Best Chinese Restaurants in Mayfair
January 12, 2023 Capital A List – Celebrity club news
Capital A List Membership includes access to exclusive clubs and bars, and priority restaurant bookings in addition to many other benefits. For more information please visit Capital A List Membership.
London is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines, where everything is elevated and worked to excellence. It is no surprise that the Chinese culinary scene of London is over the top. Especially in a posh and elegant neighbourhood like Mayfair. The English and Chinese already share a common passion for tea and the good life. The best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair explore all the connections between both cultures, while still elevating the traditional and authentic aromas of Chinese food.
Here you will find restaurants that celebrate China’s complex and unique culture. From dim sums to honey-glazed pork, these are the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair. Indulge in their eccentric flavours and exotic decor while travelling to the other side of the world.
Kai
Kai Mayfair is the highest-ranked and one of the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair. Serving lunch and dinner seven days per week, this venue is famous for blending traditional flavours and techniques with modern trends and technology. At Kai Mayfair, you can find light and aromatic dishes that transport you to luxurious eating in China and other Eastern cultures.
With cuisine inspired by Southern China traditions, Kai Mayfair mixes the eastern and western worlds into its plates, with little touches of individuality that make its food eccentric. With a floral and light-coloured decor, the place remains delicate, even if being on the other spectrum of minimalism. Freedom of exploration is a mantra at this restaurant. Tradition never holds anyone back but instead gives them a north to which flavours should be created in the kitchen.
Yee Sangs, which are raw fish salads, start the dinner menu. Find seabass with sweet plum and ginger vinaigrette, salmon and yellowtail with sweet chilli and pickled archar. For the main course, pick from a vast array of seafood and meat options. Taste tiger prawns with crisp curry leaves and a dressing of lemon, chilli, Indian and Chinese flavours. Maybe go for the soy and honey marinated roast lamb, lightly spiced with red chillies, shallots, garlic and coriander.
Afternoon tea is also a famous offer at Kai Mayfair. It contributes to its status as one of the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair.
Hakkasan
Art and ancient traditions inspired Hakkasan. Whether that’s in their wine philosophy, creative cocktails or delicate patisserie, all we know is that they excel at blending the old and new. Ancient gastronomy customs from the east inspire the dishes here, adapted to modern-day techniques and palates. Here, authentic Cantonese recipes embrace contemporary preparation methods and presentation, creating flavours that travel through time.
Hakkasan is also a place for wine lovers. Here one can find over 400 wines from different parts of the world, from classics to exclusive vintage options. Not a fan of wine? That’s okay. The cocktails here are extremely artistic expressions of modernity, where the six-house options enchant everybody through all five senses. Regarding the food, be ready to try the patisserie techniques at Hakkasan. Chefs mix traditional preparation methods with modern technology to create distinctive pastries.
Eastern sensuality has found a home in London. The interior design of the place complements its timely cuisine. Opulence and intimacy unite in dark wooden screens, dim lighting, and traditional Chinese motifs. Find blue and golden shades of light and decor. An extensive and rich bar and upbeat ambience music help you get in the mood for luxury.
Park Chinois
Park Chinois is opulence at its most refined expression. Inspired by the 1930’s Shanghai vibrant and colourful scenario, the restaurant brings experiential dining and eccentric Chinese food to your table. The restaurant is divided into two rooms, each displaying glamorous and lavish interiors. On the ground floor, find the Salon de Chine and dine with the company of live music and unique cocktails. Head down to the lower floor and experience Club Chinois, with late-night DJ sets, drinks, and incredible Chinese cooking.
Explore authentic Chinese food and the many influences it has collected over the centuries. The menu, crafted by Lee Che Liang, is an expression of his world travels, paired with eastern and western flavours and influences. The result is a seasonal menu that only works with the freshest ingredients, always adding a bold and personal taste to the dish.
On the dinner menu, find salt and pepper squid with coconut flakes, a dish that explores the marvels that exist in simplicity. Order Wagyu, fish, vegetarian dishes, dim sums, noodles, and soup. Taste the Cantonese roast duck with champagne and orange sauce. Feel the skin’s crispness contrasting with the meat’s juiciness and the tangy break from the orange. Saturday brunches and special events are also worth the exploration.
Min Jiang
On the 10th floor of the Royal Garden Hotel, you will find the Min Jiang rooftop bar and restaurant. Here, indulge in a fine dining, authentic Chinese experience. In Min Jiang, you find a classic ambience overlooking Hyde Park, with stunning views of the trees and the London skyline. White cloths cover the tables, and oriental vases and sculptures decorate the red walls. The tasting menu allows you to taste different flavours from China during lunch or dinner.
Here you have the opportunity to try the ancient Chinese recipe for wood-fired Beijing Duck. The duck is presented to the table in completely different cooking processes with two different servings. First, try a crispy duck skin dipped in granulated sugar, paired with pancakes with garlic paste and radish cabbage. Then, pick from four different options for your second serving. Minced duck in a lettuce wrap, fried rice with diced duck breast, vegetable soup with tofu and duck meat, or fried noodles with sliced duck.
Also, taste the roasted lamb with cumin and the famous house dim-sums in various flavours and colours. Wine and sake are also part of the menu, along with cocktails like the Midnight Lotus and the oriental Mojito.
Mimi Mei Fair
Mimi Mei Fair is one of the best-kept secrets of the London dining scene. It is nested inside a Georgian townhouse in Mayfair. Spread across three floors, the restaurant is a reimagination of empress Mimi’s house, the keeper of some of China’s most eccentric culinary secrets. Five dining rooms on the first and second floors capture the glamour of 1920s Shanghai. It blends oriental classicism with modern eclecticism. Heirlooms and antiques decorate every corner of Mimi Mei Fair, taking you on a travel through time and design.
The menus at this venue highlight Mimi’s travels worldwide, as she captured flavours and essences from different cultures, merging them with traditional Chinese cooking to create something personal and unique. Order the caramelised crispy Mandarin beef with mandarin zest and sour hawthorn berries and feel the fruity tang break through the fatty and juicy meat. For vegetarians and vegans, the braised truffled ‘trio’ of mushrooms is a balanced blend of shimeji, shiitake and eryngii.
An entire dim sum menu offers Peking duck baos, octopus Sui Mei, and Canadian scallop dumplings. For dessert, find a coconut and mango vegan sundae with toasted coconut flakes, fresh mango and coconut caramel. Explore the cocktail list and order house specials that blend western spirits with Chinese aromas.
China Tang
China Tang can be found inside the luxurious Dorchester Hotel, offering the finest Cantonese cuisine outside of China. The restaurant is celebrated for conquering the challenge of serving comfort foods with elegance and flair. Leading the kitchen, you can find the flamboyant personality of Sir David Tang, who impresses every sumptuous diner with his dishes, both in flavour and presentation.
Enter through the unpretentious park lane doors and descend into a pre-war Shanghai decor. Art shines in every corner of China Tang, and traditional Chinese ornaments decorate the walls. Dine in the main room and taste the authentic flavours of Chinese food. Fresh ingredients take over your plate in the form of dim sums, bronzed and juicy Peking duck, or lobster noodles. Sip on authentic Cantonese afternoon tea at the bar and listen to live music.
