Hyde Park Corner, British, Traditional Restaurant Guide

“Hidden gem!” – this “tiny” but atmospheric Belgravia watering-hole sits in a super-cute mews and attracts a clientele of billionaire locals including Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe… who bought the pub in 2022 and named his Ineos Grenadier SUV after it. The food is not hugely ambitious but fans say it’s “so worth it!”. (Said to be haunted by the ghost of a soldier beaten to death for cheating at cards here in 1818, its ceiling is plastered with paper money from all over the world, to pay his gambling debts.) The signature dish? Beef Wellington, natch.

Heston Blumenthal’s association with the park-view dining room of this fancy hotel – with its dominating Edwardian facade looming over the top of Sloane Street and nice outlook onto Hyde Park at the rear – has endured since 2011. Here, the wizard culinary strategy (the cynical would stay ‘shtick’) is a weird-and-wonderful menu dredged from ancient cookbooks by the Fat Duck chef (e.g. Buttered Crab Loaf, 1714; Chicken Cooked with Lettuces, 1670; Sambocade, 1390). “It’s an experience, but rather self-limiting by the very nature of its historically-based menu and not somewhere one would necessarily regularly return to”. Our annual diners’ poll has always suggested that the two Michelin stars it holds is rather OTT. Yes, it does have fans who consider it “tremendous” and inspired no tirades of criticism this year. But too many reports question its scary prices, or come with a sting in the tail; and the service in particular is rated as highly “indifferent”. (“Of course the food was very nice, but at these prices it should be exceptional, and it wasn’t. It’s just really very very expensive and not quite as good as it could or should be for the money they’re charging”). Expense accounters like it: “the ambience is somewhat bland, but this matters not if the emphasis is on the deal!”

“What a special place The Dining Room at the Goring is” – “You can take your boss, your granny and your lawyer… all at the same time and it will be to everyone’s taste!”. Amongst London’s most blue-blooded of hotels, this proudly traditional venue between Buckingham Palace and Victoria is the only one that’s still family-owned. (Opened in 1910 by Otto Goring, it is nowadays run since 2005 by Jeremy Goring). Its comfortable period style and well-judged service help make it “a real treat that takes you back to an age of class and perfection which you will share with your partner for a wonderful occasion”. It’s particularly “excellent for business meals because the tables are adequately apart for privacy, and the service is efficient and discreet”. Rather gratuitously, Michelin gave it a star in 2016, which might suggest it’s a foodie haven: in fact its “classic” Anglo-French fare is almost the antithesis: “some dishes have barely changed for years but that builds a kind of security. The approach is rather old-fashioned and a little rich but it is not the sort of place you go often… so enjoy!” Top Tip – “Since the delightful Catherine and family used this hotel in the lead-up to her marriage to Prince William in 2011, it has become a ‘go-to’ establishment for proper English teas. The great staff are all trained to look after overseas visitors who flock to their doors for one of the best afternoon teas in London. Delicious sandwiches, homemade scones with jam and clotted cream, cakes to die for and myriad teas ensures that every taste is catered for. This is a quintessential British experience”.

With its trollies, oil paintings and plush banquettes, this Mayfair dining room is worth considering for an old-fashioned traditional meal, and one fan declares it “just the right place for a special occasion” thanks to attractions like “great Dover sole” (filetted at the table). Other retro offerings in the hotel include an ‘Original Sweet Shop Afternoon Tea’.

2023 Review: “With window views of the back of Buckingham Palace and its comings and goings amidst refills of tea”, this plush lounge can make a good stop-off for an afternoon treat. Feedback is limited, but praises “a lovely stack of sandwiches, pretty cakes and scones with fresh flavours”. More substantial meals are available in the hotel’s very comfortable and traditional dining room (The English Grill), complete with oil paintings and leather banquettes.