The rarified streets of Mayfair are home to some of the world’s finest restaurants. From Mount Street stalwarts and big-name chef-helmed hotspots to dazzling fusion and intimate omakase dining, here’s Spear’s ultimate guide to dining in London’s gastronomic postcode.
From hot new openings to W1 institutions, Spear’s pick of the best restaurants in Mayfair.
Pavyllon London
The Four Seasons Hotel plays host to this new outpost from renowned French Chef Yannick Alléno. His style of cooking is French in base but incorporates global influences from North Africa to Japan, resulting in excitingly original dishes. These are masterfully executed here by Head Chef Benjamin Ferra Y Castell, with cooking that enhances the excellent natural flavours of the ingredients. This being Mayfair, much of that produce comes from the luxury end of the scale.
Globally renowned French chef Yannick Alléno at the helm has knocked up 16 Michelin stars throughout his esteemed career – his most recent at Pavyllon after only six months of opening. Despite this immediate success, this is Alléno’s first outpost in London after opening 16 other restaurants before making his foray into the capital.
Pavyllon exudes a modern European relaxed atmosphere. The interiors are elegant and understated, service is attentive but hands-off and the restaurant is open plan with counter dining where guests can watch their tasting menu arrive piece by piece. To start is a curry tartlet with scallop carpaccio, so delicate you’re nervous to disturb it – although delighted when you do. To follow is a blatant nod to Alléno’s French roots with a Comté cheese soufflé rich yet light, complemented by aftertastes of fiery red and tickly black pepper. The stand-out of the tasting menu is the soft, beautifully rendered duck breast reddened with beetroot powder, served with daikon radishes and pillowy mash.
Alléno has crafted the menu in a health-conscious way, as he believes chefs have a responsibility to look after their guests. He uses extraction and cryo-concentration techniques for intense flavour rather than traditional French decadence of cream and butter. The desserts are made using natural sugars, culminating the meal in a meringue-spiced cloud with hazelnut praline.
Sometimes a chef’s reputation is so good you think the reality won’t live up to the hype. But at Pavyllon London, guests leave with their head still in the clouds.
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Lunch in 55 – five courses for £55, designed for diners to be in and out in 55 minutes. Immersive Mayfair tasting menu – four courses £85, six courses £110. Pavyllon tasting menu – six courses £110. A la carte dining is also available.
pavyllonlondon.com, Hamilton Pl, W1J 7DR
Bacchanalia
There’s nothing subtle about Bacchanalia; it’s as far removed from the rarefied hush of a traditional Mayfair restaurant as perhaps expected from a place named after a wild, wine-soaked, rowdy Roman party.
The latest opening from Richard Caring – the name behind some of London’s most glamorous clubs and restaurants, including nearby Annabel’s – Bacchanalia was never going to be a wallflower, and in its year at One Mount Street (formerly the site of a Porsche dealership), it’s become a major player in Mayfair’s restaurant scene.
This ode to Greco-Roman goodtimes is a scrumptious feast on the senses. Interiors’ maestro Martin Brudnizki has created a theatrical setting, while artist Gary Myatt’s ceiling murals give a modern twist to Thomas Couture’s 1847 painting Romance in their Decadence.
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Magnificent neo-classical beasts designed by Damian Hirst leap from the walls (the Medusa’s tattoos apparently inspired by the artist’s wife, according to the waiter), while 2000-year old Roman busts – including one of Hadrian (of wall fame) – look down over a full house.
Of the many good reasons to visit Caring’s various restaurants, food and wine seldom top the list. But here they are no mere afterthought. The kitchen is overseen by Athinagoras Kostakos (formerly head chef at Bill & Coo in Mykonos), while the 650-strong wine list is the work of fellow Greek Terry Kandylis. It charts the spread of viticulture through Europe and includes a collection of critic Robert Parker’s ‘100-point wines’.
The truly divine lay in the oozing cheese croquettes with a truffle mayo that was served alongside pillow soft focaccia and an olive-oil soaked Greek salad. Roasted cauliflower may not sound hedonistic but it tasted as if this humble vegetable had been blessed from above.
bacchanalia.co.uk, 3 Mount St, W1K 3NB
Jeru
Jeru masterfully blends light but flavourful mezze with bold and earthy meat cuts. It first launched over Christmas 2021 and is headed up by Chef Roy Ner, formerly of Sydney stalwart Nour. An ambitious but thoughtful menu is pulled off effortlessly with first-rate service in a warm, homely space.
