The Ritz Restaurant: Worth the chatter, and the ticket

While some would call it a caricature of fine dining, The Ritz Restaurant justifies its famed reputation and some more

biggest billionaire family feuds: the ritz carlton hotel — The Ritz holds prime spot on Picadilly : Shutterstock

If ‘luxury hotel’ was a crossword clue, the Ritz would likely be an answer. Likewise, if you asked a Londoner what the fanciest restaurant in town was, they would likely say the Ritz restaurant – perhaps after listing a couple of Gordon Ramsay locations first.

With two Michelin Stats under its belt, it should come as no surprise that the food at the Ritz Restaurant is particularly good. What surprised Spear’s, however, was just how good it was.

Design & Interiors

At first glance, it feels a bit Mar A Lago. Or perhaps Mar A Lago feels a bit like the Ritz. There are romantic murals on the walls and ceiling, an opulent carpet insulating the floors, and chandeliers twinkling from the ceiling.

While some could call it gauche, once you begin to embrace the gaudiness of the room, it begins to feel right. In fact, it enriches all of the senses. With all of its gold leaf, warm dimmed lighting and Louis XVI-style furniture, the room embraces the luxury of a bygone era.

Food & Drink

Spear’s had the seven course Epicurean menu with wine pairings. It did not disappoint.

After three amuse-bouches and a particularly good glass of champagne, the first course consisted of tomatoes in a cool citrus broth. They had been cooked, peeled and recooked all while maintaining their shape and appearance, and most importantly adding depth of flavour to such a simple food.

Another standout dishes were a pigeon, which was carved on an elegant wooden trolley by the waiter and served with a rich red wine sauce. One of the deserts was a crepe suzette, which was also prepared by the waiter on a trolley. As well as tasting both sweet and deliciously alcoholic, it came with a theatrical element, as its cooking process involved 5 feet tall flames.

At the end of the dinner, after all the courses are done, they will offer a drink from their tea trolley – an offer which should be accepted. Part Victorian science experiment part Willy Wonka contraption, the visual appeal of this trolley is almost as good as the taste of the teas.

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Service

With not many tables for such a large room, the waiters have the time to be attentive and proactive, all while not being intrusive.

The timing of each course was choreographed to perfection, with enough time for conversation between each dish, and enough pace to keep it exciting.

The crowd

There was a feeling of occasion inside the restaurant. One table has a family celebrating a 60^th birthday, there were a couple of anniversary dinners and a table of city executives who went back to their offices when their dinner finished at 10pm.

It is maybe the best place to people watch in London.

The verdict

The Ritz Restaurant is worth the hype and the price. Every dish was cooked to perfection, the staff were welcoming and there was a real sense of occasion for somewhere that could be hosting 60 to 80 people each night.