Mayfair, one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in London, is most known for its lavish private members’ clubs and high-end homes. Immortalised on the Monopoly board as the game’s most coveted property, Mayfair has maintained its elite status since the 18th century, when it was predominantly developed as a playground for the affluent.
While the area is often associated with luxury and grandeur, it offers a unique blend of contemporary style and historical charm. A stroll through this verdant enclave, characterised by meticulously restored Georgian townhouses, reveals a surprisingly warm and inviting atmosphere.
Mayfair is also home to an array of high-end boutiques, fine art galleries, and luxury hotels, alongside some of London’s top dining establishments. On your next trip to London, discover this neighbourhood which weaves its storied past with modern-day sophistication, offering a quintessentially upscale London experience.
Memorable feasts
The most prestigious part of Mayfair is the historic Grosvenor Square. In 1731, aristocrat Sir Richard Grosvenor constructed this square, which marked the start of Mayfair’s prestige. Designed as a centrepiece of the Mayfair estate, the square is flanked by red brick terrace buildings with tall windows.
Among these stands The Biltmore Mayfair, which overlooks charming views of the green square. This luxe hotel provides an array of dining options throughout the day, with the standout being the elegant contemporary steakhouse Grill 88, launched in 2023.
The menu, curated by Chef Luis Campos, features the finest produce sourced from the UK and around the world. The premium cuts of meat displayed in the dry-ageing fridge include grass- and grain-fed beef from the Lake District (100-day dry-aged sirloin steak); Japanese wagyu (A4 Kagoshima Black Breed striploin); and Australian full-blood wagyu (Westholme wagyu tenderloin) among others. The team in the open-kitchen expertly grills the succulent steaks on the Josper charcoal grill, and serves them with sauces like bearnaise, green peppercorn, and chimichurri. Additional accompaniments include a selection of mustards and butters to enhance the dishes.
You can even enjoy steak cooked at the table on Himalayan salt or a lava block. Share the massive wagyu tomahawk or the Australian rump cap, partnered with ponzu dressing and togarashi seasoning. Or the Black pork iberico presa with romesco sauce or chimichurri.
Beyond meats, the menu offers luxurious seafood like oysters, caviars and grilled lobster. The meal is complete with sides like Hasselback potato with raclette cheese or triple-cooked chips with beef dripping, parmesan or truffle. Lighter offerings like heirloom heritage tomato salad with chardonnay vinegar and basil provide a refreshing balance. There’s also a perfectly executed bone marrow of braised short ribs, offset with pickled shallots, cornichon and crème fraiche, which you enjoy with country bread. Finally, a must for dessert is the baked Alaska, flambeed at the table.
The restaurant also boasts an exclusive signature cocktail list with a fine selection of wines and champagnes. The sublime experience is topped with personalised and attentive service.
Within walking distance are other unique restaurants to consider. One such gem is BiBi (42 N Audley St), situated between Oxford Street and Grosvenor Square, and also housed in a striking red-brick building charactertic of Mayfair.
Helming this modern establishment is Chef Chet Sharma, who crafts dishes inspired by ingredients and memories of the Indian subcontinent. Since opening in September 2021, the progressive restaurant has garnered numerous accolades, including a spot on The World’s 50 Best Discovery List 2024.
The restaurant is named after an affectionate term for grandmother in Urdu, serving as a tribute to Chet’s paternal and maternal grandmothers. Both ladies were instrumental in inspiring his culinary career, and their influences are interlaced throughout BiBi’s menus and interiors too.
Raised in Berkshire, Chet holds a degree in chemistry, a masters in neurology at University College London (UCL), and a doctorate in physics from Oxford University. Along the way, the brainy chef discovered his culinary passion while staging in professional kitchens including The Fat Duck. Thanks to his science knowledge and background, he secured a job at Mugaritz in San Sebastian. Upon returning to London, he continued this journey at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume and Roganic, among other esteemed establishments.
