London Special Occasion Restaurant

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

Caveat my trip was some years ago now but amazing how the reccos are the same

Ledbury was awesome. yes a hike (schlep) out to notting hill but worth it. cant recall if they ala carte tho

Wolsley was fantastic for breakfast. coddled duck egg and haggis yum.

St John was great, but IMO atmosphere and vibe was a bit less “special occasiony” for some folks at least.

I was less a fan of Pollen Street- thought it was ok, but think I am the outlier here and otherwise fits the bill. It will certainly feel special occasion as judged by the check.

10 Greek st was good but more casual. Enjoyable

Not sure if Angelus is still around, but we really enjoyed it.

Of course you could always do The Rules. James Bond’s place. Was cool atmosphere, food was just OK, but good and traditional english what with the yorkshire pudding and all that.

[Kent_Comley]

Ledbury was awesome. yes a hike (schlep) out to notting hill but worth it. cant recall if they ala carte tho

Now 8 course set menu lunch and dinner at 185 quid. No a la carte. Lunch Fri and Sat, dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Notting Hill’s a nice spot with some good bars for post meal libations.

[Kent_Comley]

Great and timely thread as we’ll be in London in June for both work and a fun weekend. I booked the weekend dinners at Hyde and Medlar.

Any thoughts on a place for light lunches or snacks ? We try to avoid 2 proper meals when traveling.

cheers

Interested in thoughts on Medlar.

I am staying in Covent Garden on a Sunday and Monday night, many restaurants closed,
Anyone have any reccos for good spots around Covent Garden, Mayfair, Soho?
Doesn’t need to be three star, but something worth the trip.
Have booked Ledbury when we return to London at the end of the trip.

[Keith_A_k_e_r_s]

Hi Kent,

I was extremely happy with Medlar. Excellent food and a very smart and fairly priced list.

Noble Rot in SoHo and the Connaught in Mayfair are also excellent for drinks. Noble Rot’s food punches well above its weight. Barrafina is excellent for Spanish Cuisine in SoHo as well.

Hopefully those help.

[F.Daner]

I cancelled the London part of the trip. I was going for work and the train strike threw the schedule in disarray with most meetings cancelling as they couldn’t get into London.

Will try again later this year.

Great and timely thread as we’ll be in London in June for both work and a fun weekend. I booked the weekend dinners at Hyde and Medlar.

Any thoughts on a place for light lunches or snacks ? We try to avoid 2 proper meals when traveling.

cheers

Interested in thoughts on Medlar.

I am staying in Covent Garden on a Sunday and Monday night, many restaurants closed,
Anyone have any reccos for good spots around Covent Garden, Mayfair, Soho?
Doesn’t need to be three star, but something worth the trip.
Have booked Ledbury when we return to London at the end of the trip.

[Kent_Comley]

Hi Kent,

I was extremely happy with Medlar. Excellent food and a very smart and fairly priced list.

Noble Rot in SoHo and the Connaught in Mayfair are also excellent for drinks. Noble Rot’s food punches well above its weight. Barrafina is excellent for Spanish Cuisine in SoHo as well.

Hopefully those help.

Thanks Keith much appreciated, narrowing it down. Please to see Medlar open seven nights.

Anyone been to Gymkana or Hakkasan in Mayfair?

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

Pollen Street Social

In Mayfair.

Have enjoyed the Ledbury but found it a schlep. But it’s more elegant than Pollen Street Socisl.

Barry what do you mean by Schlep?
In London in a couple of months and loved Ledbury a few years ago.
How did you find Pollen St Social? Wine list looks pretty exxy or maybe I am too used to local prices!

Hi!

Sorry for the slow response.

Schlep as in a long taxi ride. Not easy by the tube if I recall,

Not sure what exxy means, but my wife doesn’t drink and I just go by the glass.

[Kent_Comley]

Pollen Street Social

In Mayfair.

Have enjoyed the Ledbury but found it a schlep. But it’s more elegant than Pollen Street Socisl.

Barry what do you mean by Schlep?
In London in a couple of months and loved Ledbury a few years ago.
How did you find Pollen St Social? Wine list looks pretty exxy or maybe I am too used to local prices!

Hi!

Sorry for the slow response.

Schlep as in a long taxi ride. Not easy by the tube if I recall,

Not sure what exxy means, but my wife goes to drink and I just go by the glass.

Thanks. ‘exxy’ lazy Aussie slang for expensive

Also to negate the schlep, have found decent digs in Notting Hill, Laslett Hotel.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

Hi Kent,

I was extremely happy with Medlar. Excellent food and a very smart and fairly priced list.

Noble Rot in SoHo and the Connaught in Mayfair are also excellent for drinks. Noble Rot’s food punches well above its weight. Barrafina is excellent for Spanish Cuisine in SoHo as well.

Hopefully those help.

Thanks Keith much appreciated, narrowing it down. Please to see Medlar open seven nights.

Anyone been to Gymkana or Hakkasan in Mayfair?

I haven’t been to Hakassan in Mayfair but in Soho and also San Francisco, were very similar and very good. It’s a fun dinner with a large group or great for the lunch special (if they have one) but not a special occasion one, at least how I think of the others.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

How do the wine prices compare to the Ledbury of kitchen Table by Bubbledogs?

I looked at the list. Super exxy. Just a couple of Loire whites under 100 pounds. Greek assyrtiko is over a 100.

[Kent_Comley]

Kitchen table looks very interesting Chef Knappett's London Gem: A Review of Kitchen Table — scallionpancake
although I am less enamoured with long degustations than I used to be.

