As more big-name hotels bring in big-name chefs, the days of overpriced, soulless hotel restaurants are coming to an end in London. Whether it’s cocktails and para picar at the dimly lit Decimo in King’s Cross or a masterclass in Michelin-starred cooking from Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Alex Dalzell has ventured beyond the lobby of London’s finest hotels to find the restaurants worth a reservation.
Ormer Mayfair
After a few years quietly amassing a loyal following, Ormer’s secret is out thanks to a well-deserved star in this year’s Michelin Guide. There’s a wonderful, understated elegance to the wood-panelled dining room and the service imparts a real sense of fun to proceedings. It’s a tasting menu-only affair, and both the five and seven-course options include an incredible warm Ibérico jelly that’ll live long in the memory. Always opt for the wine pairings – the selection is as intriguing and eccentric as the sommelier himself. Flemings Mayfair, 7-12 Half Moon Street, Mayfair, flemings-mayfair.co.uk
Pavyllon
It was only a matter of time before one of the world’s most decorated chefs, Yannick Alléno, claimed a Michelin star for his London debut at the Four Seasons Hotel. Take a seat at the counter looking into the space-age kitchen and ready yourself for dainty dishes that squeeze every last drop of flavour from the ingredients thanks to his patented extraction techniques. The £55.50 set lunch menu represents great value and gives a quick-fire introduction to Alléno’s singular style. Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Hamilton Place, pavyllonlondon.com
Chiltern Firehouse
A decade after the A-list and the chasing paparazzi made this the most in-demand reservation in town, it still holds its allure. Aside from the recent BAFTAs afterparty, it’s now less about celeb-spotting and more about Luke Hunns’ comforting menu that weaves from delicate crudos and carpaccios to lobsterflecked pasta and slabs of steak cooked over fire. Whether it’s for a lazy brunch with the papers, a long overdue catch-up with friends, or something more romantic, this failsafe covers all the bases. Chiltern Firehouse, 1 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, chilternfirehouse.com
Claridge’s Restaurant
London hotels aspire to have restaurants like the Claridge’s Restaurant, which has just been renovated but feels as fabulous now as it would have done 100 years ago. Following a string of well-known chefs’ names above the door, a decision was made to reopen the main restaurant without a famous endorsement, and it was a gamble that paid off for the iconic hotel. The focus now lies on a concise menu of brasserie classics, a well-curated wine list, and one of the most striking dining rooms in the area, which is dripping with glorious art deco. Arrive early for a cocktail at the bar and ask for a banquette table in the centre of the room. Claridge’s, Brook Street, Mayfair, claridges.co.uk
Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO
Just 500 metres south of Trafalgar Square, the comfy, cloistered dining room is a cream-washed cocoon of hushed conversations and inch-thick carpet. There’s a splash of colour from the commissioned modern art, but theatrics are saved for a menu that brings the sensory joy of a walk through rural England. Think venison tucked under Campari-glazed radicchio, monkfish bathing in cloudlike artichoke espuma, and halibut in a glistening clam butter sauce. Raffles London at The OWO, 57 Whitehall, Whitehall, raffles.com/london/ dining/mauro-colagreco
Decimo
The fun at Peter Sanchez-Iglesias’ London debut begins with a ride in the red-pill lift that whisks you to this rooftop spot high above busy Euston Road. Given the elevation, the skyline views are incredible, but the interior design does the most to distract you with handmade tile tables, plush booth seating, and exotic plant life. It has a low-lit, clubby vibe and the mix of Spanish tapas, Mexican tacos, and inventive cocktails makes for the ideal way to kick off a night out with friends. The Standard, London, 10 Argyle Street, King’s Cross, decimo.london
The Midland Grand Dining Room
Referencing the original name of the St Pancras Renaissance when it opened in 1873, one of London’s most historical dining rooms is back following the closure of the muchloved The Gilbert Scott in 2021. Patrick Powell, who also heads up Allegra at The Stratford Hotel (which is well worth a trip east for), helms the new incarnation and pays tribute to the building’s 1920s heyday with a menu rooted in Golden Age classics with a few contemporary twists. St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, King’s Cross, midlandgranddiningroom.com
Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal
With no television appearances or cookbook deals to his name, Alex Dilling is not particularly well-known outside of foodie circles – but those who know, know. Having earned his stripes under Hélène Darroze, his cooking is inspired by French tradition, the British seasons, and an unwavering precision. It’s a combo that earned his eponymous restaurant with the Cafe Royal London hotel two Michelin stars within just six months of opening, and with tasting menus starting at £165 per person for five courses, it’s the place for an unforgettable blow-out meal. Hotel Café Royal, 68 Regent Street, Mayfair, hotelcaferoyal.com
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Widely credited with having changed the face of contemporary cooking, Heston Blumenthal needs little introduction. At Dinner, he’s collaborated with protégé Tom Allen to develop a madcap menu inspired by the tastes and flavours of British history. From the chicken parfait disguised as an orange to the glistening spit-roasted pineapple, this is unconventional cooking at its finest – as is to be expected from a man whose proudest achievement was being awarded an honorary fellowship by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, dinnerbyheston.co.uk
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
As one of only two female chefs in the UK whose restaurants have been awarded three Michelin stars, Hélène Darroze is culinary royalty – although she is quick to point out that the accolades are ‘a truly collaborative award’. Even more impressive is how at ease you’ll feel from the moment you take a seat in the elegant wood-panelled dining room of The Connaught hotel, where you can taste some of the most precise and inventive modern French cuisine in the world (and that’s no exaggeration). The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, the-connaught.co.uk.
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