China Tang is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair because it knows how to blend tradition and modernity. Although they celebrate authenticity, you can still find house creations like a wagyu Taro puff with caviar or a lemon salted egg yolk custard bun. There is no limit to good flavour. The dim sums, one of the restaurant’s main points of pride, are served all day long, celebrating Cantonese culture and tradition.
Lucky Cat
There is no mention of fine dining in London without uttering the name of Gordon Ramsay. With Lucky Cat, the celebrity chef explores Asian cuisine and blends it with British classics, creating something extraordinary and powerfully flavourful. With an interior design that drafts from Tokyo’s 1930s glamour and the drinking dens of Shanghai, the restaurant is a neo-cultural hub for the most elegant diners of Mayfair.
At Lucky Cat, you are transported to the Asian dancing scene of extravagant clubs, where every dish is conceived for sharing. An open kitchen serves small plates, sushi, sashimi and Robata grilled foods. Start your meal with a selection of baos like the bonito fried duck leg with spicy hoisin and pickled cucumber. A salt and pepper fried squid comes with a pistachio crust, and monkfish and bacon skewers are glazed with honey kombu. A blend of textures and flavours dance in your mouth, and you know why this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair.
Frankensteinian versions of cocktails mix the best parts of classics to create something unusual and aromatic. The Matcha Picchu, for example, drafts the burnt-wine aspects of pisco, blending them with the earthy flavours of matcha green tea and the sourness from the lime and egg white combination.
Ping Pong
Ping Pong has many locations spread across London. It is one of the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair because it offers authentic dim sum and other buns, all crafted in the traditional Chinese manner. Taste dumplings and baos and feel your taste buds travelling to the old Chinese continent, exploring the authentic spices and aromas of classic eastern cooking.
Handcrafting their buns each morning, the staff at Ping Pong knows how to cherish tradition. The fillings are always fresh and seasonal, and the dipping sauces always match what’s inside. Whether on the sweet and savoury contrast or tangy complementations of fat, every flavour always works together in harmony. Enjoy your dim sums with cocktails, and let the house creations mesmerise your senses. Seasonal ingredients again play a role in the aromatic properties of each cocktail.
Take a journey through the dim sum menu, and taste wonders like the smoked chilli chicken wings made with cherrywood smoked chicken wings and a tangy tomato chilli sauce. For vegetarians, the Cantonese mushroom puff comes with casseroled vegetables and Chinese mushrooms in a honey-glazed puff pastry. Cocktails range from a pear, apple and cinnamon old-fashioned to an aromatic kumquat mojito. Everything is unique and tasty, as it was always meant to be.
Din Tai Fung
Din Tai Fung is the gastronomic legacy of Mr Bing-Yi Yang’s life journey from 1927 until the opening of one of the best Chinese restaurants in Mayfair. From China’s Shanxi province to Taiwan and then London, the mastermind behind delicious Xiao Long Baos and Steamed Chicken Soup has conquered one Michelin Star with his humbly and authentic cooking. By devoting its art to tradition and authenticity, Din Tai Fung entered the European dining stage as one of the voices of Chinese cuisine.
With strict standards and impeccable service and preparation, the restaurant allows diners to taste beyond the food in front of them. They get to savour the real complexity of eastern cooking and culinary heritage. The infamous Xiao Long Bao classic house offer has at least 18 folds, hugging minced pork and soft dough. Steamed buns are spongy and soft, wrapped around chilli crab, pork, vegetables or chicken. Mushrooms and truffles are also filling options.
Dine in a modern and spacious room that connects tradition to modernity. Wooden round tables and metal chairs are surrounded by greenery and natural light. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling, with enough extravagance to make your dim sums glitter under the golden light.
The Ivy Asia
The Ivy Asia is a restaurant that brings Pan-Asian cuisine to Mayfair. The restaurant offers you a full-sensory experience. The cocktails are crafted to perfection, and the place’s bright and theatrical interior design highlights the experience. Find dishes elaborated on the multiple cultures and countries of Asia.
There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu to suit those with dietary restrictions. The dishes are based on the traditions and culture of the multiple countries spread across the Asian continent, so rich flavour and presentation are guaranteed.
The a la carte menu includes many sushi platters to share, including a Japanese-inspired Bonsai sharing plate. Find dozens of fresh sashimi, small dishes like tempura and dumplings, and large dishes with wagyu beef, fresh salmon, and roasted aubergine. Get the lunch stack, share a multi-course meal with your partner, or go for the house-famous crispy duck, served with imperial caviar. Special seasonal menus are available.
Inside, find a colourful and not at all minimalistic decor and design. Bright shades of colour take over the space, with a green floor, pink cherry blossoms taking over the ceiling and some corner walls, and lavishing and eclectic furniture spreading around the spacious dining room. Cobalt blue booths highlight the lively environment, and the colourful stained glass windows add to the flair of the place.
Continue Reading →Posh Vegan Restaurants in London
December 13, 2022 Capital A List – Celebrity club news
Capital A List Membership includes access to exclusive clubs and bars, and priority restaurant bookings in addition to many other benefits. For more information please visit Capital A List Membership.
London is a city where you can find dining opportunities for every diet. Here, vegetarians and vegans can find a home in the embrace of restaurants that understand how to prepare complex meals that meet their customers’ dietary restrictions. From beyond burgers to power vegetable bowls, vegan people can feel comfortable and well attended to. Some of the best posh vegan restaurants are located in London.
Here, you can find some of London’s best posh vegan restaurants. Some serve an entirely plant-based menu, while others work with animal foods and are renowned for their vegan dishes.
Gauthier
Choosing plant-based meals is the best way to save our ecosystem and the animals that co-exist with us on earth. What we eat today will impact the world tomorrow. With that in mind, Alexis Gauthier decided to elevate French cooking to a plant-based level. Gauthier is a Michelin-Starred restaurant in Soho that understands our choices’ impact on the world.
At Gauthier, you can savor a new concept of fine dining that is light in composition and refined in taste. Developing a fresh take on French gastronomy, the head chef applies classical cooking techniques to her dishes, using no animal products. The result is the world’s primary sustainable gastronomic restaurant with an incredibly low carbon footprint.
Order the Grand Dîner tasting menu and surf through the 8-course menu of plant-based dishes. Find a crisp butternut tatin with cardamon, miso, and white chicory. Taste a creative juniper game celeriac with pumpkin, pear, and red wine. Finish off with an apple and caramel dessert.
Dine in a bright environment, where the white walls and white tablecloths highlight the small golden decorations and the plants on the corners of the dining room. The interior design of the restaurant reminds you of nature’s purity and harmony. It shows us how we can choose to preserve it with the food we eat. It is one of the best posh vegan restaurants in London.
Purezza
Purezza is a vegan pizza place in London. Here you can find some groundbreaking vegan cheese with the exact consistency and flavor of natural mozzarella cheese. With wholegrain sourdough, the pizzas here are thin in their core and have a thick crust, charred to perfection. Purezza started as a dream to make traditional Italian food more sustainable. They work with plant-based ingredients that mimic some of the most emblematic elements of Italian cooking, without compromising flavor and texture.
