Phil Rabin’s Nosh Bar, 39 Great Windmill Street, Soho, City of Westminster, London W1, 1983 • One of Great Windmill Street’s three legendary salt beef bars, all long gone: Phil Rabin’s (no 39), The Nosh Bar (no 42), and Carroll’s (no 32). Pretty sure this is the former, but not sure if it was called Phil Rabin’s or Phil Rabin’s Nosh Bar.
Shopfront Elegy 
Hello Vici Macdonald. As an habitue many years ago I do know that at one time it called itself Phil Rabin’s Frankfurter Bar. In fact I have a publicity postcard from the time. Their ‘phone number was GERard 8429 and the Lutkas were great. Hope this is of some archival interest. Yours, Roderick Lyons.
Hi Roderick, thanks so much for sharing that information. I did a vast amount of Googling around and never came any of those facts, so now they are here for others to find too if they are interested. I used to walk past that nosh bar now and again but never went in – wish I had now!
A distant relation reportedly owned ‘the ‘Frankfurter Bar’ on Great Windmill Street in the early 50’s. I wonder if Phil Rabin took it over and kept the name?
I was in show business and we used to go and eat in Phil Rabin’s Nosh Bar. My favourite was salt beef served sliced and hot with pickled gherkins in soft fresh white bread. The memory of the taste makes me salivate now 50 years down the line. It had a fabulous flavour and was tender and succulent. I think they opened late to cater for the taxi drivers who worked most of the night.
Thanks, wonderful memories!
Hi, I’ve just discovered this site. I am Phil Rabin’s grand-daughter! I remember the shop fondly, especially the saltbeef cooking in vats downstairs and that wonderful smell. I have his treasured recipe and still make it at home from scratch. How lovely to have found people still talking about his fabulous food! x
Glad you found the post. Phil Rabin’s was definitely a bit of a legend and still remembered fondly by many. It’s sad places like that have disappeared from Central London.
This was a must-go place before going to a disco in the sixties and seventies, very fond memories – believe it used to have great boxing photos.
Thanks Derek for bringing back memories
I used to go there most of the time for the same reasons and of course for the salt beef!
Hi, in 1976 I was a young sales rep’ for Coca Cola in central London. Phil Rabin’s salt beef bar was a big customer and seeing the picture today, he’s now stocking the enemy, Pepsi! Great to see this business however it’s format is, still in the same building as all those years ago.
Thanks for your comment – very interesting!
What happened to my comment
In the seventies I use to work in Phil Rabin’s salt beef bar does anyone know if it’s still open and does anyone know the guy name who use to own it
My father worked hard for many years as the chef at Rabin