Labombe by Trivet Restaurant London Review: A Mayfair Wine-Forward Culinary Experience

December 13, 2025

Labombe by Trivet restaurant in London feels like a private club of fine wine and bold flavour into the glamour of Mayfair. The venue was born of the partnership between chef Jonny Lake and master sommelier Isa Bal. This is the same duo behind the two-Michelin-starred Trivet in Bermondsey. Here, they offer a narrative of evolution that begins in a classroom French project and circles back to London’s luxury dining scene.

The story of Labombe reads like a love letter to wine and convivial cooking. Jonny Lake and Isa Bal first crossed paths in the high-tension kitchen and wine cellars of The Fat Duck. Eventually, they launched Trivet in 2019, which earned its first Michelin star in 2022 and a second in 2024. The name “Labombe” itself comes from Lake’s French school assignment that invented a restaurant of that name, only for his teacher to ask: “Où sont les boissons?” (“Where are the drinks?”). It is a cheeky foundation for a wine-forward venture.

The venue occupies the iconic space once home to the legendary ’90s hangout, the Met Bar. It is within the COMO Metropolitan London. Labombe opened as a full restaurant after initially functioning as a Monday-only wine bar. This layered history gives the dining room a sense of legacy without the stiffness. It is comfortable in its pedigree, yet relaxed in spirit

Designed by architect Umay Çeviker of Derin Yeşil Architects, the interior blends the crisp lines of Northern European modernism with Mediterranean warmth. Find cognac-suede banquettes, Calacatta Viola marble-topped tables, and sliding glass partitions for private dining. A glass-enclosed wine cellar with over 1,000 bottles looms near the entrance, signalling that the wines here are the co-stars. While the space wears its glamour lightly, it still channels the site’s former status. The open kitchen is lit like a stage, and the artworks rotating on the walls reference the YBA era.

Labombe by Trivet Restaurant London Menu

Labombe’s menu reflects the dual focus on wine and fire-led cooking, with chef Evan Moore (formerly of The Fat Duck and Trivet) at the helm.

Start with snacks and small plates: the “hot tongue bun” (Angus × Wagyu ox tongue, anchovy mayo, pickles, and blackcurrant mostarda) is a nod to Trivet’s cult favourites. Other standout starters include king oyster gildas, grilled duck-heart and cherry skewers, and wild-mushroom pici. For mains, the grill takes centre stage. Taste whole-day-boat fish, Ibérico pork chop, monkfish with braised cocoyams and vinegared chicken sauce, and a crisp cotoletta alla Milanese are among the dishes that combine simplicity with deep flavour. Desserts maintain the personality: a fig-and-almond frangipane tart, Lake’s Canadian-rooted butter tart, or a crème caramel with a bitter Campari finish.

But the drinks menu is equally star-spangled. Isa Bal and sommelier Philipp Reinstaller (UK Sommelier of the Year 2024) curate a Euro-centric yet adventurous wine list that champions emerging regions such as Georgia, Armenia and Turkey alongside the classics. Meanwhile, cocktails winking at the Met Bar’s legacy (like the Ginza Sour) add layer and fun.

What sets Labombe apart is the equilibrium: wine isn’t an afterthought, food isn’t just support. Here you have both in creative tandem, served in a space that nods to glamour but remains familiar. For any collector of exceptional wine, food with an edge, and a setting that feels elevated and effortless, Labombe by Trivet is a destination that delivers.