Purezza is the first vegan pizzeria in London, opened in 2015. With a menu that is 95% gluten-free, the restaurant attends to people with many different dietary restrictions. It always manages to serve plant-based foods that taste and melt precisely like the real deal. Over the years, it has won awards such as the National Pizza of the Year, Best Vegan Restaurant in the UK, and the World Pizza Championships.
Aside from the pizza, Purezza also offers small plates that embody the best Italian food. Find ciabattas that are baked daily with fresh ingredients and gluten-free dough. Burgers, lasagna, smoked meatballs, mac & cheese, and roasted potatoes are just some of the dishes offered by the kitchen.
Farmacy
Farmacy challenges the assumptions of modern eating. With a kitchen that supports local producers, every ingredient plays a role in the flavor and aroma of the dishes served. This means they work with organic dishes, with the vast majority of the menu being plant-based. Here, you can eat like nature intended you to— experiment dining with innovative and nutritious foods that celebrate biodynamic farming.
Find an a la carte menu for lunch and dinner and a brunch menu for those lazy Sunday mornings. There are also cocktails, high tea, and a kid’s menu with meals lighter on the palate. Meals are prepared in-house, with 100% organic ingredients, most of which are picked from the restaurant’s farm. Taste the creamy beetroot hummus with roasted chickpeas and seasonal vegetables. As a main dish, try the pad thai salad with roasted tofu and rainbow vegetables, or maybe go for the falafel waffle, mac n cheese, or coconut curry.
Freshen up with house cocktails like the Strawberry Field Forever, which blends sapling vodka, fresh strawberries, lemon, rose syrup, violet, and lavender bitters. Order sparkling, red, white, and orange wines, all organic. Unwind inside a bright and spacious dining room, where you can feel small elements of nature decorating the place. Let the charm of Farmacy, one of the best posh vegan restaurants in London.
Holy Carrot
Holy Carrot is an all-day, vegan dining spot that cherishes ethically sourced ingredients and seasonal produce. Here, everything you try tastes exactly how it’s supposed to, and all flavor combinations highlight the best part of each element on the plate. Serving gluten-free, sugar-free, plant-based dishes that celebrate nature without adding preservatives and additives.
The menu at Holy Carrot is inspired by global gastronomic excellence. This means that the chefs in the kitchen draft inspirations from different cultures around the world. They combine techniques and aromas to create something unique, natural, and guilt-free. The main dining menu includes creative small plates. Try smoked aubergine carpaccio with black tahini sauce, pomegranate, mint, and lime aioli. Larger dishes include plant-based versions of classics like Shepard’s pie, prepared with braised black beans, black lentils, chestnut mushroom, and thyme gravy.
A house famous is the Holy Buffalo Wings, made with crunchy Oyster mushrooms, ranch dressing, and gem heart tempeh bacon. The Sunday brunch menu is also unique. Find smoothies, coffee, tea, and dishes like apple and cinnamon pancakes, truffled scrambled tofu, or grilled heritage tomatoes.
Also, try out the Holy Bar and its mesmerizing drinks inside a place with an interior design that blends the worlds of Salvador Dali and Neverland.
Wave
Wave is a blend of different expressions of minimalism. The philosophy can be seen in their plant-based cuisine, interior design, homeware shop, and overall lifestyle. Their specialty is brunch foods and coffee-shop classics, with a warming house touch to the menu. With cooking focused on nutritious vegan foods, Wave is the place to come to when you want to eat healthily and unwind in a welcoming place. It is one of the best posh vegan restaurants in London.
Have their all-day brunch and taste caramelized banana pancakes, avocado toasts, and toasted muffins with scrambled tofu served with kale, hollandaise sauce, and sesame seeds. Smoothie bowls and shakes complement any meal you’d have, especially if served with pastries like chocolate or almond croissants, banana muffins, and cookies.
Relax is a spacious and bright coffee shop. Order a salted coffee, turmeric latte, or peanut butter hot chocolate during colder days. Try the breakfast brioche, with slow-roasted sweet cherry tomatoes. They also make vegan cakes for delivery, so you can choose to celebrate any special occasion with a delicious and light vegan cake. Chalky walls surround light wooden tables and chairs and all the greenery that decorates the place. Shop for house decor and homeware made with vegan materials as well.
The Gate
The Gate was one of the first vegetarian restaurants in London— at least one of the first to serve incredibly delicious and well-prepared foods sourced seasonally from local and sustainable farmers. The restaurant is a creation of Michael and Adrian Daniel, two brothers of Indo-Iraqi descent who wanted to explore the flavors that brightened their childhood. It has a menu that drafts inspiration from Jewish, Indian, and Arabic cuisine. The Gate soon became the go-to restaurant for vegetarians who wanted mesmerizing aromas and flavors in their food. Now it has three different locations in London.
In the a la carte menu, you can find aubergine teriyaki, filled with soy-infused Shiitake mushrooms, wasabi marinated tofu, roasted red peppers, and served with a warm noodle salad, pickled ginger, and mango salsa. And this is only one of the options. Taste beetroot, mascarpone mousse, homemade gnocchi, avocado, mushroom ceviche, and many other creative and tasteful dishes.
The brunch menu served on the weekends, embodies the classics of brunch foods, with most dishes prepared with all plant-based ingredients. Banana and berry pancakes, coconut yogurt, and avo toasts will decorate your breakfast table on a Saturday.
Stem & Glory
Stem & Glory shares its passion for flavor with the world by creating unique plant-based meals. Each plate at the table is a colorful work of art, all aromatic and made with fresh ingredients. With a location in London and one in Cambridge, this is a vegan restaurant with a solid claim to sustainability and health.
Order the Asian bowl for lunch and taste courgettes, lemon and coriander carrots noodles, edamame beans, and Asian slaw topped with crispy tofu, crushed cashew, and Asian ginger dressing. Find small plates like turmeric hummus and barbecue cauliflower wings. Larger plates include a plant-based burger, “fish” tacos, and a warm and comfortable pumpkin ravioli dish.
Stem & Glory also has a pizza menu that showcases vegan alternatives to classics like Margherita, sausage, and marinara pizzas. Order from the extensive list of wines or try classic cocktails like Bloody Marys, Cosmopolitans, and Negronis. For dessert, try the raspberry cheesecake or the avocado, chocolate, and hazelnut tart. You will be surprised how vegan alternatives to everyday ingredients are tasty. Enjoy your meal inside a calm-colored space with white tables, chairs, and walls decorated with slight nuances of greenery and blue.
222 Vegan Cuisine
222 Vegan Cuisine specializes in plant-based, nutritious and fresh foods. The chef’s attention to his customers allows you to make any special requests necessary. Here, you can taste vegan versions of classic British and international foods. This is one of the best posh vegan restaurants in London with an extensive menu and a small and well-curated wine list.
Try cauliflower and polenta bakes as a starter, served with pistachio and a fresh olive tapenade. For your main dish, order the Egusi, a traditional African dish made from pumpkin and melon seeds, served with a house salad and a choice of organic brown rice or oven-baked chips. Another popular option is the oyster mushroom and spinach raclette. It comes with spinach and tofu cottage cheese on a roasted potato, all topped with a creamy, vegan sauce.
