The best restaurants in Mayfair
If there's one area that has the most densely packed square footage when it comes to good restaurants, it's Mayfair. So when it comes to deciding on the best restaurants in Mayfair, they have to be really very good to make the cut. The below selection are our tried-and-trusted go-to restaurants in Mayfair, offering everything from Michelin-starred tasting menus to some of the best Indian restaurants in London. Whatever you're looking for in Mayfair, you'll be sure to find it.
The best restaurants in Mayfair:
1/32Bonheur by Matt Abé
Located in Mayfair on the former premises of the legendary Le Gavroche (which closed in January 2024), the new fine dining restaurant Bonheur, led by Matt Abé, has some big shoes to fill. Though this is his first solo restaurant, Abé was previously chef patron at the three Michelin-starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay - and we suspect that it won’t be long before Bonheur achieves one of those coveted stars.
The subterranean restaurant is a calm, cocooning space. The addition of butter yellow leather tabletops, swirling patterned carpets and sculptural crockery from Japan add a tactility to, and enhance the artistry of the dining experience. The atmosphere is smart, yet never stuffy - something cemented by the pop music playlist emanating gently from the speakers in the restaurant.
While à la carte is also available, we tried the 5-course Journey menu with wine pairing, and at £195 per person (plus an extra £105 for the wine pairing), this is undoubtedly fine dining territory, best suited to special occasions. The care, craft and attention to detail on display here is second to none however, and more than justifies the price tag. There is a clarity to the flavours in each beautifully presented dish, showing just what is possible when ingredients of exceptional quality are prepared with diligence. Even the more humble-seeming dishes are exceptional, such as the amuse bouche of autumn root vegetable broth with aged beef fat, the bread course of Japanese milk bread and salted butter, or the first course of quiche Lorraine: with gruyere, black garlic, leeks, and smoked pork belly, it’s an elevated version of the classic dish.
Following this is a fish course of delicate Cornish turbot, after which, autumn in a dish - pink, tender saddle of Aynhoe Park fallow deer, served with beetroot and pine, pickled wild blackberries and pontack sauce. The dessert of toasted grain parfait with smoked chestnut ice cream and whisky caramel is a pudding I was still thinking about days later, and particularly was particularly delicious paired with the sweet, dark white Commandaria dessert wine. Finally, we were served some delightful petit fours, which included a posh version of an After Eight (Abé’s favourite chocolate), to a zesty, jewel-like citrus jelly. Balancing the classic with the contemporary, Bonheur by Matt Abé is a standout addition to London’s fine dining scene, and a worthy successor to Le Gavroche. - Tilly Wheeler
Address: 43 Upper Brook St, London W1K 7QR
What to order: Journey tasting menu with wine pairing
2/32Sushi Kanesaka
Discreetly hidden away behind the upstairs bar at The Dorchester, Sushi Kanesaka feels like a secret spot for those in the know. The doorway at the entrance magically transports you from a hotel overlooking Hyde Park to a luxury omakase restaurant in a Ginza high-rise. The restaurant is a small, traditionally decorated room with just one hinoki wood counter that seats nine, at which the head chef prepares each exquisite bite of sushi in front of your eyes, slicing fish with the sharpest of Japanese knives, brushing soy sauce on top of nigiri: this is food as theatre. The price tag is not for the faint of heart - Sushi Kanesaka’s 20-course menu is £420 per person, before drinks - but this is likely the very best sushi to be found in London. The restaurant earned a Michelin star seven months after it opened.