BiBi’s menus reflect the many years of research that have helped develop the foundations of Chet’s dishes. He prioritises on the traceability and ethics of each ingredient. For example, the restaurant sources cheese from Somerset, buffalo milk from Lancashire and hand-dived scallops from Devon. Rice is brought in from India, curated from heritage varietals that are lower in starch but richer in essential protein, minerals, and vitamins. Spices are single-sourced from pesticide-free farms. The chef is also committed to sustainability and zero-waste practices. His kitchen employs fermentation, preservation, and pickling to make the most of each ingredient. For example, in-season mangoes are used fresh in desserts, preserved for starters, and pureed in butter for bread. The mango stones are cracked to extract the oil, and the green skins salted and dried as a seasoning on cold dishes.
Seasonal highlights on the menu may include Ajwaini Orkney scallop crowned with Kaluga caviar; green chilli Ikejime trout and plantain; and Achari wagyu beef sirloin. To elevate your dining experience, the sommelier is on hand to match wine flights with the hyper-seasonality of the dishes.
KOL Restaurant (9 Seymour St), opened in 2020 by Mexican Chef Santiago Lastra has quickly made a name for itself in London’s dining scene. Santiago previously worked in Mugaritz among other top restaurants (Chef Chet was his roommate during their time at Mugaritz). His claim to fame was when René Redzepi asked him to set up and run Noma’s Mexico pop-up in Tulum in 2016. As of 2024, KOL ranks 17th on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
The modern restaurant melds the roots of Mexico’s culture, inspiration, and flavours with the native produce of Britain. For instance, while limes and other citrus fruits are not grown in the UK, the chef has innovatively replaced them with acidic alternatives like sea buckthorn. KOL’s mainstay is the langoustine taco; the juice from the langoustine head is drizzled onto the dish for added depth of flavour.
Other inventive highlights might include tamal colado or corn custard served with pig’s trotter, radishes, kohlrabi, and caviar. The complexity of Santiago’s cuisine is balanced with a wine list that boasts 100% biodynamic and organic wine from Central and Eastern Europe.
Satisfying comfort food
If you’re game to stroll over to Marylebone High Street, be sure to pop by Granger Marylebone. Brunch is always a good idea here. The late restaurateur Bill Granger introduced his unique take on sunny Australian style to London with Granger & Co.’s fifth restaurant, which opened in the heart of Marylebone in July 2022. True to Granger’s vision, this spot was designed to be an informal place that offers a touch of everyday luxury. Granger applied his signature design-forward approach to relaxed, stylish all-day dining, a concept he first implemented 30 years ago with his café Sydney’s Darlinghurst.
Today, guests can enjoy a casual meal at this bright, airy 85-seater with a double-height, sky-lit atrium. The menu brims with the freshness and flavours that have made Granger’s dishes have globally famous. Summer highlights include hand-picked white crab with green apple, tobiko and sriracha aioli, as well as yellow datterini tomatoes with ricotta and hazelnut gremolata.
Mains include roast cod served with shaved fennel, caper and olive salad, plus lemon saffron dressing; broccolini and kale rigatoni tossed with garden peas, ricotta and basil; and coconut poached free-range chicken salad accompanied by lightly sweet nashi pear, watercress and avocado. Round off with coconut milk jelly, fresh mango and sesame snap, and Peach melba, honeycomb and vanilla bean ice cream.
Amongst the cobblestone lanes and bespoke boutiques of Marylebone High Street, you’ll find Ottolenghi’s casual all-day deli. You can’t miss the displays of towering baked goods, cakes and mind-blogging platters of colourful salads. This neighbourhood gem is open for coffee and breakfast from 8am to midday, followed by wholesome lunch options. You can try to score a seat at the large communal table, or just pick up some biscuits, granolas and meringues to take home as souvenirs.
Quintessential British afternoon tea
Back at The Biltmore, a sumptuous British afternoon tea awaits at The Tea Lounge. The sublime afternoon tea experience is marked by fresh and heritage produce sourced from across the UK. Settle into one of the sofas and tuck into an assortment of sweet and savoury treats along with freshly brewed tea from the tea trolley. And if you must, order glasses of champagne for a special celebration. The three tiered afternoon tea stands are beautifully assembled with finger sandwiches, savoury tarts, and a selection of cakes, pavlova and chocolates. The warm sultana and plain buttermilk scones are served with Cornish clotted cream, raspberry and strawberry preserves. The Tea Lounge also offers an a la carte menu with cakes like honey and pistachio layer cake, tiramisu, basque cheesecake, along with eclairs and entremets.
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Text by: Amy Van
