Mayfair, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

The first London project for Artfarm – behind The Fife Arms in Braemar and Somerset’s Roth Bar & Grill, and now owner of Soho’s Groucho Club – this fine Victorian boozer (built in 1888) in Mayfair is set to relaunch in autumn 2022. Set over five floors, it will comprise a street-level pub, first-floor dining room (‘The Mount Street Restaurant’) and upper-floor event spaces, all showcasing artworks created by Hauser & Wirth’s roster of artists.

2021 Review: Approaching its 300th birthday, this Mayfair pub is more stylish than most in the West End, partly due to its history of celebrity ownership (it was part of Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s divorce settlement, with Ritchie getting The Queen of Pop’s share when they split). Foodwise, it’s also been a decent bet in recent times (although it did receive one ‘off’ report from a former fan this year).

Bearing no resemblance to the ‘Connaught Grill’ in operation from 1955-2000 (nowadays, the space occupied by Hélène Darroze), this relative newcomer opened in early 2020, closed for much of the pandemic, then re-emerged in April 2022 (too late for much feedback in our annual diners’ poll). Occupying a newly converted area within the hotel, the sleek interior – with much bespoke woodwork – is a world away from the ‘period piece’ style of its former namesake. Likewise the menu, overseen by NYC chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and much of it produced from the rotisserie and a wood-burning grill. Where, in its former incarnation, you might have enjoyed Consommé ‘Prince of Wales’, followed by Médaillons de Cailles ‘Belle Epoque’, now you can have Heirloom Tomato Salad followed by grilled Japanese Sirloin Black Beef.

“A great change to the ghastly chains” – Victoria & Grace Sheppard’s elegant, “friendly” café is tipped for its “terrific coffee”, as well as a quiet bite or their ‘bottomless brunch’.

“Not the old Langans by any means” – the relaunch in late 2021 of this treasured old-faithful brasserie (est. 1976) near The Ritz has proved “a little mixed” to say the least, and a return to its A-list past now seems a very distant prospect. One or two fans do “love the entire experience” of this business favourite and its plutocratic comfort food. But more common are those whose “excitement turned to huge disappointment in the face of abysmal service and astronomical prices” for staple dishes, to the extent that some diners loath the place: “arguably the most overrated restaurant in central London, made clear by all the Z-list celebrities I assume they get to dine for free…” – “should be rated zero zero zero!”

“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!

2021 Review: “Outstanding cooking, with first-class service” consistently hits the bullseye at this relatively unsung venue, tucked away at the back of a luxury Mayfair hotel. There’s a “thoughtful” approach to the meal, with “chefs coming out to tell you about dishes” – while some diners are “invited into the kitchen to meet Alyn”. It’s a “very comfortable” set-up and “the space between tables is incredible by modern restaurant standards, which creates the intimacy that a romantic meal requires”. And, especially at lunch, the elegant room’s lack of windows and natural light adds to the cocooning nature of the experience.

“An oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the West End” (and relatively “tourist-free”), with a “lovely quiet covered courtyard”, this glitzy operation is pitched at those in the know – founding investors included Yegeny Lebedev, son of a Soviet spy, and our own 007, the late Roger Moore. “Easy to get to from Bond Street/Oxford Street/Regent Street”, it’s “perfect for business breakfast or lunch”. But “this all comes at a price and it’s one the food, whilst definitely pleasant, can struggle to fully justify”.

This “very small, charming and romantic” venture in Shepherd Market was briefly the hottest ticket in town in the mid noughties (providing a much-PR’d date night for David & Samantha Cameron). Nowadays, those who remember the historic hype can find it “overrated” or “dependable rather than… wow!”, but overall its food is well-rated. Top Menu Tip – Belted Galloway Wing Rib and “cosmic crispy potatoes!”

