buzzy newcomer next door to The Electric, a restored circa-1910 cinema in Notting Hill. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant street-food culture of China and Thailand, Speedboat serves up aromatic stir-fries, fiery curries and street-food favorites like sweetcorn fritters. “I think everything’s a banger,” Simon says. speedboatbar.co.uk
Satan’s Whiskers
According to Simon, this “bartender’s bar” in Bethnal Green has been “a slow build of excellence and never skipped a beat” since opening in 2013. “They just do classics really consistently and really well,” he says. satanswhiskers.com
Old Brewer’s Yard at Guinness Open Gate Brewery London
Irish beverage institution Guinness recently restored this 18th-century brewery in Covent Garden, which Simon calls the best spot in town for “a stellar pie and pint.” opengatelondon.guinness.com/en/old-brewers-yard
Lahpet Restaurant Shoreditch
This Burmese restaurant in London’s arts district “really takes it up to an 11 on service, quality, ingredients and the flavors and composition of the dishes,” which range from salads and noodle bowls to curries and the eponymous fermented tea leaves known in Myanmar as lahpet. lahpet.co.uk
– Madison Rutherford
A Beach in Winter
The 1950s motor lodge turned boutique getaway Surfrider Malibu makes a compelling case for a winter seaside stay.
As temperatures cool, this 20-room beach retreat swaps shoreline umbrellas for rooftop firepits and spicy margs for cinnamon spritzes. Plus: Fewer crowds, peak whale-watching and some of the best surf swells on the Pacific Coast.
Overlooking Malibu Lagoon State Beach, home of the iconic “surfrider beach,” the hotel channels surf culture by offering guests complimentary use of Mick Fanning surfboards – colorful boards designed by the multi-year champion of the World Surf League’s World Tour (and one-time survivor of a shark attack).
“Winter offers the chance to experience Malibu at its most intimate, reflective and quietly beautiful,” a Surfrider press representative says.
The lodge has an advanced indoor game, as well. Every morning, hotel staff hand-delivers coffee in an artisan-crafted mug to your room, and come evening, invites you to snuggle fireside with a toddy and ocean vistas at The Roof Deck Bar and Restaurant.
From $650/night, thesurfridermalibu.com
– Bella Keenan
New Around Town: Canon City
Cañon City sits in central Colorado near the 10-mile chasm of Royal Gorge, a rugged slash carved by the Arkansas River. Though the town is worth a visit for the views alone, Cañon City also serves up plenty of new and noteworthy to-dos.
Royal Gorge Route Railroad
This 90-minute train ride through the gorge runs excursions year-round (including a Denver Broncos-themed outing in October), but come winter, visitors can climb aboard the Santa Express Trains. The family-friendly ride trundles into the canyon for a trip to the “North Pole,” complete with food, drink, Christmas carols and snowy Colorado landscapes. royalgorgeroute.com
Antithesis
Chopped champion and Las Vegas chef Johnny Church opened fine-dining resto Antithesis in August 2026, giving Cañon City an elevated culinary experience with a Rocky Mountain twist. Think Colorado-raised lamb and beef alongside coastal-sourced seafood, Korean fried rice and Peruvian shrimp ceviche. Find the intimate restaurant tucked inside the 1884 Royal Gorge Mansion. antithesisdining.com
Hotel St. Cloud
In the 1880s, Cañon City was an important stop on the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, and as such, needed hospitality amenities to service travelers. Hence, the opening of Hotel St. Cloud in 1887. Since then, the property – and the city itself – have enjoyed a rotating door of famous visitors, including 1940s Hollywood elite like Burt Lancaster. The hotel underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation and re-opened last year with 36 rooms, two restaurants and a martini bar. hotelstcloud.com
– Bella Keenan
