London St James's Restaurant Guide

“Still setting the standard for Indian food” – this leading Mayfair subcontinental emerged from a major refit in January 2025 and has gone from good to great as a result. A sprawling modern space, up stairs from Berkeley Square, it’s always been a stylish destination that has sometimes struggled to generate much electricity ambience-wise. No longer: its new decor looks and feels “superb” and chef Sameer Taneja’s “incredible” cuisine is going from strength to strength with an “amazing new menu”. “Top of the line” in all respects.

“Timeless elegance at a mind-boggling price” is a trade-off practically all diners are still content to make at what is technically London’s oldest restaurant (on its current site since the 1980s, but with a history dating back to 1742). “For those who treasure the traditions of yesteryear, they are continued here with impressive commitment”, complete with “boothed seating, crisp white tablecloths and napkins, and immaculately cleaned glasses and cutlery”: a “lovely subdued, elegant and spacious”, interior with a “respectfully quiet” ambience. (There is also “bar-style seating for seafood”.) “You marvel at the slick professionalism of the well dressed-waiters”, who deliver resolutely “old-style British food” – particularly fish, seafood and game in season: simple “but the quality and cooking is simply perfect”. “The only drama is the bill!!” (Style note – “I was concerned about the dumbing down of the dress code – previously jacket and tie de rigueur for men – but it was pleasing to observe that other customers were smartly dressed as are all the waiting staff.”) Top Menu Tips – “sensational roast beef cooked rare with several generous slices and a fine Yorkshire pudding: home-made horseradish sauce was a fine savoury accompaniment; crunchy millefeuille with cream and sweet slices of English strawberries is a sheer delight”.

“Unsurprisingly, not as flashy as the one in Marbella” – and with siblings nowadays from Montecarlo to Mykonos – the Mayfair original of Arjun Waney’s vibey Peruvian chain (motto ‘Find your inner Inca’) is still, say fans, “a great place for something different”, although even a reporter who judged its crudos, salads, skewers and grills provided their best meal of the year still thought the meal “came at an excessive price”. There’s also a new spinoff in the City, behind the Bank of England.

For a comfortable meal in an impressive space in Mayfair, this wood-panneled chamber has much to recommend it, and is one of the better-preserved traditional dining rooms (dating originally from the 1850s and made over in the 1930s). Chef Sofian Msterfi injects North African ideas from his Moroccan roots into some of the dishes on his five-course (for £95 per person) or seven-course (for £140 per person) menus. The odd reporter feels this is “too much concept” for their tastes, but for the most part it’s an approach that’s very well received.

“Upmarket Italian” – associated with a lifestyle brand originally specialising in yachtie apparel, these luxurious all-day cafés aim to recreate the retro glamour of 1950s Italy, complete with deep blue awnings, wood panelled walls and white-jacketed staff. At their best they are a “lovely dining experience”, but – especially given the aspirational pricing – they sometimes fall short of their aims with an offering that can seem “mass and carelessly produced”.

This “glitzy ‘see-and-be-seen’ Italian” in the ever-more chic environs of Lower Regent Street is the London flagship for Carlo Distefano’s national chain, which was founded in Birmingham in 1992 and expanded to most UK cities before hitting the capital in 2012 (the group also has a number of simpler ‘Cicchetti’ locations around town, see also). The aim is a traditional one: an “extensive menu” of classic dishes delivered in a golden glow of crisp tablecloths and smartly dressed servers. The food is consistent, if fully priced; and the service can be “attentive but lacking charm”.

Amidst the gents’ outfitters of Jermyn Street (whose suave suits and shirts clad many of the clientele here), this popular stalwart (founded in 1945) is a super-convivial rendezvous for its St James’s pack of wealth advisors, art dealers and property agents; and it is “buzzing” (from its popular breakfast-time onwards) at its “closely spaced tables” (“not too bad if you are seated by a wall, but potentially claustrophobic in the middle of the room”). In that vein, it’s a “fun experience with a high standard of service and care”, plus “great Italian food”. A caveat? “Everything works but the prices are a bit daft”.

Zima is a Russian Restaurant located in the heart of Soho offering traditional Russian dishes with a modern twist.Treat yourself to the best priced caviar in London and other favourites of Russian cuisine, sip on our homemade selection of infused vodka and enjoy the wel...

2024 Review: A “real favourite” of well-heeled foodies, this classy if relatively unsung Mayfair hotel dining room boasts in “William Drabble, the most underrated of chefs – and one of great longevity” after 15 years at the helm. There is an eight-course ‘Menu Gourmand’ (for £125), but also à la carte options (starting in the evening with a two-course meal for £82 – lunchtimes are cheaper).

