Best Restaurants in Mayfair

Words by
Sphere Editors

26th July 2022

For the culinary minded, W1 covers every eventuality - you will never leave hungry if you follow our comprehensive guide to the best restaurants in Mayfair. Right at the heart of the capital, for work, play or something in between, SPHERE presents our comprehensive guide to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Best Restaurant in Mayfair for Breakfast: Cecconi’s
A stone’s throw from the Royal Academy of Arts, Cecconi’s is the perfect place to start your day and arguably the best restaurant in Mayfair. Their Clarence Court eggs menu is a feast of scrambled, poached and fried delights. Pair with a cold press juice and a cup of coffee and you’ll be all set for whatever the next few hours hold.
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for Brunch: 34
If you’re ambling around Grosvenor Square, 34 Mayfair’s menu will make your mouth water. Their Fillet Steak, Lobster Mac ‘n’ Cheese and Wagyu Short-Ribs are some of the many highlights but the real game-changer is their Korean BBQ spiced spatchcock chicken with yuzu and cucumber yoghurt — a culinary masterpiece.
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for Lunch: Pollen Street Social
Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social is the ideal venue to eat, drink and socialise over a spot of lunch. Their three Course Set Lunch Menu includes tongue-tingling dishes as Seaweed cured sea bass and pickled gooseberries, Dry aged beef rump with horseradish and Yorkshire strawberries & Calamansi sorbet.
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for Afternoon Tea: Browns Hotel
Brown’s Hotel has a rich and fascinating history hosting royalty and other distinguished guests since 1837. Their famous Afternoon Tea does not disappoint, Salt Beef, Salmon, Coronation Chicken and of course, Cucumber sandwiches, are followed by Rasberry Tartletts, Cherry Pistachio Macarons and Peach & Yogurt Slices.
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for All-Day Dining: The Wolseley
Renowned today for its spectacular interior, classic food and seamless service, The Wolseley has earned its reputation as one of London’s most respected all-day café-restaurants. The menu is broad, their hot sandwiches, shellfish, salads and soups with sate your cravings and if you’re in the mood for adventure, try the Beetroot Tartare or the Smoked Haddock Kedgeree.
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for Atmosphere: Isabel Mayfair
Nestled into an elegant pocket of central London, Isabel’s imaginative food and drink menu is inspired by the traditions of Latin and Mediterranean cuisines. Pop along for lunch on a Sunday and enjoy fabulous Live Cuban music whilst you feast on Beef Carpaccio, Devon Crab and decadent cocktails. 
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for Pre-Theatre: Brasserie Zedel 
Located in the heart of Piccadilly, Brasserie Zédel is a grand and bustling Parisian brasserie beloved by its regulars. There are plenty of dishes on the menu to tantalise your tastebuds but to get the full Brasserie Zédel experience, start with oysters and a chilled bottle of champagne and follow up with Steak Frites…and another bottle of champagne. 
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for the View: Galvin at Windows
Located on the 28th floor of the London Hilton, Galvin at windows provides a spectacular view of London whilst you drink and dine. Reserve a table for their Sunday lunch and gorge on roast beef, hassleback potatoes and Cornish cod whilst enjoying the sights of the city.  
Best Vegan Restaurant in Mayfair: Tendril 
On a mission to showcase what’s possible in plant-first food, Tendril is a vegan paradise serving up meat-free dishes to the hungry masses. Highlights of the menu include Chipotle mushroom with bbq kale, crispy celeriac terrine and baked brie with truffle mascarpone.  
Best Grill Restaurant in Mayfair: The Colony Grill Room
A relaxed New York-style grill room with a generous menu of transatlantic favourites, The Colony Grill room is a Mecca for meat lovers. If the hanger steaks, dry-aged fillets and pork chops with charred apple don’t tempt you, the Cornish lamb rump and Monkfish Wellington will make you beg for seconds.
Best Fish Restaurant in Mayfair: Scott’s 
One of the most fashionable and glamorous restaurants in town, Scott’s has welcomed film stars, politicians and writers for over a century. The choice of fish dishes is endless but if you really want to bush the boat out, start with oysters, slip into the potted shrimp and crack open a grilled lobster with garlic butter. 
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for People-watching: Sketch
The iconic Sketch is a must visit for restaurant voyeurs who like to watch the world go by.  A classic dish to get your teeth into is the Sketch Fish & Chips: Pollock, matchstick potatoes, coleslaw, green apple, mushy peas and "sketchup" or share an abundant Charcuterie board of Duck foie gras, parma ham, yves le guel paris ham, toasted sour dough and mustard ice cream.

 

Best Indian: Gymkana 
Inspired by the elite clubs of India, Gymkhana has held a Michelin star since 2014 for its classic and contemporary Indian cuisine. The menu is a wonderland of spicy delights such as Tandoori Masala Lamb Chops, with Walnut Chutney, Lasooni Wild Tiger Prawns and Pork Cheek Vindaloo.
Best Steak in Mayfair: Goodman
Ageing their beef on site, Goodman’s cut their steaks every day on request from meat sourced from the UK, Nebraska, Spain and beyond. Regularly voted one of the best steakhouses in London, drown your chunk of perfect protein with Bearnaise, Peppercorn or Stilton sauce and dive into a side of hand-cut triple-cooked chips. 
Best Restaurant in Mayfair for a First Date: Kitty Fishers
This dimly-lit hideaway with a Spanish twist is an impressive but chilled venue to enjoy a first date.  Pork chops, ribs and potted chicken adorn their Summer menu and a couple of sips of their ‘Bad Kitty’ gin cocktail will ease any lingering nerves.