Wednesday, March 6, 2024 1:42 p.m.
The days of overpriced, soulless hotel restaurants are coming to an end in London as big-name hotels bring in big-name chefs. Whether it’s cocktails and para-his-picards at the dimly lit Decimo in King’s Cross or Hélène Darroze’s Michelin-starred culinary masterclass at The Connaught, Alex Dalzell goes beyond the lobbies of London’s finest hotels. We’ve figured out which restaurants are worth making reservations for.
omar mayfair
After years of quietly gaining a loyal following, Ohmagh’s secrets are now out, thanks to a well-deserved star in this year’s Michelin Guide. The wood-paneled dining room has a wonderfully understated elegance, and the service adds real enjoyment to the proceedings. This is a tasting menu only, and both the 5 and 7 course options include an incredibly warm Iberian jelly that will last a long time in your memory. Always choose a wine pairing. The selection is as interesting and quirky as the sommelier himself. Flemings Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon Street, Mayfair, flemings-mayfair.co.uk
pavillon
One of the world’s most decorated chefs, it was only a matter of time before Yannick Alléno earned a Michelin star on his London debut at the Four Seasons Hotel. Sit at the counter, overlooking the space-age kitchen, and enjoy delicious dishes made with his patented extraction technology, which extracts every last drop of flavor from the ingredients. Set lunch for £55.50 His menu is great value and gives you an immediate insight into Alléno’s unique style. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, pavyllonlondon.com
chiltern fire station
It’s been 10 years since celebrity listings and paparazzi pursuits made it the city’s most popular enclave, but it still retains its charm. Recent BAFTA after-parties aside, it’s less about celebrity spectacle and more about Luke Hands’ comforting menu, which weaves everything from delicate crudo and carpaccio to lobster speckled pasta and fire-cooked steak plates. It has become. Whether it’s a leisurely brunch while reading the newspaper, catching up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, or something more romantic, this failsafe covers all the bases. Chiltern Fire Station, 1 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, chilternfirehouse.com
Claridge’s Restaurant
Hotels in London want restaurants like Claridge’s Restaurant. Although the restaurant has just been renovated, he feels it is still as great as it was 100 years ago. With the names of famous chefs lined up above the door, the decision was made to reopen the main restaurant without celebrity approval, but it was a gamble for the iconic hotel. The current focus is on the brasserie’s classically concise menu, carefully selected wine list and one of the region’s most impressive dining rooms with a glorious Art Deco feel. Arrive early to enjoy a cocktail at the bar and request a banquette table in the center of the room. Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, claridges.co.uk
Mauro Colagreco at OWO’s Raffles London
Just 500 meters south of Trafalgar Square, the cozy dining room, surrounded by cloisters, is a cream-colored cocoon of quiet conversation and carpeting several inches thick. There’s a splash of color from commissioned contemporary art, but the theater is reserved for a menu that delivers the sensory delights of a stroll through the English countryside. Think venison nestled under radicchio drizzled with Campari sauce, monkfish bathed in cloud-like artichoke espuma, and halibut in a glistening clam butter sauce. Raffles London, The OWO, 57 Whitehall, raffles.com/london/ Dining/mauro-colagreco
Decimo
The fun in Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’ London debut begins with a ride on the Red Pill lift to this rooftop spot high above busy Euston Road. Given the altitude, the skyline views are stunning, but the interior design is most distracting with its hand-tiled tables, plush booth seating, and exotic plants. With a dimly lit, clubby atmosphere and a mix of Spanish tapas, Mexican tacos and creative cocktails, it’s the ideal way to start a night out with friends. The Standard, London, 10 Argyle Street, Kings Cross, decimo.london
Midland Grand Dining Room
One of London’s oldest dining rooms, named after its original St. Pancras Renaissance restaurant that opened in 1873, is returning following the closure of the popular The Gilbert Scott in 2021 Ta. Patrick Powell, who is also responsible for Allegra at The Stratford Hotel (well worth the trip east), is at the helm of the new incarnation, adding some contemporary touches to a menu rooted in Golden Age classics. It pays homage to the building’s 1920s heyday with a twist. St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, Kings Cross, midlandgrand Diningroom.com
Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal
Alex Dilling isn’t particularly famous outside of foodie circles, as he doesn’t have any TV appearances or cookbook deals, but those who know him know him. His cooking, honed under Hélène Darroze, is inspired by French tradition, British seasons and unwavering precision. This is the combo that earned the Café Royal London Hotel and his eponymous restaurant his two Michelin stars within just six months of opening, and the tasting menu is five-course and he… Starting from £165, this is the place to go for an unforgettable and shocking meal. Hotel Cafe Royal, 68 Regent Street, Mayfair, hotelcaferoyal.com
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Widely acknowledged as the man who changed the face of modern cuisine, Heston Blumenthal needs little introduction. For dinner, he worked with his protégé Tom Allen to develop an unusual menu inspired by the tastes and flavors of Britain’s history. From chicken parfait disguised as orange to glistening pineapple skewers, this is unconventional cuisine at its finest. He is most proud of having been awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, dinnerbyheston.co.uk
Hélène Darroze of The Connaught
Hélène Darroze, one of only two female chefs in the UK to have a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, is culinary royalty, but says the award is a “truly collaborative award”. I am quick to point out that there is. What’s even more impressive is how at ease she feels from the moment she sits in The Connaught Hotel’s elegant wood-paneled dining room. There you can taste the most precise and original modern French cuisine in the world (and that’s not an exaggeration). The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, the-connaught.co.uk.
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