Dine under the care of Ben Asamani, the head chef, and experience his plant-based blend of flavors and traditions. For dessert, go for maple-roasted pineapples with vanilla ice cream, or maybe the banana cake with a shot of espresso. Order smoothies and milkshakes to harmonize with the food and organic wines to complete the meal.
Mildreds
When all vegan restaurants were only serving brownish and stale foods, Mildreds came along to offer vegans and vegetarians dishes that were highly flavorful, with colors that decorated the plate and place. The first Mildreds opened in Soho in 1988, serving plant-based, colorful, and tasteful foods. Over the years, it has spread through London, with six locations around the city.
The all-day lunch and dinner menu serves internationally inspired foods. Everything is crafted with the special attention and care of the kitchen staff. Try small plates like the roman artichoke panelle, a Sicilian herb chickpea fritter with roast pepper pine nut cream. The spinach gyoza comes with a delicious bright daikon pickle and an orange lime ponzu. You can order shitake tempeh or plant-based chicken kebabs for the larger dishes. The Kiri Hodi is a house favorite, made with a Sri Lankan coconut curry leaf sauce, kadhai masala sweet potatoes, green bean sabzi, carrot achar, cashew coconut, pea basmati, and mint chutney.
Aside from the lunch menu, you can also order from the weekday or weekend brunch menus. Try blueberry coconut porridge, banana pancakes, and vegan scrambled eggs, aside from various other options.
Unity Diner
Unity Diner is a vegan diner and cocktail bar serving some of the best plant-based burgers in London. The restaurant aims to show people they don’t need meat or dairy to have a posh dining experience. By serving vegan dishes that are delicious and creative, the menu has managed to make a name as one of the most famous posh vegan restaurants in London. Here, diners can sense the power of vegan food, not only in aspects of flavor but also noticing its impact on the world.
With a bright and spacious atmosphere and a friendly staff, Unity Diner manages to please all of those who choose to dine under the care of its kitchen. The restaurant is a non-profit, where all the money goes towards animal rights works. Everything is sustainable, from biodegradable coffee cups to plastic-free materials.
On the menu, find crab cakes, prawn tempura, calamari rings, drumsticks, and fried corn. Taste lobster roll and pork steak, and don’t miss out on the house beyond burger, with tomato chutney, gouda cheese, and aioli. Have ice cream waffles for dessert, or try the jammy doughnut smothered in chocolate, raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and cookie crumbles and topped with ice cream.
Continue Reading →Michelin Star Restaurants in West London
November 18, 2022 Capital A List – Celebrity club news
Capital A List Membership includes access to exclusive clubs and bars, priority restaurant bookings, and many other benefits. For more information, please visit Capital A List Membership.
West London is a luxurious dining destination. The neighbourhoods that make up this part of the city each carry their charm and flair, resulting in an elegant fusion of gastronomy, fashion, and culture. In West London, you can find a rich restaurant community where Michelin Stars have decided to land. The refinement of Michelin Star restaurants in West London brings out the best of the area.
From classic French cuisine to modern adaptations of English food, there’s always something that will brighten your evening. Find a classy crowd dining at some of the best venues in the city, and join in the experience.
The Dysart Petersham
The Dysart Petersham is a family-run restaurant by Richmond Park. The staff introduces you to their passion for food and wine from the moment you walk in the door. They work with the best quality ingredients from sustainable and responsible sources. The result is fresh food, where each component plays an essential and aromatic role. Experience the flavour of old varieties and breeds of herbs, flowers, and plants as they decorate your plate.
The restaurant is located inside an Arts and Crafts building from 1904. Reformed on the inside with a blend of different wood species, the place highlights the power of nature and its influence on our wellbeing. The uncomplicated dining room decorations let the restaurant’s simplicity speak for itself. Large windows allow for plenty of natural light to come in. Outside, you can see the greenery from Richmond park. Medieval aspects on the walls reflect the craftsmanship of those behind the design.
On the tasting menu, find turbot with truffled leek, spiced kumquat, scallop and Champagne ox tail risotto with aged rice, bone marrow, and pickled chilli. For dessert, go for the black fig, frangipane, raspberry, sweet woodruff, and almond milk sorbet.
Core by Clare Smyth
Clare Smyth was the head chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, leaving the job to open her venue. Today, Core is considered one of London’s best and most luxurious restaurants, with three Michelin Stars. The restaurant emphasises sustainable and natural foods, with ingredients sourced from local farmers and producers in the UK.
The tasting menu dishes at Core cover classics from high American cuisine. Scallops cooked over wood with sea lettuce and herbs, roasted cod with bay shrimps and swiss chard, venison with pearl barley, and whisky… these are some examples of the food you will encounter at the venue. Simplicity in design contrasts with flavour and production complexity, highlighting every colour and aroma of ingredients.
Inside, find a bright and clean environment where light grey and baby green harmonise with wooden tones on the bartop and floors. The dining hall is spacious and has tables of different sizes, perfect for any client. Core can satisfy them all, from couples wanting a romantic dinner to large families celebrating a special occasion. It is one of the best Michelin Star restaurants in West London
Endo at the Rotunda
Endo at The Rotunda’s headline is “sushi on the clouds.” Dining here is an immersive and memorable experience, where you’ll feel like reaching for the skies with every bite. The restaurant was created by and named after Endo Kazutoshi, a third-generation sushi master. Born in Yokohama, Japan, the chef decided to bring his expertise to West London. Today, he has one Michelin Star restaurant in his name.
The service at The Rotunda follows the Japanese hospitality philosophy of Omotenachi, showing empathy to guests and establishing a connection between the customer and the staff. With a menu that guides you through the elements and seasonality of each ingredient, here you will feel in harmony with the sea and nature. The seasonal cocktails also take you on a journey. All drinks are prepared with Japanese ingredients and designed according to the guest’s preferences and desires. Fine wines, sake, and spirits also enrich the menu.
Find a minimalist space on the top floor of the old Television Centre in White City. Here, the views of West London are incredible. The bright dining room is decorated with a 200-year-old wood counter. Cloud-like decorations hover above you, really taking you up to the skies.
La Trompette
La Trompette is a restaurant serving classic British dishes with special house touches. Opened in 2001, the venue has one Michelin Star— a reflection of its dedication to serving some of the best food in West London. Although it is on the restaurant hit-list of London, La Trompette lacks the prices and formality that come with the title. The remaining aspect is delicious food, an attentive and caring staff, and a memorable experience.
The restaurant serves a monthly dinner menu that is constantly adapted to each ingredient’s seasonality. A fix-price menu grants you three courses: starters, mains and dessert. On weekends you can also find a lunch menu. Start with a smoked suckling pig tortelloni with garden pickles, bois boudran, and aged pecorino. Move to the cod loin with summer beans, clams, and summer savoury. Finish off with an apple crumble soufflé with blackberry ice cream.
La Trompette is a simple and casual restaurant. All dishes are presented beautifully, carrying the restaurant’s Michelin-worthy flair. Round dining tables are covered with white cloths. Wooden chairs stand over a wooden floor, and the white walls hang colourful paintings. Large windows brighten up the place with natural light, and you can watch the city buzz on the outside as you dine.
