London Restaurant Guide

“The Best of British” – London’s oldest restaurant (founded 1742, but not on this site) feels – with its “muffled conversations and refined decor mixing deep reds, browns and greens” – “akin to a compact version of an old-fashioned club”; and its St James’s quarters provide a “top drawer”, “old-school” experience for those of an “old-fashioned” disposition (“jackets are required for men”). “Acoustics are civilised” and “tables are very discreet, so it’s perfect for business lunches or dinners”; while service operates “with class and efficiency”, yet “without being unctuous”. “If you want first-class, traditional cuisine”, in particular fish and seafood (also game in season), this is the place for you – “sublime ingredients” are “presented impeccably, but without frills”. Do try to ensure you are there at the invitation of your tax advisor or art dealer, however: “the bill is always brutal”.

“Smooth-running and elegant” – the recently-adopted, more modern and svelte style of operation (no tablecloths, and a new central bar for counter-style dining) is suiting this Roux-branded dining room: part of a luxurious five-star hotel, opposite Broadcasting House. Despite the harder-edged look, the ambience remains “delightful” and the cuisine is “first class”, with the option of eating à la carte, or from the six-course tasting menu. “Spot-on service”, in particular, featured in numerous reports this year.

“For a very special occasion, there is nowhere better” than this “beyond-compare” Louis XVI chamber, widely acclaimed as “the most beautiful dining room in London”: “it will not only rekindle the romance in your marriage, it’s also great for impressing on business”. “Not to be totally outdone by the surroundings, staff are friendly and unpretentious, and the classic cuisine under head chef John Willliams is measured and precise (if not exactly cheap… but it’s not supposed to be!)”. Top Tip – “a lovely fancy place for an epic breakfast”; also “the dinner dance is special and great value”.

David Moore’s illustrious Fitzrovian “continues to shine” under the tenure of head chef Asimakis Chaniotis, and this “elegant” townhouse remains one of London’s foremost temples of gastronomy. “Letting Chef Chaniotis take you through an evening with a custom tasting menu is second to none” – “he really is a master of meat, but they have great vegetarian and vegan tasting menus too”, and “there’s always something new and exciting” to sample. “An impressive wine list and a great sommelier’s intelligent recommendations” complete the formula. The proportions of the building are not expansive, but tables are “well-spaced” and the overall experience is an “intimate” one.

“Consistently lovely food” over the past 10 years has earned an ecstatic, if limited, foodie following for low-key chef William Drabble, who “remains a hit in the kitchen rather than on the TV screen”. The “cosy” and “romantic” dining room of this hideaway luxury hotel in St James’s also benefits from “cute, quirky decor and friendly, helpful staff”.

“Outstanding in every way”, say fans of Marcus Wareing’s calm Belgravia temple of gastronomy: “a big room, where the setting of each table feels very private”, and where the “expertly crafted and seasonal” cuisine (under chef patrons, Mark and Shauna Froydenlund) is, they feel, “expensive, but oh-so-worth it”. For a large minority, though, its “daft” prices defy comprehension, and those who remember the era when Marcus himself was more regularly at the stoves feel that “compared with ten years ago, it’s not a patch on what it was”.

“Classic and club-like (without being oppressive)” – Richard Corrigan’s spacious Mayfair HQ, just off Park Lane, offers a traditionally luxurious experience, focused on “unfussy”, top-quality British cuisine (from head chef, Aidan McGee). Its ratings looked less secure this year, though, with mounting concerns about its vertiginous pricing – to fans “even if it’s expensive, the quality is there”, but to foes it now seems “extremely overpriced” to an extent some feel is “ludicrous”. Top Tip – “superb value set lunch”.

Notable for its associations with San Sebastian superstar chef Arzak, this hotel dining room, a chic-but-austere space near Belgrave Square, suffers from a “disappointing lack of atmosphere” (just like its predecessor, Nahm, long RIP). Opened with great fanfare five years ago, its highly ambitious Basque-inspired cuisine has never really won it the reputation anticipated for it on opening, but gradually improving ratings year-by-year suggest that it shouldn’t be written off, and that the tyre men were wrong to deprive Ruben Briones of his star last October. “Having been with different friends, we realise it is not to everyone’s taste, but we love offbeat elements throughout the menu, and everything looks so beautiful. They lost their Michelin star but we think the food is better than ever”.

“If you want Chinese food at its best”, numerous reporters award top marks to Bernard Yeoh’s luxurious Mayfair fixture, which has held a Michelin star for the last 10 years now, and which is unusual in boasting a heavyweight wine list featuring many of the world’s most famous vintages. Even those who say it’s “brilliant” acknowledge it’s decidedly “not cheap” however.