The Cocochine

I visited for lunch on a Wednesday in freezing January. I had heard great things about this restaurant, and was very keen to try the tasting menu but was waiting for a special occasion. I knew the lunch menu was ridiculously good value for the level of cooking on show so when a friend suggested we meet up for lunch this was my very first thought. In short it lived up to the hype. I took the 3 course set menu, which does have separately priced extras such as bread and chips. I took the sourdough option at £4 which was just incrediblly tasty and enough to share with a companion at lunch. My waist couldn't quite justify the chips although I'm sure they would have been spectacular and maybe I'm rueing that decision a little now. The service was immaculate and super quick. I was worried initially, as I had a strict out. We sat down and caught up for 20 mins and we hadn't given our order, but after we gave our order the service was swift and unfussy. They must have picked up on my nervous energy. I will be returning soon for the tasting menu and I can't wait to see what's on offer.

Tell me how this place doesn’t have a Michelin star yet? Shocking given the level of execution / ingredient quality, interpretation and creativity as well as the service and overall consistency. I’ve dined here three times so far, twice for lunch and once for dinner. Every time has been exquisite and an absolute delight. Food wise this is some of the best modern yet comforting cooking with a twist that only someone like Larry could achieve. Modern, refined, creative yet not pretentious or posturing. Exceptional seasonal ingredients and dishes that keep you wanting more. Service and hospitality is quite geniuenly perfect in a way that I rarely experience even in some of the best restaurants in London - everyone is incredibly well trained, warm, welcoming with perfect timing and attention to detail. Part of me hopes this place gets all the attention that it deserves, the other part of me hopes with stays the hidden little gem that it is at least for another year for me to comfortably indulge in the little townhouse for a bit longer.

Yet another fantastic lunch. This time, The Cocochine in Mayfair. A lovely restaurant, cosy, great artwork and well lit, with a cool vibe. And the food was superb. Seasonal produce, most coming from the regenerative Rowler Farm Estate in Northamptonshire, with seafood from Tanera Island off the Scottish coast. Highly sustainable. Innovative and tasty, with Sri Lankan influences, Chef Larry Jayasekara and his team are serving up some of London's best fine dining food. It was lovely to chat to him with his passion for this project, infectious. Three courses for £39 is ridiculous value for this high standard of cooking. Best to go now before prices increase, as a Michelin Star will be heading its way to this brilliant place this year. We will be back again very soon.

The Cocochine had been on my list for a while, and I eventually managed to visit on a Friday to take advantage of their well priced 3 course set lunch menu (£39). It is quite a well specced venue - appropriately so for its Mayfair location. The ground floor housed the regular tables which seemed well spaced out, while one floor up was the kitchen counter seating we had booked. Note there are only 7-8 seats here which gave it a more exclusive feel. I believe the venue also has a sizeable space on the next floor up that is available for private hire. Once seated we were presented with menus and almost got tempted to upgrade our plans. Their signature tasting menu was priced at £189, but there was also the option of selecting 3 courses from the Signature menu for around £125. This menu did look a lot more tempting, but ultimately sensibility prevailed and we stuck to the set lunch deal! Between me and my wife we tried both menu options for each of the 3 courses. The food was generally very good. For starters the lobster raviolo was the top pick over the Rowler farm salad. For mains both the sea trout and seasonal roast turkey pie were very enjoyable, but I’d probably pick the pie which had a delicious pastry casing and came with a very flavourful sauce. The ice cream was a nice lighter dessert option, which was in contrast to the very indulgent Christmas pie, with more of that fine pastry work on display. Service was excellent. We enjoyed our interactions with head chef Larry and other members of the team as well. The bill for our meal came to £190 of which £95 was spent on drinks. Note that the wine list is fairly punchy if you decide to indulge. Overall a very good lunch, and at £39 for a meal this generous (in both quality and quantity) this must be one of the best set lunch deals around, but at the same time I couldn’t help feeling we missed out on the far more tempting signature menu, and I’ll definitely be back to try the latter!

Edited to reflect why it is 2 stars, I was gracious with my review maybe too much so. Poor value lunch meal, good ingredients but lacked depth in both flavour and personality. ------ We had the 3 course lunch menu for 39 pounds (including a 15% service charge 45 pounds pp without drinks or sides) on a Saturday. We booked the counter but they had a table open so we got that which was nice. They also provided a cheese bite as a snack which was a surprising addition, but quite greasy. The food portion was tiny (not balanced as they have described) and how formulaic the service was at times make this an average andpoor value meal. This is an establishment I will not be revisiting no recommending. The food was undeniably fresh but lacked depth and the portions without sides was not substantial for a meal. I cannot fathom what one may think if they got the two course, it would be like having starters but no main. It is not good value for the food. You will get better food at a gastropub for the whopping 45 pounds. The lobster ravioli in a bisque taseted like the sea, I think they left too much lobster tomalley, it was a tad bitter. Though my friend said it tasted fine to her, so that may be subjective.The pie (in the picture looks reasonable) was finished in perhaps 4 bites, which leaves one wanting. The trout was a more substantial portion, and cooked well, though not particularly interesting The ice cream was the star of the show. It was really good ice cream with nice depth and lightness that does not leave one's mouth sticky and sickly sweet. The rhubarb pie on the other hand was only sour, again no depth. The atmosphere was nicely set up, and the service as expected for a 15% service charge (topping up water, clearing the table of crumbs after every course) but lacking warmth. I didn't like that the wine list was on an Ipad, I don't know why they couldn't have printed it out. At times the service felt very formulaic, smiles but no personality and I felt they were pushy at times. Trying to sell wine or sides, but not in a "this is my favourite thing on the menu" please try it, but in a "do you want sides?" if I wanted sides I would have gotten it. The restaurant should get the staff to try the food first before having them serve. The waitors were just doing their job, so nothing wrong with that, but for an establishment that is trying to be fancy I think they can be warmer and more personal. Plus they bought the check without us asking, right after we declined the tea and coffees. It was 14:40 so I don't know if they had another table following us or not. This felt a bit hurried and was 35 minutes before our table was up. The combination of leaving still quite hungry and the perfunctory service made this an average if not poor meal. What I thought was good was that they were able to find our coats without having to give us a tag.

One of the best fine dining experiences available in london. So impressed by the tasting menu - luxurious ingredients and generous portions - almost “too much” caviar, truffle, lobster etc! Really recommend the chefs table upstairs - great for groups of up to 3 or solo diners. The standard of cooking is to at least Michelin star standard. Yes it’s a fine dining but the atmosphere is not at all stuffy - service is relaxed and friendly. Wine pairing is worth the investment - some special bottles in there. An outstanding meal! Couldn’t recommend more highly

Sublime Dining Experience – Elegance, Precision, and Personality Cocochine is a true standout on the London dining scene — refined, intimate, and impressively original. From the moment you step in, the attention to detail is evident: the atmosphere is understated yet elegant, and the service is seamless without ever feeling stiff. Each dish is a masterclass in balance and technique. Flavours are clean, precise, and beautifully layered — the kind of cooking that feels effortless but speaks of serious skill. The tasting menu flows with intention, and the wine pairings elevate it all to another level. It’s clear that every element, from ingredients to presentation, is deeply considered. Cocochine isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a curated experience. One that’s quietly confident, deeply creative, and absolutely worth seeking out. A remarkable addition to London’s fine dining landscape.

Superb experience. The counter is a great place to sit and enjoy the action of the kitchen. Fave dish - the crab. Love the Sri Lankan touches to the food.