Wednesday, March 6, 2024 1:09 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 parapicar 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 to find restaurants worth booking.
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 Ibérico he jelly that will stay in your memory for a long time. Always choose a wine pairing. The selection is as interesting and quirky as the sommelier himself.
• Fleming’s Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon Street, Mayfair – Book here
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 – Book here
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. Apart from the recent BAFTA after-party, it’s less about celebrity spectacle and more about Luke Hands’ comforting menu, which weaves everything from delicate crudo and carpaccio to lobster pasta and fire-cooked steak plates. It’s a hot topic. 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. – Book here
Claridge’s Restaurant
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. – Book here
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 Campari-flavored radicchio, monkfish bathed in cloud-like artichoke espuma, and halibut in a glistening clam butter sauce.
• Raffles London (The OWO, 57 Whitehall, Whitehall) – Book here
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, 10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, London. – Book here
Midland Grand Dining Room
One of London’s most historic dining rooms, named after its original St Pancras Renaissance restaurant which opened in 1873, will be revived following the closure of the popular The Gilbert Scott in 2021. Patrick Powell, who is also the head of the Allegra at the Stratford Hotel (well worth the trip east for this), is at the helm of the new incarnation, adding some contemporary touches to the menu, which is rooted in Golden Age classics. It pays homage to the building’s 1920s heyday with a unique twist. The hotel’s iconic restaurant.
• St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, Kings Cross – Book here
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. It’s the combo that earned him two Michelin stars at his eponymous restaurant just six months after it opened, and his five-course tasting menu costs from £165 per person. This is a place where you can enjoy an unforgettable and shocking meal.
• Hotel Cafe Royal, 68 Regent Street, Mayfair – Book here
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 – Book here
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 – Book here
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