Kitchen W8
Kitchen W8 won its first Michelin Star two years after opening its door. That’s because of the special attention it receives from its head chef Mark Kempson. The venue’s goal is to be your home away from home, where you can feel comfortable and secure.
The food served at Kitchen W8 is a blend of modern English meals with a french soul and class to them. Using simple and sustainable ingredients, the restaurant maintains its integrity and friendliness. A seasonal set menu is the star of the place, where everything comes from trusted suppliers and has exceptional flavours and aromas. There is also the option of ordering a la carte or trying a tasting menu with the season’s best offers.
Start with cured Orkney scallops with oysters, fennel, apples, horseradish, and dill. Move to the John Dory fillet with the new season’s cepes, garlic, glazed chicken wings and thyme. For dessert, delight yourself with Marcona almond financiers, thyme roasted plums, stem ginger and vanilla ice cream.
The dining room has minimal decor and design. Green booths press against the white and grey walls. Circular mirrors add to the simplicity of the place, where the dishes are the part that shines the most.
Harwood Arms
Harwood Arms is the only Michelin Starred pub in London. The focus is game and wild food, with lots of character and flavour. You can find classic British dishes crafted with the best of each season’s ingredients in a relaxed and casual dining room. That way, the restaurant stays faithful to its sustainability philosophy, only souring from trustworthy suppliers and producers.
Jake Leach, the head chef, has worked under many influential chefs in England. After travelling the world, he found a home in London where he could explore his love for game food. Along with Australian Brett Graham, Leach opened Harwood Arms. They have a rooftop vegetable garden, growing fresh and bright tomatoes, strawberries, radishes, and many other ingredients that make up the dishes that leave the kitchen.
Taste starters like the sea bream tartare with capers, rye crackers and egg yolk. The charred mackerel fish is served with smoked eel, Jersey Royals and a parsley sauce. As a main dish for those who are real fans of game, the Berkshire Fallow deer comes with faggot, red leaves and elderberries. Puddin desserts are the house’s speciality, so order a lemon thyme panna cotta to finish your meal.
The River Cafe
There’s nothing more Italian than a restaurant that hosts its own podcast– a perfect way to still entertain guests during the pandemic lockdown and talk like true Italians. So when doors reopened, and people searched for a nice place to chat, gossip, and eat good food, they knew they’d have to go to The River Café.
As one of the Michelin Star restaurants in West London, this is the place to sit in a colourful and lively dining room and taste some Italian food classics. The menu changes seasonally, so you can try all Italy flavours while they’re at their best. In the spring and summer, taste prosciutto and melon, fried calamari with fresh red chillis, and rice and peas with mint, stock and vermouth. During winter, go for the warmer dishes like the veal shin slow-roasted in Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo with risotto Bianco and gremolata.
There is little decor but nothing minimal about the flair and buzz of the restaurant. The wine list embraces almost every region of Italy, bringing the best grapes, blends and vintages of each. In the spacious dining room, you will find tables covered with white cloths and silver, metallic chairs around them. The windows cover an entire wall, from floor to ceiling, allowing plenty of fresh air to come in during the summer.
Chez Bruce
Chez Bruce opened its doors in 1995, serving some of the best food in West London in a relaxed yet elegant environment. They believe a restaurant should be about its customers, not celebrity chefs, managers, or the media. Because of that, they offer impeccable service in a small dining room, where every guest leaves comfortable and well attended.
Home-made charcuterie and bread-making or slow-cooked braises are strong examples of why Chez Bruce is such a well-praised restaurant. With a modern menu inspired by classic french and Mediterranean food, the two head chefs create a blend of flavours and methods seen nowhere else in this world. With old-fashioned cooking, they manage to extract the best of each ingredient’s aromas.
Start off with dishes like miso-glazed aubergine with ginger, puffed wild rice, sesame, shiso and soy. Move to the mains and maybe order a veal cheek with sweetbread sausage, Provençale relish, basil oil and artichokes. Finish off with baked figs with marsala parfait and crushed amaretti.
The restaurant, with its burgundy outdoors and large windows, looks like a brasserie from the most gastronomic cities of France. Inside, find white tablecloths over small tables and minimal and classic decor.
The Ledbury
The Ledbury is a two Michelin Star restaurant in the famous Notting Hill London neighbourhood. The venue promises an interactive and unique dining experience with a tasting menu-only approach. The founder here, Brett Graham, is the same brilliant mind behind the Harwood Arms, also on this list. And his goal is the same: to prioritise game and wild foods as well as the best British ingredients available.
On the Ledbury, you won’t see the silent appreciation people expect when visiting Michelin Star restaurant. Instead, find loud conversations and a livery buzz from wealthy groups of people discovering new flavours with each dish. The service is also warm and impeccable, with the front-of-the-house staff attending to your every need (even before you realise you need it).
It is the perfect spot to celebrate a special occasion, where you can splurge on the full-size tasting menu that makes the restaurant so famous and appreciated. On the sample menu, find classic foods like scallops with radish, seaweed and dashi. The grilled turbot with white asparagus and trout hollandaise is also a famous dish. After that, mesmerise yourself with the milk-fed lamb with caramelised cream, wild garlic and morel.
Michelin Star Restaurants in West London
West London is an area of luxurious lifestyle. In its neighbourhoods, you can find a rich offer of culture, fashion, and of course, gastronomy. It is no surprise that some of the best restaurants in London are concentrated in this conjunction of streets and people. Here we have introduced you to the Michelin Star Restaurants in West London. From classic British cuisine with modern touches to adaptations of french and Mediterranean foods, you will always find something to enjoy.
Order a bottle of wine, share starters with the table, and delight yourself with fresh and seasonal flavours. Design and aesthetics are present in every dish ordered, and attentive staff always comes as a given.
Continue Reading →The Best Wine Bars in Kensington
November 3, 2022 Capital A List – Celebrity club news
Capital A List Membership includes access to exclusive clubs and bars, priority restaurant bookings, and many other benefits. For more information, please visit Capital A List Membership.
Finding good wine bars in Kensington is something you need to do in life. This London neighbourhood houses some of the most significant cultural expressions of the city, and a good glass of wine after a visit to the museum will brighten your day. Here, we chose to introduce venues that serve wines from all over the world, crafting their menu with excellence, only to present the best bottles of outstanding vineyards and vintages.
Visit any of the ten restaurants and bars on this list and enjoy some hours of mouth-watering food and spectacular service in well-designed environments.
Mimino
Mimino, the first on our list of the best wine bars in Kensington, is a Georgian restaurant. Although it doesn’t have the fanciest designs and the most sophisticated dishes, it serves some of the best Georgian food in London. Ever wondered what that’s like?
Try some khachapuris, an artisanal bread stuffed with eggs and cheese. At Mimino, you can have varieties of it of different sizes and with some extra cheese on top if you’d like. Try the khinkali, Georgian dumpling-like dough stuffed with beef and lamb, pork, chees and herbs, pumpkin or potatoes. Shish-kebabs named mtsvadi are also a popular choice on the menu.