Everything we ate at Sushi Kanesaka was exquisite, and surpassed many of the meals I ate on a recent holiday to Japan. Some of the highlights were the sushi of otoro (fatty tuna), the hand roll of unagi kabayaki (grilled eel in sweet soy sauce), and the sushi of suzuki (sea bass) with irizake sauce. A highlight is certainly the grilled Kobe beef, whose characteristic melt-in-the-mouth texture comes courtesy of the cut's fatty marbling. Served pink alongside wasabi and shio, it is a sumptuious treat. I’d recommend being led by the hosts to pair some sake with the food - we tried a delicious, crisp chilled sake which was served in beautiful traditional Edo Kiriko cut glassware. Following the sushi, we had seasonal Japanese fruits, followed by yokan and monaka - traditional sweets. Though certainly an investment, Sushi Kanesaka is a truly memorable, luxury dining experience and an authentic taste of Japan in London. - Tilly Wheeler
Address: 45 Park Lane, London W1K 1PN
What to order: omakase tasting menu with sake
3/32Langan's
Mick Jagger, David Hockney, Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson - these are just a few of the famous faces you might have bumped into on a visit to Langan’s in its 70s and 80s heyday, when it was previously co-owned by Michael Caine. Under new ownership since 2020, Langan’s is well into its next chapter, a modern iteration of an old-school London destination. Stepping through the door under the orange neon signage, we check our coats and are led to our table, past the eclectic collection of art on the wall of the main restaurant - a Hockney self-portrait can be spotted amongst bold typographic prints and a watercolour of a baboon.
The menu is mainly made up of French brasserie staples like Dover sole meunière, studded with other very indulgent dishes such as yellowfin tuna with black truffle and yuzu, or rigatoni with caviar in a parmesan cream sauce. Highlights of the menu for us were the classic beef tartare starter, mixed for us with condiments tableside, and the venison main, served perfectly pink with salt baked beetroot and cavolo nero. Dessert consisted of the ridiculously airy and towering rhubarb crumble soufflé - a real pink showstopper of a pudding. - Tilly Wheeler
Address: Stratton Street, London W1J 8LB
What to order: Keep it simple with beef tartare to start, fish of the day or beef wellington as a main, paired with perfectly crispy chips and fresh minted garden peas, with whatever the soufflé of the moment is to finish - the flavour changes seasonally.
4/32Taku
Hidden behind an unassuming door in the heart of Mayfair, is one of the best luxury omakase experiences that London has to offer. Taku, led by chef patron Takuya Watanabe, opened in early 2023, and earned a Michelin star just a few months after. The restaurant’s interior, decked out in wood and uneven, natural stone tiles on the wall, is calming and pared back, allowing the beautifully presented food to draw all the attention. The single counter that stretches around the kitchen seats just 16 at either its 6pm or 8.30pm sitting, which makes for an intimate experience where the team, including head chef Long Ng, are able to talk us through each course and the provenance of the fish. On our visit, we tried the 20 course signature menu which is priced at £300 per person - the 17 course lunch menu is more affordable at £160, or at the other end, the ‘prestige’ menu containing additional courses and even more premium ingredients, is available in the evening for £400 per head. The prices are undoubtedly high, but Taku is somewhere to come to experience Japanese fine dining on a very special occasion, rather than a casual dinner with friends.
The dishes presented to us, so meticulously assembled that they resembled tiny works of art, included such delicious combinations as tuna tartare with pickled mushrooms and topped with caviar, or abalone risotto with a mushroom foam and black truffle. Following this was a grilled course of cod, and then several nigiri courses. The menu changes regularly, depending on the fish that is sourced each day and new dishes that have been developed by the team, but on our visit the sushi that we were served included scallop, Scottish lobster, trout from Hampshire, oyster from Iceland, 10-day aged Spanish amberjack and tuna belly. For optimal taste and freshness, we were encouraged to eat the sushi as quickly as possible after it was presented in front of us, so precisely kept is the temperature of the fish and rice.
We tried two very different sakes throughout the meal, both of which paired wonderfully with the food. The first was a lightly cloudy sake from Fukushima, served chilled, followed by an intense, sweet sake, that was served warm with a little sugar. There were three separate elements to the dessert. First was a palate cleansing, intensely fruity shaved ice, followed by Japanese whisky flavoured ice cream served with delicate, wafer-like biscuits and black truffle, and concluding with a petit four of apple tart. By way of the ‘chef’s choice’ nature of omakase, we went in completely blind to what the menu would include, and it was a delight to be continually surprised by the 20 exciting, creative dishes that appeared like magic throughout the evening. - Tilly Wheeler
Address: 36 Albemarle Street, London, W1S 4JE
What to order: The signature menu with sake recommended by the sommelier.