[M.Kaplan]

Kent/Barry,
I’m a big fan of Kitchen Table. The article that Kent linked is some years old; during the pandemic they closed and remodeled the restaurant and have changed things a bit on reopening: one seating, rather than two, four nights a week, more courses (I think) and a bit more exxy. I’m going solo in two weeks to the ‘new’ Kitchen Table and will report back. I’m also less interesting in long tasting menus than I used to be, but I like it there. A lot.

The first Hakkasan is on Hanway Place in Fitzrovia. It is a very cool space and is fun. Founded by Alan Yau (Wagamama) was awarded a * at some point; don’t know if it still has it. Yau also founded a dim sum restaurant in Soho, Yauatcha, which also had/has a * and is excellent, upscale, and has interesting decor similar to Hakkasan, with much of the restaurant below grade. I love it for lunch or a light dinner.

Edit: Kent, Gymkhana is a must visit in my opinion, if you like creative upscale Indian cuisine.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

My one time at Kitchen Table was superlative, and I also don’t have the sitting power I used to.

[Kent_Comley]

Kent/Barry,
I’m a big fan of Kitchen Table. The article that Kent linked is some years old; during the pandemic they closed and remodeled the restaurant and have changed things a bit on reopening: one seating, rather than two, four nights a week, more courses (I think) and a bit more exxy. I’m going solo in two weeks to the ‘new’ Kitchen Table and will report back. I’m also less interesting in long tasting menus than I used to be, but I like it there. A lot.

The first Hakkasan is on Hanway Place in Fitzrovia. It is a very cool space and is fun. Founded by Alan Yau (Wagamama) was awarded a * at some point; don’t know if it still has it. Yau also founded a dim sum restaurant in Soho, Yauatcha, which also had/has a * and is excellent, upscale, and has interesting decor similar to Hakkasan, with much of the restaurant below grade. I love it for lunch or a light dinner.

Edit: Kent, Gymkhana is a must visit in my opinion, if you like creative upscale Indian cuisine.

Thanks Mark. I have booked Gymkhana. Indian in London can be next level. Menu looks really interesting, and good news it’s open on Sunday nights. It’s clear that the pandemic derived labour shortages are hitting London hard as they have here as I have found a large number of desirable options closed on Sundays and Monday.

The 300 pound per person booking fee at Kitchen Table seems to have culinary tongues wagging.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

Kent/Barry,
I’m a big fan of Kitchen Table. The article that Kent linked is some years old; during the pandemic they closed and remodeled the restaurant and have changed things a bit on reopening: one seating, rather than two, four nights a week, more courses (I think) and a bit more exxy. I’m going solo in two weeks to the ‘new’ Kitchen Table and will report back. I’m also less interesting in long tasting menus than I used to be, but I like it there. A lot.

The first Hakkasan is on Hanway Place in Fitzrovia. It is a very cool space and is fun. Founded by Alan Yau (Wagamama) was awarded a * at some point; don’t know if it still has it. Yau also founded a dim sum restaurant in Soho, Yauatcha, which also had/has a * and is excellent, upscale, and has interesting decor similar to Hakkasan, with much of the restaurant below grade. I love it for lunch or a light dinner.

Edit: Kent, Gymkhana is a must visit in my opinion, if you like creative upscale Indian cuisine.

I love upscale Indian food, and London is better than India for it. However, I thought my meal at Gymkhana several years ago may have had mayonnaise in it, which for me is creative but awful. Mark, did you encounter any mayo? Kent, please keep us posted.

One restaurant in Covent Garden that never disappoints is J. Sheekey - my favorite seafood focused restaurant. No culinary dazzling, just awesome fish. I almost always get the same dish - razor clams to start, dover sole afterwards. Wine list has plenty of decent choices below 100 pounds, although perhaps not many in the elevated categories.

I now see that razor clams aren’t on the menu, perhaps a Brexit casualty.

[Kent_Comley]

Thanks Barry. Will report back and J. Sheekey sounds like it may be a good spot for lunch. After 30 hour travel and long walk, might be the ideal tonic, and they’re open for Sunday lunch!

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

Clove Club, mentioned upthread by Keith, looks appealing. I can lure my vegetarian wife out perhaps - easy to get her to Indian restaurants, but too often high class places fall down. After doing well a couple of times, Ledbuary fell down on a vegetarian menu last time (two courses builts around leeks, neither special).

Any other votes for Clove Club?

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

Thanks Barry. Will report back and J. Sheekey sounds like it may be a good spot for lunch. After 30 hour travel and long walk, might be the ideal tonic, and they’re open for Sunday lunch!

Also, they are great pre or post theater.

[Kent_Comley]

Thanks Barry. Will report back and J. Sheekey sounds like it may be a good spot for lunch. After 30 hour travel and long walk, might be the ideal tonic, and they’re open for Sunday lunch!

Also, they are great pre or post theater.

Dover sole, monkfish and real cod, plus good selection of oysters…very appealing.

[Jud_Reis]

Kent - maybe too late, but was in London last week and had an excellent upscale Indian meal at Kanishka in Mayfair. Small but well curated list. Mixed bag at Hide - some really good dishes, but some mediocre ones. Big and very nice wine list, but big mark ups. Very crowded and very rushed service. Also went to Kai, still not quite sure what to think. Impeccable service, upscale version of Chinese restaurant classics with some interesting twists. Also a very nice wine list. Just not sure the experience was worth the tariff but we enjoyed everything we had. London is back full bore, including the traffic!