However, what makes Mimino a wine bar on our list is its unique selection of Georgian wines. Although the list is small, these will be some of the most impressive wines you’ll ever try. White wines are made with Rkatsiteli grapes, showing aromas of peach and forest fruit. Blends between Rkatsiteli and Kakhetian Mtsvane offer quince aromas and a smooth finish on the mouth.
Find the semi-sweet Tsolikouri grape from the Tvishi micro-zone and taste kiwi notes in the glass. Reds are made from Saparavi grapes from different zones, each with their particular aroma profile, body, and length.
San Pietro
San Pietro is an authentic Italian restaurant serving some of the best wines in the country. The wine menu is extensive and offers a selection of reds, whites, rose, and proseccos, all from Italy’s best regions and producers. Find affordable and refreshing bottles and also vintage bottles for over £1000. On the Super Tuscan Collection, you can find powerful blends of some of the best grapes grown in Italy. The Premium Selection presents chardonnays from Piedmont and Burgandy.
To accompany your wine, and not the other way around, pick from the food menu and savours some of the best Italian food in Kensington. As your starter, order the oven-baked creamy burrata cheese wrapped with pancetta, served with sautéed aubergines and cherry tomatoes. Match that with a refreshing white wine, then move to the mains. The Spaghetti Vongole, with clams, garlic, chilli, cherry tomatoes, white wine sauce and parsley, is a house famous.
Pizzas here are also spectacular, crafted in the traditional Neapolitan way. A thin crust with charred borders is a must. On top, go for the classics like the Romana, Diavola, Capricciosa or Margherita. For something special, maybe the Pizza Tartufo, mozzarella, truffle cream, 20-months cured Parma ham, cherry tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
Côte
Côte is a French brasserie with over 20 units spread across London. They focus on working with fresh, seasonal and crafted dishes, highlighting the best of every ingredient used. The meat comes from responsible and ethical farmers in the UK, Ireland and South America. Côte also has its butchery, where experts ensure that every piece of meat is perfectly cut.
Now, what makes Côte part of our list of wine bars in Kensington is its rich collection of French wines. Here you can try wines from various regions of France, each with its particular terroir. Taste hillside sunbathed sweet grapes to classics from Champagne, Provence, Burgandy and beyond.
Order from their seasonal menu and try a salad starter with glazed crispy duck confit, oranges, watercress, French bean and yoghurt dressing. A popular main dish is the 6-hour slow-cooked beef cheek with mushrooms, bacon lardons and potato purée. Other mains include confit pork belly, monkfish, and various cuts of steak. The vegetarian and vegan menu is also rich and flavourful. Order the crêpes with Espresso Martini syrup, coffee crème fraîche, Kahlua, vodka, chocolate sauce, and raspberries.
Enoteca Rosso
Enoteca Rosso is an Italian wine bar passionate about outstanding food and wines. They bring the classic Italian enoteca experience to London, where you can chat with friends, laugh out loud, and taste wines from various regions of the country. The food is fresh, and the pasta is homemade. The cheeses come from artisan producers, and the charcuterie is curated with extreme care. Terracotta bricks cover the walls, and wood, brass, and black iron fill up the rest of the space.
The wine menu is curated with bottles from small and big vineyards in Italy. You will taste unique wines with particular aroma combinations and some of the Italian winemaking classics. At Enoteca Rosso, the owners are closely connected to wine producers, collecting bottles that are hard to find outside of Italy.
As for the food, order some arancini to start, stuffed with mushroom and mozzarella, spinach and ricotta, or beef ragu. The pasta dishes present some classics like bolognese lasagna and spaghetti with tomato and basil sauce. The salads are rich and well served, and the sandwiches from the house deli are also famous among loyal customers. Cannoli and tiramisu make up the dessert menu.
Piano Kensington
Piano Kensington is a piano bar inside the Royal Garden Hotel. Here, you will encounter musicians that sing and play your requests and their compositions. This is the ideal place to try out on a weekday for jazz fans who enjoy after-work drinks with friends.
What makes Piano Kensington part of the best wine bars in Kensington list is the perfect blend between wine and music you find here. Aside from the cocktails, they also have a selection of outstanding wines from different parts of the world. The list may be small, but it gathers great labels from Spain, Argentina, Australia, France, Italy, and others.
For the food, try the bar snacks and order a pizza. Here you can find comfort foods like buttermilk chicken strips with spicy sriracha dip, mini burgers, calamari with garlic, breaded prawns with chilli aioli, parmesan chips, and charcuterie boards for sharing. The pizza flavours include the classics: Diavola, Margherita, Italian sausage, prosciutto, and others.
The best part of this venue is its entire atmosphere put together. Live music always sounds better, with quality wine and cocktails on one hand and a pizza slice on the other. The place is famous and gets full very fast. If you want to attend an event, book ahead of time.
The Kensington Wine Rooms
The Kensington Wine Rooms is probably one of the best wine bars in London. The place opened in 2009, and since then, it has been faithful to its main philosophy: good wine, food, and conversation. With over 40 wines by the glass, you can explore many different flavours and aromas from various regions of the world. A mix of famous winemakers and boutique vineyards colour the wine menu. A knowledgeable staff is always present to help you choose, in case you don’t feel like following the recommended matches on the menu.
Order some British cheeses and Spanish meats to accompany your wine, or go for authentic dishes like the wild mushroom and black truffle tortelloni with king oysters. The pistachio-crusted lamb rack, garden peas, and cherry vine plate are also trendy. But first, order starters and share them with the table. For example, foie gras with walnuts, fig jam, and brioche should pair perfectly with a Gewurztraminer.
Longe at the bar area, an intimate room sitting up to 40 people. There is also plenty of space to walk around and chat with others, all while exploring the world through wine.
28-50
28-50 only serves wines they genuinely like. They offer a collection of 15 reds and 15 whites, both bottle, and by-the-glass. The list frequently changes, constantly introducing customers to some of the best grapes and labels in the market. The restaurant and wine bar is a cosy and private space where you can truly explore your passion and interest for wine, always learning something new and exploring flavours you’ve never seen before, both in the wine you drink and the food that comes to pair with it.
The food menu changes seasonally, always offering fresh ingredients and flavours. You can go for the group menu, which serves eight to 20 people and can be designed for your party. Alternatively, choose the a la carte menu and taste dishes like Bluefin tuna with ginger, chilli, and sesame as a starter. Maybe a juicy rib-eye steak or an aubergine tagine with cashew and parsley for the main course. Take the house suggestions for wine pairings and enjoy a perfectly balanced meal.
Find an island bar with baby-pink stools surrounding it. Warm lighting hangs from the white ceiling over the dark wood floors, and wooden wine boxes are stacked on the walls, decorating the entire dining room.
Tapas Brindisa
Tapas Brindisa is probably the best tapas bar in Kensington. Here, you can find tapas inspired by traditional Spanish home cooking. With a menu that changes each season, this venue cherishes the Spanish culture of good food, wine, and conversation. All ingredients are highly fresh and imported from small family producers around the Iberian country.
Enjoy a large family lunch on a Sunday afternoon before taking a culture walk, or maybe grab some small plates and aperitivo after work. Even late-night dinners are welcome, where you can taste an exquisite collection of Spanish wines and authentic food. Sit on the terrace, and people watch while sipping a glass of white wine during the summer. Discover the Spanish lifestyle and hospitality—-as they say at Tapas Brindisa: “nuestra casa es su casa.”