5/32Gaia
A scene-y new Mayfair restaurant isn't always worth the hype. That's not the case with the opulent new Greek restaurant GAIA, where the atmosphere is lively, the food is fresh and delicious, and the service is wonderfully personal. It's a vast place – light, bright and very atmospheric.
If you're looking for a rustic Greek taverna, this won't be your bag, but somehow, despite the sparkling interiors and global reputation (with sister restaurants in Dubai, Qatar and Monte Carlo), it still feels really special and individual. The prices are high - standard for the Piccadilly strip - but it really does feel like you're on holiday.
It felt like we almost couldn't go wrong with our orders, everything was delicious. The food is very photogenic, but it tastes as good as it looks – from the super fresh fish counter, to the spectacular sea bream carpaccio.
Address: Gaia Mayfair, 50 Dover St, London, United Kingdom W1S 4NY
What to order: The prawns saganaki are unmissable, but make sure you leave room for the frozen yoghurt, spiked with honey and walnuts.
6/32The Dover
Like a combination of a super-exclusive members club in New York, a carriage on the Orient Express and a very glam 1950s cruise ship, The Dover isn't lacking in decorative interest and atmosphere. It's no wonder that the Dover Street hotspot has become a regular haunt for intimate celebrity dinners.
It's the new brainchild Martin Kuczmarski, one of the minds behind Soho House, and has some recognisable tropes and creature comforts from the franchise. But it also feels like an instant classic, a place for old Londoners or visitors looking for a great night out. Though I enjoyed a fantastic negroni sbagliato, you get the sense that you're in the right place for a whopping dirty martini.
Visit on the last Sunday of the month and join the Sunday Lunch Club, which is £85 for welcome aperitivi and three fabulous courses. The metre-high pile of vanilla ice-cream finishes off the afternoon with a bang, wheeled between the tables on a kitsch dessert trolley and topped with retro sauces and sweets.
Address: 33 Dover St, London W1S 4NF
What to order: You can't go wrong with a burger, but the lobster rolls and crispy potato cakes with caviar are very popular.
7/32The Twenty Two
The Twenty Two is the glamorous restaurant in a hotel of the same name on Grosvenor Square, recently reopened with opulent interiors by Natalia Miyar. The dining room is blue, mirrored, corniced and glittering in the candlelight. The food fits the white tablecloth setting, with turbot, langoustines, John Dory, Dover sole and oysters appearing alongside more laid back dishes of pasta cacio e pepe and a dressed-up beef burger. It's a refined, high end menu, split into small dishes to share with a cocktail, starters, pasta, sharing mains and mains, then of course a tempting array of desserts. A cocktail should feature on your order, as the bar staff make them impeccable, and stiff.
Address: 22 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 6LF
What to order: cacio e pepe, Dover sole meunière
Helen Cathcart8/32Mount St Restaurant
Artfarm, the hospitality group owned by Manuela and Iwan Wirth of Hauser & Wirth, is behind some of our favourite hotels and restaurants in the UK, including the Audley Public House in Mayfair, and above it, this fine-dining restaurant packed with a jaw-dropping array of contemporary art. The menu, masterminded by executive chef Jamie Shears, is filled with elevated twists on classic British dishes, from a showstopping lobster pie to mock turtle to brown butter Dover sole.
Address: First Floor, 41-43 Mount St, London W1K 2RX
What to order: go all out and share the lobster pie
9/32José Pizarro at the Royal Academy
On the first floor of the Royal Academy, there is a rather grand room with soaring ceilings, and intricate pink, blue and gold cornicing on the ceiling and walls. Within these lofty confines, Spanish chef José Pizarro and his team are dishing up the best tapas this side of Spain, with plate after plate of flavourful combinations that show an incredible attention to detail. It's the perfect combination of setting, service and dishes in one.
