The 20 Best Restaurants in Mayfair Right Now
Mayfair is W1's fine-dining capital, the square mile where three-star dining rooms, grand hotel restaurants and the city's most coveted reservations sit within a few streets of each other. This is the ranked short list: 20 Mayfair tables we rate from one to 20, each with its cuisine, a price band, the address and a short note on why it earns its place and when to book it.
How Mayfair dining earns its reputation
Cross Regent Street out of Soho and the tempo slows. Where Soho is counters, queues and open kitchens, Mayfair is white linen, tasting menus and rooms designed for an occasion. It holds one of the highest concentrations of Michelin stars in London, including a cluster of three-star dining rooms, and it is where the grand Park Lane and Piccadilly hotels keep their flagship restaurants. The bill runs higher here than almost anywhere else in W1, but so does the polish: this is the postcode you book for a milestone, a serious lunch or a date that needs to land.
The list below is ranked, but a ranking only goes so far when a three-star tasting menu and a century-old steak pub are both brilliant at completely different things. We have ordered for overall standing and ambition first, then balanced cooking, room and how reliably each delivers. Read it as a guide rather than a leaderboard, and use the decision block near the end to match a table to the night you are planning.
Two things to know first. Every name here is genuinely in Mayfair W1 and was trading at the time of writing, checked against each restaurant's own listing. And this is the curated, ranked counterpart to the wider where to eat in W1 pillar: if you want the whole field with addresses and hours, start there; if you want 20 Mayfair tables we would put our name to, stay here.
The ranking: 20 best Mayfair restaurants
1. Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
Modern French tasting menus. ££££. 16 Carlos Place, W1K 2AL. A three-Michelin-star dining room inside The Connaught, where Hélène Darroze cooks a produce-led French menu chosen from a spinning wheel of seasonal ingredients. Why book it: it is one of the most accomplished and personal fine-dining experiences in London, in a room with the calm and service to match. Reserve well ahead; weekend dinner goes first.
2. Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
Contemporary French. ££££. 53 Park Lane, W1K 1QA. The Dorchester's three-star flagship, serving refined contemporary French cooking under the famous shimmering fibre-optic "Table Lumière" at its centre. Why book it: it is haute cuisine at the very top of the W1 scale, precise and quietly grand without feeling stiff. Smart dress; book ahead and consider lunch for a gentler entry point.
3. Sketch (Lecture Room & Library)
Modern French, tasting-led. ££££. 9 Conduit Street, W1S 2XG. The pink-and-gilt townhouse that everyone knows for The Gallery and its egg-shaped loos, but the serious cooking is upstairs in the three-star Lecture Room & Library. Why book it: few rooms in London pair this level of cooking with this much theatre, and it is as much a destination as a meal. Book the Lecture Room ahead; The Gallery downstairs is a livelier, lower-commitment option.
4. The Ritz Restaurant
Classic British and French. ££££. 150 Piccadilly, W1J 9BR. A two-Michelin-star room of chandeliers, gilt and trolley service, named the UK's best restaurant at the 2025 National Restaurant Awards. Why book it: it is the most gloriously old-school grand dining room in W1, where tableside carving and a jacket-and-tie code are part of the show. Smart formal dress required for men, including jacket and tie; book well ahead.
5. Gymkhana
Indian. ££££. 42 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JH. A two-star modern Indian room from the JKS group, themed on the colonial gymkhana clubs and beloved for its game dishes and superb biryanis. Why book it: it is consistently one of the most exciting Indian kitchens in the country, and the set lunch is among the best fine-dining deals in Mayfair. Book ahead; lunch is easier than dinner.
6. Hide
Modern British, tasting menus. ££££. 85 Piccadilly, W1J 7NB. Ollie Dabbous's Michelin-starred dining room overlooking Green Park, spread across three floors above the Hedonism Wines cellar. Why book it: the cooking is inventive and precise, the sweeping wood staircase is a showpiece, and the wine list is genuinely one of London's deepest. Book the upstairs "Hide Above" for the tasting menu; "Hide Below" is the a la carte room.
7. Jamavar
Indian. £££ to ££££. 8 Mount Street, W1K 3NF. A Michelin-starred Indian dining room on Mount Street drawing on royal and regional recipes from across the subcontinent. Why book it: it sits a notch more elegant and refined than the average curry house tradition suggests, with a kitchen that handles a group beautifully. Takes bookings; good for a table of friends.
8. Sabor
Spanish. £££. 35-37 Heddon Street, W1B 4BR. Nieves Barragán Mohacho's Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant, split between a ground-floor counter and tapas bar and the upstairs El Asador grill room. Why book it: the suckling pig and the counter cooking are the real thing, and the two-format layout lets you choose a quick bite or a long lunch. Book El Asador upstairs for the roasts; the counter takes walk-ins.