Order cheese boards, small salads, and grilled meat. Try the Galician dairy cow sirloin steak with vine tomatoes, padron peppers, and chimichurri, for example. Small plates called picoteo are also a house speciality. Marinated anchovies and Iberian ham croquettes paired with a glass of sparkling cava wine are a good option. Taste huevos rotos, tortilla de patata, and a lot more.
As for the drinks, here’s why this is one of the best wine bars in Kensington: Find a rich selection of wines from the best regions of Spain. Reds, whites, and cava are all sourced from famous and boutique producers. Also, taste sherry wine, dry, bold or sweet.
Hawksmoor
Hawksmoor is the place you go to find the perfect steak. With restaurants spread worldwide, and over five units in London alone, this place is a reference for quality cuts and cooking points. It is part of our list of wine bars in Kensington because it also has a vibrant selection of wines to accompany your meal.
As for the food, start with some oysters and maybe bone marrow and onions over sourdough toast. The house Surf ‘n’ Turf is always on guaranteed excellence: a fillet and half a lobster with garlic butter. You can also order large cuts of steak with various sides.
At Hawksmoor, they always work with the best ingredients available, such as grass-fed, reared cattle and sustainable seafood from the British coastal areas. All fruits and vegetables are seasonal, and the grill highlights the best of each flavour and aroma.
On the wine menu, you’ll find labels from all over the world. Reds, whites, roses, ports and sherries, and special reserve bottles are all available. Order different wines for your group and enjoy a juicy steak at one of the best wine bars in Kensington.
The Queens Arms
The Queens Arms explores truly authentic British foods and culture. Here, you can find comfort and elegance combined to create a memorable drinking and eating experience. A hidden gem and well-kept secret in Kensington, this venue is suitable for any hour of the day, under any occasion.
Enjoy a Sunday Brunch, Tuesday lunch, or Friday night dinner at The Queens Arms. Taste dishes that celebrate traditional British cooking and ingredients, all with a unique house twist. Aside from the mesmerising wine selection, you can also order craft beer and premium spirits that become tasty cocktails.
Order the roasted butternut squash and asparagus risotto with basil pesto and pumpkin seeds as a starter. As for the main dish, maybe go for the pan-roasted cod with king prawn, caper and samphire beurre noisette, and buttered heritage potatoes. Aged rib-eye steaks, Iberian pork, and a juicy bacon burger are also excellent options. And how about the orange polenta cake with raspberry and rosewater cream for dessert?
The wines at The Queens Arms are sourced globally, and the restaurant offers bottles with a broad spectrum of aromas, bodies, and lengths. Crispy reds and refreshing whites can be just the thing you need to make your meal perfect.
Continue Reading →Best Afternoon Tea in Mayfair
October 17, 2022 Capital A List – Celebrity club news
Capital A List Membership includes access to exclusive clubs and bars, and priority restaurant bookings in addition to many other benefits. For more information please visit Capital A List Membership.
Afternoon tea is an essential part of English culture, and in London, there are always ideal spots to indulge in tea and pastries as the sun is about to set. Nothing is better than enjoying a properly brewed gunpowder tea with a croissant, lemon tart, or any other sweet treat that complements the particular flavours of black tea. Doing so in a well-designed and beautiful environment indeed completes the experience. In London, some of the best afternoon tea is in Mayfair. The luxurious neighbourhood is known for its excellent food and wouldn’t be much different for tea.
Gatsby’s Room at the Beaumont Hotel
Gatsby’s Room is a popular spot to get some of the best afternoon tea in Mayfair. Located in the luxurious Beaumont Hotel, the place is decorated to truly look like a Fitzgerald novel – the 1920s European decor takes over the paintings on the walls, the cushioned beige walls, and the many books displayed on shelves across the room. Entering the tea room is like being part of the famous literary work of The Great Gatsby. The place is open from early morning until late at night. Here you can enjoy the breakfast, lunch and dinner, and afternoon tea menus, all in a comfortable, cosy, and inviting environment.
On the tea menu, you can find a merge of classic British flavours and traditions with the novelty of American culture. There are vegan and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions as well. Find different offers of black tea, like the classics Earl grey and the Indian Darjeeling. Green, white, and oolong teas are also available. Herbal infusions and rare, seasonal teas add to the charm of the experience. Not up for tea? Order house cocktails like the Airmail, with rum, honey, lime, and champagne. Sandwiches, scones, and pastries complement the entire experience.
Kai
Kai is a Chinese restaurant in Mayfair paying homage to traditional Nanyang cooking. This means they explore the methods and cuisine from the southern seas of China. With a tropical climate, the area offers unique spices and flavours, which are all applied in the dishes served at Kai. Merging Chinese and English cultures, the place also offers its approach to afternoon tea. The Chinese Whispers Afternoon Tea is the place and moment where you can enjoy a cocktail, a nibble, and some chit-chatting with your favourite people. Kai Mayfair is also famous for its eclectic design and decor. The place brings you to a tea-house setting in southern China, with a classic feminine touch to the furniture and art.
The tea menu includes infusions of black, green, white, oolong, and herbal teas, each with its eccentric flavour and property. Order macaroons with clotted cream of bao sandwiches to complement the experience. There are sets of sweets like the “Jar of Whispers & Conversations,” a jar of tea, and vanilla Sablé Breton treats shaped as symbols of memories and conversation starters. And of course, glasses and bottles of champagne should never be left out of afternoon tea time.
Jean-Georges at the Connaught
The Michelin star restaurant Jean-Goerges at the Connaught hotel offers a classic British afternoon tea with a house twist. The twist is an add-on of luxury to the whole experience. Here, the restaurant takes you on a journey through the seasons. Every ingredient and infusion presented to the customer highlights the best of fresh and seasonal ingredients. Teas, sandwiches, and pastries all accompany the design of the dining room. Art from Louise Bourgeois hangs on the walls, and illustrations from Jean Jullian decorate the menu. Through the stained glass, watch the life of Mayfair go by.
Here you can dip your toes in Jean-George’s passion for East-Asian cuisine and flavours. On the afternoon tea menu, find a rich selection of teas, from classics like Earl Gret and Darjeeling Second Flush to more complex and intricate flavours like Raspberry and Rose or Jade Sword Organic. Finger sandwiches like cucumber with greek yoghurt and mint or smoked salmon with coriander complement the experience. Are you looking for something sweet? Go for the caramel, apricot tart, or the verbena and peach choux. Add a glass of Laurent-Perrier sparkling wine to the experience, and you will truly feel like part of royalty.
The Chesterfield
Some of the best afternoon tea in Mayfair and London happens to be held inside hotels. Luxury hospitality has its way of knowing how to please the elegant crowd. At Chesterfield hotel, it isn’t any different. Here, you will find a carnival-like setting for your afternoon tea experience. Whimsical and playful, as they describe it. Sweetshop-themed cakes, like the coca-cola flavoured one, keep you wondering what other theatrical features await you.