Address: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD
What to order: buñuelos de bacalao, ensaladilla rusa and langostinos al ajillo
10/32Gymkhana
The opening of Gymkhana in 2013 marked a sea-change in the status of Indian food in the UK. While it wasn’t the first Indian fine dining restaurant in the UK, it has been the most influential, thanks in large part to its impeccably stylish atmosphere.It was one of the earlier venues in the universally acclaimed JKS Group, which had launched Trishna five years earlier. The compact space on one of Mayfair’s smartest streets gives you the sense of being transported to a first-class railway carriage 100 years ago, rattling through the Indian countryside with an excellent menu and attentive service. The menu earned it a Michelin star in 2014, which it has held onto ever since.
Address: 42 Albemarle St, London W1S 4JH
What to order: Aloo chaat, Lasooni wild tiger prawns and wild muntjac biryani
11/3245 Jermyn Street
Hidden away at the back of Fortnum & Mason, the deeply civilised 45 Jermyn Street feels worlds away from the clamour of Piccadilly. Everything here is elegant and timeless, from the unflappable staff to the buttery leather banquettes. You can find a safe harbour here at any time of day, from early breakfasts to late night suppers, and it's also worth coming to take a seat at the cocktail bar. Modern British and European classics make up the menu; you'll be welcome here whether you're stopping in for a quick snack of oysters and chips or the full beef wellington, flambéed at the table.
Address: 45 Jermyn St. St. James's, London, SW1Y 6DN
What to order: Oysters, caviar and a glass of champagne
12/32Fallow
Formerly of Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Will Murray and Jack Croft are the dynamic duo in the kitchen at Fallow, bringing their 'creative cooking, sustainable thinking' ethos to the stoves. They follow the Fergus Henderson model of nose-to-tail eating, adding to that root-to-stem, having met while working the veg section at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. It was a standout opening last year and their corn ribs are a cult dish.
Address: 2 St James's Market, St. James's, London SW1Y 4RP
What to order: corn ribs, mushroom parfait and cod's head with sriracha butter sauce
13/32Scott's
One of Mayfair's most historic and distinguished restaurants, Scott's has existed in some form and in some location since the 1850s. One of its earlier incarnations was a favourite of Ian Fleming (and therefore of James Bond). It set up shop on Mount Street in 1967, and its outdoor tables and smart black awnings have become positively iconic. Now owned by Richard Caring's Caprice group, it is still a deeply luxurious place to eat, and has retained its traditional charm and status as a bastion of civilisation. Seafood is the focus, so tuck your napkin into your collar and prepare for some of the finest crustaceans Mayfair has to offer.
Address: 20 Mount St, London W1K 2HE
What to order: Plateau de fruits de mer for two
14/32BiBi
BiBi is an elegant dining room on North Audley Street that totally fits with its Mayfair surroundings but without any of the pomp that other restaurants in the area give off. It is warm, welcoming and feels half like being in a very elevated Dishoom and half like being on a luxury train in the middle of Darjeeling, depending on whether you sit at a table or on the counter. The counter is recommended for those who like to watch the action – and decide what to order based on what you see being cooked. There is an a la carte menu at lunch, and a chef’s tasting menu for dinner at £125 per person. It is all, without exception, exceptional. The seasoning and spicing is faultless, the textures varied, the service formal yet friendly, with dishes arriving promptly but never leaving you feeling hurried. If only all restaurants were as good as BiBi.
Address: 42 N Audley St, London W1K 6ZP
What to order: Wookey-hole Cheese Papad and Nashpati Bhel
15/32Socca
Socca Bistro, is the brainchild of serial Mayfair restaurateur Samyukta Nair (Mimi Mei Fair, Jamavar, Bombay Bustle). This latest venture a glitzy French Riviera-inspired bistro with a menu led by renowned Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi of Bibendum. Paying homage to Claude’s childhood in the French coastal towns of Cannes, Marseille and Nice, the interiors are inspired by the rustic and art-forward 1920s hotel and restaurant, La Colombe d'Or in Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Jean Cocteau's Villa Santo Sospir. The menu is made up of small plates, such as tarama dip topped with Cornish crab and cured egg yolk and ‘My Mum’s Tripe & Cuttlefish Gratin’.
