Detour Pit Stop #53: Hexagon Classics, London
Photo Nik Berg
This North London landmark has been reinvented as a destination for lovers of fine food, fine wine – and the finest classic cars of course.
Hexagon has been a fixture of the local car culture since 1963 when Paul Michaels first set up shop in a Hampstead mews. Paul would go on to become a Formula One sponsor and main dealer for many of the most iconic motoring marques and expand to premises on the Highgate/East Finchley borders where as a kid I would peer through the windows of the showroom, admiring BMWs, Alfa Romeos, Aston Martins and Porsches through the huge plate glass. I once even persuaded my dad to test drive a 928 (sadly, he didn’t take the bait).
Having shifted its focus in more recent years to classics and modern classics, Hexagon is now embarking on a new cultural journey that links Paul’s passion for cars with his love of the grape and the grain.
On the surprisingly expansive site on the Great North Road, alongside a showroom crammed with the most amazing metal, is The Engine Rooms, a Mediterranean inspired all-day dining restaurant serving tasty dishes using the best of seasonal British ingredients complemented by the best quality European produce, and a wine shop and delicatessen, Bottles ‘n’ Jars.
With two bars, a covered outdoor dining area and a further two floors inside, the Engine Rooms seats 140. The wood-fired pizzas are perhaps a highlight of the menu which focuses on fish and vegetables and is easy on the meat. If you’re not driving and fancy something to wash it down, wine expert and author Bert Blaize, previously sommelier at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons so knows a thing or two about decent plonk, has curated a thoughtful selection of wine sourced from small, sustainable vineyards.
The Engine Rooms also has an amazing event space which is being booked by the local community and car clubs alike. The V8 suite is cosy, and, despite the name, not particularly motoring-themed. The massive V12 Suite, however, has huge images of engines and even air conditioning ducting inspired by an exhaust system. Very cool (both literally and figuratively).
Of course it would be remiss to leave without a visit to the showroom itself where the cars will whet the appetite of any enthusiast. Classic Porsches are a staple, but there are always Aston Martins, Ferraris (two Daytonas on my last visit), Mercedes and many, many more.
Whether you go for the food, the wine, the cars (or all three) you won’t be disappointed.