“Everything on the menu is a triumph!” at Imogen Davis and Ivan Tisdall-Downes’s “charming” yearling, in Mayfair’s fashionable Browns store. “It has a cool vibe, having entered through the store” and the food can “far exceed expectations” – “wonderful, innovative dishes that will stick in the memory (for instance, the fudgy bone marrow crème brûlée, which got meatier as we got closer to the bone”). “It’s not too expensive either, given the location”. Top Tip – in summer, it has a 40-seat courtyard.

2022 Review: When it opened in April 2019, this heart-of-Mayfair restaurant aimed for a blend of British Modern cuisine with accents of West Africa, but nowadays a more confident Pan-African narrative is dominant, both in the styling and cooking. No survey reports as yet; online feedback has its ups and downs, but – for anyone interested in African cuisine – this is London’s most poshly located destination.

“There can be fewer better outlooks in London than the view over Green Park from the first-floor windows” of this beautifully appointed, modern Mayfair dining room. Overseen by Ollie Dabbous, the kitchen achieves “phenomenal flavour combinations and presentation” and “exceptional” overall results (“one of my best meals in London, maybe in life…”). And the “extraordinary wine list” is perhaps even more impressive: you can order any vintage from the acclaimed list sold by Hedonism Wines (who are under the same ownership), “or you can opt for the unusual and interesting wine pairings”. But “any temptation to choose a nice bottle can be financially crippling!” – “when the final bill comes, it’s a good job that you’re already sitting down…”.

Fans say it’s “nicer eating on the ground floor than being restricted to the much more expensive tasting menu upstairs” at this glossy landmark, opposite Green Park. Open from early morning, it’s “an unusual but sophisticated haunt for breakfast in the heart of Mayfair”. And, as with upstairs, “the availability of Hedonism Wines via a tablet, means the wine list has more toys than Hamleys!”

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.

2021 Review: In the bowels of the RA, this subterranean venue (with bar, garden and dining room) is praised by fans for providing “reliable food in a civilised space”. Typically for Peyton & Byrne though, it doesn’t impress everyone, with the odd report of some “terrible” dishes.

“The sheer style of the room” helps create an “unbeatable buzz” at this “very classy and smartly located” Continental Grand Café by The Ritz, which has, for nearly 20 years, established itself as London’s premier venue for a “reliably impressive” business occasion; and as “the absolute go-to for a totally unrivalled breakfast” (“a cliché, but really it is the best place to enjoy eggs Benedict in London”). And “afternoon tea is excellent too, with a good choice of sandwiches and cakes.” Established by Christopher Corbin and Jeremy King in 2003 in an erstwhile Edwardian car showroom (which provided the restaurant’s name), it has perennially been “the permanent buzz not the average food that’s created the magic of the place”. The “simple comfort fare at West End prices” has often rated poorly next to the “sparkling” atmosphere and “star-studded people watching” carefully cultivated by its well-connected founders. So “whether the place will survive the recent departure of those same founders remains to be seen”. A shareholder battle post-Covid saw Corbin & King edged out by their financial backers, the Thai Minor group, and many reporters fear “a ravens-leaving-the-tower moment” (“fingers crossed they don’t let the money-men spoil this…”; “it’s wait-and-see time…”; “if they ruin it, we will revolt…”). The schism happened in April 2022, immediately prior to our survey, and ratings this year are significantly down across the board. It could be that Brexit-induced staffing shortages bear some of the blame, but already some reporters fear the reason is clear: “it’s lost its soul now Jeremy and Chris have been ousted”.

Richard Caring has outlined plans for his most spectacular and decadent restaurant yet. This former Porsche garage in Berkeley Square will channel the atmosphere of Ancient Greece and Rome, alongside suitably Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and promises to make his glitzily glam Sexy Fish, a near-neighbour, look like a vicarage tea party. No opening date yet!

The pub part of the redevelopment of The Audley by Artfarm, the hospitality arm of Hauser & Wirth galleries, with chef Jamie Shears overseeing a classic British menu. The rotating gallery of work from the world’s most famous artists will draw a crowd.