Harden's survey result
Summary
“Quite simply, the epitome of what a restaurant should be!” – Michel Roux’s “elegant”, if old-fashioned Mayfair icon remained a place of ultimate celebration for many reporters before, during the interregna from, and after the lockdowns. Nowhere in London epitomises French gastronomy more than this traditionally decorated basement – the first restaurant in the UK to hold three Michelin stars (and with two since 1993). Its “classic dishes seem more exquisite than ever through enforced absence” and “the welcome you get is second to none”. On the downside: bills, as ever, are “stratospheric”; the odd reporter finds the approach “dated”; and its ratings risked slipping this year. Also, “tragically they have had to suspend their prix fixe lunch – the best deal in London! – because of staff shortages caused by beastly Brexit and Covid” (since summer 2021 it has been open for dinner only). While that persists, it’s “only a goer if you have deep pockets”. In September 2021, Emanuel Landré the GM stepped back, leaving sisters, Sylvia and Ursula Perberschlager, who have been at Le Gavroche for 17 years, as co-managers. (Footnote – Le Gavroche’s original founders, Michel Roux’s uncle, Michel, and his father, Albert – both passed away since our last survey, in March 2020 and January 2021 respectively. The debt owed by the UK restaurant industry to the Roux Bros is phenomenal.)
Summary
“Elegance… discreet service… classic French cuisine – they never go out of fashion”, and nowhere else in London can match Michel Roux Jr’s “grande dame of the London restaurant scene” for “perfect, old-school Gallic gastronomy”. Founded (on Sloane Street) in 1967 by his father Albert, this famous culinary temple has operated in Mayfair just around the corner from the former US embassy since 1982 and with MasterChef-maestro Michel at the stoves since 1991. Menus (with no prices in the lady’s version) are perused in the smallish ground floor lounge, before descending to the “dark and moody basement with its elaborate table ornaments”. To a few doubters the style is too “stuffy and formal” (or, alternatively, too dated and 1980s-tastic) – but to most visitors (some of whom are regulars of many decades’ standing) the milieu makes it “one of the capital’s best dining rooms, setting the perfect scene for any posh liaison”; with “soft furnishings and a layout that means one may hear and converse in quiet and relative privacy; and where it’s refreshing to find the standard of dress amongst the patrons still includes a suit and tie”. “Attention to detail and personal enjoyment shows in every aspect of the experience”: cooking is “superbly judged both in its selection and preparation”, and the “wine list is the work of an afternoon – hugely pleasurable to read and to attempt to absorb its width and variety!”. “Smooth, unobtrusive service” under maître d’ Emmanuel Landré, is “impeccable” – “ideally pitched from when you step through the door to the final farewell”; and Michel (usually in attendance) “is a charmer as well as a brilliant chef”, with “the personal visit from Le Patron making a special meal very special”. The bill? “It’s barely affordable, but worth saving for”: “a classic example of the rule, ‘you get what you pay for’ and, while expensive, good value for money”. Top Tip – “the renowned set lunch deserves every bit of its reputation”: “perhaps the best value prix fixe deal in town” and “always a top experience”.
Summary
“Elegance… discreet service… classic French cuisine – they never go out of fashion”, and nowhere else in London can match Michel Roux Jr’s “grande dame of the London restaurant scene” for “perfect, old-school Gallic gastronomy”. Founded (on Sloane Street) in 1967 by his father Albert, this famous culinary temple has operated in Mayfair just around the corner from the former US embassy since 1982 and with MasterChef-maestro Michel at the stoves since 1991. Menus (with no prices in the lady’s version) are perused in the smallish ground floor lounge, before descending to the “dark and moody basement with its elaborate table ornaments”. To a few doubters the style is too “stuffy and formal” (or, alternatively, too dated and 1980s-tastic) – but to most visitors (some of whom are regulars of many decades’ standing) the milieu makes it “one of the capital’s best dining rooms, setting the perfect scene for any posh liaison”; with “soft furnishings and a layout that means one may hear and converse in quiet and relative privacy; and where it’s refreshing to find the standard of dress amongst the patrons still includes a suit and tie”. “Attention to detail and personal enjoyment shows in every aspect of the experience”: cooking is “superbly judged both in its selection and preparation”, and the “wine list is the work of an afternoon – hugely pleasurable to read and to attempt to absorb its width and variety!”. “Smooth, unobtrusive service” under maître d’ Emmanuel Landré, is “impeccable” – “ideally pitched from when you step through the door to the final farewell”; and Michel (usually in attendance) “is a charmer as well as a brilliant chef”, with “the personal visit from Le Patron making a special meal very special”. The bill? “It’s barely affordable, but worth saving for”: “a classic example of the rule, ‘you get what you pay for’ and, while expensive, good value for money”. Top Tip – “the renowned set lunch deserves every bit of its reputation”: “perhaps the best value prix fixe deal in town” and “always a top experience”.
Summary
“When everywhere else seems forced to bow to fashion and follow the latest trend, Le Gavroche sails serenely on, delighting those who appreciate the true heart and spirit of gastronomy!!” Michel Roux Jr’s Mayfair “haute cuisine temple” (here since 1982, founded by his father Albert in Chelsea in 1967) may “in some respects reflect an earlier era of fine dining”, with its “fabulous” Gallic cuisine (“superb Omelette Rothschild”, “soufflé Suissesse to die for!”…), but that merely reinforces its position as “an absolute favourite” for its massive following, who confirm that “every mouthful is a delight”. “Very warm and welcoming staff have absolutely nailed the balance in service, friendliness and knowledge” and – especially for a basement – the very “grown up” dining room is supremely “cosy, luxurious and celebratory”. “As well as top notch food, the wine list is spectacular and although there are oligarch-friendly, five-figure bottles, if you look there are some gems for those willing and able to pay more for a special wine”. And “the great man’s regular presence is one of the special things about Le Gavroche” – “Michel told us some of the history of the restaurant and really made us welcome!” A visit is a second-mortgage job, of course, but there’s a “marvellous value set lunch (even if you do have to book it three months in advance)”.
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).
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Restaurant details
Le Gavroche Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Exceptional tasting menu and wines. Really enjoyed every course. Lovely attentive service and friendly. Decor is just a bit dated and atmosphere quite formal but did relax as the night went on. "
"The best "
"It is hard to fault this restaurant food and service are lovely. We are fortunate to be able to go there, but somehow it does feel a bit outdated now. "
"Michel Roux was welcoming and delightful"
"An elegant restaurant with exquisite service. Rather than the full dinner courses, we were able to order separately. Service is most attentive"
"Massive let down. Several poor dishes on a very expensive tasting menu."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £50.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
43 Upper Brook St, London, W1K 7QR
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 5 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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