Liquorice and fruit salad candy tea are two of the featured choices on the menu. You can order black, green and herbal tea blends for the most traditional types. The Lanson champagne tea is also for those who want to take it up a notch. Nibble on finger sandwiches like the honey ham, tomato chutney and cheddar cheese. Pastries and cupcakes include Reece’s peanut butter cup, drumstick macarons, and blue raspberry with bubblegum.
The setting and decor of the tea room take you to a candy wonderland. Shelves are packed with candy jars, and plenty of natural light is coming in to shine over the loose leaf tea selections. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menus are available for those with dietary restrictions.
The Athenaeum
Continuing with our list of hotels that serve the best afternoon tea in Mayfair, we have the luxurious Athenaeum Hotel. Here you can enjoy a complete and creative menu for a fixed price. Indulge in sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and traditional scones. There are savoury and sweet options on the menu, pleasing all types of preferences regarding the food that follows the tea. Poacher Chaddar scones and pork and apple sausage rolls take over the savoury menu, while jam and cream are poured over the sweet options. As an upgrade, you can choose the bottomless afternoon tea and enjoy limitless prosecco for 90 minutes.
For the tea, choose from a wide selection of black teas, botanical infusions, house-blended wellness infusions, and classic green and white teas. Strawberry and champagne mousse, pistachio and strawberry tarts, orange cake, and peach and verbena cream are some options on the menu. There are plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions. The Audrey Hepburn-like design of the place highlights the luxury and class behind The Athenaeum philosophy. Velvet booths in bronze hues and dark wooden tables elevate the afternoon tea experience. It is a small and elegant environment, with delicious house creations from the pastry team.
10º Sky Bar
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to taste the smokiness of a mezcal cocktail while staring at the sunset over the London skyline? Well, 10º Sky Bar is the place to live that experience. Located on the 28th floor of the Hilton hotel in London, 10º Sky Bar offers a unique sensory experience. The place is named after the golden hour created by the sunset. The orange and pink rays of sunlight shine brightly from the bar’s viewpoint.
Aside from the view of the city, there’s the place’s interior design. Large windows that cover the floor-to-ceiling walls let plenty of natural light in. Over the black marble and terracotta tiled bar, greenery dangles from the ceiling. In the dining room, velvet booths and sofas with different colours and patterns illuminate the environment, dancing with the cream walls that turn red under the dim nighttime lighting. Many plants and cushions decorate the place, and you will feast your eyes on the golden lamps and details on the small side tables.
Enjoy the weekend afternoon tea and become part of one of London’s most authentic traditions. Order a scone or other sweet treat and savour classic teas or beverages spiked with gin or champagne.
The Biltmore Mayfair
The Biltmore is a small luxury hotel in Mayfair, offering elegant afternoon tea for guests and visitors. Executive chef Paul Walsh has crafted an intriguing menu, highlighting the best of English tea culture and bringing unique touches to it. With fresh and heritage products from around the UK, Walsh surprises everyone with sweet and savoury treats accompanying brewed tea and even a glass or two of Champagne.
The menu includes sandwiches like Hereford beef sirloin and horseradish over white bread or smoked salmon, lemon and chive cream over brown bread. Sweet options range from Champagne and passion fruit choux to Manjari 64% Valhrona chocolate and blood orange tarts. Plain scones come with fresh fruit jam or cream. A glass of Moet or Chandon can follow your fresh brewed tea.
Enjoy some high-quality tea at one of Mayfair’s top luxury hotels. At The Biltmore’s Tea Room, you can find light grey and purple hues of colour, both shining under the natural sunlight. Small round tables and surrounded by couches and comfortable chairs. This is the place to spend hours on end chatting with friends. And there is also the Royal Jubilee Afternoon Tea, where you can enjoy a royal-themed event.
Claridges
Claridges is a luxury hotel in Mayfair, highlighting every elegant aspect of the neighbourhood. With that philosophy, they could not possibly skip the traditional English afternoon tea. Since 1840, afternoon tea has been a vital feature of British culture, and the hotel honours its heritage with an extra house touch to the experience. At their elegant Foyer & Reading Room, Claridges serves one of the best afternoon tea in Mayfair.
Exploring seasonal ingredients, the treats here are prepared daily. A selection of savoury and sweet goodies decorate the menu, celebrating traditional British tea snacks. Find classic finger sandwiches like cucumber, mint and lemon cream cheese on white bread. Dorrington ham with apple butter and Lollo Rosso on onion bread is also a popular choice. As for the sweets, pick from a selection of hand-made pastries. Taste chocolate sablé and pistachio praline, or maybe a tart raspberry Eton mess.
Claridges also has a wide selection of freshly brewed teas. Try the house blend, which offers the complexity of black tea with a malty finish. There is plenty of black, green, oolong, and herbal infusions. Excellent coffee is also a part of the deal, as well as iced tea.
Flemings
Flemings is another luxurious Mayfair hotel offering a unique afternoon tea experience. Here you can try the G & TEA, where you’ll find two of the most emblematic English beverages in the same place. Enter a small, cosy room that looks like a collection of travel memories. The walls, if not covered with books and small ornaments, are painted with reflections of India. Camels and elephants pass by an exotic background. Emerald green velvet booths bring colour to the beige-toned room, standing above all else. It is a piece of Georgian design and history right in the heart of Mayfair.
This is the perfect place to sit for hours while enjoying some tea or a gin-based cocktail. Order sweet snacks to compliment the experience. The fix-price menu includes a choice of gin, scones, sweet treat selection, and east Indian tea selection. All sourced from the best products in the UK and around the world, the teas here are intriguing and complex. There are even gin-infused teas, mixing the best of both worlds. Macarons, éclairs, and pate de fruits constantly explore seasonal ingredients to deliver fresh and loud flavours. Find also some of the classic finger sandwiches to complement your entire experience.
The Dorchester Hotel
If you’re wondering how to make the most of your day at Mayfair, The Dorchester Hotel has the answer inside their Orchid Room. Surrounded by elegance and luxury while tasting homemade cakes and sipping on tea, you will find a unique afternoon tea experience here. The head pastry chef Michal Kwan brings his creative flair to your table. Taste his tea-infused ice cream, and you will understand.
The Orchid Room blends the traditions of English afternoon tea with a particular house touch to the experience. You can opt for the traditional afternoon tea or the champagne one, where you can indulge in glasses of Grand Cru sparkling wines from some of France’s most renowned regions and vineyards. Accompanying the tea, you’ll get finger sandwiches like egg and cheddar cheese with chive cream on brioche. The pastry selection includes elderflower and yuzu tarts, black cherry tea mousse, and an almond sponge cake with rose jam.
When it comes to the tea, find exclusive tea blends from the house. Classic and rare blends of herbal infusions are also on the menu, along with black and green teas and caffeine-free infusions. A vegan menu is also available for those with dietary restrictions.
Best Afternoon Tea in Mayfair
At Capital A-List, you get the best experience possible if you’re chasing luxury and unique cultural experiences in London. Host events and book places at some of the city’s best restaurants, bars, and clubs. Our VIP concierge services allow you access to the most exclusive venues and the most significant events in the city, always keeping you informed on what is happening right now! Learn more about our services by checking out our website.
Continue Reading →