Harden's survey result
Summary
“Consistency and total professionalism” have won a major following (in the Top 40 most-mentioned names this year) for Joe Mercer Nairne and David O’Connor’s “first class” and “always welcoming” destination in a nondescript corner of Chelsea, which transcends its neighbourhood character (“it’s a bit of a cheek-by-jowl affair”) by attracting a far-flung fan club. Reporters have often cited Joe’s cuisine as worthy of a Michelin star (which it briefly held) and he continues to win praise for well-judged cooking that’s “good value, too, considering the quality” (even if its ratings slipped a smidgeon this year on some reports that were “good but not outstanding”). The “fabulous wine list” is also a major attraction in its own right. “Sommelier Melania has put together a stellar selection from across the world, at fair mark-ups, and with plenty of variety”. And “the £10 corkage deal at lunch is an added incentive to regular visits”. “It’s filled with people who love great food, and not just another trendy ‘place to be seen.”
Summary
“Well worth a visit in this remote corner of Chelsea”: this “outstanding oasis in Worlds End” has won a big culinary reputation, and chef Joe Mercer-Nairne “maintains high standards year-in-year-out”, with a “classic French approach that’s not so over-refined as to suck enjoyment out of it”. “Very good ingredients are cooked with great care, love and attention, but not overdone, nor over-fancy”. Service is of a very “high class” too, while the interior is “sophisticated” (“if a little cramped”). “It’s another surprising omission from the Michelin star list: is it because it’s at the wrong end of the King’s Road?”
Summary
“Well worth a visit in this remote corner of Chelsea”: this “outstanding oasis in Worlds End” has won a big culinary reputation, and chef Joe Mercer-Nairne “maintains high standards year-in-year-out”, with a “classic French approach that’s not so over-refined as to suck enjoyment out of it”. “Very good ingredients are cooked with great care, love and attention, but not overdone, nor over-fancy”. Service is of a very “high class” too, while the interior is “sophisticated” (“if a little cramped”). “It’s another surprising omission from the Michelin star list: is it because it’s at the wrong end of the King’s Road?”
Summary
“In an otherwise rather barren part of Chelsea”, this low-profile, but immensely popular, fixture is “a great neighbourhood restaurant that’s worth a journey if it’s not in your neighbourhood”. “Why did it lose its Michelin star” a couple of years ago? – we just don’t know, as Joe Mercier-Nairne’s “refined” cuisine is “very accomplished” and often “memorable”; service is “professional” and “exceptionally friendly”; and “the extent and variety of the wine list is a constant surprise, with recommendations that are spot-on every time”. The weakest link is a dining room that some say is “not the most elegant”, but others value its “intimate” feel.
For 31 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).
Have you eaten at Medlar?
Restaurant details
Medlar Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Beautiful fish, crab ravioli and cod. Great service and ambience"
"Very good lunch with wide selection. Charming ambience, excellent for a quiet discussion over lunch."
"Great to see staff haven’t changed. Reliable restaurant, excellent halibut sashimi - very fresh, well balanced with a hint of chilli flakes, pigeon a tad under cooked."
"Excellent lunch with usual Medlar style, attentive service and usual understated ambiance. The policy of sticking to what they know works is becoming somewhat tiresome, high time the menu was re-invigorated with a few interesting variations."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
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| Lunch | £40.00 | £45.00 |  |
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| Dinner | £60.00 | £70.00 | |
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| SundayLunch | £45.00 | £50.00 | |
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| Drinks |
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| Wine per bottle | £38.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.25 |
| Extras |
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| Service | 12.50% |
438 King's Rd, London, SW10 0LJ
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6:30 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑9:30 pm |
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