Mayfair, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

Artfully restored by ArtFarm (the hospitality wing of the Hauser + Wirth Swiss art dealership), this wood-panelled and appropriately art-stuffed pub is celebrating its second year as a “quality local”; and although it’s in the beating heart of ‘Mayfair Village’, it’s not a bad value one either, with “lovely” service and “really good pub food” (even if the menu doesn’t stretch much beyond Scotch eggs, sausages, shepherd’s pie and the like). Upstairs is the Mount Street Restaurant (see also) and there are event spaces on the upper floors.

2021 Review: Approaching its 300th birthday, this Mayfair pub is more stylish than most in the West End, partly due to its history of celebrity ownership (it was part of Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s divorce settlement, with Ritchie getting The Queen of Pop’s share when they split). Foodwise, it’s also been a decent bet in recent times (although it did receive one ‘off’ report from a former fan this year).

That there’s too few reports in our annual diners’ poll for a rating on this Mayfair chamber is remarkable given the lofty heritage of its famous name (for many decades applied to the room that’s nowadays Hélène Darroze, upstairs). After a hiatus of many years, this new space opened in 2020 and has never inspired much press reviewer attention – perhaps due to its ‘citizens of nowhere’ contemporary styling and modern JG Vongerichten-curated menu. Still, such feedback as we do receive on results from the luxurious rotisserie and wood-burning grill is all good.

2023 Review: “A great change to the ghastly chains” – Victoria & Grace Sheppard’s elegant, “friendly” café is tipped for its “terrific coffee”, as well as a quiet bite or their ‘bottomless brunch’.

This large and famous “Mayfair institution” – site of 1970s and ’80s revels under late founder Peter Langan and once co-owned by actor Michael Caine – fell from fashion decades ago, but was significantly relaunched in late 2021. “The food was never that special even when Langan was in charge so that hasn’t changed, but the price has moved up substantially” since its rebirth, making it more than ever a case of “average everything, dressed up as chic”. There’s still the occasional report of “a great time over a long lunch” from its loyal band of client entertainers, but the majority view is that even its bubby conviviality is increasingly called into question: “this is nothing like the original: it’s Langan’s gone hedge fund”.

“Gorgeous room… beautiful menu… classy crowd” – this “spacious and finely decorated” wood-panelled dining room is one of London’s better traditional eating options, and sits at the heart of a Mayfair hotel originally founded in 1837 and nowadays owned by Rocco Forte (it is named for his father). Adam Byatt (of Trinity in Clapham, see also) oversees a “very well-executed safe menu of classic tasty dishes such as Chicken Milanese, Calves’ liver with mash, or delicious Sirloin with chips and salad”. And service remains “exceptional” even after the departure last year of star maître d’, Jesus Adorno.

2021 Review: “Outstanding cooking, with first-class service” consistently hits the bullseye at this relatively unsung venue, tucked away at the back of a luxury Mayfair hotel. There’s a “thoughtful” approach to the meal, with “chefs coming out to tell you about dishes” – while some diners are “invited into the kitchen to meet Alyn”. It’s a “very comfortable” set-up and “the space between tables is incredible by modern restaurant standards, which creates the intimacy that a romantic meal requires”. And, especially at lunch, the elegant room’s lack of windows and natural light adds to the cocooning nature of the experience.

This “great little bistro” in Mayfair no longer excites as it did at launch 10 years ago (when former prime minister David Cameron and his wife Sam Cam were regulars). Fans reckon it’s “still a top dining option in Shepherd Market” thanks to its menu of sophisticated “comfort food”; but increasingly it “doesn’t quite live up to expectations” (“all a bit crowded and the food was just about OK”).

2022 Review: When it opened in April 2019, this heart-of-Mayfair restaurant aimed for a blend of British Modern cuisine with accents of West Africa, but nowadays a more confident Pan-African narrative is dominant, both in the styling and cooking. No survey reports as yet; online feedback has its ups and downs, but – for anyone interested in African cuisine – this is London’s most poshly located destination.

A striking location on Piccadilly overlooking Green Park – particularly from the elegant first-floor – makes this luxurious two-floor operation something of a Mayfair landmark (old-timers may remember the site as Fakhreldine, long RIP). Entirely relaunched in 2018 after a super-luxurious, multi-gazillion pound makeover, its nowadays under the same ownership as Hedonism Wines and not only boasts a “huge and superbly crafted wine list” but with notice you can order any of the 9,000 vintages stocked by HW. Originally launched as two restaurants – ‘Hide Above’ and ‘Hide Below’ – the culinary operations merged in 2022 and on either of its elegant two floors you can now choose either the luxurious à la carte (with caviar, wood-grilled fish, steaks and seafood) or the nine-course menu conceived by acclaimed chef Ollie Dabbous for £160 per person. “The food is actually better than the smart location would indicate, if not cheap”; and if you go the whole hog with the nine-courser you get “exquisite taste combinations, with beautiful preparation” that – for some diners – is “a highlight of the year” (“so much so I took out another mortgage and visited again!”). Caveats? “Notwithstanding some amazing dishes, they don’t always hit the top notes you expect at the price”. And, despite the luxurious glamour of the setting, the odd reporter “doesn’t love the atmosphere”, which can seem “a bit sterile”. Harsh critiques, though, are notable by their absence. Top Tip – “breakfast is a work of art, with a warm welcome and very Mayfair clientele (a mix of hedge funders and Arabs!)”

