Across Mayfair, the Strand, and Queensway, refinement takes many forms—served on porcelain, poured into crystal, and framed in gold leaf. In these pockets of London, dining rooms are more than venues for a meal; they are immersive stages where cuisine and art perform in harmony. Some whisper with the intimacy of a private salon, others dazzle with walls alive in colour and texture, yet each invites you to linger as long over the view as over the plate. Together, they prove a simple truth: in this city, a truly great dinner is always a masterpiece in the making.
Mount St. Restaurant
Mayfair
The Mount, Mayfair; David Owens Photography, courtesy of Dr. Jacqueline Nowikovsky.
How close can you get to dining surrounded by museum-class masterpieces? Perched in the heart of Mayfair, Mount St. Restaurant is less a restaurant than a stage set for an exquisite encounter of cuisine and art—where your dinner party might have to share the spotlight with a landscape by another Party, the master of pastels Nicolas Party that is (but more about this later). Located above The Audley, a gregarious pub that has been a local favourite since Edwardian times and now crowned by an exuberant ceiling collage that Phyllida Barlow was commissioned to create, it is run by Artfarm, the gastro-arm of the global art powerhouse Hauser & Wirth. The restaurant on the first floor bears the signature of Luis Laplace’s bold, timeless design and a scattering of artworks that illuminate the space like carefully placed jewels. Rashid Johnson’s Broken Floor unfurls across the dining room, a fractured mosaic of Palladian marble. Around the glowing walls, art luminaries hold your gaze: a plate of delicate crustaceans painted by Lucian Freud, a hypnotic composition by Frank Bowling and a voluptuous nude by Suzanne Valadon to name just a few. My own favourite, a landscape painting of Primrose Hill by Frank Auerbach, brimming with his powerful colours, has now given way to a more sombre but equally imposing composition by Philip Guston.
“Mount St. Restaurant is less a restaurant than a stage set for an exquisite encounter of cuisine and art,”
On each table you will find lamps inspired by Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s iconic Powder Box of 1918, as well as salt and pepper shakers inspired by the audacious form of Paul McCarthy’s Tree. Saucy comments are prompted. If you´re lucky enough to be invited upwards, you may discover the private rooms—not mere private dining suites, but carefully curated galleries in themselves. The Swiss Room pays homage to the Wirths’ heritage in hand-stained oak and two imposing compositions by Swiss artist Nicolas Party, that any lover of his works would yearn for. The rich mustard-yellow Italian Room evokes the grandeur of palazzos, the Scottish Room winks to The Fife Arms, and the turreted Games Room becomes a dreamscape under Anj Smith’s hallucinatory ceiling painting. This is dining elevated—effortless, stately, imbued with art history and masterfully arranged masterpieces. Mount St. Restaurant doesn’t just welcome art to the table; it weaves it into the fabric of every moment. The word Audley is English Anglo-Saxon for ‘old friend’ and I can only hope that this place will become one of your new ones.
What we love: Mount St. Restaurant transforms dinner into a living gallery, where each bite is framed by museum-worthy masterpieces and every room unfolds like a chapter in an art collector’s dream.
Book your reservation HERE
The Park
Queensway
© The Park, courtesy of Dr. Jacqueline Nowikovsky.
Founded by gentleman extraordinaire and legendary restaurateur Jeremy King, The Park is a love letter to both Manhattan’s Grand Cafés and London’s timeless sophistication. Yes, it faces Hyde Park, but the name is also a wink across the Atlantic. Much like the original “culinary comet” Jonathan Waxman’s Jams, which landed in New York in 1984 and brought Californian flair to the East Coast, The Park draws on the layered influence of Italian, Greek, and west coast heritage diner cuisine. But it isn’t just about food; it’s about feeling. And here, Jeremy King proves himself once again not just a man of hospitality, but of distinguished social intelligence. Rather than maximizing capacity, King made the deliberate choice to reduce the number of seats in favour of more intimate tables. The result? Discreet booths designed with elegant precision, where your conversation remains your own. It’s no surprise then, that high-ranking public figures can frequently—and quietly- be spotted here.