Address: 41 South Audley Street, London, W1K 2PS
What to order: Provençal beef cheek with sand carrots and orange blossom madeleines
16/32The Guinea Grill
A pub in two parts tucked down a side street off Grosvenor Square, this is part ultra-traditional boozer, part ultra-traditional trencherman’s paradise. At the compact front end, you’ll find a selection of Young’s ales and some of the best bar snacks in London, including chips fried in beef dripping and luscious scotch eggs. At the back, the restaurant, manned by reverential waiters in red waistcoats, takes beef very seriously, as it has done since 1952. Not much has changed since then, we reckon, but it’s all the better for it. Do book a table if you want to be in the restaurant, and note that, given the Mayfair location, you’ll be standing in Bruton Place with half of the city’s bankers if you come at 5pm on a weekday.
Address: 30 Bruton Pl, London W1J 6NL
What to order: Devilled kidneys, steak and chips
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Ben Carpenter17/32Apricity
Headed up by chef Chantelle Nicholson, Apricity has a zero-waste, sustainable ethos at its core. Dishes use byproducts of others on the menu – so extra chickpeas from one dish might become a doughnut amuse bouche or part of a ‘wasted dip’ in a snack – and the ingredients are as local as you can get for the quality needed, with tomatoes from Sutton Community Farm and mushrooms grown in north London. The seasonal menu features a lot of plant-based dishes too, adding to the low impact on the environment and it changes all the time to reflect not only the seasons, but the best of what their growers and suppliers have to offer day to day.
Address: 68 Duke St, London W1K 6JU
What to order: Black pearl, maitake & oyster mushrooms, 'XO' sauce, watercress
18/32Pahli Hill
Pahli Hill, a short hop into Fitzrovia, is named after an affluent neighbourhood in Mumbai, and takes its inspiration from the style of communal living known in that city as “building societies.” The cooking in these buildings would take cues from all the regions of India where its inhabitants originated, and Pahli Hill has developed a similar melting pot of styles, channelling the pleasures of informal conviviality and shared cooking. The range of food is one of the most impressive things about this restaurant, with an extensive tandoori grill section on the menu, and a collection of joyfully crowd-pleasing main dishes from around India, from hearty biryani to southern-style fish curry. There’s a real feeling of generosity and abundance about this restaurant; a varied range of side dishes and desserts mean there’s something for everyone to like, no matter what your preferences in Indian food. Downstairs you’ll find the charming cocktail bar Bhandra Bhai, where you can hole up with delicious Indian-inspired cocktails and snacks drawn from the main menu.
Address: 79-81 Mortimer St, London W1W 7SJ
What to order: Chargrilled lamb rump and the ‘paper’ dosa
19/32Wiltons
Jermyn Street in St James's is a glorious relic of days gone by, with its smart gentlemans' shoemakers and tailors, and the close proximity of London's oldest members' clubs. Wiltons is very much part of that world, a traditional, intimate restaurant with a jolly top-hatted shrimp for a logo, and a reputation for excellent seafood and game. Jacketed waiters dispense lobster, caviar, oysters and crab, alongside venison and other seasonal specialities. There is a reasonably priced prix-fixe menu, but it's best to come prepared to splurge .
Address: 55 Jermyn St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6LX
What to order: Lobster Thermidor and slow-braised venison
James McDonald 2019jamesmcdonaldphotography@googlemail.com20/32MiMi Mei Fair
This opulent restaurant on Mayfair's Curzon Street imagines itself as the residence of the fictional Empress MiMi, who serves food inspired by her travels across China. It's the brainchild of restaurateur Samyukta Nair, who also set up nearby Indian restaurants Bombay Bustle and Jamavar, as well as the more recent opening Socca with Claude Bosi. The interiors of the Georgian townhouse are a joy, all chinoiserie wallpaper, rich upholstery and extravagant flowers. If you come around Lunar New Year, as we did, a giant wishing tree takes up residence by the fireplace, decked out in ribbons.
