A stroll in Fitzrovia yields gorgeous 18th- and 19th-century buildings and quintessential ‘ye olde’ pubs. The neighbouring Marylebone Village is a vibrant thoroughfare, teeming with indie boutiques and Georgian mansions, while tourists flock to nearby Madame Tussauds and 221b Baker Street. And where culture and architecture go, the food scene will surely follow. Home to a multitude of award-winning eateries, whether you’re in the market for French haute cuisine or pasta served in a wheel of cheese, these are the best restaurants in Marylebone and Fitzrovia.
Pied à Terre
Founded in 1991 and still in the care of the original owner, Pied à Terre has the honour of being the longest-standing independent Michelin-starred restaurant in the UK. It serves classic French cuisine to Fitzrovia’s discerning denizens – think rabbit pate en croute with pistachios and red mullet farci with morels and courgette flowers. Executive chef Asimakis Chaniotis also makes occasional reference to his Greek roots, as with the eggs Kaiyanna with taramasalata, bottarga and breakfast radishes.
34 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia W1T 2NH, visit pied-a-terre.co.uk
Noizé
Mathieu Germond was brought up in the Loire Valley, where his grandparents ran a farm in the tiny village of Noizé. Years later, he opened a French bistro of the same name to recreate the tastes he experienced growing up. Expect straightforward yet elegant seasonal dishes like lobster lasagne with crushed peas, stuffed rabbit leg with borlotti bean and wild mushroom and wild halibut with potato rosti. Explore the wine list for perfect pairings, Germond’s wine knowledge is vast and you’re sure to find something to suit every palate.
39 Whitfield Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 2SF, visit noize-restaurant.co.uk
Hakkasan
Hakkasan came to London 20 years ago on a mission to bring modern Chinese food to the capital. It is now wildly popular and Michelin-starred, with 10 locations worldwide. In a dynamic celebration of Cantonese flavours, Hakkasan offers dishes ranging from the traditional (like the Hakka steamed dim sum platter) to the experimental (roasted silver cod in champagne) and the unexpected (grilled Chilean sea bass with Chinese honey). Dishes are designed for sharing so that diners can try as much as possible.
8 Hanway Place, Fitzrovia, W1T 1HD, visit hakkasan.com
Akoko
Akoko’s dishes are inspired by the traditions of West Africa while incorporating the highest-quality British produce. Since opening, the restaurant has been drawing in patrons curious to see how owner Aji Akokomi brings African spices to Fitzrovia. They’re greeted with recipes passed down from generation to generation, such as Herdwick lamb with jollof rice, smoked quail egg with avocado and barbecue mango sweets with sombi ice cream.
21 Berners Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 3LP, visit akoko.co.uk
Hot Stone
Hot Stone specialises in the Japanese tradition of omakase, which means ‘I’ll leave it to you’. In other words, instead of poring over a menu (only to get food envy when you inevitably order the wrong thing), the chef decides what they will serve you. Executive chef Padam Raj Rai makes either 14 (for 10 guests) or 17 (for six guests) punchy dishes incorporating ingredients like Japanese wagyu, tuna carpaccio and seared butterfish. Add 38-year aged soy sauce, spicy truffle yuzu miso and grated Japanese wasabi, and you have something far greater than your average steak and sushi.
3 Windmill Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 2HY, visit hotstonelondon.com
Circolo Popolare
Make sure to book early if you want to get in to Circolo Popolare – this Fitzrovia-based Sicilian trattoria is really having a moment. Run by 130 self-professed ‘crazy Italians’, Circolo Popolare offers its adoring public, among other things, carbonara served in a pecorino wheel, Neapolitan pizzas covered in San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and scandalous desserts like a caramelised profiterole. This is surely what the word ‘indulgent’ was created for.
40-41 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, W1T 1HX, visit bigmammagroup.com
Upstairs at The George
At first glance, this 18th-century Grade II-listed pub might seem like your classic old man’s boozer, but head upstairs and you’ll find a stylishly decked-out sparkling wine bar and dining room. Inspired by the late Georgian living quarters of its previous landlords, Upstairs at The George has retained its glamorous charm – even with the addition of pistachio- and raspberry-hued walls and an Art Deco bar – thanks to large regency sash windows, which flood the space with light.