Old farts lament the good old days at this historic space, ruthlessly rebranded last year (f.k.a. The Dorchester Grill) by the hotel to make it seem more hip and zeitgeisty (with the website proclaiming: ‘From Essex roots to the future of The Dorchester, Tom Booton heralds the next kitchen generation, blazing into our lives with a brilliant new angle on modern British dining’. Wow!). Decor-wise this means a moody, back-lit bar; an absence of the soft furnishings that once characterised the place; and, of course, not a tablecloth in sight. The menu, meanwhile, puts a comfort-foodish spin on a wide-ranging selection that’s more posh brasserie than it is haute cuisine, and which includes small and large plates: from ‘Freddy’s prawn tacos’ to ‘Ribeye for two on the bone’. Feedback is still quite sparse, but all accounts are upbeat and some report exceptional cooking that’s remembered as the best meal of the year. Top Tip – fab lunch deal – three courses for £35 per person.

2021 Review: In the bowels of the RA, this subterranean venue (with bar, garden and dining room) is praised by fans for providing “reliable food in a civilised space”. Typically for Peyton & Byrne though, it doesn’t impress everyone, with the odd report of some “terrible” dishes.

“A people-watching heaven” – this epic Grand Café near the Ritz is renowned for the “busy” and “buzzy” clatter of its “beautiful”, “high ceilinged” dining room and remains many a sophisticated Londoner’s “gold standard for business”; particularly early morning over one of its “legendary breakfasts” (it’s “a perfect way to start the day, with a client, a friend, or quietly in the corner with a newspaper”). However, its gigantic popularity has been won despite it being “nothing fancy in the food department”; and its broad menu of “traditional comfort food” has always been “tasty and well-presented… but formulaic”. Drama ensued in 2022, when its founders Corbin & King were ousted in a boardroom battle. But even those who feel the place has perhaps “lost a little bit of sparkle since the management shake-up” acknowledge that “on the ground, very little has changed”. Top Tip – also good for “a classic afternoon tea. Delicious finger sandwiches and plain and sultana scones and a selection of macarons and small cakes. It’s not a fancy themed afternoon tea as is all the rage, but all the better for that. You can order more sandwiches!”

“Is it where the vulgar go to look at each other?” – Richard Caring wasn’t looking to please the good taste committee with his “far OTT” Mayfair scene, where staff clad in togas, winged statues and muralled nymphs overlooking the large dining room make it all a bit like a luxurious Mayfair production of ‘Carry on Cleo’. The menu is a romp through a hotchpotch of Med-inspired crudo, seafood dishes, pasta – even schnitzel! – and if you aren’t spending enough already, the menu encourages you to ‘elevate your dish with… a decadent addition’: meaning extra caviar or black truffle is available to sprinkle on all items. One fan recommends it for its romantic potential (“the ladies enjoy dining here”) but almost half of our feedback registers “disappointment”, so it would very much depend on the tastes of your dining companion…

Tim Jefferies, who runs the photography gallery Hamiltons, and his business partner, Sri Lankan-born Larry Jayasekara – head chef at Pétrus until 2018 – opened this art-filled Mayfair passion project in March 2024. Money has been little object in the expense-be-damned fit-out of four floors, which incorporate a ground-level dining room (with 28 covers); seven-seat chef’s table adjoining a huge kitchen; a 14-seat event space; and space to store over 1,500 wines on site (which also incorporates two adjoining buildings). Larry’s £145 menu is – huge round of applause – à la carte, not tasting-based, and shows the originality one might hope for from pre-launch research which incorporated travel to 28 countries! The venture opened too late for survey feedback, but reviewers in the press and online have raved. The best restaurants are not run for money, and there’s no sign that profit is the main motive here. Jefferies has signed a 20-year lease: this looks set to be a mainstay of Mayfair dining in the years to come.

Misha Zelman’s (Goodman, Burger & Lobster) Creative Restaurant Group (Endo at the Rotunda; Humo; Sumu) opened this luxurious May 2023 newcomer on a Mayfair site that’s never been previously used as a restaurant. Online articles around its launch have recycled the PR claims to ‘English Manor House’ styling – but the reality seems to be nothing like a creaky old country home, other than in the names of rooms like ‘pantry’ and the addition of lots of posh finishes. Executive chef Ben Orpwood sources ingredients at the height of their short seasons to emphasise the cuisine’s local British focus. No survey feedback or significant press reviews as yet.

It’s a total case of ‘Back to the Future’ in this Art Deco dining room. After a string of collabs with the likes of Gordon Ramsay, Simon Rogan and Daniel Humm, it reopened in late 2023 much as it was 20 years previously, before all the celeb nonsense set in. Some bemoan this lack of stardust, but it’s hard not to find positives in the “delightful room” and “proper service”. That the conventional, posh brasserie cuisine is no longer ‘pushing the envelope’ similarly makes it “boring and bland” to the excitement-seekers, but on balance the rating for food here is “better-than-average” and we’re with those who say “the new format is an improvement on what it was before”: if you’re a very posh hotel dining room in Mayfair, don’t fight it! Top Tip – “the set lunch is very good and fairly priced for such a special location”, as is the pre-theatre deal.