British, Modern Restaurants in Watford
1. Clarke’s
British, Modern restaurant in Kensington
124 Kensington Church Street - W8
“Terrific ingredients, cleverly but unfussily combined” has long been the hallmark of Sally Clarke’s “impeccably run restaurant” in Notting Hill, which has been at the cutting edge of promoting seasonal, Californian-inspired cuisine since 1984. “It’s on the pricey side, but quality remains superb”; the setting is “romantic”; and the service, from a loyal and seemingly well-looked-after contingent of staff is “excellent, all overseen by Sally herself”. The “marvellous” wine list has an “unusual emphasis on North American wines” and some “reasonably priced alternatives to famous names”. Top Tip – “the good-value daily lunch set menu is a fantastic way to try this restaurant out”.
2. Corrigan’s Mayfair
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
28 Upper Grosvenor St - W1
“Excellent traditional British cuisine with an Irish accent” helped win very consistent praise this year for Richard Corrigan’s comfortable Mayfair bastion of ‘all that is coastal, wild, furred and feathered’. It’s a “classic dining experience” but service is “wonderfully welcoming” and is “pitch perfect” for business entertaining in particular. Top Tip – “the set lunch menu cushions the blow to the wallet”.
3. Maddox Tavern
British, Modern restaurant in Westminster
47 Maddox Street - W1S
“These very big premises were once a prestigious tailor’s” – then more recently a branch of the Browns brasserie chain – and are now “a pub-like restaurant in the middle of Mayfair”. Fans are impressed by “its competent realisation of a standard menu” of British classics. But service can be “somewhat patchy” and food can be “fairly average” as a result.
4. La Trompette
British, Modern restaurant in Chiswick
3-7 Devonshire Rd - W4
This “absolute gem of a neighbourhood restaurant” sits on a side street off Chiswick’s bustling main drag, and – like its cousin Chez Bruce – has earned a London-wide reputation over the years thanks to its “fine modern British dining”, “well-drilled service with a smile” and “comprehensive list of fine wines”. There’s been some “changing of the guard in the kitchen” in the last 12 months with Greg Wellman, formerly of The Glasshouse, Kew, taking over at the stoves. But whereas some fans say “it hasn’t undermined what remains a very strong offering”, others are less certain and ratings are not what they were: “I’m still the ‘fan from E18’ who schleps across town to go here, and remain a supporter, but it seems to have lost some of that elusive lustre that previously made it so special”.
5. Ormer Mayfair by Sofian, Flemings Mayfair Hotel
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
7-12 Half Moon Street - W1
Although this luxurious Mayfair hotel dates from the 1850s, its swish basement dining room owes its looks to the 1930s. Under chef Sofian Msetfi, the “fabulous” cuisine (choose either a 5 or 7-course ‘tasting’ option) continues to achieve high ratings with a recently awarded Michelin star and even the weakest report this year awarded “full marks for presentation and service”. “A friend of mine who swears not to visit hotel dining rooms granted it high praise after our dinner there!”
6. The Victoria
British, Modern restaurant in East Sheen
10 West Temple Sheen - SW14
“Love this pub”, hailed by fans (often parents) for providing “one of the best Sunday lunches” in this part of southwest London, just outside Richmond Park in East Sheen. Over the years, TV chef Paul Merrett has transformed the rambling Victorian tavern into a boutique hotel with a large garden and spacious conservatory for dining.
7. Bellamy’s
British, Modern restaurant in Mayfair
18-18a Bruton Place - W1
“A haven of calm in an ever-changing world”: “they cater for the most conservative of palates (and the deepest pockets)” at Gavin Rankin’s “old-school, brasserie-style restaurant in Mayfair” (which had the rare privilege of hosting the late Queen Elizabeth on a couple of occasions). Its Anglo-French fare is “super reliable, if not exciting” and service “immaculate”. “If you like the kind of place where you still need to dress up a bit, this is it”, but “the ambience is set by its older, quietly-spoken crowd: don’t visit if you are planning a loud-laughing night!”. Top Menu Tip – “good value lunch menu; and staples such as iced lobster soufflé, smoked eel mousse and steak tartare”.
8. 108 Brasserie
British, Modern restaurant in Marylebone
108 Marylebone Lane - W1
This “well-run spot” with outdoor seating attached to a hotel on Marylebone Lane makes a “very useful venue for lunch when in the vicinity”, with an offering that “seems to have something for everyone”. “It’s nothing exceptional in one sense, but a menu of properly prepared classics is the sort of thing that sounds easy but needs to be done well… and it is”.
9. The Melody Restaurant
International restaurant in Hammersmith and Fulham
153 Hammersmith Road - W14
Welcome To The Melody Restaurant At St. Paul's Hotel The Melody Restaurant Takes Its Name From One Of Britains’ Most Beloved Films. The Melody Restaurant Was Originally The Site Of St Paul’s School, Which Was The Chosen Location For ...
