Bar Boulud, Mandarin Oriental

Summary

“Consistency has always been key” at this NYC-import in the basement of a landmark Knightsbridge hotel, “so it’s not surprising it reopened after the fire here and did not skip a beat”. Oft touted by some for “the best hamburger in town” (“beating the specialist chains”), it actually “offers a surprisingly wide range of dishes, although the French bistro options tend to be best”, and fans say they are delivered “with just the right amount of friendliness”. It’s very much casual luxury, however, and there’s also quite a widely held view that “for such a glamorous hotel, everything here is distinctly average”, especially at very Knightsbridge prices. Top Tip – in summer, you can now dine outside on the ‘Bar Boulud Terrace’ overlooking Hyde Park (first-come first-served, weather permitting).