Address: 55 Curzon Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8PG
What to order: Nine spice prawns, Peking duck (order 24 hours in advance)
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21/32Bentley's
Bentley's bills itself as ‘Purveyors of the finest Oysters, Champagne and Seafood since 1916’, and we defy you to come up with a more attractive description for a restaurant. Renowned Irish chef Richard Corrigan has been at the helm since 2005, sensibly keeping the long traditions of the place alive. Shellfish cocktails and platters are perennial classics, or just start with oysters and move onto grilled lobster. Sit on the covered terrace in warmer weather, take a seat at the bar, or slide into one of the banquettes indoors–we're pretty sure you'll have a good time.
Address: 11 – 15 Swallow Street, London, W1B 4DG
What to order: Anything as long as it comes from the sea
22/32Bombay Bustle
With a space and menu inspired by the busy urban playground of Mumbai, it's hard to imagine just how understated and calm Bombay Bustle is. Set in a quiet Mayfair spot, the street outside might be a world away from the colourful Indian city, but the charming train car interiors are transportive enough to take you there in moments. The restaurant has a casual, fun atmosphere but a fine dining ethos; it’s not cheap for dinner but you get a great deal if you come for the express lunch/early dinner menu. At dinner, the sharing menu at £75 per person is a serious feast, and we’d also recommend the Sunday brunch, with Indian spiced scrambled eggs, crab fritters and refreshing cocktails all on hand to spice up your weekend.
Address: 29 Maddox St, London W1S 2PA
What to order: Akuri Truffle Naan and Kapurthala Baingan Bharta (chargrilled aubergine)
Steven Joyce23/32Maison François
A glamorous French brasserie in nearby St James's, Maison François occupies a genuinely impressive space with Art Deco architecture and soaring ceilings, neatly divided into smaller squares so as to create intimate corners. Start downstairs at the cocktail bar, Frank's, for drinks and nibbles, or seat yourself in one of the comfortable banquettes and dig in. The menu is full of French classics, from pillowy Comté gougères to entrecôte de boeuf au poivre. Dessert is a highlight, in large part because it arrives on an elegant trolley, with drawers filled with macarons, madeleines, truffles and all manner of indulgent French treats.
Address: 34 Duke Street, St. James’s, London SW1Y 6DF
What to order: The roast chicken to share is French comfort food at its best
James McDonald24/32Koyn
Housed in what was formerly the US embassy and Canadian high commission, this buzzy, theatrical Japanese restaurant from restaurateur Samyukta Nair is split into two different dining rooms. The ground floor, which houses sushi bar Midori, is light, bright and decked with oyster shell walls, soft blues and pale pinks. A grand marble sushi bar is buzzing with sushi masters chopping and slicing as waiters weave their way around with enthusiastic greetings of “irasshaimase!”. Downstairs at ‘Magma’ things feel a little more intimate, there are black oak ceilings and fiery orange walls–and the main draw–a binchotan-charcoal-fuelled robata grill. The ‘contemporary izakaya’ menu was devised by ex-Nobu chef Rhys Cattermoul as an elevated take on Japan's laidback drinking dens known for their tapas-style dishes.
Address: 35-37 Heddon St, Mayfair, London W1B 4BR
What to order: Applewood smoked Chilean sea bass topped with shiso salsa verde
25/32Jamavar
The opulent Indian restaurant Jamavar in Mayfair opened in late 2016, the first overseas restaurant from the Leela group, whose luxurious hotels and restaurants are scattered across the subcontinent. Jamavar has an air of colonial magnificence about it, with interiors inspired by the Viceroy’s House in New Delhi, and fretwork that recalls the Kashmiri lace shawls the restaurant is named for. With a focus on the food of India’s ancient northern royal palaces, alongside southern coastal cuisine, the restaurant has earned a Michelin star, making this a perfect choice for special occasions.
