Harden's survey result
Summary
This three-year-old, near Piccadilly Circus – in the glossy St James’s Market development – is an offshoot of one of Manhattan’s most celebrated restaurant stalwarts, and here, as in NYC, “everything is made following Nordic traditions creating really delicious dishes” with “great Scandinavian fish and meat” (“even the bread is something you won’t forget”). But while to some reporters its big windows and expensive decor are “truly glamorous”, to others the ambience is “cold” – “a bit see-and-be-seen, and somehow a bit soulless”.
Summary
This two-year-old, near Piccadilly Circus – in the glossy St James’s Market development – is an offshoot of one of Manhattan’s most celebrated restaurant stalwarts, and here, as in NYC, “everything is made following Nordic traditions creating really delicious dishes” with “great Scandinavian fish and meat” (“even the bread is something you won’t forget”). But while to some reporters its big windows and expensive decor are “truly glamorous”, to others the ambience is “cold” – “a bit see-and-be-seen, and somehow a bit soulless”.
Summary
“A bit of a goldfish bowl with big windows” – this “awesome-looking” St James’s yearling (sibling to one of NYC’s most famous restaurants) has yet to reach its full potential. To fans it’s “a big, bustling, brassy brasserie with really well-executed Scandi food (and cracking Aquavit)” that’s “an excellent place to impress”; to sceptics, it “somehow lacks something” – “it looks beautiful, but feels cold and clinical” and the food is “quite sophisticated, but a bit soulless, mixed in realisation, and not a patch on the one in Manhattan”.
Summary
With its “classy and spacious” Manhattan-esque decor, this spin-off from the Big Apple’s acclaimed Nordic fine dining stalwart, in the new St James’s Market development, is “ideal for people-watching”, and – with its “clean-tasting Scandi fare from exceptional ingredients” – both “a great addition” to the capital, and one that’s “perfect for a business lunch”. On the downside, the “cavernous space is slightly sterile”, and muted ratings overall mean this is “not yet a chip off the NYC block”.
For 30 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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Restaurant details
Aquavit Restaurant Diner Reviews
"First visit for lunch. Lovely very spacious ground floor dining room. Lift to all floors is nice. Service attentive from arrival. We opted against the now ubiquitous Q code menu on line and were given a small printed version. Glasses essential! It's not cheap. Wine glass starts at £10 and it's small. Lunch menu is rather dull so prepare to order off the menu . That said it was great. Bread basket is mixed - scandi rye amazing, sourdough seemed almost stale. 3 types of herrings presented in little glass tubs were tasty and generous; Halibut was medium size, slightly dry on top ( too long under a lamp?) but really juicy inside. Jansson's temptation was an amazing baked vegetable with potato. Dessert proved a strong finish. Lots of texture with excellent ice- cream. Save space for them! "
"Outstanding scandinavian. High quality decor wood and granite. Quiet. Didn't have the set lunch as that wasn't scandi. Delicious bread. Three types of herring, amazing desserts. "
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £36.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 15.00% |
St James’s Market, 1 Carlton St, London, SW1Y 4QQ
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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