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Summary
This illustrious chamber was closed during our annual diners’ poll, awaiting a May 2023 relaunch under the brand of talented whippersnapper, Tom Booton (who has only just hit 30). It is the first time the grill has had a chef’s name over the door in its 92-year history, and heralds a major change of gear for the space – no longer is it to be a hallowed foodie temple, but now more of a luxe brasserie with ‘Tom’s cheeky personality shining through’ (at least that’s what the press release says). In comes breakfast for the first time (with truffled egg and soldiers and omelette Arnold Benedict); Sunday lunch; a chef’s counter; sharing dishes; and a general culinary ‘tie loosening’ moment with ‘twists on British classics’. As part of this cuddlier style we are also promised ‘playlists hand selected by Tom’; and ‘playful cocktails and artisan English beer’.
Summary
This “stunning and beautiful dining room”, off the hotel’s main ‘Promenade’, inherited its Moorish décor from the 1930s and is currently riding high on the “wonderful dining experience” created by 27-year-old wunderkind chef, Tom Booton’s cuisine: “a serious talent going right to the very top; and a humble and approachable guy whose restaurant reflects this ethos”. Top Tip – “the set lunch is one of the capital’s biggest bargains” and is great on a Sunday here.
Summary
Tom Booton, the 27-year-old head chef, is helping breathe new life into this stately Mayfair chamber, which received nothing but upbeat reviews this year, driven by “modern British cuisine at its best”. This is one of the capital’s grander traditional dinings rooms and, if he keeps this up, deserves to recapture the destination status that’s sometimes eluded it in recent times. In particular, it’s a venue that’s evidently “great for business diners”. But you don’t have to be carrying company plastic to appreciate the “amazing lunch menu”: “at £30 it’s arguably the best value in London”.
Summary
This “sophisticated and impressive” Mayfair chamber has had its ups and downs in recent times, and despite scoring a respectable level of customer satisfaction in the last couple of years, still came nowhere near realising its potential as one of the capital’s best traditional dining rooms. The hotel has seen a lot of changes in recent times, though, with the June 2019 appointment of Stefan Trepp as Executive Chef (replacing Henry Brosi who’d been in-post for 20 years); and with the July 2019 hiring of 26-year-old Tom Booton, who shifted over from heading the kitchen at the highly rated Alyn Williams at the Westbury. Can this potentially magnificent dining room now finally regain its place as one of London’s foremost hotel venues?
For 33 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 The Grill by Tom Booton (fka The Dorchester Grill)?
53 Park Lane, London, W1K 1QA
Restaurant details
The Grill by Tom Booton (fka The Dorchester Grill) Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Had an excellent lunch at the Grill, which was pretty quiet for a Wednesday lunch. Service was great, receptionist was very welcoming and waiters were friendly and highly professional. Style of food is simple, nothing new or innovative, but was very good. Every dish was well seasoned, and perfectly cooked. Presentation was excellent too. An excellent restaurant."
"The Grill by Tom Booton I’ve been wanting to visit the Grill for quite a while now and on tuesday it finally happened. I could easily complete this review by using one word WOW but it would be an injustice to the amazing lunch we had to celebrate my birthday. The food was exceptional , the service was excellent so I can’t thank Tom and his team enough. The restaurant has a fabulous location in the heart of the Dorchester Hotel. We enjoyed a pre lunch cocktail at the Artist’s Bar before making our way to the restaurant. Our welcome was very friendly as we were escorted to our table. Firstly though they had kindly arranged for us to sit at the counter to enjoy a fantastic selection of snacks and a complimentary glass of champagne. We had the privilege of seeing the chefs prepare and then serve them before our very eyes. The snacks including oysters , brioche with chicken liver parfait , fried shimeji with mushroom xo sauce , lamb belly and a couple of charcuterie dishes. They were all amazing and I just wish I could remember each of them in a bit more detail so please forgive me. We then moved to our table for the rest of the afternoon. The menu starts with small plates followed by large sharing plates , main courses , sides and puddings. First to arrive was some heavenly Bread to tear and share. We then ordered four dishes from the small plates to start. These were the Lobster and Cheese Tartlet with isle of wight tomatoes , courgette and optional caviar , Squid Bolognaise a la Koffman and basil , Crispy Pig , bbq coleslaw , nduja and the Caesar Salad with smoked sardines. Now it was time for the mains. Here we opted for the Middle White Pork (for two) with mirabelle plum and black pudding sauce and Tom’s famous All the Chicken (for 2 - 4 people) that included a whole chicken a wing and a pie. For the sides we chose the Grill’s Mashed Potato with coastal cheese and crispy onions , buttered runner beans , bbq leeks with ricotta , hazelnuts , pistou. We were also given the Ratatouille tart fine with basil a complementary gesture from the team. To say this was a magical feast would be an understatement. Now it was time for desserts and Tom decided to send out a selection of four from the menu. They were the Chocolate soft serve with cookies , marshmallow and fudge , banana and chocolate cheesecake with crispy pecans , waterloo cheese ‘pastel de nata’ with english relish and last but not least an amazing fig tarte tatin with fig leaf soft serve and roasted vanilla chantilly (2 - 4 people). Once desserts were finished Tom came over for a chat and asked if we’d like a tour of the kitchen and believe me when he said tour he wasn’t joking. You go down by an escalator and then it’s just kitchen after kitchen with each one designed for different culinary delights ie restaurant , afternoon tea and room service it really was amazing to see. We then headed back to our table for tea , coffee and cocktails to round of the most exquisite dining experience. As I said at the beginning I can’t thank Tom and his team enough for their amazing hospitality. The food and service was amazing so if you haven’t put this place on your list yet then I would highly recommend doing so. Thank You Tom and all your team for a truly outstanding dining experience and look forward to seeing you all again soon."
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunch | £35.00 |  |
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| SundayLunch | £38.00 | |
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Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £10.00 | £55.50 | £18.00 | £16.00 |
| Drinks |
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|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £52.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £8.00 |
| Extras |
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|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
53 Park Lane, London, W1K 1QA
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Tuesday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Thursday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Friday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am‑2:15 pm, 6 pm‑10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑4 pm |
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