“Well-located – tucked behind Regent Street on the corner of Ganton and Kingly Streets”, this Soho haunt has stood the test of time. Its Italian/Spanish tapas is uniformly rated as “good” and “even if it used to be miles better when it opened, it doesn’t really matter because the place has a lovely feel – ideal for whiling away a lunch with a friend”. (“Wish they would change the high bar stool seats, though: they are just uncomfortable!”). Top Tip – pavement seating in summer, and some fans also tip the “quiet downstairs cellar dining room”.

“Sit in the buzzing and upbeat Oyster Bar” on the ground floor, tip regulars at Richard Corrigan’s West End landmark, in a quiet lane between Piccadilly and Regent Street: one of London’s most venerable and popular dining destinations, which celebrates its 110th anniversary in 2025. Under his careful stewardship, the establishment remains “a classic for a reason!”: “expensive, but very good in all departments”, not least “top-quality fish and crustaceans” (and “it’s always worth looking at the specials board”). Long-serving staff provide “service with a smile” and keep the vibe “upbeat”, although “upstairs, the atmosphere can vary when there are few people there”. Although it is heated all year, the outside terrace is a particular delight in summer. Top Menu Tips – “superb oysters” as you’d hope (“including the baked ones”); “the Irish soda bread is yummy”; “fish ’n’ chips to die for”; “Cornish crab is very special”; “splendid fish stew”.

Ties festooned from the ceiling is the signature look of this veteran St James’s location, which makes a civilised launch-pad for an evening in the West End. With help from the menu – well-rated in reports – offering light US-inspired bites (ribs, jambalaya prawns, mac ’n’ cheese).

It’s hard to keep up with this “lovely Soho old-timer” which was founded in 1971 but has shifted location twice since it first opened its doors (most recently in 2021 from Poland Street). First timers say “what a surprise, it’s really good!” and those in-the-know (who include former Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, who had his engagement party at the former site) appreciate it as “a very friendly family-run ‘real’ Italian restaurant in the heart of the West End”. “Delicious seafood and fish dishes” in particular are a highlight of the Umbria-inspired menu; and owner Paul Matteucci (son of Vasco) is “an exceptional host” (particularly once you are known as a regular). Top Menu Tip – “the carpaccio di tonno is outstanding”; and “the range, quality and value of wine is immense and very difficult to find in these inflation-hit days”.

“Seemingly effortlessly classy and convivial” – these attractive spinoffs from the national San Carlo chain provide “casual dining with Italian small plates in a lively setting” and can be particularly “great for a pre-theatre meal” given their “very convenient locations for the West End” (including a stone’s throw from Piccadilly Circus). There are drawbacks though: “quality of the dishes is a little variable”; “tables are squeezed in”; and conversation can be “difficult” (“this place is described as ’buzzy’, for which I would read loud”).

“One can never tire of Gavin Rankin’s discreet, restrained and brasserie”, “quietly located” in a Mayfair mews (“an institution that lives with the legacy that the late Queen visited it twice”). “You can start your meal with cocktails in the bar (next to the restaurant)” and then move to the dining room for “classic’ Anglo/French cuisine” that’s “comfortingly familiar” and “superb in its simplicity” (the harsh might say “staid and unadventurous”); and “good value too”. “Service is excellent – one always has everything one needs but is otherwise left alone”. For an “understatedly elegant” business occasion – perfect! Top Menu Tip – “outstanding value for money from the table d’hote menu”.

Star West Country chef, Michael Caines, is hitting London for the first time at this cosseting hotel dining room – formerly the Game Bird, whose new name is not yet disclosed as of July 2025 (the name above is a guess / working name). As part of the deal, Michael’s acclaimed Lympstone Manor property will join The Stafford Collection as an associate member, reflecting a new deep partnership between the hotel and the chef. As The Game Bird, the dining room’s emphasis was not on haute cuisine, but spoiling, high-quality British dishes, but this will apparently change with Michael’s arrival bringing a style of cooking in line with that at his highly ambitious Devon property (prepare for lots of references to Michelin). Not every star chef who won fame in the shires thrives on hitting the capital: here’s wishing him well on winning his spurs.

2023 Review: “Great name… even better food” say fans of this casual, Japanese-inspired dining experience within a Soho hotel, whose all-day dining possibilities (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon tea…) were conceived by star chef Garry Hollihead. Too limited feedback as yet, though, for a full rating of its mix of poke bowls, salads, sliders and main plates, complemented by an oriental cocktail list and sake menu.