tried and tasted

Brasserie Chavot exudes an air of Gallic sophistication from the get-go, writes Colette Doyle. The dark wooden panelling, subdued lighting supplied by an array of crystal chandeliers and the rich, red glow of the leather upholstered seating are all perfectly in keeping with its swanky Mayfair location as part of The Westbury hotel.   My dining companion and I start…

If you’re looking for something off the beaten track, Pantry at 108, located at The Marylebone Hotel, offers a quintessential English setting, writes Molly Dyson. The fresh interior design, with its light grey and white walls, wooden floors and plush red sofas, immediately puts me in the mood for the healthy, gluten-free afternoon tea we’re about to have. We’re lucky enough…

If location is everything then Napa at the Chiswick Moran is sitting pretty when it comes to attracting business travellers, writes Colette Doyle. The hotel is a minute’s walk from Gunnersbury Tube station, making it an ideal choice for those who have to catch a flight from Heathrow but don’t want to be stuck all the way out at the…

Think of sherry and a fusty, overly sweet beverage beloved by maiden aunts everywhere probably springs to mind, writes Colette Doyle. The Sign of the Don urges you to think again, located as it is on the site of the original Sandeman port and sherry cellar. Upstairs, the bar has a buzzy vibe and downstairs the bistro (an offshoot of…

The name Marco Pierre White is synonymous with a great gastronomic experience and Marco Grill at Stamford Bridge combines his signature style with the relaxed atmosphere of a steakhouse, writes Molly Dyson. Circular booths with comfy leather seats frame the dining room and autographed images of celebrities hang on the mirror-effect walls, paying homage to the lively nightlife of London.…

The Ritz is a byword for opulence and dining here is something to which all bon viveurs aspire, writes Colette Doyle. Luxury comes as standard, as frock-coated waiters cater to your every whim and each patron, whether they have a title or not, is made to feel special. If you like understated minimalism you may have to book elsewhere: gold…

This year marks the 175th anniversary of Brown’s Hotel, making it something of a Mayfair institution, writes Colette Doyle. This Rocco Forte-run property has seen many a famous face cross its doors over the decades, including Queen Victoria. Nowadays, it welcomes the likes of Tracey Emin, Paul Smith and Stella McCartney and is synonymous with being a haunt of the…

Since restaurant reviewers are supposed to attempt at least some sign of professional impartiality, allow me to make a disclosure up front: I absolutely love Thai food, writes Colette Doyle. From Tom Kha soup and fish cakes to red curry with pork and Weeping Tiger (beef in a spicy marinade), there are very few Thai dishes I don’t like. You…

Call them what you like – tapas, mezze, or cicchetti – I love the idea of sharing dishes, so I was very pleased indeed to try out the newly opened all-day dining outlet at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hyde Park, writes Colette Doyle. The Urban Meadow Café’s motto is “farm to fork” – it lays great emphasis on using fresh,…

All the best institutions have an amusing anecdote at their origin and The Palm is no exception. If a New York City clerk had paid more attention, the restaurant would actually have been named Parma, after the home town of the founders, John Ganzi and Pio Bossi, but the gormless pen-pusher had trouble understanding their native accents and so The…

Royal China is a group of restaurants that has its London clientele queuing out of the doors at lunchtime. Bearing this in mind, we choose to venture further north-west to the spacious Harrow venue, writes Nicole Holgate. The locations are all decorated in a similar elegant style with red, black and gold, while being airy and bright. There is almost…

The incredible space on the 24th floor of London’s Tower 42 was home to Gary Rhodes’s restaurant, Rhodes Twenty-Four, until his contract ended in September. Facing the possibility of an empty restaurant during the busy Christmas season, Restaurant Associates approached Michelin-starred chef Anthony Demetre (pictured) for a 12-week pop-up at AD12 at T42, prior to Jason Atherton’s takeover in spring…

Some restaurants are fun, casual affairs where you might drop in to grab a quick bite after work; Hibiscus is not one of those places, writes Colette Doyle. You would no more grab a bite here than you would hope to snap up a bargain at a Gucci emporium, for dining at Hibiscus is a sacred experience.    There is…

Winston Churchill was someone who famously enjoyed a libation now and then, writes Colette Doyle. When accused of being drunk by a female politician he, somewhat ungallantly it must be said, replied: “Madam, you are ugly. In the morning, I shall be sober.” So you’re in good company at The Churchill Bar & Terrace – literally, in fact, as a specially…

When it comes to finding something good to eat at an airport it can be a dispiriting experience, with much of the food to be had resembling something you would expect to find at a motorway service station circa 1975, writes Colette Doyle. But if you take a slight detour from Heathrow Terminal 5, then you’ll come across a dining…

The atmosphere of Thirty Six is quiet and reserved: one that indicates the evening is going to be wholly about the food, writes Nicole Holgate. Having opted for the à la carte three courses as opposed to the tasting menu, staff are more than happy to recommend a wine to go with our diverse food choices.  First up are delicate…

As the name suggests, 1776 is a restaurant redolent of history. The date harks back to this Grade II-listed building’s days as a bank, and the imposing, vaulted ceilings are testimony to its previous incarnation as a financial institution, writes Colette Doyle. Nowadays, though, in place of tellers’ counters you’ll find an impressive-looking and well-stocked bar that makes for a…

It may have taken the astounding sum of £24 million to restore Edinburgh’s Caledonian hotel to its former glory, but it is money well spent, writes Colette Doyle. The property’s gleaming spaces are redolent of the sophistication and glamour of a bygone age and the hotel can rightly claim its place within the swish Waldorf Astoria portfolio. In keeping with…