9. Scott's
Seafood. ££££. 20 Mount Street, W1K 2HE. The grand Mount Street seafood institution, all polished oak, white linen and a marble oyster bar, trading on this corner since 1967. Why book it: it is the definitive Mayfair fish lunch, a place to be seen as much as to eat, and the oysters and shellfish are impeccable. Book ahead; lunch on the terrace is the seat to ask for.
10. Cecconi's
Northern Italian. £££. 5A Burlington Gardens, W1S 3EP. The all-day Venetian-style café and restaurant that has anchored Burlington Gardens since 1978, from morning espresso through to a late dinner of cicchetti and pasta. Why book it: it is the dependable, glamorous Mayfair sit-down that suits almost any occasion, from a working breakfast to a relaxed group dinner. Takes bookings; brilliant for a flexible table of friends.
11. Sexy Fish
Japanese-inspired seafood. ££££. Berkeley Square House, W1J 6BR. The Caprice Holdings spectacle on Berkeley Square, lined with Damien Hirst pieces and Frank Gehry sculptures, serving sushi, sashimi and robata. Why book it: it is the loud, glamorous, all-out Mayfair celebration room, as much a scene as a restaurant. Book ahead; bring a budget, the bill climbs fast.
12. Kitty Fisher's
British, wood-fired. £££. 10 Shepherd Market, W1J 7QF. A tiny, candlelit room tucked into Shepherd Market, built around a wood grill and a short, confident British menu. Why book it: it is the most charming intimate dinner in Mayfair, low-lit and personal, with a famous burnt onion butter and a serious Chateaubriand. Bookings essential; the downstairs room is cosy and best for two.
13. Mount St. Restaurant
Modern British and European. ££££. 41-43 Mount Street, W1K 2RX. The art-filled dining room above The Audley pub, an Artfarm project from Hauser & Wirth's Iwan and Manuela Wirth, hung with serious contemporary art and serving a refined seasonal menu. Why book it: it pairs proper cooking with one of the most striking rooms in Mayfair, and the art alone is worth the visit. Book ahead; the pub downstairs is the relaxed alternative.
14. The Wolseley
European all-day café-restaurant. £££. 160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EB. The grand Art Deco café-restaurant opposite Green Park, modelled on the great European grand cafés and open from breakfast to late. Why book it: nowhere else gives you this much marble, mirror and theatre at all-day brasserie prices, and breakfast here is a London institution. Takes bookings; the morning sitting is the one to know.
15. Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill
Seafood. £££ to ££££. 11-15 Swallow Street, W1B 4DG. A century-old seafood house off Regent Street, run by Richard Corrigan, with a marble oyster bar downstairs and a grill room above. Why book it: the ground-floor oyster bar is one of the best spots in W1 for a dozen oysters and a glass of Champagne with no fuss. Book the upstairs grill for dinner; the bar suits a walk-in for shellfish.
16. Nobu London (Old Park Lane)
Japanese-Peruvian. ££££. 19 Old Park Lane, W1K 1LB. The original London Nobu, inside the Metropolitan hotel overlooking Hyde Park, where the black cod miso and yellowtail jalapeño first made their name in the UK. Why book it: it is the founding London room of a global name, and the signature dishes still deliver. Book ahead; the corner tables have the park view.
17. The Guinea Grill
Traditional British. £££. 30 Bruton Place, W1J 6NL. A historic Mayfair pub down a mews, serving proper British steaks and an award-winning steak and kidney pie in a wood-panelled back room. Why book it: it is the antidote to the glossy rooms, old-fashioned, generous and entirely itself, and the pie is a Mayfair legend. Book the dining room for dinner; the front bar is a fine pint stop.
18. Park Chinois
Chinese. ££££. 17 Berkeley Street, W1J 8EA. A theatrical 1930s-Shanghai-themed Chinese restaurant and supper club off Berkeley Street, with dim sum and live music downstairs at Club Chinois. Why book it: it is the room for a glamorous, music-led celebration where dinner runs into the evening. Check current opening, as the upstairs Salon de Chine is due to return in September 2026; Club Chinois is serving in the meantime.
19. Tamarind of Mayfair
Indian. £££ to ££££. 20 Queen Street, W1J 5PR. A long-running Indian on Queen Street, historically the first Indian restaurant in the world to win a Michelin star, known for its tandoor cooking and North Indian menu. Why book it: it is a polished, grown-up Indian dinner with real heritage, a quieter choice than the buzzier rooms. Takes bookings; good for a calm group dinner.