Jeru fronts onto Berkeley Street with a narrow, unassuming frontage easily mistaken for a neighbourhood cafe or wine bar. Indeed, up front is a bakery by day and bar by night. At lunch, the St James’s daytime crowd – also known as fund managers – can drop in here for stone-baked pies and wraps, or head past the bakery for a sit-down lunch.
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Jeru promises a ‘pan-Mediterranean celebration’, which may sound unpromising, but it works. Levantine tatbila, batata harra and hummus sit alongside greco-style grilled octopus, feta and roe-based salsas. Far western Med staples, including aioli and white anchovies, feature too.The unfathomably eclectic cuisines at play here find common ground like all good peacemakers: breaking bread and drowning it in oil.
And as if pan-Med wasn’t ambitious enough, much of the menu has a farmy, almost nose-to-tail aspect to it: a roasted black cod fillet was presented along with the unmistakable, reassuring presence of roasted beef shanks.
Service is competent, timely and, most mercifully, human. In no small way thanks to the team, the atmosphere at Jeru is relaxing, warm, and fun.
www.jeru.co.uk, 11 Berkeley St, W1J 8DS
Il Gattopardo
Located on the quieter end of Albermarle Street in Mayfair, Il Gattopardo is inspired by 1960s Italy and aims to ‘embody the understated, refined luxury of the Italian riviera and honour a heyday of frivolity and seduction’. It first opened its doors in the autumn of 2023 and comes from the same stable as Zuma, Roka, Coya, Amazonico and Bar des Pres.
The menu is the work of executive chef Massimo Pasquarelli, who was born in the Abruzzo region of Italy and spent a decade working under Alain Ducasse. He was previously executive chef of the Ritz Carlton in Singapore.
The drinks menu has a number of unusual, thoughtful takes on the negroni, such as the light, zesty negroni bianco and the complex, smoky choco negroni, which has a long, pleasant, cocoa-powder finish.
The food, meanwhile, comes from across Italy, but there is a particular focus on Sicily, Amalfi and the Southern Isles – with plenty of fish and seafood.
As one has come to expect these days, the dishes are conceived as sharing plates. They’re divided into sections on the menu: insalate, crudo, affettati, antipasti, pizzette, pasta, padella, pesce, contorni, formaggi and pasticceria.
When it comes to dessert, many a diner’s eye will be drawn by the tiramisu, which can be served in a large portion for sharing. But give due consideration to the chef’s interpretation of maritozzo, a Roman classic – sweet delicate brioche buns filled with chantilly cream and just a little chocolate custard.
gattopardo.restaurant, 27 Albemarle St, W1S 4HZ
Claridge’s Restaurant
With its Art Deco glamour, flawless service and menu of elevated classics, the Claridge’s Restaurant, which opened in October last year, succeeds in its mission to appeal to ‘Londoners and visitors alike’.
Claridge’s Restaurant pays homage to the hotel’s Art Deco design heritage with Calcutta Viola marble, double-height ceilings, mosaic flooring and dramatic pendant lamps inspired by Josef Hoffman. The plush green leather banquettes are set beneath starburst skylights by Guy Oliver. Artwork, including pieces by Sean Scully, Richard Gorman and Brian Clare, have been chosen from Claridge’s extensive private collection.
Simon Attridge, recently been appointed culinary director at the hotel, and has overseen a menu of classically inspired dishes.
The starters are particularly noteworthy and include a confit aubergine served with roast garlic yoghurt; goat cheese and pear salad topped with blackberry; buckwheat crumpets served with a soubise cream and truffle puree. Even the loaf, served with Claridge’s butter, is sublime.
Mains are a mix of standalone hero dishes – the whole turbot served with an original ‘sauce Emeline’ is a triumph – served with classic sides like mashed potatoes, fries and garden carrots. Vegetarians and vegans have fewer options, but the meat-free starters can all be served as larger portions. Desserts include chocolate souffle tart with cacao nib ice cream and a platter of all-British cheeses.
