London Chelsea Restaurant Guide

“Fabulous on all levels” – Taylor Bonnyman’s “utterly exceptional” dining room, “hidden in the heart of Chelsea” provides “not only a real treat, but a genuinely interesting gastronomic experience”. “Beautifully crafted, creative food combinations are served with professional yet genuine charm” in “such a beautiful space”. “It’s difficult to find any fault” – if you tried hard you might say that the “decor is a bit ‘posh restaurant’”.

“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.

“Admirable consistency” is a virtue of this “reliable neighbourhood gem” on a Chelsea corner. Fans say it’s “as good as its sibling” (Sukho Fine Thai Cuisine in Fulham), but its ratings have a little way to go to match its stellar relative.

All reports acknowledge the high quality of the cooking at this Chelsea yearling, in a posh side street near the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital (with small rear garden). Its “high prices”, though, are another common theme in feedback.

Just off Sloane Square in chichi Pavilion Road, this svelte new brasserie is run by swanky nearby boutique hotel 11 Cadogan Gardens (a stablemate of luxurious Cliveden House and Chewton Glen). It opened in May 2018, just as the survey was drawing to a close – no reports as yet on its all-day seasonal menu, but in this location, something is very wrong if it doesn’t become a hub for the Made in Chelsea crowd.