Mayfair's Newest Seafood Restaurant Fit For A Queen

It’s not every day that Mayfair welcomes a restaurant as intriguing as Lilibet’s. Tucked away at 17 Bruton Street, the very house where Princess Elizabeth was born in April 1926, this newcomer already has the pedigree of royalty. And yet, step inside and you’ll find something far more playful than stately: a glamorous, floral-flecked dining room that feels at once lavish, lighthearted, and deeply Mayfair.

Created by Ross Shonhan (the man is a genius when it comes to simplicity, restraint, and perfectly executed flavour), Lilibet’s is a seafood restaurant London didn’t realise it was waiting for. With a roaring wood grill, a glittering seafood bar, and a front-of-house team that makes you feel like you’ve just walked into Buckingham Palace, it’s the kind of restaurant you’ll want to linger in all night. Which, of course, we did.

What sets it apart

Perched at the top end of Berkeley Square, just minutes from Green Park station, Lilibet’s is perfectly placed. The building has history (of course), but what Ross Shonhan and Russell Sage Studio have done with it feels far from dusty. Lavish “Royal” interiors nod to the late Queen Elizabeth II, while playful floral touches hark back to Mayfair’s golden 1920s era. Antique fireplaces, botanical wallpapers, and velvet seating balance grandeur with warmth and personality.

The wood fire grill glows in the corner, the seafood bar stacked high with oysters. Sadly, there was not a corgi in sight, just the owner’s dog, Umi, who briefly made a grand entrance.

Created by the venerable Ross Shonhan – whose focus on quality, simplicity, flavour and technique shine through every dish. Clearly a master craftsman, striving for perfection, with dishes that kept getting better through the evening

What we ordered

This isn’t food that shouts. It just lands perfectly.

*Grilled bass, bream or gurnard* *with mojo verde*

• Anchovy éclairs & crab tarts: Delicate, citrus-tinged jolts.

• Focaccia di Recco: Wafer-thin sheets sandwiching gooey garlic-cheese lava.

• Ricotta agnolotti: Pasta that whispers lemon and sage, then vanishes in about two bites.

• The Fish Triptych: Bass, bream or gurnard, done three ways.

• Crudo with “dog sauce”: Lime, spring onion, scotch bonnet, bang. Grilled over wood with mojo verde – green, herby, smoke-kissed.

• À la minute fish soup: Cooked to order, pressure-cooked for 15 minutes, ladled tableside.

• Lilibet’s Mash: Lobster + shellfish bisque + potato. It’s stupidly indulgent. My husband muttered, “That mash should be illegal.”

• Princess Cake: I was going to go for the ice cream, but this dessert was recommended. It was regal and light with just enough kitsch.

The cocktails deserve their own headline. The Velvet Margarita was so good, I woke up the next day still tasting it. That’s not a hangover, it’s memory burn.

I woke up the next day still salivating over the Velvet Margarita.
Elly, Founder & CEO

The private dining room

The private dining room is a standout: intimate, atmospheric, almost like being in a beautiful home rather than a public dining space. It seats up to 22 people for sumptuous events, and the minimum spend from around £1,000 is a steal for somewhere of this calibre in Mayfair. Perfect for birthdays, business dinners, or any celebration where intimacy meets grandeur without ostentation.

This is the kind of place you don’t want to leave, like the best dinner party you’ve ever been to, only with much better food.

The verdict

London needed a proper seafood restaurant. Not a blingy champagne-and-oysters trap, but somewhere that actually delivers the goods. Lilibet’s more than does. It’s lively, generous, confident, and it leaves you a bit giddy.

I left aware that I’d just been in one of those places that feels like it’s been here forever, even though it only opened last month.