Signature cocktails include the Ambre Highball – a white wine spritzer with notes of stone fruit – and the Peach Piquant, mixed with tequila and mezcal. The wine list is extensive and well-informed sommeliers are on hand to support diners in their selections. Highlights are showcased in a ‘sommelier spotlight’ shortlist which serves as a helpful signpost for those overwhelmed by the breadth of choice.
www.claridges.co.uk, Brook St, W1K 4HR
Sushi Kanesaka
At £420 a head, the London outpost of Tokyo’s two Michelin-starred Sushi Kanesaka lays claim to being the city’s most expensive menu, overtaking Ynyshir to take the top spot when it opened in mid-June in the Dorchester Collection’s 45 Park Lane.
Kanesaka’s first venture in Europe garnered its own Michelin star in the Michelin Star Restaurants for 2024 in Great Britain & Ireland.
Guests enter via a discrete doorway behind the bar, through which diners are guided by a kimono-clad host. Entering Sushi Kanesaka is like being transported to Tokyo’s exclusive Ginza district, leaving behind a rain-soaked Mayfair and businessmen at the tail end of lunch.
Diners are seated in a row along a nine-seater counter (there’s a private room for four guests) made from a single block of 300-year-old cedar wood, which head chef, Kanasaka-protegee Hirotaka Wada and his colleague, work directly in front of, giving a whole new meaning to ‘open kitchen’.
The joy of the omakase and the counter seats lies in the interaction with the chefs who personally Present each micro-course on an individual plate (or, in the case of the hand roll, without a plate).
Most of the courses are no more than a mouthful of sushi (served at the correct temperature: room) which is served in the Edomae style, the most traditional form, where fish is cured to enable the flavours to shine.
Kanesaka believes the key to great sushi lies in the relationship between topping, vinegared rice and wasabi and the results of his alchemy can be tasted in each mouthful; from the opening Cornish king crab with beluga caviar to the rich roll of eel (river eel), through to the lean slab of tamagoyaki omelette and rare, seared kobe beef served with a shade of wasabi.
Despite the rules (don’t be late, don’t wear perfume), the ceremony – and the potentially intimidating small room where you sit and make contact with a chef with a very sharp knife – Sushi Kanesaka is a culinary adventure served with great skill and warmth.
dorchestercollection.com, 45 Park Ln, W1K 1PN
HUMO
Given the throngs of restaurants in London, the ‘innovative new concept’ is a pretty exhausted trope. But at HUMO, awarded a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2024, there is a strong argument for it.
Endo Kazutoshi’s protege, Miller Prada’s kitchen eschews gas or electricity in favour of wood-fired cooking, a trend Prada takes to elevated heights, combining his omakase training with his Colombian heritage. The result is delicious drama.
Sitting at bar chairs, diners get more than a meal with the chefs creating precise plates in a relaxed free-hand style. But what arrives at the table is certainly not blasé.
The menu is made up of four stages: ignite, smoke, flame and embers. Ignite is a take on Japanese sashimi; smoke is vegetables from the grill; flame is cooked in direct contact with whiskey barrels, and embers are cuts of aged fish and meat which change daily.
While the concept and the fire theatrics could steal the show, the resulting dish is no slouch.
The seven day-aged yellowtail from the ignite section comes with a citrus sauce and coffee from Miller’s family farm in Colombia (which also features in the eclectic cocktail menu) and topped with truffle slices, creating a wonderful smoky richness that is unique for a sashimi style dish. From the embers section is A4 grade wagyu served with elderflower and sudachi dashi, a balanced citrus and sweet combination with salty beef.
Humo is unique, entertaining and sophisticated – and desirably in the heart of Mayfair.
humolondon.com, 12 St George St, London W1S 2FB
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Corrigan’s Mayfair
There are few places in Mayfair with a welcome as warm as Corrigan’s, and it’s even warmer if you bag a seat in the Kitchen Library – one of four unique private dining rooms – where guests are greeted by charismatic Richard Corrigan, head chef and patron, himself. Once seated in the small dining room off the kitchen, guests are treated to an evening not just of his masterful takes on British and Irish dishes but to the theatre that goes into creating them.