Expect elevated pub classics comprising everything from beef and Guinness pie and beer battered fish and chips to pork cheek Goan curry, Sunday roasts with all the trimmings, and an impressive Knickerbocker Glory with vanilla ice cream, salted caramel toffee and chocolate fudge brownie. For drinks, the bar boasts no less than 80 varieties of English sparkling wine, the producers of which will be invited to partner with the restaurant for monthly set-lunch menus.
55 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia, W1W 7LQ, visit thegeorge.london
Trishna
Trishna delivers Indian coastal cuisine to the delightful Marylebone Village, with an extensive wine list to boot. The tasting menu features delicacies like paneer tikka with raw mango, badami broccoli with cardamom and almond and wild mushroom and morel pilau while the à la carte yields peanut garlic prawns, dill and pepper river trout and coconut leaf scallops. Trishna’s antique mirrors, marble tabletops and original wood panelling, plus the fantastic food, make it an all-round charming experience.
15-17 Blandford Street, Marylebone, W1U 3DG, visit trishnalondon.com
Delamina
Delamina in Marylebone Village specialises in Eastern Mediterranean dishes. Owned by husband-and-wife team Limor and Amir, the menu draws on Limor’s childhood in Tel Aviv, as well as family roots in Russia and Iran. Sizzling small plates fly out of the kitchen, piled high with house shawarma with dates and pine kernels, seared tuna with roasted hazelnuts and chargrilled chicken with ras el hanout with roasted sweet potato puree. Pistachio interiors and trailing greenery create a soothing ambience or pitch up outside on Marylebone Lane on a warm summer’s day.
56-58 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, W1U 2NX, visit delaminakitchen.co.uk
108 Brasserie
This smart, buzzy restaurant is nestled in The Marylebone Hotel but also has a standalone entrance on Marylebone Lane, thus giving it a neighbourhood feel. The menu is a smart edit of uncomplicated, well-executed British classics, including generously loaded burgers, sizzling steaks and blackened Miso cod, which are flamed to perfection on the Josper grill. After your meal, beeline for a cosy corner in the velvet-clad cocktail lounge or linger in the main bar, which packs out most nights. Set on a charming cobbled lane, the ivy-strewn terrace is ideal for people-watching during warmer months.
108 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, W1U 2QE, visit 108brasserie.com
House Lounge & Bar at Home House
Three Georgian townhouses were knocked into one to create Home House, Marylebone’s most exclusive members’ club. Vivacious interiors by Russell Sage Studios pay tribute to the property’s louche past, which was once Elizabeth the Countess of Home’s personal playground. Previously named House 21, the House Lounge and Bar is where one drink can easily lead to six. Small but perfectly formed small plates are served until midnight and include wagyu beef sliders with Asian slaw, confit duck wings, tuna tartare, and chocolate and pistachio doughnuts. There is a regular programme of live entertainment, including Drag Bingo and nightly DJs, as well as a retro light-up dancefloor in the lounge. The club boasts 35 bedrooms, which are also available to non-members.
20 Portman Square, Marylebone, W1H 6LW, visit homehouse.co.uk
Orrery
Orrery serves elegant French food from a converted stable block at the heart of W1. The dining room is flooded with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling arched windows that frame the St Marylebone Church courtyard. The lavender panelling and handmade terracotta pots are all inspired by the south of France. But Orrery is about much more than the interior; head chef Igor Tymchyschyn flashes his Michelin-starred credentials with dishes such as Dorset crab with avocado and mango, confit duck raviolo, beef tournedos with potato puree and strawberry and elderflower pannacotta.
55 Marylebone High Street, Marylebone, W1U 5RB, visit orrery-restaurant.co.uk
Fischer’s
Owned and operated by the team behind the Wolseley, Fischer’s brings the charm of early 20th-century Vienna to Marylebone with warm, inviting interiors and traditional Austrian cuisine. Open all day for dining, this informal neighbourhood eatery serves up an array of Viennese delicacies, including schnitzel, strudel, and a vast array of confectionery. Highlights include a range of Brötchen served on rye sourdough and filled with beetroot and herring and chicken liver, cucumber and dill, as well as Holstein schnitzel with anchovy, capers and egg, and roast tranche of turbot with Tenderstem broccoli and sauce Maltaise. The wine list here highlights some of central Europe’s finest bottles, with a selection spanning Austria, Germany, France and Hungary. Make sure you try the classic cinnamon and apple strudel.
50 Marylebone High Street, Marylebone, W1U 5HN, visit fischers.co.uk
Read more: Where to find London’s best burgers
The post The best restaurants in Marylebone and Fitzrovia appeared first on Luxury London.