“The Park is a love letter to both Manhattan’s Grand Cafés and London’s timeless sophistication,”
But the design story doesn’t stop with seating. Art is central to The Park’s identity. In a nod to American diner roots, King curated pieces that evoke both nostalgia and modernity. Alex Katz’s unmistakable portraits of women and trees, outlined in bold, flat strokes anchor the visual language, offering a sleek counterpoint to the warm, layered interior. Photography also holds pride of place: expect glimpses of Horst P. Horst, serene Long Island landscapes and Ti Foster´s photographs of Japanese parks that are exchanged with the seasons, shifting from sunlit summer greens to wintry whites according to the calendar. Even the lighting is bespoke: subtle, architectural fixtures that frame the art without fanfare, and gently cast each nook in its best light. There’s poetry here —quite literally, in the form of Le Corbusier’s “Poem of the Right Angle” referenced both visually and philosophically. The Park is more than a restaurant. It’s a conversation between cities, between eras, between King and the guest. And as ever with Jeremy King, the conversation is effortlessly but immaculately styled.
What we love: The Park feels like a transatlantic whisper between New York and London, where Jeremy King pairs artful intimacy with timeless style, and every booth becomes its own perfectly lit world.
Book your reservation HERE
Langan’s Brasserie
Mayfair
Langan’s Brasserie, Photo by James McDonald; courtesy of Dr. Jacqueline Nowikovsky.
There are restaurants, and then there are institutions. Langan’s Brasserie, the iconic Mayfair haunt founded in 1976 by Peter Langan, Michael Caine and Richard Shepherd modelled on the French Brasserie La Coupole, has always been the latter. In its original heyday, Langan’s operated on a deliciously bohemian barter system: artists could “eat down” their bills with brushstrokes. The walls became a who’s who of Modern British art: David Hockney, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Patrick Procktor, R.B. Kitaj, dined at and decorated the place. One legendary Hockney drawing, capturing the trio of founders, distilled everything Langan’s stood for: food, wine and lively conversation. When this particular work on paper sold at auction in 2018, it nearly tripled its estimate. The restaurant however was hit hard by the pandemic and slipped into administration in 2020. But in true London fashion, it made a triumphant comeback, rescued by a group of British investors who understood that this wasn’t just a restaurant—it was a legacy.
“In its original heyday, Langan’s operated on a deliciously bohemian barter system,”
Interior designer Peter Mikic delivered a ravishing refresh with his distinguished touch of modern elegance: Murano glass chandeliers, sage green leather banquettes, and brass lighting evoke cinematic glamour with a contemporary polish. But it’s the art that once again sets Langan’s apart. France-Lise McGurn’s sweeping mural electrifies the Mural Bar ceiling, while the menu itself features works by Ella Kruglyanskaya and McGurn. The restaurant’s post-2021 collection is bold and current: Cecily Brown’s What the Shepherd Saw, pieces by Bridget Riley, Nicole Eisenman, Hurvin Anderson, Billy Childish, Jake Grewal, Tesfaye Urgessa, Denzil Forrester, Sophie Von Hellerman and many more. Many names you may say, but it is a collection that feels more distinctive than decorative. Evenings here now include private art dinners hosted by galleries such as Pilar Corrias or Pippy Houldsworth, and I look back at these evenings surrounded by contemporary artworks and seated amidst collectors and museum directors with the greatest fondness. Langan’s isn’t just back—it’s smarter, sexier and sharper than ever.
What we love: Langan’s Brasserie marries its bohemian art-soaked legacy with a glamorous new chapter, where Murano-lit banquettes and bold contemporary works make every meal feel like a page in Mayfair’s most stylish story.
Book your reservation HERE
Toklas
The Strand
TOKLAS, photo by Ola Smit, Courtesy of House & Garden.
