From the longer, lighter evenings to the laidback catch-ups over drinks, we love a balmy summer’s evening in London. Our favourite neighbourhood to rediscover during the summer months is Mayfair, home to fine dining heritage restaurants, seafood specialists and masterful cocktail innovators. It’s one of the capital’s most diverse foodie locations, teeming with exciting new launches waiting to be discovered and one we always love to explore.
Whether you’re after al fresco hideaways, somewhere chilled for a low-key date night or Michelin-star dining at its finest, we’ve rounded up the best restaurants in Mayfair for sunny, summer dining.
These Are The Mayfair Restaurants We’re Loving This Summer
Saltie Girl
Renowned US seafood restaurant, Saltie Girl, landed on the scene just last November but it’s already a firm favourite amongst seafood lovers.
Located on North Audley Street, the restaurant prides itself on its sustainability, serving up high-quality, fresh fish and seafood. Boasting a dedicated caviar service, there’s no better way to start your dining experience than going all out with one of their varieties.
Settle in for a meal to remember, opting for one of their seafood towers to share with the whole table, before venturing onto dishes such as the Dover sole meunière with brown butter, capers, parsley and lemon or the lobster frites with garlic butter or a rich curry sauce.
If heading here for lunch, opt for their set menu. Priced at £32 per person for two courses or £38 for three courses, you won’t leave here hungry. Highlights include the langoustine scampi with tartare sauce; roast Brixham monkfish topped with herbed bread crumbs; and the moreish chocolate mousse drizzled with Brindisa olive oil.
15 North Audley Street, Mayfair, W1K 6WZ
BiBi
London’s best restaurant for counter-side dining, BiBi is the brainchild of acclaimed chef Chet Sharma. The restaurant specialises in chaat and grills designed for sharing, drawing inspiration from the Indian subcontinent.
Book yourself in for their special lunch tasting menu, priced at £35 per person, and enjoy an assortment of Indian-style snacks; nashpati bhel; Sharmaji’s lahori chicken served with roomali roti, yakhni pulao and grass-fed ghee daal; and a choice between pondicherry chocolate and fig leaf kulfi or a buffalo milk paneer and pistachio kulfi.
42 North Audley Street, Mayfair, W1K 6ZP
Native at Browns
From the award-winning team behind Native, this little gem can be found hidden inside Browns. The restaurant champions the best of seasonal produce, focusing on small plates, natural wines and foraged cocktails.
You’ll find the cosiest garden area, complete with rain-proof seating and blankets for those typical showery London moments. This summer the restaurant has teamed up with Sussex sparkling wine estate, Rathfinny, for a terrace tasting experience. You can book in for the whole tasting or pick and choose from your menu favourites, from the potato waffle with chicken liver parfait and Sussex strawberry to the regenerative steak tartar with smoked egg yolk and wasabi flower.
39 Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 4JE
ROKA Mayfair
With locations across the globe, ROKA serves up some of the best contemporary Japanese robatayaki cuisine outside of Japan.
The style of cooking is centred around the Robata grill, originating from the fishermen on the northern coastal waters of Japan who would cook on the boats using different charcoals and share with one another using their oars.
Designed to be shared, the Mayfair menu features everything from salads and tempura dishes to robata seafood, meat and vegetable grills. Mix and match or settle in for the fine dining tasting menu experience where you can enjoy a bite of all of the chef’s favourites.
30 North Audley Street, Mayfair, W1K 6ZF
Hélène Darroze at The Connaught
For a memorable birthday or anniversary celebration, a table at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant is called for. Championing seasonal ingredients, the culinary team works with farmers, makers and growers that Hélène loves to create immaculate dishes.
Every menu has been carefully designed, with time and thought going into every component. Book yourself in to try the restaurant’s new Taste of Summer menu, featuring Cornish crab with pink grapefruit and lampong pepper; Cornish lobster cooked with tandoori spices, carrots, citrus and coriander; and Brittany pigeon with pea, kiwi and wasabi. You can choose between a five- or seven-course menu, with the option to add on a wine pairing or a midweek lunch-tasting offering instead.
The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, W1K 2AL
Kai Mayfair
Inspired by the foundations in Nanyang Chinese cooking, Kai Mayfair takes a ‘liberated’ approach, meaning it reflects the traditional flavours but adds its own distinct prowess into the mix.
Having held a Michelin-star since 2009, a meal here is one you can guarantee will be exquisite. With both a lunch and dinner menu, it’s the dessert offering – which features at the beginning of the menu – we want to draw your attention to. Designed to spark nostalgic memories from childhood, the restaurant focuses on ingredients significant to the Nanyang region, as well as offering plenty of chocolate options.
