1828
Grand Cigar Divan opens
A cigar-smoking coffee-room called the Grand Cigar Divan opens on the Strand; it’s aimed at gentlemen who wanted coffee, cigars, newspapers — and a comfy sofa.
1848
John Simpson joins and the name changes
Samuel Reiss partners with caterer John Simpson and the place is rebranded Simpson’s Grand Divan Tavern — Simpson helps turn it from a smoking room into a full dining house.
1850s
The chess café that became famous for roast beef trolleys
Simpson’s becomes the 19th-century hub of British chess and the famous silver meat trolleys originate as a quiet way to bring roast meat to tables without disturbing chess players.
In 1851, Adolf Anderssen played the Immortal Game against Lionel Kieseritzky at Simpson’s. Renowned for Anderssen’s bold sacrifices of both rooks and his queen to achieve checkmate with minor pieces, it remains one of the most famous and celebrated games in chess history.
1898
Bought by D’Oyly Carte – rebuilt and renamed
Richard D’Oyly Carte (owner of the Savoy) acquires Simpson’s in 1898; the restaurant is gutted and redeveloped, reopening in 1904 as Simpson’s-in-the-Strand, Grand Divan Tavern — the interior and traditions you associate with Simpson’s date largely from this era.
1900s
A celebrity, literary and political haunt
Across the Victorian, Edwardian and modern eras, Simpson’s hosted figures such as Dickens, Gladstone, Conan Doyle and, later, Churchill, literary figures, playwrights, actors and film stars – cementing its image as a Strand institution.
In 1925, Sherlock Holmes and Watson dine at Simpson’s in The Adventure Of The Illustrious Client.
1974
Early Michelin recognition
When the first Michelin Guide for Britain appeared (1974), Simpson’s was among the handful of London restaurants awarded a star — a mark of how the old-school roast-and-trolley format had earned gastronomic respect.
2020
Pandemic closure
Simpson’s closed in March 2020 with the pandemic; the famous carving trolleys remained iconic but the building went quiet.
2023
Jeremy King
Restaurateur Jeremy King and his team secured a plan to relaunch Simpson’s, promising to restore the theatrical elements and reopen with a mix of reverence and modernity.