Address: 8 Mount St, London W1K 3NF
What to order: Lobster Idli Sambhar and Stone bass tikka
26/32L'Atelier Robuchon
From the moment you step off Clarges Street and inside, anticipation builds that this will be something special. Partly this is down to the prices, which are high enough to warrant an above-average meal, and partly to the opulent interiors by Thurstan – all gleaming marble, rust velvet seating and Fredrikson Stallard artwork. The service is flawless and the staff are eager to share their knowledge of the dishes and wines. The menu is updated to work with the seasons, and divided into cold starters, hot starters, fish and meat courses (in reality, all with their proper French names so it's far smarter than it reads in English).
Address: 6 Clarges St, London W1J 8AE
What to order: Sea bream carpaccio, langoustine ravioli
27/32Sabor
Ex Barrafina chef Nieves Barragan offers two restaurants in one in this two-storey site off Regent Street. The Counter downstairs has a daily changing menu of superlative fresh fish. Upstairs, El Asador has communal tables and a wood-fired oven for regional Spanish delicacies such as Segovian suckling pig. It is lively and busy, but there is no booking for The Counter – so be prepared to queue.
Address: 35-37 Heddon St, Mayfair, London W1B 4BR
28/32Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
The Connaught's most upmarket restaurant offers a Michelin-starred tasting menu by acclaimed chef Hélène Darroze in surrounds designed by Pierre Yovanovitch – it's quite the pairing. The one-page menu offers a choice of five or seven courses from a menu that runs through from starters to main courses and puddings without subdivisions. Many of the ingredients are British – Cornish sea bass, Welsh venison – but elements of Asian cuisine bring freshness to French classics that dominate the tone.
Address: The Connaught, 16 Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL
What to order: the tasting menu
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29/32Claridge's
Bryan O’Sullivan Studio’s revamp of the interior at Claridge's restaurant has harked back to the art deco period with which the Mayfair hotel is often associated. Of course, this is a restaurant in a five-star hotel in one of London’s smartest neighbourhoods, so restrained means taking expensive, high quality ingredients and giving them the lightest touch. The admirably succinct menu starts with a choice of two different kinds of caviar – Oscietra and Beluga, should caviar be your thing – and is divided into First Courses and Main Courses and Seafood and Sides. Seasonality and local sourcing are promised and, at the right time of year, there are truffles. Lots of them.
Address: Brook Street, London W1K 4HR
What to order: black truffle crumpet, blackberry vacherin
30/32Noble Rot
Noble Rot leads with wine and follows with food and their formula has been so successful, they've expanded into Soho and then Mayfair. The Mayfair restaurant is every bit as good as the original, with a mostly French leaning menu and an endless array of wine to try. The set lunch menu is a very reasonable £22 for two courses or £26 for three, while the full menu offers such delights as whole John Dory and chantarelles or leeks vinagrette and chopped egg.
Address: 5 Trebeck Street, W1J 7LT
What to order: warm smoked eel and roast Cornish hake
31/32Kitty Fisher's
Tucked away in Shepherd Market is a not-so-secret restaurant that has been a stalwart of Mayfair since it opened a decade ago: Kitty Fisher's. It's a tiny sliver of a restaurant, making it even harder to get a booking for plates of modern British food accompanied by old world wines. Think pork chops and parfaits, peppercorn sauce and apple tarte fine all in comfortable, velvet-clad surrounds.
Address: 10 Shepherd Market, London W1J 7QF
What to order: Welsh rarebit, Kitty's fish pie
32/32Corrigan's
Richard Corrigan needs no introduction (especially not since another of his restaurants is already on this list) and nor does his flagship Mayfair restaurant: Corrigan's. This smart, white tablecloth institution is where the famous Irish chef serves his smartest, most elegant dishes. There are, of course, oysters, but also decadent seafood cocktails, refined duck consommé and the freshest pasta filled with tender crab and scallops, swimming in a delightfully rich bisque. This is somewhere to head for an occasion and it certainly sets a wonderful tone.
Address: 28 Upper Grosvenor St, London W1K 7EH
What to order: salt aged beef wellington for two, butter poached haddock
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