Harden's says
Trinity’s celebrated chef, Adam Byatt, has relaunched this stately panelled dining room of the foyer of one of Mayfair’s most historic hotels, nowadays owned by Rocco Forte.
Harden's survey result
Summary
“The great Jesus Adorno and his team (aided by his no. 2 Paul Stabbins) have brought the charm and atmosphere of the hugely missed Le Caprice” to this “very smooth operation” within Rocco Forte’s London flagship hotel, which fans say is “the new classiest place in town” (Adorno joined in 2021). It occupies a fine, panelled dining room that for traditionalists is “one of the loveliest in the capital”, complete with “marvellous spacious tables”. Since 2019, Adam Byatt (of Trinity, see also) has overseen the kitchen, which gives a modern spin to the preparation of top British ingredients: “wonderful” if not especially foodie. BREAKING NEWS: in early September 2023, it was announced that Jesus would be leaving Charlie’s to re-join Jeremy King in founding a new restaurant back on the site of Le Caprice (but under a different name). These will be big shoes to fill here…
Summary
“Jesus has worked another miracle” at this Mayfair landmark: the Jesus in question being Jesus Adorno, former maître d’ of Le Caprice, who joined in September 2021. It was an inspired appointment, and with his “quite exceptional” team he has helped further raise the game of this “beautiful” Mayfair dining room, where Adam Byatt (of Trinity) and his head chef Matthew Stirling have, since 2019, been brought on board to provide a “lovely” seasonal British menu of upscale brasserie fare. Despite its “well-spaced” tables and fine wood panelling, the venue has never in recent decades fully capitalised on its virtues as one of London’s better traditional hotel dining spaces. That time is now!
Summary
Chef-director Adam Byatt (of Clapham’s exceptional Trinity) is the latest incumbent of this splendidly traditional panelled chamber in one of Mayfair’s landmark hotels, which has seen a succession of occupants come and go over the years. On its 2019 launch it inspired up-and-down press critiques, but all our (admittedly limited) feedback in the current survey was very complimentary about Matthew Starling’s modern European cuisine, and in September 2021 a long-time maître d’ at Le Caprice, Jesus Adorno, joins the team to add further sparkle.
Summary
Trinity’s celebrated chef, Adam Byatt, is set to relaunch this stately panelled dining room of the foyer of one of Mayfair’s most historic hotels, nowadays owned by Rocco Forte (whose late father, Lord Charles Forte inspired the name of this new venture). Adam is the latest in a succession of chefs (most recently Heinz Beck, of Beck at Browns, RIP) who have somehow failed to hit a home-run in this potentially splendid, traditional chamber. According to the PR we should expect an ‘evolution of great British cuisine… while embracing a bygone era of service with a sense of theatre’.
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 Charlie's at Brown’s?
Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BP
Restaurant details
Charlie's at Brown’s Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Excellent food and attentive service at this long established Mayfair hotel restaurant "
"Based on previous scores I had expected more. The restaurant was fairly empty and therefore lacked atmosphere. the food was good but not extraordinary. I was in fact quite unwell the following day and can only assume that I ate something there (? Steak tartare) than disagreed with me. I know the chef has changed since the last Hardens Guide so maybe this accounts for the change in food standard."
"The unadventurous menu is sometimes badly cooked. We endured a dismal, dry, overcooked, warmed up game pie, pale and undercooked ‘three times cooked’ chips, with creamed spinach so liquidised that it was really a sauce. The restaurant is comfortable and quiet and the service is good, although not as good as it used to be, but it was virtually empty when we went, in my view for good reason, so not much fun. Expensive and not worth it. Never again. "
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SundayLunch | £65.00 | £75.00 |  |
|
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Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £17.00 | £37.00 | £8.00 | £14.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £45.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £6.00 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Service | 13.00% |
Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4BP
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑3 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | 12:30 pm‑3:30 pm, 7 pm‑10 pm |
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