10. Friends
British, Modern restaurant in Pinner
11 High St - HA5
2021 Review: “A new chef is bringing style and ambition to this lovely period building” – an “intimate” five-hundred-year-old Tudor structure in central Pinner where Stelian Scripcariu has taken over from Terry Farr (owner for over 25 years) at the stoves. A trip “can work out expensive” (nothing new there) but all local reporters say it’s “well worth a visit”.
11. Lussmanns
British, Modern restaurant in St Albans
Waxhouse Gate, High St - AL3
“Long established in St Albans”, and part of a five-strong, sustainability-oriented chain, this glass-roofed outfit by the cathedral continues to please with its “jolly good” bistro cooking (the latter recommended for its “consistent quality” and equally “good value”).
12. Dylans Kings Arms
British, Modern restaurant in St Albans
7 George Street - AL3
“One of the best in the area” – this fifteenth-century hostelry in the cathedral quarter (named for the landlord’s dog) only has “a small dining area at the back of the pub”, but provides “a very good menu – it’s limited to a few dishes which is encouraging as they are all very good!”
13. Megan's at the Old Bell
British, Modern restaurant in St Albans
22 Chequer Street - AL1
“Fairy lights, greenery and charming decor create a warm and cosy atmosphere” at this still-expanding group, which is most popular as a “reliable and friendly brunch option”. Its Med-inspired tapas is typically rated somewhere between “tasty” and “nothing special” and scores overall are dragged well down by those experiencing “chaotic service” and “food that doesn’t live up to the pretty dining room”.
14. The Swan Inn
British, Modern restaurant in Denham
Village Road - UB9
2022 Review: Upscale Georgian gastroboozer, handy for J1 of the M40, whose “very pleasant surroundings” (in a ridiculously picture-postcard village), superior ambience and “nice garden” add considerably to its charms. The food, which is divided into small and big plates of comfort food-style British fare, isn’t wildly ambitious but is “consistently good”.
15. Thompson
British, Modern restaurant in St Albans
2-8 Hatfield Rd - AL1
Phil Thompson has owned this city-centre casual fine-dining spot (offering à la carte or seven-course tasting menus) for over a decade, and oversaw what was another solid performance this year; the dining area “consists of a number of small rooms, which gives a feeling of intimacy” (there’s also a charming Victorian-style courtyard), and Thompson’s classical training alongside the Galvin bros and MPW means “there’s always a good spin on traditional ideas”.
16. Savoro
British, Modern restaurant in Barnet
206 High Street - EN5
2021 Review: A former boathouse on the high street, turned hotel and dining room, that remains of note for its “delightful food impeccably served in a not overcrowded restaurant” – though you’ll need to book ahead on weekends, when they also lay on a “good Sunday lunch”.
17. The Jolly Cricketers
British, Modern restaurant in Seer Green
24 Chalfont Rd - HP9
“Worth the drive out” – Chris & Amanda Lillitou’s “quintessential English country pub” has a super-cute village location in the lush Chilterns countryside surrounding Beaconsfield. The cuisine is down-to-earth, but it comes with the spin one might expect from Amanda’s Tante-Claire training: the soup might be Jerusalem artichoke; the fish ’n’ chips may incorporate Newlyn hake and battered cod’s cheek; and a typical pie would feature game with a suet crust.
18. The Grocer at 15
British, Modern restaurant in Amersham
15 The Broadway - HP7
This “great local” has had an up-and-down time of it of late, with the Gerrards Cross branch under new management, and The Grocer at 91, which had pivoted to being a food shop in the pandemic, now closed. On the plus side, this “very busy” outpost is still going strong with its “reliable” (if pricey) sandwiches, salads and toasties, and they also recently opened a new Amersham venue, The Grocer at 2 (Whielden St), spanning a grocery store and café.
19. Gilbey’s
British, Modern restaurant in Amersham
1 Market Sq - HP7
“Tasty bistro food” is enjoyed in the “lovely setting” of a seventeenth-century former school in Old Amersham, a “cosy” local spot opened by the Gilbey’s gin dynasty 35 years ago. Founder Michael Gilbey passed away in summer 2022, and his widow, Lin, has put the site up for sale. (She also runs its sister restaurant in Eton.)
20. The Gatsby
British, Modern restaurant in Berkhamsted
97 High St - HP4
2021 Review: “Well cooked and presented meals” – and “good value”, too – are served at this unusual venue in the foyer of the beautifully preserved 1930s Rex cinema. There’s also a cocktail bar with live pianist – and a particularly strong lunch and pre-film menu.
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