The menu is dictated by the seasons using produce from across the UK and Ireland, where hearty, traditional dishes are sprinkled with Corrigan’s unmistakable flair. A starter of white asparagus in frothy garlic butter was mopped up with morish homemade bread smothered in creamy Lincolnshire Poacher butter that Corrigan rightly rhapsodised about (‘more butter for the table’). A royal seafood cocktail, one of the restaurant’s staples, elevates a British classic, while a main of melt-in-the-mouth Irish Hereford Beef Tournedos with oxtail raviolo was cooked to medium-rare perfection.
Hospitality is as important as the food at Corrigan’s, and service was impeccable with a lightness of touch. The sommelier served up not only perfectly matched wines but a story of its provenance and journey to the table, and rose to the challenge of pairing wine with tricky asparagus (the result was a divine California Viognier with a touch of salinity on the finish). The staff were attentive but unobtrusive, welcome guests in our front-row seat.
There is no fiddling about with fine-dining size portions at Corrigan’s. Dishes are hearty (read big), but the desserts, which lean towards European classics and British and Irish staples (baked Alaska) or a fusion of the two (apple crumble souffle) are worth leaving room for.
Swing by the cosy Dickie’s Bar before or after for a first-rate cocktail (the spicy margarita should be on every tequila fans list).
Go hungry and soak up the hospitality.
corrigansmayfair.co.uk, 28 Upper Grosvenor St W1K 7EH
Ormer Mayfair by Sofian
A hidden gem in the basement of Flemings Hotel in Mayfair, opposite Green Park, Ormer Mayfair by Sofian is well-deserving of the Michelin star it was awarded in the 2024 guide.
The hotel’s aesthetic of ‘classic yet contemporary with nods to 1930s glamour’ is reflected in the restaurant, which is entered through impressive double glass doors thrown open upon each guest’s arrival. The wood-panelled dining room is inviting, with the emerald velvet banquettes and black and white flooring adding to the art deco charm. The tables are large and well spaced: there is no need to worry about feeling squashed up against a neighbour here.
The tasting menu is served in five or seven courses – excellent wine pairing optional – with adaptations for vegetarian, pescatarian and vegan diets. Each dish is immaculately presented and care is paid to ensure the alternative menus are as impressive as the original.
There are British ingredients, like Cornish mackerel, served alongside showstoppers like the milk-fed Pyrenees lamb and produce from the garden at their sister hotel in Essex.
The service is formal but unstuffy with plenty of jokes and anecdotes shared by the staff. Food and wine are both presented with thoughtful explanation.
flemings-mayfair.co.uk, Flemings Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon St, W1J 7BH
Mount Street Restaurant
In its understated elegance, Mount Street Restaurant is oddly out-of-place next to a rather boisterous crowd one can frequently find lined up outside Mayfair landmark, The Audley Public House, a regular haunt for locals looking for a more refined alternative to a traditional pub.
Appropriately, ‘refined’ marks the approach taken by executive chef Jamie Shears — formerly of CUT at 45 Park Lane — when designing the menus at both Mount Street Restaurant and The Audley Public House. Where the latter offers a sophisticated take on British ‘pub grub’, the menu at Mount Street Restaurant is distinctly more elevated and inspired by dishes that are quintessentially English.
Menu standouts include a nutty wild garlic soup mopped up with creamy breaded goats cheese, a lightly salted beetroot salad with a strong (albeit not overwhelming) horseradish hummus, and a crispy beef wellington with a smoky peppercorn sauce. One dish in particular that has propelled the restaurant to Instagram-fame is its lobster pie. Creamy chunks of lobster swim in a rich Béchamel sauce, all encased in a buttery puff pastry. If that didn’t stand out enough, a bright coral lobster head pokes through the middle of the puff pastry. The £96 pie has even become a firm favourite of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The menu isn’t the only work of art at the restaurant. Over 200 paintings, from the likes of Andy Warhol, Henry Matisse and Lucien Freud, dot the five-storey building.
A paradise for both the discerning epicurean and the aesthete, Mount Street Restaurant is a combination of innovative craftsmanship and traditional flavour.