For an afternoon tea with a difference, Kai Mayfair’s serves up one with a Chinese take – think bao filled with crispy duck; prawns on toast; macarons with clotted cream; rich chocolate cookies piped with royal icing; and Mah-Jong tile white chocolate bonbons filled with combinations of lychee, coconut and calamansi.
65 South Audley Street, Mayfair, W1K 2QU
Bacchanalia
The hottest restaurant to open its doors last year, Bacchanalia is the latest concept from Annabel’s owner and Caprice Holdings’ chairman, Richard Caring. As you can expect its interiors are breathtaking, featuring everything from Damien Hirst statues and hand-painted ceiling murals to 2,000-year-old Greek and Roman artworks.
The food and drink are just as flamboyant, serving up Mediterranean dishes that have been refined to perfection. Think keftedes – Greek-style meatballs with tomato relish and smoked yoghurt; shrimp ‘saganaki’ in a rich tomato sauce, barrel-aged feta and ouzo; strip loin tagliata with green peppercorn sauce, pickled onion and crunchy potato; and the famous, Bacchanalia tiramisu made with mascarpone cream, coffee namelaka and savoiardi biscuit.
The bar area is just as impressive with counter-side pews, dim-lit tables and cosy sofas. Head here for a pre-dinner aperitif or nightcap, choosing from their long wine list, spirit options or seductive cocktails.
1 Mount Street, Mayfair, W1K 3NA
Apricity
Founded by chef-owner Chantelle Nicholson, Apricity prides itself on its sustainability efforts. Every ounce of the process has been thoughtfully designed to be a low-waste operation, from the suppliers through to how the dishes are washed.
British produce is championed, focusing on hyper-seasonal ingredients from small-scale farmers. There’s a menu for every occasion, whether you’re after a weekday lunch, a tasting menu experience or a la carte options.
The interiors, designed by interior architect David Chenery, reflect its sustainability efforts, with pared-back décor, exposed walls and even the bar’s floor tiles made from over 70% recycled materials.
68 Duke Street, Mayfair, W1K 6JU
Plants by Deliciously Ella
Plant-based dining at its finest, Plants is the recent opening from Ella and Matthew Mills, the team behind Deliciously Ella. The restaurant showcases vegetables in all of their glory, creating dishes that are packed with nourishment and tasty flavours.
Open from breakfast through to dinner, the menu focuses on seasonal ingredients. Expect to be delighting on crispy fried okra with spicy peanut sauce and zest baby watercress; maple-glazed cauliflower with spicy butterbean puree and a hazelnut and mint pesto; and a veganised cacio e peppe with macadamia parmesan, kampot black pepper and pistachio.
18 Weighhouse Street, Mayfair, W1K 5AH
Hideaway
After the success of two pop-up locations, Hideaway finally landed on Mayfair’s Mount Street bringing a touch of vintage Parisian style to the neighbourhood.
It quickly became a go-to spot for Mayfair’s businesses to head for a healthy breakfast meeting or a grab-and-go lunch for busy locals. Look forward to smoked salmon with Amalfi lemon; croque monsieur or madame with black truffle; and black pepper Wagyu pastrami bagels stuffed with homemade dill pickle and French mustard.
You’ll find specialist coffees, premium teas, as well as an extensive wine and Champagne list.
100 Mount Street, Mayfair, W1K 2TG
Comptoir Café & Wine
Café by day, wine bar by night, Comptoir Café & Wine is one of our all-time favourite spots to head for fuss-free dining.
Head here during the day with your laptop and notebook in tow, people-watching into the afternoon with a pastry and coffee. Stay until dinner and you’ll see the space shift from a bustling French café to a laid-back wine bar serving small plates, classic French classics and an extensive wine selection – there are over 500 bottles to choose from! If you like what you’re drinking, you can head downstairs to the wine shop to pick up a bottle of your favourite.
21-22 Weighhouse Street, Mayfair, W1K 5LU
Mercato Mayfair
For something a little different, Mercato Mayfair is a cultural hub and sustainable community market located in the regenerated St Mark’s.
Following an impressive restoration, the space features the building’s stunning heritage features from the stained glass windows to the stone arches. Inside this hub, you’ll find independent stallholders selling a variety of ready-to-eat food and grocery staples. Home to three levels of food and drink stalls and a roof terrace, there’s always something new to discover inside these four walls.
St. Mark’s Church, North Audley Street, Mayfair, W1K 6ZA
Keep up to date with the latest events, activations and openings at @Mayfair_Ldn
Foodie influencer Rosie Birkett has shared her Mayfair favourites – click here to read more
