London (Fodor's 2012) - Fodor's [103]
Wiltons.
££££ | BRITISH | Blue-bloods, aristocrats, and the well-to-do blow the bank at this 1742 bastion of fine dining. Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket for lunch and dinner at this clubby time capsule and ode to all things English. Posh patrons take half-a-dozen finest Colchester oysters, followed by grilled Dover sole on the bone, or fabulous game in season, like woodcock, grouse, and teal. Old-fashioned savories like anchovies on toast are also enjoyed. Service is formal and discreet. | 55 Jermyn St., St. James’s | SW1Y 6LX | 020/7629–9955 | www.wiltons.co.uk | Reservations essential Jacket required | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed weekends | Green Park .
The Wolseley.
£££ | AUSTRIAN | The whole of London seems to love the spectacle and grand elegance at this Viennese-style café on Piccadilly. The brasserie begins its long days with breakfast at 7 am and stays serving until midnight. Linger for Hungarian goulash, Viennese boiled beef Tafelspitz (with apple sauce and sour cream), cod-like whiting, chopped liver, flaked haddock kedgeree rice, Matjes herrings, or Wiener schnitzel. For dessert, go for apple strudel or kaiserschmarren—a pancake with stewed fruit and raisins. | 160 Piccadilly, St. James’s | W1J 9EB | 020/7499–6996 | www.thewolseley.com | AE, DC, MC, V | Green Park
MAYFAIR
Cecconi’s.
£££ | ITALIAN | Wedged strategically between Savile Row, Cork Street, and Old Bond Street, and across from the Royal Academy on Burlington Gardens, this fashionable Italian brasserie is where the jet set come for breakfast, brunch, and cicchetti (Italian tapas) and return later for something more substantial. Ilse Crawford’s green-and-brown interior is a stylish backdrop for classics like veal Milanese, Venetian calves’ liver, crab ravioli, and tiramisu. Note: This is a good place for a pit stop during a West End shopping spree. | 5A Burlington Gardens, Mayfair | W1S 3EP | 020/7434–1500 | www.cecconis.co.uk | AE, DC, MC, V | Green Park, Piccadilly Circus
Corrigan’s Mayfair.
££££ | MODERN BRITISH | The nearby Mayfair streets may be quiet but there’s a lively scene and a warm welcome at burly Irish chef Richard Corrigan’s flagship haute cuisine venture off Park Lane. Self-assured and on top of its game, the battle-ship dark blue banquettes and crisp Irish linen provide a handsome setting for a high-powered clientele who love the game-bird salad with walnuts, wild duck, and sour cherries, and heartier dishes like grouse pie or braised haunch of venison. | 28 Upper Grosvenor St., Mayfair | W1K 7EH | 020/7499–9943 | www.corrigansmayfair.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | Marble Arch .
Fodor’s Choice | Goodman.
£££ | STEAK | This Russian-owned, Manhattan-themed, Mayfair-based restaurant, named after Chicago jazz legend Benny Goodman, has everyone in agreement—here you’ll find the best steaks in town. U.S. Angus T-bones, sirloin, rib eye, and porterhouses compete for taste and tenderness with prime cuts from Ireland, Canada, Britain, and Australia. There’s token Russian sweet herring and lobster bisque, but everyone’s here for one thing: the juicy charcoal grilled steaks, which come with fries, creamed spinach and luscious béarnaise or Stilton sauce. | 26 Maddox St., Mayfair | W1S 1HQ | 020/7499–3776 | www.goodmanrestaurants.com | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. | Oxford Circus
The Greenhouse.
£££££ | FRENCH | Tucked away amid imposing Mayfair mansions and approached via a spotlighted deck garden, this elegant ground-floor salon is for aficionados of top-class French haute cuisine at any price. Sit by a garden window and feast on John Dory, Scottish lobster with champagne sauce, or Anjou pigeon. The mainly business clientele appreciate the smooth service and the highly acclaimed 90-page wine list, which has 3,000 bottles and 36 wines served by the glass. | 27A Hay’s Mews, Mayfair | W1J 5NY | 020/7499–3331 | www.greenhouserestaurant.co.uk | Reservations essential | AE, DC, MC, V | Closed Sun. No lunch Sat. |