Named after Alice B. Toklas, writer, cook, and partner to the legendary art patron Gertrude Stein, Toklas is more than a restaurant. Hidden just off the Strand, it’s a sleek refuge where mid-century modernism meets contemporary art-world flair. Think reclaimed parquet floors, vintage Børge Mogensen chairs, and bespoke pendant lights that seem sculpted from light itself. The brainchild of Frieze founders Amanda Sharp and Matthew Slotover, Toklas is steeped in visual culture. Its centrepiece: A radiant Wolfgang Tillmans photograph of sultry tomatoes and aubergines by a Tuscan pool, perfectly echoing the Mediterranean-inspired menu. Exhibition posters from the last 50 years line the bar walls, sourced from museums and artist friends. Rumour has it, some famed guests come just to count how many they’re in.
“It’s a sleek refuge where mid-century modernism meets contemporary art-world flair,”
The artwork on the walls doesn’t rotate, but the artwork on the menu changes quarterly with commissions from artists like Issy Wood and Alvaro Barrington. The idea to involve artists via the menu was inspired by a menu the founders saw many years ago in Chanterelle in NYC by no less than grande-dame Vija Celmins. They went on to create a list of artists they´d love to invite to design said menus and ensured these artists would be London-based, so that they´d live close enough to also enjoy the restaurant. Occasionally, Toklas hosts intimate cultural evenings—most recently a night devoted to Alice and Gertrude themselves. Writer Francesca Wade discussed her new biography of Stein, followed by a dinner of recipes from Toklas’s legendary cookbook, reimagined by chef Alex Jackson and artist Allison Katz. At Toklas, dining isn’t just about food, it’s about history, conversation, and atmosphere. It’s a modern-day salon with really good food.
What we love: Toklas channels the spirit of a modern-day salon, where Mediterranean plates meet art-world wit, and every detail—from the Wolfgang Tillmans centrepiece to artist-designed menus—feels steeped in cultural conversation.
Book your reservation HERE
George
Mayfair
Private Dining Room at George Club; Photo by Milo Brown, courtesy of Dr. Jacqueline Nowikovsky.
Set discreetly on the corner of Mount Street, George is one of Mayfair’s more quiet private members’ clubs, a place where art, heritage and a certain canine charm come together. Founded in 2001 by the legendary Mark Birley, George was named not after a king, but after his dachshund. Still today, members are greeted at the door by the Club’s current pup-in-residence, continuing the legacy with a wag and a knowing look, given that the club is famously dog-friendly (there’s a dedicated dog menu, paw-secco and dogviar included). A bronze sculpture by renowned artist Jill Berelowitz in the stairwell, offers a tribute to the original dachshund muse. But what truly gives the club its singular identity and secured it a place on this list is the centre-stage role that David Hockney plays. Following a 2023 transformation under the stewardship of Richard and Patricia Caring, George emerged revitalised with an even greater focus on the enduring icon of artistic innovation and master of modern colour.
“George is one of Mayfair’s more quiet private members’ clubs, a place where art, heritage and a certain canine charm come together,”
Throughout the reimagined interiors, works by David Hockney offer a narrative thread of colour and mood. From vivid lithographs to radiant iPad drawings, his pieces illuminate the dining rooms and hallways and miniatures of his works grace the back of the menus. A mirrored private dining room glows with floral prints from the Arrival of Spring series, while the terrace (Mayfair’s largest) is an oasis for twilight cocktails beneath a deep blue awning. It’s open until 1 am, making it one of the few places in London where the night can linger as long as the conversation—maybe over the signature cocktail A Bigger Splash. My favourite artwork is the striking shaped still life canvas, its quiet presence alluding to a significance that serious collectors will recognise instantly. Hockney´s sense of perspective and vivid coloration underscores why he is one of Britain´s most revered living artists. Its members are a mix of entrepreneurs, creatives and well-connected Londoners, drawn by its glamour and convivial atmosphere. The allure of George lies in its polished details: interiors that layer classic elegance with contemporary sparkle, and a crowd that appreciates the finer things without the need for fanfare. In a city of ever-louder spaces, George delivers its glamour with poise.
What we love: George pairs Mayfair polish with Hockney-splashed charm, where art, heritage, and a warm welcome—complete with its dachshund host—create a private club that’s as effortlessly glamorous as it is delightfully unpretentious.
Apply for membership HERE
