Posts Tagged “Mayfair”
We are truly blessed with marvellous hotels in London. They are diverse, and one can always find something to appeal, no matter what one’s taste. If you are looking for 5-star luxury, an excellent location, and a selection of fine dining experiences, then perhaps Grosvenor House has your name on it and there is Anna’s…
Mayfair is one of the swankier neighbourhoods in London. It has everything the well-heeled might need: classy boutiques, jewellery, galleries and some great restaurants …expensive great restaurants. And then there is the gem that is known as El Pirata. There isn’t much in Mayfair that could possibly be described as cheap – not even good…
Yes, Park Lane is swanky and fringed with outstanding hotels, and all of them are celebrated and worthy. One of the most popular is Grosvenor House with its impressive function rooms and public spaces that are worth another look after a recent refurbishment. But it also has a host of dining options, including JW Steakhouse…
Black Roe Poke Bar and Grill launched in the heart of Mayfair in March 2016 and it’s one of my favourite spots. The dark grey, portrait-hung walls create a cocoon of calm in Mayfair. It isn’t glitzy, you don’t have to be an A-lister to be allowed in, but it is smart-casual, with delicious embellishments….
So, what does one do when a long-loved favourite restaurant closes? Sit in a darkened room in a state of sad dismay? Or, perhaps one visits the newcomer with expectations of disappointment? I did both, but the former, it turns out, was totally over-dramatic and a waste of time, and the latter was unnecessary as…
The original Jamavar opened in 2001 at The Leela Palace Bengaluru in India and was named among the World’s Top 10 Power Dining Spots by Forbes USA. Over the next few years it expanded to other internationally acclaimed Leela properties in New Delhi, Chennai, Goa and Mumbai. Jamavar London is the first overseas branch. The…
Situated in the heart of Mayfair, Benares serves Michelin-starred modern Indian cuisine and is famed for doing that. This is fine dining and gives other such restaurants a run for their culinary money, and that’s restaurants of any gastronomic persuasion. Named after India’s holy city, Benares, this restaurant offers only hints of its ethnicity in…
Nothing better than traditional fish and chips. It’s nostalgic comfort food, at least if you are British. We all have memories of queueing up in a white-tiled shop with steamy windows, a high counter with glass jars of pickled gherkins and eggs, bottles of brown vinegar and salt shakers. For those who hail from beyond…
Gymkhana is an Indian word which originally referred to a meeting place. These days it tends to be an equestrian day event put on by posh pony clubs; but not in this case. Gymkhana in London does fit into the ‘meeting place’ category and it does have the feel of a nicely appointed casual club,…
Kiku is a Japanese restaurant conveniently located near Green Park station in Mayfair, and at the top of Half Moon Street. It’s one of the quieter thoroughfares, but popular with ‘them in the know’ as it’s the home of this exceptional eatery. I wonder why it isn’t more celebrated, but perhaps those regulars have the…
Tamarind has long enjoyed a reputation for excellence and it’s been a deserved but hard- won accolade. Competition is fierce but Tamarind of Mayfair is thriving and has indeed blossomed into a creditable collection, which includes a Tamarind in the US along with Imli Street in Soho; Zaika in Knightsbridge has recently joined the group…
London! What do we think of? Historic continuity, elegance, refinement – and tea. So much of what visitors seek in this capital city includes one or several of these qualities, and there are a few places that will enable tourist and local alike to enjoy all of them. Fortnum & Mason is just such an…
Even the address of Flemings Hotel gives a clue to the style and quality of this boutique establishment: Half Moon Street, Mayfair. It’s one of the smartest areas in London, although the eponymous and long-gone pub had a considerable and iffy reputation. Mayfair takes its name from the popular annual gathering which, several hundred years…
[This venue is now closed] There has been an Italian restaurant on this site in Curzon Street since the 1930s. Tempo is its latest reincarnation and it stands a good chance of staying just there for another 70 years. Even this early in its predicted long history, it ticks all the boxes, at least for…
One always expects something a bit special in Mayfair. Some of the best and most iconic of restaurants can be found in that neighbourhood. There are smart shops selling tailored apparel, and hand-made chocolates are showcased, well, in showcases in smart boutiques of a style previously reserved for jewellers. Yes, this area does have ‘swank’…
(This restaurant is now closed). Chor Bizarre – Mayfair’s most striking Indian dining spot – is a legend, at least with those who have crossed the threshold even once. It is a little corner of real India. My guest, an Indian lady with impeccable taste in both food and decor, remarked that it was truly…
(This restaurant is now closed) Chai Bazaar at Chor Bizarre was London’s first Indian Tea Bar. Other restaurants serve tea but, take my word for it, tea and its associated snacks at Chai Bazaar are an experience, and one seldom found outside the subcontinent. These days the bar isn’t a physical structure, but rather a…
Opened in 1851, Flemings Hotel in Mayfair is one of London’s oldest hotels. It was converted from six Georgian townhouses but now this historic building has been restored to a tasteful and luxurious haven. Flemings is a chic discreet townhouse hotel set in the heart of one of London’s most exclusive areas, Mayfair. The hotel…