"Mary’s is one of those restaurants that might need to go on a spiritual retreat so it can figure out exactly who it is. A diner with sommeliers in Breton stripe tees? A brasserie for martini-drunk clients? The answer is somewhere in the middle, and you know what, we don’t have to get it to like it. The kind of British restaurant in Mayfair has white tablecloths and dark wood, a glowing neon burger sign above the bar, and servers who will pop your handbag on its own little stool while asking if you want truffle mayo with your smashburger. The answer is yes, thank you, you do want truffle mayo. There’s something fabulously bourgeois about getting messy with an extra-thick, melting pink patty alongside a £35 glass of Bordeaux—even if the too-airy, lacklustre bun isn’t as glam as a glossy brioche would be. We finally, almost, understand those people who hire a yacht only to demand their private chef prepare a glorified Big Mac. video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Longstanding burger affinity aside, the other best dishes at Mary’s are the ones that hint at the restaurant’s undercurrent of fine dining, like a smart and sizeable duck croquette with rich, gravy-adjacent satay sauce, and a stylish half-moon of ajo blanco and creamy scallops. But no matter how tender your tomahawk is, the experience of pairing a triple-digit steak with the scent of a neighbour’s streaky bacon and chilli mayo will always feel a bit weird. The benefit of Mary’s not making sense is that it’s the ideal compromise for a show-off meal with picky friends, parents, or partners who just want to eat a decent burger while you kick back with something beurre-blanc-fancy on a leather banquette. So long as you accept that you’ll be starting the meal with a tweezer-perfected gurnard ceviche and ending it on a Krispy Kreme with ego, or maybe a nightcap at their broody little bar next door, The Blind Pig, you’ll enjoy yourself. Food Rundown photo credit: Mary's Orkney Scallop, Pickled Melon, Ajo Blanco Exhibit A in our noble crusade to demand that more London restaurants should slice scallops into bite-size slivers. The ajo blanco has a subtle hint of vinegar flavour, but when the scallops are this creamy and sweet, we’re happy for them to take centre stage. Duck Croquette, Pickled Cucumber, Satay Sauce Ignore the fact that this croquette has its own pickled cucumber fascinator and embrace this starter’s peak comfort factor. The satay is rich, extra thick, and a touch sweet, and the hulking croquette is the crispy duck patty we never knew we needed. photo credit: Mary's Mary’s Cumbrian Beef Dirty Smash Burger And Koffmanns Fries Anything involving a deep-fried pickle is a yes from us and the crispy-edge patty is a bit thicker than your average smashburger. From the medley of chilli mayo, melted cheese, and additional crunch courtesy of crispy onions and bacon, this is indulgently messy. Our only irk is the bun is a bit too light for the burger's hefty contents. Also, the fries fall on the too-salty side of the sodium spectrum. photo credit: Mary's Grass Fed Aged Tomahawk A good steak. The wood-fired grill gives it a nice char and we’re very into the melting blobs of butter that are masquerading as a peppercorn sauce. Sincere apologies to our arteries." - Heidi Lauth Beasley