20. The Colony Grill Room
British and American grill. £££. The Beaumont, 8 Balderton Street, W1K 6TF. A 1920s-style brasserie inside The Beaumont hotel near Bond Street, serving grills, steaks and crustacea in a richly decorated art deco room from breakfast through to dinner. Why book it: it is the easy, glamorous all-day Mayfair sit-down for a relaxed group dinner, a long lunch or a smart breakfast. Takes bookings; the morning menu is a Mayfair secret.
How to choose: occasion, business lunch, date or walk-in
Four questions usually settle where to book in Mayfair.
- A special occasion. Go for the tasting rooms: Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, the Lecture Room at Sketch or Hide. For grand old-school glamour, The Ritz Restaurant. Book weeks ahead and dress up.
- A business lunch. Choose rooms that are smart, quiet enough to talk and reliable: Scott's and Bentley's for seafood, Cecconi's for an easy Italian, Gymkhana's set lunch for something more impressive, or The Wolseley for a grand all-day table. Lunch sittings are calmer and cost less.
- Date night. Kitty Fisher's is the intimate, candlelit choice, Mount St. Restaurant pairs cooking with art, and Park Chinois or Sexy Fish bring the drama if your date likes a scene. Book ahead and ask for a corner.
- A walk-in or relaxed night. The Guinea Grill, the Colony Grill Room, the Cecconi's bar and the Bentley's oyster bar will usually find you a seat without a long-planned reservation. Arrive off-peak for the best chance.
If you are choosing on the day, head for the all-day and pub-style rooms. If you can plan ahead, lock in the tasting rooms early. For the full picture of how W1's neighbourhoods compare, the official Visit London food and drink guide is a useful city-wide reference.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive restaurant in Mayfair?
The three-star tasting rooms sit at the top of the bill. Hélène Darroze at The Connaught and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester both run multi-course tasting menus that reach the highest prices in W1, and the Lecture Room at Sketch is in the same bracket. Sexy Fish and Park Chinois can also run very high once you add sushi, sashimi and wine. We list a price band for every pick rather than a fixed figure, since menus change.
Which Mayfair restaurant is the best value?
Value in Mayfair is relative, but a few rooms give you far more than the bill suggests. The set lunch at Gymkhana is one of the best deals in fine dining, The Wolseley serves an all-day European menu in a grand room at brasserie prices, and The Guinea Grill does honest British steaks and pies in a historic pub. Cecconi's and the Colony Grill Room are reliable all-day rooms. For a special-occasion room at a gentler price, book a midweek lunch rather than dinner.
Which Mayfair restaurant is hardest to get a reservation at?
The three-star rooms book up furthest ahead. Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and the Lecture Room at Sketch release tables weeks or months in advance and fill fast, especially for weekend dinner. Gymkhana and Scott's are also notoriously busy. Book as far ahead as you can, set a reminder for when a venue opens its booking window, and consider a midweek lunch for a better chance of a table.
Do Mayfair restaurants have a dress code?
Many do, and it is worth checking before you go. The grand hotel rooms such as Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester and The Ritz Restaurant ask for smart dress, and The Ritz requires a jacket and tie for men. Most fine-dining rooms expect smart-casual at a minimum and discourage sportswear or trainers. The all-day and pub-style rooms such as The Wolseley, Cecconi's and The Guinea Grill are relaxed. When in doubt, dress up rather than down.
What is the best Mayfair restaurant for a group?
Choose rooms built for tables and bookings rather than tasting counters. The Wolseley and Cecconi's seat large parties and handle a crowd with ease, Sexy Fish and Park Chinois suit a livelier celebration, and Jamavar and Gymkhana share Indian dishes well across a table. The Guinea Grill and the Colony Grill Room are good for a relaxed group dinner. Avoid the small tasting rooms such as Kitty Fisher's for big numbers.
What is the difference between Mayfair and Soho for dining?
Mayfair is W1's fine-dining capital: hushed rooms, tasting menus, grand hotel restaurants and a higher price range. Soho, just across Regent Street, is denser and more energetic, strong on counters, modern Asian and buzzy all-day rooms at mid-to-high prices. Choose Mayfair for a formal special occasion or a serious business lunch, and Soho for a lively, spontaneous night out. See our best restaurants in Soho roundup if a counter and a queue is more your mood.
Where this fits in the W1 food scene
This is the ranked Mayfair layer: 20 tables we would book ourselves, ordered for standing and ambition. When you want to widen the search, our best restaurants in Soho and Marylebone guides cover the rest of the postcode, and the where to eat in W1 pillar pulls Mayfair, Marylebone, Soho and Fitzrovia together. You can always head back to the W1 London homepage for the rest of W1: districts, luxury shopping and the business directory.